1421: Johnny Hunt

Johnny Hunt was the pastor of the First Baptist Church of Woodstock, Georgia for thirty-three years. He was one of the pastors who supported Franklin Graham’s Day of Prayer in support of Donald Trump. During that time, he served as president of the Southern Baptist Convention. After retiring from his church, he served as a Senior Vice President at the North American Mission Board, an arm of the Southern Baptist Convention, until his resignation after he was named in an investigation of sexual abuse in the Southern Baptist churches.

During the investigation, a pastor and his wife came forward to report that Johnny Hunt had sexually assaulted her. Hunt admitted the incident happened, but claimed it was consensual. Even more than that, he claimed she seduced him and that he fondled her because she came on to him. The interview is unintentionally hilarious when his parsing of adultery and sexual abuse led to the interviewer asking if that meant Bill Clinton did not commit adultery and his lawyer objecting to the question.

Currently, he is suing the Southern Baptist Convention, Guidepost, the woman who reported her assault, and the Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention. He sued for $100 million. A judge has dismissed all but one of his claims, leaving only a tweet that he claims is defamatory.

After his suit, the woman he is alleged to have assaulted came forward to recount what happened for herself and to speak to why so many abuse survivors do not come forward. “The risk is obvious, the chance for justice obscure.”

• Kentucky Today: Hunt resigns from NAMB, named in Guidepost report
• Baptist News Global: Hunt tells his side of the story, including his definition of ‘adultery’
• Church Leaders: Johnny Hunt’s Accuser Reveals Her Identity, Shares Why ‘Many Survivors Don’t Come Forward’
• Southern Baptist Convention: Sexual Abuse Task Force Report Resources
• Christianity Today: Judge Rules Against Johnny Hunt in Defamation Suit over SBC Abuse Report