After Images of Steven Lawson and Unknown Woman Emerge, Phil Johnson Answers More Questions

Steven Lawson Phil Johnson
Screengrab via X / @AwakeNotWoke75

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New details in the scandal surrounding Dr. Steven Lawson have surfaced through a private email between Phil Johnson and Casey Staats, a longtime listener of Lawson’s and supporter of Ligonier Ministries, which Lawson regularly contributed to.

On Oct. 22, Johnson, who is the executive director of Grace to You and an elder at John MacArthur‘s Grace Community Church (GCC) was accused by Staats of not being truthful about certain details of the scandal.

Less than a week after Lawson was removed from his lead pastor role at Trinity Bible Church of Dallas following his admission of “an inappropriate relationship that he has had with a woman,” Johnson posted unpublished details regarding Lawson’s moral failure on social media.

RELATED: Phil Johnson Claims Dr. Steven Lawson Was Caught by ‘Girl’s Father’ and Forced To Confess ‘Inappropriate Relationship’

Phil Johnson Posted Steve Lawson’s ‘Mistress’ Is ‘Not a Member of His Church’

In Johnson’s Sept. 25 post, which he has since deleted at the request of the elders at Trinity Bible Church of Dallas, Johnson said that the woman Lawson was having an affair with “is not a member of his church. In fact, she lives in a different state nowhere close to any of the ministries Steve served.”

Johnson added that Lawson and the unnamed woman’s relationship lasted for five years until they were caught by the woman’s father. Johnson described the affair as having “strong romantic overtones” but added that “no literal fornication was involved.” He clarified, “But their tie to one another was adulterous in spirit, if not in fact.”

In addition to Lawson’s pastoring role, he was also the professor of preaching and dean of D.Min. studies at John MacArthur’s The Master’s Seminary (TMS) and the president and founder of OnePassion Ministries. Both organizations promptly removed Lawson following the news of his moral failing.

Casey Staats Accuses Phil Johnson of Lying, Asks for Clarification

“It seems maybe you weren’t telling the truth here,” Staats publicly asked Johnson, posting an image of Lawson sitting during a church service next to the young woman with whom Lawson reportedly had an affair. “This picture was scrubbed from the Crossroads IG but word on the street is this is the girl who was nowhere close to Steve’s ministries. Care to confirm or deny?”

RELATED: Dr. Steven Lawson Removed as Lead Pastor of Trinity Bible Church in Dallas Due to ‘Inappropriate Relationship’

Johnson replied, “What I said is true. If you feel you need more details or a further explanation, contact me directly by email or phone. I’m happy to answer legit questions. I’m not interested in using X to amplify an ugly scandal.”

Staats honored Johnson’s request and directly emailed him. She later sent the email correspondence to The Roys Report.

“Hello, I am the woman who posted on X today wanting to know if you were being truthful about Steve’s young mistress not being ‘close’ to any of his ministries. If the young woman in the photo is, in fact, his mistress, she was apparently very close,” Staats wrote.

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Jesse T. Jackson
Jesse is the Senior Content Editor for ChurchLeaders and Site Manager for ChristianNewsNow. An undeserving husband to a beautiful wife, and a father to 4 beautiful children. He serves as the chairman of the deacons, a growth group leader, and is a member of University Baptist Church in Beavercreek, Ohio. Follow him on twitter here (https://twitter.com/jessetjackson). Accredited member of the Evangelical Press Association.

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