Director of Missouri Baptists Resigns Over 'Immoral Behavior'

By Elena Garcia, Christian Post Reporter Monday, January 10, 2011

The executive director of the Missouri Baptist Convention resigned Friday "due to immoral behavior with a woman," the organization announced.

Dr. David Tolliver had led the 600,000-member state convention, which is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention, since February 2009.

Jay Hughes, associate executive director of Support Services, will assume the role of interim executive director until a permanent interim executive director is named by the executive board.

Frank Page, president of the Southern Baptist Convention's Executive Committee, issued a statement responding to news of Tolliver's resignation.

"It is disheartening to learn of any fellow believer succumbing to sinful choices. It is doubly so when the individual is in a visible and trusted role of ministry leadership," stated Page.

Tolliver served for 22 months as the interim executive director and an associate executive director since May 2005. He also served on the SBC Executive Committee for two four-year terms after being elected in 1992.

"Though the consequences of this action will reverberate for years to come, we pray for genuine repentance and for God's peace and forgiveness to sustain each one involved," said Page.

The Missouri Baptist Convention has changed its website to reflect Hughes' contact information on the Executive Director's Office page.

The organization's executive board is scheduled to meet Friday.

Tolliver, 60, is married with two children and two grandchildren.

A native of Missouri, Tolliver is a fourth generation Missouri-Southern Baptist pastor/preacher. Before joining the MBC, he served for almost 20 years as pastor to three Missouri churches.