SBC Attempts To Deny It Paid Johnny Hunt $600K Salary

The Southern Baptist Convention is embroiled in numerous lawsuits and one of the most salacious lawsuits is Johnny Hunt’s lawsuit due to the high salary claims by Hunt and the titillating nature of the alleged defamation. The Sex Abuse Task Force Report produced by Guidepost Solutions was an “independent” investigation that promised to uncover sex abuse and sex abuse coverups within the Southern Baptist Convention and the SBC Executive Committee. But no allegations of sex abuse or coverups were uncovered in the investigation that rehashed Paige Patterson and promoted Jennifer Lyell as an abuse victim despite her being an adult woman in a twelve-year-long relationship. Johnny Hunt was the biggest revelation of the investigation, in that he was accused of sexual assault. This has resulted in a lawsuit where Hunt is claiming damages of $600K in lost wages from his position with the North American Mission Board, a SBC Cooperative Program entity.

Johnny Hunt is seeking top dollar for his damages which include emotional, reputational harm, punitive, and loss of income through various streams. One such stream was his tenure as the senior VP of ministry for the North American Mission Board. He transitioned to this lofty position from being the pastor of FBC Woodstock in 2018.

According to the statement of damages, Johnny Hunt claims that his loss of salary plus net benefits is well beyond a six-figure income. In the document, Johnny Hunt is seeking no less than $6,710,000 which amounts to $610,000 per year for 11 years. Johnny Hunt also showcases the luxury incomes of Big Eva pastors. In addition to a millionaire salary at an evangelism organization, one that does not disclose salaries, Hunt also demands $360,000 per year for lost book sales, $350,000 in lost speaking engagements, and an additional $880,000 in miscellaneous income, all for 11 years each. This totals $15,400,000, and Johnny Hunt is demanding compensation.

Contrary to belief, this lawsuit was not the beginning of allegations of insane salaries over at the North American Mission Board, but Hunt’s claims do raise further questions about the lack of financial transparency with NAMB.

NAMB has responded with a statement that does not address Hunt’s claims specifically.

There has been some speculation online about the salary of a former NAMB employee.

While NAMB can’t share confidential salary information about any current or former employee or comment specifically on active litigation, no one at NAMB — now or at any time — has ever been paid anywhere near as much as the salary amount that is being speculated online.

The court filing which appears to have given rise to this online speculation is publicly available, and it does not mention NAMB by name. There is no way to factually conclude from that document what the plaintiff or any other employee was being paid by NAMB. It is regrettable that some parties have drawn conclusions and spread them around the Internet. Unfortunately, none of these parties contacted NAMB first for confirmation or denial.

At NAMB we are grateful for every dollar Southern Baptists have entrusted to us, and we strive to be the very best stewards of those resources. You can read more about that on our Financial Transparency and Accountability page.

While Hunt’s lawsuit cites the lost wages, it does not specifically mention NAMB in the same document, but what other organization was Johnny Hunt working for 11 years? This statement calls Hunt a liar in a rather pussyfooted manner.

NAMB falsely claims they are not able to show employee salaries, for which Hunt’s alleged salary would not be the only source of outrage.  Moreover, the $610,000 per year for 11 years is total compensation, not base salary. NAMB is denying that they paid a salary close to $600,000; however, they do not specify total compensation.

As the trial date approaches, the Southern Baptist Convention is at risk of things going exceedingly bad for them as Hunt is demanding a golden lifeboat and the Southern Baptist Convention has a liquidity crisis because of all this lawsuits resulting from their embrace of the Me Too Movement.