When Pastors Abuse Their Power, Does Forgiveness Require Restoration?

It is incredibly unfair and damaging to put people who are struggling with addiction back into an environment that will worsen that addiction. Having a recovering alcoholic work the open bar at a wedding reception isn’t trusting – it’s cruel. Habitual sin is addictive, and sexual sin is the heroin of habitual sin.

So why is Johnny Hunt returning to the pulpit?

Johnny Hunt is a man accoladed as “one of the greatest pulpiteers in (a) generation.” He presided over the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) – the largest Protestant denomination in America – from 2008-2010, and resigned from the North American Missions Board after admitting he had a sexual encounter with another pastor’s wife. To be clear, he was accused of having sexually assaulted her, an allegation that investigators found to be credible and included in their report.

And here’s the thing: investigations are messy affairs. Just because Guidepost Solutions found that Johnny Hunt’s accusers were credible does not mean beyond a reasonable doubt that their allegations are true. And just because they couldn’t corroborate abuse in other incidents, that does not mean the abuse didn’t happen. Some might ask, if the findings aren’t certain and the alleged offender is really sorry, why can’t we restore him to his vocation after a season of therapy and rest?

There are three problems with that line of thinking. First and foremost, it’s cruel. And it’s not just cruel to the alleged victims, but also to the alleged offender. If someone has truly repented, he will want to avoid recidivism. The greater the sin, the more extreme that response will be from a repentant sinner. We can see a great example of this by looking at the works of St. Augustine and how, after a life of sexual immorality, he avoided sex completely. Or, similarly, people who have repented of drug abuse or alcoholism tend to move away from and avoid the contexts where they became addicted in the first place. There’s not just a strong shame association; it’s simply a practical way for them to avoid the life patterns that got them into that mess to begin with.

So, if someone is an admitted adulterer and alleged abuser and is repentant, would it be kind to put him back into the same situation that tempted him in the first place? Of course not.

The second problem relates to safety. If the investigative conclusions are not beyond a reasonable doubt, we certainly can’t be sure that the abuse did happen. On the other hand, we cannot dismiss the event. So, when it comes to severe abuse–such as sexual assault or child abuse – from a safety perspective, the accused may need to be removed from (or limited in) his position for the safety of others.

The third problem relates to justice. By reinstating leaders who are credibly accused of sexual misconduct, the Church signals to alleged victims that it either disbelieves their accusations or prioritizes the leadership needs of the institution over justice and healing for potential victims. If the allegations are credible, the optics are beyond awful. Other victims will feel that they are not heard and will likely leave that Church – and perhaps the faith altogether. It’s important to remember that when a leader mistreats people, the first wrong is the actual abuse, and the second wrong is the abuse of power.

Repentant leaders do not seek out the power that they’ve already abused. They subject themselves to contrition and long-term consequences (beyond a few counseling sessions). Accepting consequences is not only an important part of healing, but also a sign of true contrition. Offenders seeking to circumvent the consequences of their actions indicate that they are not repentant – perhaps because they are innocent, or perhaps because they are still in sin. But if they are guilty, restoring unrepentant leaders to a position where they will be tempted again all but guarantees there will be more victims.

It is worth noting that Johnny Hunt’s restoration has been unequivocally condemned by the SBC’s current president, Bart Barber. But Hunt remains a recent example in a long line of ministers who have been accused of sexual misconduct. He’s also one of many pastors who, after expressing they were sorry (or that they were the victims of persecution themselves), were forgiven and restored to the Church in good standing. Intuitively, as Christians, we want to see people restored. We know Christ can regenerate even the most corrupted soul. But Scripture details strict requirements for ministers such that adultery and sexual abuse are explicit disqualifications. In fact, the requirements in 1 Timothy start by saying that a minister must be above reproach. It is safer, kinder, and biblical to give failed leaders ways to serve that do not involve wielding spiritual or social authority.