The renewed charges were filed a month after prosecutor Janice Durbin dismissed all charges against Lambert; his wife, Patty Lambert; and their sister-in-law Laura Epling, the wife of a church deacon. Durbin has said the cases were dropped because of a technical issue.

The wife of a church official is the fourth person ordered to stand trial in a case of alleged sex abuse of young girls at two southwest Missouri church communes.

An attorney for George Otis Johnston entered a not guilty plea to eight felony sexual abuse charges during his arraignment this morning. Johnston, pastor of Grandview Valley Independent Baptist Church in Granby, is accused of seven unclassified felony counts of first degree statutory sodomy and one Class C felony charge of second degree statutory sodomy.

One of six church leaders accused of ritually molesting girls at two southwest Missouri churches will stand trial on allegations that he fondled a young teenager as often as once a week over at least three years.

After more than two hours of testimony from two alleged victims, a Newton County judge has taken the case against two McDonald County church leaders accused of child sexual abuse under advisement. Judge Greg Stremel said this afternoon he wanted to review a court transcript of testimony in a preliminary hearing for Raymond Lambert, pastor of the Grand Valley Independent Baptist Church.

WASHBURN, Mo. -- Turning their backs on the isolated religious commune in the rugged Ozarks where many had grown up, a group of members fled with only the clothes on their back, trudging several miles down a gravel road to the nearest phone to call friends or family for help.

Granby minister faces eight counts of sodomy in an inquiry into child sex abuse.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) -- Eight more children were taken into protective custody Thursday at a southwest Missouri church compound whose leader is being sought on felony warrants for allegedly sexually abusing a former female church member when she was a child.

WASHBURN, Mo. - Neighbors of a rural Ozarks church community were tightlipped Wednesday about allegations that the pastor, his wife and her two brothers sexually abused young girls from their congregation for years, sometimes as part of a religious ritual.

The Newton County Sheriff's Department is searching for a Newton County pastor who has been charged with eight counts of felony sodomy.

WASHBURN, Mo. -- The minister of a rural Ozarks church, his wife and her two brothers have been accused of molesting young girls from their congregation for years, sometimes as part of a religious ritual, officials said.

PINEVILLE - A McDonald County church pastor, his wife and two deacons accused of child sexual abuse are expected to turn themselves in to authorities Monday afternoon.

PINEVILLE - Sexual abuse charges spanning four decades were filed Tuesday against a McDonald County pastor, his wife, and two church deacons.