A court-ordered mediation between the previous president of the Southern Baptist Conference and attorneys for the nation's largest Protestant denomination broke down final week — that means the dispute between the 2 sides is probably going headed for trial in November.
Johnny Hunt, a former Georgia megachurch pastor and denominational official who served as SBC president from 2008 to 2010, sued the denomination in 2023 for defamation. Hunt was named in a Guidepost report on abuse within the SBC – for allegedly sexually assaulting one other pastor's spouse. He initially denied the incident and has since claimed it was consensual.
Hunt's attorneys argued that the previous SBC president's misconduct was a personal matter and the SBC had destroyed his status by making it public.
On Sept. 19, the 2 sides met for court-ordered mediation, which resulted in an deadlock, in accordance with a report filed Tuesday within the U.S. District Court docket for the Center District of Tennessee.
Up to now, the lawsuit has value the SBC government committee about $3 million in authorized charges. These authorized charges, together with about $9 million in charges associated to the Guidepost report, led the chief committee to place its Nashville, Tenn., workplace constructing available on the market.
Final week, present SBC president Clint Pressley tweeted that no settlement had been reached. The potential of a settlement was raised at a latest government committee assembly.
“Regardless of what it’s possible you’ll be listening to, there isn’t a settlement with Dr. Johnny Hunt,” Pressley tweeted Thursday, the identical day because the mediation.
A trial for the lawsuit is scheduled to start Nov. 12 in Nashville. Hunt's lawyer not too long ago requested the courtroom to dam the SBC from subpoenaing a number of witnesses, together with Kevin Ezell, president of the denomination's North American Mission Committee. After stepping down as pastor of First Baptist Church in Woodstock, Georgia, Hunt served as vp of NAMB. His resignation from NAMB was introduced following the discharge of the Guidepost report in 2022.
No particulars of the settlement negotiations have been launched. However earlier this yr, Hunt's attorneys sought greater than $75 million in damages.
These damages, in accordance with courtroom paperwork filed within the case, embody $610,000 in misplaced annual revenue and advantages, $360,000 in misplaced guide gross sales, $350,000 in misplaced talking charges and one other $80,000 in different misplaced revenue. a complete of $1.4 million yearly. Attorneys additionally say Hunt supposed to work for 11 years – or till he was 80 – when the Guidepost report was revealed – with a complete alleged lack of $15.4 million. No supporting paperwork had been included to substantiate stated losses.
The lawsuit additionally seeks a minimum of $30 million in reputational damages and a minimum of $30 million in emotional misery.
© Spiritual Intelligence Service
