RELIGION: MISSOURI BAPTISTS URGE END TO CONTROVERSY

OSAGE BEACH, Mo. -- Urging Missouri Baptists to cooperate in an effort to quell a statewide crisis, leaders Tuesday called for an end to controversy.

More than 3,760 Missouri Baptists gathered for an annual meeting and business session Tuesday at Tan-Tar-A at Osage Beach. The meeting, which usually draws 2,000 people, ends this evening.

A number of churches from Southeast Missouri are represented at the 166th annual meeting. Each church was allowed up to 15 "messengers" -- one messenger for each 100 members in the church.

Area pastors and messengers said the doctrinal conflict that has dominated the Southern Baptist Convention in recent decades has reached Missouri. Lines have been drawn between conservatives and moderates, and a battle began Tuesday with an election of a new state president for the convention.

"We want to affirm Southern Baptist aspects," said the Rev. Donny Ford, pastor of Bethany Baptist Church in Cape Girardeau. "We are conservative. We believe the Bible, and what happened years ago in the national convention is happening to us."

The election isn't about interpretations of the Bible or which of two candidates is more committed. "We are really voting on how we do Missouri Baptist work," Doyle Sager of Jefferson City, Mo., said in his nominating speech for moderate candidate Harlan Spurgeon.

Convention leaders say the problem in Missouri isn't political, social or economic but one that Baptists have created. "Maybe our biggest problem, our biggest fear is ourself," said Jay Scribner of Branson, Mo., who served as the 1999 convention president and ends his term this year.

"Before this convention is a controversy, but this is kingdom business. We have mistakenly chosen the models of this world to conduct our business," said Dr. James Hill, executive director of the Missouri Baptist Convention.

Both Hill and Scribner urged Baptists to join in a cooperative effort to continue building churches and programs in Missouri. But the spirit of cooperation is lacking in the Missouri Baptist Convention, which has been in a decadelong battle over political control between conservatives and moderates.

A compromise between the two factions could still happen but is doubtful, say Southeast Missouri messengers.

Robert Collins, pastor of a church in Blue Springs, Mo., was elected the 2000-2001 convention president. He served as first vice president during the previous years and was supported by the conservative group.