Former SBC President Johnny Hunt Appeals Legal Rulings in Defamation Case

Former Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) President Johnny Hunt has filed a notice of appeal following the dismissal of his legal claims against the denomination and its entities. Hunt originally initiated the lawsuit in March 2023, alleging defamation, invasion of privacy, and emotional distress after a 2022 report by Guidepost Solutions identified him in connection with allegations of sexual misconduct involving a pastor's wife in 2010.

In his legal filings, Hunt characterized the 2010 incident as a private, consensual, and non-criminal encounter, arguing that the SBC’s public handling of the report was intended to bolster the denomination's reputation regarding abuse prevention. Conversely, the Guidepost report had documented claims that SBC leadership had previously mishandled abuse allegations and intimidated whistleblowers.

By March 2025, Chief U.S. District Judge William L. Campbell had dismissed nearly all of Hunt’s claims. Following the recent filing, SBC Executive Committee President Jeff Iorg stated that the organization would review the appeal and respond accordingly. Hunt, who was suspended as pastor emeritus from First Baptist Church Woodstock in 2022, currently serves at Hiland Park Baptist Church in Florida.