CBF sympathizers ‘yearning’ for split

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — The leader of the moderate Cooperative Baptist Fellowship said he believes there is a “great yearning” in his organization to formally split from the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC).

Daniel Vestal made his comments Aug. 29 during a panel discussion at Central Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City, Kan.

He has long resisted using the word “denomination” to describe the movement which was created in 1991 in protest of the conservative direction of the nation’s largest Protestant denomination, reported Associated Baptist Press, an independent news service.

“I guess I have bought into the reality that we are living in a post denominational world,” said Vestal.

“Yet, in the life of CBF, there is this great yearning out there for a more clearly defined organizational structure that differentiates us from SBC — even from (American Baptist Churches, USA) or other Baptist organization,” he said. “And I think CBF is going to have to deal with that this year. I don’t think it’s something we can avoid.”