“On August 5th, Mr. Blankenship brought Dr. Hunt, his wife, Pastor, and Survivor in for another meeting at HopeQuest, a counseling ministry, to bring closure to the events on the 25th of July,” the report states. “Dr. Hunt and Mr. Blankenship stated that they could never talk about what had happened, and that if they did, it would negatively impact the over 40,000 churches Dr. Hunt represented. Dr. Hunt asked for Pastor’s forgiveness, and Pastor said he agreed. After Pastor agreed, Dr. Hunt asked Pastor if Dr. Hunt needed to step down from FBC Woodstock. Pastor said no.”
The report shows that Hunt kept in contact with the pastor whose wife he sexually assaulted, as recently as October 2021. Hunt offered to partner with the pastor regarding biblical writing and help with employment.
Guidepost received electronic journal entries from the pastor, which included counseling sessions with Blankenship. During their investigation, they discovered Blankenship was not a licensed counselor while serving as First Baptist Church Woodstock’s counseling minister and CEO of the counseling ministry, HopeQuest.
In an interview with Blankenship, Guidepost was told that, based on the information Hunt provided him, Blankenship believes that the “sexual contact was consensual.” However, he didn’t think “he received the full story.” Guidepost investigators state they found Blankenship to be credible—reporting similar details to those of the pastor and his wife, except for the issue of consent.
In addition to interviewing Blankenship, Guidepost investigators spoke to three other witnesses who were said to “be very credible with clear recollections” of the pastor’s statements to them. The witnesses interviewed are still involved in and committed to the SBC.
During an interview between Guidepost and Hunt, Hunt denied any physical contact with his accuser—“no contact whatsoever.” Hunt said that his interaction with the pastor’s wife was brief and that it took place on their separate balconies.
“When asked specifically about whether he kissed her, pulled at her shorts, or fondled her, he said no,” the report reads. He denied sexualized comments about her appearance, panties, tan lines, or perfume.”
Hunt claimed that the pastor’s counseling with Blankenship was in regards to a transition in ministry, not anything that took place at the Florida condo.
“Dr. Hunt said that he did not apologize to Survivor for sexually assaulting her during this meeting because there was no contact between the two of them,” according to the report. Hunt further denied saying, “Praise Jesus that I didn’t consummate the relationship.”
“If there was an apology, Dr. Hunt believed it was related to Mrs. Hunt offending Survivor about being concerned with her being there alone, and them apologizing for her having to leave.” Hunt said, “Someone has created a story on me. I would like to hear her story on this.”
Hunt said that the pastor’s wife never came on to him, nor did he ever feel threatened by her. The former SBC president was asked if he had any similar “allegations with other women—Dr. Hunt answered no.”
