The Boy Scouts of America on Wednesday delayed until May a decision on whether to end the group's ban on gay members, after a planned vote exposed rifts that threatened to break apart the nearly 103-year-old group.

The delay extends a longtime internal dispute that has intensified in the last six months at the group, which has nearly 2.7 million youth members. Recently, top Scouts leadership had decided it was time to end the national ban and let local groups decide for themselves whether to admit gays.

But in private meetings over the past few weeks, Scouts executives encountered bewilderment, resistance and anger, participants told The Wall Street Journal. It came to a head during closed-door executive board meetings early this week in Irving, Texas, with some church representatives imploring the Scouts to delay the vote, according to people briefed or present for the deliberations. One top Scouts leader was driven to tears Monday, according to several participants.

One board member who was present for the meeting Wednesday said the Scouts didn't take a formal vote before deciding to postpone the decision. In a Web conference with Scouts leaders on Wednesday afternoon, Scouts Chief Executive Wayne Brock said the proposal to end the ban came about as outside forces put pressure on the Scouts to address its policy on gays. He urged leaders to show up at their next meeting in May with an open mind.

"Whatever the outcome is, we need to be one BSA," he added.