The Southern Baptist Convention’s Executive Committee this week voted to expel six churches — one of them for allegedly mishandling a sexual abuse allegation and the other five for having female pastors.

“Southern Baptists hold to a complementarianism, a theological idea that teaches men and women have certain assigned roles,” The Tennessean reported.

“The credentials committee evaluates whether a church is in “friendly cooperation” with the convention and determines whether to recommend disfellowship. The executive committee then votes on that recommendation,” that report stated.

The churches expelled for women pastors are New Faith Mission Ministry in Griffin, Georgia; St. Timothy’s Christian Baptist Church in Baltimore; Calvary Baptist Church in Jackson, Mississippi; Fern Creek Baptist Church in Louisville; and Saddleback Church, The Alabama Baptist reported.

The sixth church — Freedom Church in Vero Beach, Florida — reportedly has not properly handled a sexual abuse allegation, that report stated. The churches have the right to appeal.

Richard Demsick, lead pastor of Freedom Church, told Baptist Press he is not aware of any sexual abuse allegation.

“There’s been no sexual abuse, as well as it’s a false accusation that we haven’t been more than ready and willing to cooperate with the Convention, that has been unwilling to actually hear the truth, or find out, or know anything about the details,” the Baptist Press report stated.

The controversy over women pastors at Los Angeles-based Saddleback Church, the convention’s second-largest church, began two years ago when founding pastor Rick Warren ordained three women.

Warren, a best-selling author, retired last year after more than 42 years at Saddleback. Andy Wood and his wife, Stacie, previously of Echo Church in San Jose, California took over in leading the church.

The five churches ousted for having women as pastors “have been valued, cooperating churches for many years, and this decision was not made lightly,” Committee Chairman Jared Wellman said in a statement to The Associated Press.

“However, we remain committed to upholding the theological convictions of the SBC and maintaining unity among its cooperating churches.”