September 11, 2000

Vestal foresees clearer CBF role
___KANSAS CITY, Kan. (ABP)--While Cooperative Baptist Fellowship leader Daniel Vestal has resisted calling the movement a "denomination," the moderate group must build an identity that more clearly distinguishes it from the Southern Baptist Convention, he said during a discussion at Central Baptist Seminary Aug. 29.
___From its beginning, people have asked if CBF is a denomination, Vestal said at a "Baptist dialogue" panel discussion during a daylong centennial celebration at the Kansas City, Kan., school.
___"I have resisted that title," Vestal said. "I have said we are 'denomination-like' in that we provide services that an organized structure--which we have traditionally called a convention or a denomination--has provided."
___Now, however, Vestal said he senses "a great yearning" among Fellowship supporters "for us to define ourselves and to separate more clearly from the Southern Baptist Convention."
___"In the life of CBF, there is this great yearning out there for a more clearly defined organizational structure that differentiates us from SBC," 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."

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