‘Pastor Johnny’ appeals dismissal of defamation lawsuit against the Southern Baptist Convention

Former Southern Baptist Convention President Johnny Hunt has appealed a federal court’s dismissal of the final remaining claim in his lawsuit against the Southern Baptist Convention, the SBC Executive Committee, and Guidepost Solutions.

According to Baptist Press and other media sources, Hunt’s attorneys filed the notice of appeal Aug. 18, days after Chief U.S. District Judge William L. Campbell Jr. issued a final verdict in the case. The appeal also challenges several earlier rulings for the defendants dating to March 2024.

In a March 31, 2025, decision, Campbell granted summary judgment to the defendants on all claims except one involving a November 2022 post by then-SBC President Bart Barber that mentioned Hunt. The court’s Aug. 12 final verdict reflected its reconsideration of that post.

“We will review the appeal and respond appropriately as we work toward resolving this matter,” Jeff Iorg, president of the SBC Executive Committee, told Baptist Press.

Hunt filed the lawsuit in March 2023 after he was named in a 2022 Guidepost Solutions report. The report examined allegations that the SBC Executive Committee mishandled sexual-abuse claims.

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The North American Mission Board (NAMB) and Hunt came under fire after court records related to the case apparently revealed that Hunt was paid more than $600,000-plus annually to serve as vice president of the missions entity. Some called for an extensive audit of NAMB following the revelation.

Hunt’s lawsuit seeks more than $100 million, a sum calculated that Hunt intended to work 11 more years at the time of his resignation from NAMB, and therefore would have lost $6.7 million for 11 years at an annual salary of $610,000.

Additionally, the suit claims the scandal cost Hunt $3.96 million in potential income from future book sales and $3.85 million from future speaking fees, along with $880,000 in other lost income. He is also seeking $45 million for harm to his reputation and $45 million for emotional distress.

According to reports, Hunt pledged to transfer the Timothy Barnabas ministry to NAMB, which was worth more than a million dollars in revenue per year and had assets of about $300,000 in cash assets in 2016. NAMB began a partnership with Hunt and the ministry in 2011.

Hunt, a longtime pastor of First Baptist Church in Woodstock, Ga., served as SBC president in 2008 and 2009. When the Guidepost report was released, he was serving as vice president of evangelism and leadership for NAMB.