Disgraced Pastor Johnny Hunt Tearing Up The Preaching Circuit
Former SBC president and current ‘pastor’ Johnny Hunt has been preaching at so many churches and events lately that you’d almost forget he is completely disqualified from the ministry after being recently outed as having engaged in what he describes as a “brief, consensual extramarital encounter,” and what the woman involved maintains was non-consensual sexual assault.
Still, having no shame, he was quickly restored to ministry by friends and has been shockingly active.
In particular, Hunt has ramped up his speaking engagements over the past four months, crisscrossing the country to speak at more minor services as well as more than a few multi-day conferences.
To punctuate how delusional and unfit Hunt is, it was only a few weeks ago that, using theological arguments so bad that he should be disqualified from the ministry on this basis alone, he filed a lawsuit against the SBC, arguing that publicly exposing his indiscretions caused him substantial reputation and economic harm, as well as “personal harm and anguish.”
Hunt argued that his sins were a private moral failing that should have been kept confidential, with his memorandum claiming that “He was merely a private citizen whose marital fidelity was nobody else’s business.” Hunt’s view that his sins as a pastor should be private and not publicly disqualifying is as idiotic as it is unbiblical and makes no sense in light of the scriptural imperatives regarding church discipline and qualifications for an elder.
Talk about finishing poorly.
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This is what happens when pastors become celebrities – their desire for adoration and gain overshadow biblical mandates.
I’m no big fan of Johnny Hunt, but replace his name with the woman at well and you start to see some problems with this brand of shaming. Does forgiveness exist or not? What is required: repentance or lifelong penance? God offers “abundant pardon” (Isaiah 55:7), but some people don’t like the idea of pardon.
How long should you strive to be silent and not useful after one of your many sins? And I’m sure you’re working hard to let as many people as possible know all about them?
The reality is that private sin should be handled privately – Jesus literally says so in Matthew 18. But I guess we’re more righteous than Jesus now…
Corey Reynolds, Think about what you are saying. There’s a BIG difference between the lost as a ball in high weeds woman at the well and a guy who rose to President of his denomination and was the darling of the Christian community in the area where he lived. They even named a flipping major highway in front of his church after him! More importantly, not only did HE KNOW BETTER but he’s lied, obfuscated and done his best to deny the clear facts. I’m guessing he and possibly his night club “church” have paid off the victim and her husband to maintain confidentiality. The woman at the well couldn’t do that. The comparison is asinine.
And he owned up to the sin – privately – and repented of it. You want more than that? Do you have Scriptural backing for wanting more?
I personally don’t care what he does. I walked into one his church services one time, saw what he was all about and walked out 20 minutes into it. I’ve always believed Hunt to be a shyster showman and little more. And he didn’t own up to ANYTHING or repent of it until he was backed up against the wall YEARS later. Again, why haven’t we heard or seen anything directly from the alleged victim or her husband in all this? Do you really believe for a minute that he didn’t pay those people off? Why do you suppose he had to get four of his closest buddies to halfheartedly offer him forgiveness and “restore” him to ministry? I know many, many people who attend FBC Woodstock and you should talk to some of them about his repentance and restoration. Johnny Hunt is a very charismatic showman and apparently a sexual predator of the worst kind: HIS FRIEND’S WIFE. If Hunt had any remorse or desire for forgiveness, he would have approached his congregation years ago and asked for it. Not hide it. Hunt lives a very luxurious lifestyle and apparently answers to no one. He doesn’t want to give that up. But when you’re preaching to people about Biblical living and pull a stunt like this, you don’t lie and hide from it. You own up to it and take your punishment.
Wow, you really know nothing about this story. Go actually find and read the details and don’t jump to conclusions. He confessed to the woman’s husband immediately after the event and asked for his and her forgiveness. This was all done in front of Christian counselors for accountability and counsel.
And somehow you seem to forget that there are often consequences to sin.
David repented of his sin too. He still suffered grievously for his transgression against GOD. And Hunt was a minister.
No longer qualified
No longer qualified by which list of qualifications? Or are we just talking about your feelings?
No matter who he is, he is now disqualified from any ministerial activities
In times past, these transgressors like Hunt would have slinked off into the sunset and darkened no one’s door ever again. But no, he has to go out on ‘his’ terms.
So much for honoring God and obeying His commandments
Despicable
Exactly how is he no longer qualified. What standard are you using to make that proclamation?
I don’t think this is a question of forgiveness – of course, Hunt is forgiven by God and his fellow Christ-followers if he repented and asked for forgiveness (which he no doubt did). This is a matter of meeting the biblical mandates for teaching and he clearly does not.
He’s smart enough to know that and should leave the pulpit. How sad that all of these churches hiring Hunt join him in willfully ignoring Scriptural commands.
Which Biblical mandate exactly?