Ex-head of Southern Baptist Convention denies abuse claims.

Disgraced evangelical leader Johnny Hunt is continuing to preach at churches a nd f aith-based events despite calls from sexual abuse victims and their supporters that he should not be allowed to do so.

Hunt, a former president of the Southern Baptist Convention, has spoken at at least two churches, including New Season Church in Hiram and another in Panama City, Florida, and is planning a men’s confer- ence at the Hiram church in March.

Hunt was “cre d ibly” accused of sexually assaulting the unidentified wife of a fellow pastor in Flor- ida in 2010, in a landmark third-party investigation into sexual abuse in the influen- tial denomination released last year. He has not been charged with a crime.

A member of the SBC Abuse Reform Implemen- tation Task Force, the Rev. Todd Benkert, lead pastor of Oak Creek Community Church in Mishawaka, Indiana, asked the denomina- tion’s Credentials Committee to look into the support the two churches have given Hunt by letting him speak.

“Survivors should not have the burden of mak- ing these reports and hold- ing churches accountable,” Benkert said in an interview.

“We can’t stop Johnny Hunt or any churches from doing anything. What we can do is determine the bounds of our cooperation.”

The Hiram and Panama City churches are “under inquiry” by the SBC’S Credentials Committee. If a church is not found to be in cooperation, the SBC can cut ties, and the churches will not be allowed to send messengers to the annual convention.

Hunt denied the allega- tions of assault or abuse and apologized for what he calls “a brief, but improper encounter” with the woman. Instead, he said, it was con- sensual.

After the allegations came

to light, First Baptist Wood- stock, where he had served as senior pastor for more than three decades, stripped Hunt of his pastor emeri- tus status.

He also resigned as exec- utive vice president of the SBC’S North American Mission Board in Alpharetta b efore the report was released.

The committee is look- ing into whether New Season and Hiland Park Baptist Church in Panama City are considered in “friendly cooperation” with the SBC; specifically, whether the churches are acting in a way that is “inconsistent with the convention’s beliefs regarding sexual abuse.”

Christa Brown, a retired attorney who lives in Colorado, said she was sexually assaulted by her church’s youth and education minister beginning when she was 16 and thinks the denomination didn’t do enough for her and other victims.

“It just speaks to how utterly incapable the Southern Baptist Convention is to do anything to hold sexually abusive pastors accountable,” said Brown. “If they won’t stop Johnny Hunt, I don’t think they will stop anyone.”

The pastors at both the Hiram and Panama City churches did not respond to several phone calls.

Hunt began speaking publicly again after four pastors who spent months counseling Hunt declared the evangelical leader is restored and ready to return to ministry.

Among the four was Benny Tate, pastor of Rock Springs Church in Milner. Efforts to reach Tate through the church’s website and phone were unsuccessful.

Months later, Hunt’s schedule of appearances is growing.

Hunt recently announced the 31st annual Johnny Hunt Men’s Conference, titled “Rebound Missed Opportunities and Second Chances,” at New Season Church in Hiram from March 17-18.

He is also listed as a keynote speaker at the faithbased Spring Jubilee con- ference in April, which is being held in Branson, Missouri, and billed as an event with “singing, laughing and preaching.”

SCREENSHOT Johnny Hunt, named in a report on sexual abuse and harassment in the Southern Baptist Convention, has recently preached at two churches and is set to speak at two major events.