“Anybody Can Quit”

Posted on by May 9, 2025avatar

Below are endorsements for one of Johnny Hunt’s books. They are all members of the “good ‘ol boys” gospelly club who all have each other’s backs. You would think they would exercise a modicum of discernment prior to endorsing books, but refusing to write an endorsement likely get’s you kicked out of the club and the money dries up soon after that.

“Except where health factors are at work, it is advisable to remember that persistent prevarication is often a disguised rejection of the truth. The prevaricator is unwilling to confess this for reasons of social acceptability. This is especially so with Church Leaders who should know better; however, all too often a situation exists wherein prevaricating leaders produce prevaricating followers. The result is vulnerability to deception and an ineffective witness to Biblical truth.”

-Christian Discernment by Richard Smith and Raymond Creed, page 37

We often see authoritative, abusive pastors in the Christian religion quote Romans 11:29 (“for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.”) and twist the passage in an attempt to mislead the people in the pews into believing that, even though the pastor was caught in some grievous sin, he cannot be removed from his position because God has called him to that position and God’s calling is irrevocable!

I do not believe Johnny Hunt’s interpretation is correct. Below is what I believe to be correct. I cut it from a longer explanation that stated God has given gifts and callings to the Jewish people and these will be fulfilled. He has also given the gift of salvation and eternal life to whoever believes in the finished work of Jesus Christ.

“Paul was sure that God had plans for Israel. The people had hardened their hearts against God, but God’s gifts and callings are without repentance. God did not regret those gifts and callings and would not revoke them. Even to this day, God has not fulfilled all the gifts, callings, and promises given to Israel, but we can be certain, as Paul was, that He will.

God’s gifts and callings to the believer in Christ are also irrevocable. For example, “the free gift of God is eternal life”. This gift is given to those who believe in the finished work of Jesus Christ; namely, His death and resurrection. That gift is truly eternal, and irrevocable.”
Source

It is my opinion that Mr. Hunt has also attempted to deceitfully twist the narrative by not only saying his call is irrevocable, but also making himself look like a strong, principled man who refuses to do the easy thing, which would have been to quit.

Once again I disagree with Mr. Hunt. The hard thing to do would have been to quit. It would take humility to do so. Imagine if Mr. Hunt had admitted that he no longer met the qualifications of an Elder and would be leaving the ministry for good to simply be another member of the congregation.  Mr. Hunt had also built a profitable religious business for he and his clan and like the rich young ruler, found it too much to give up.

So what did Mr. Hunt do? What so many other fallen leaders in the evangelical industrial complex do – get some of his corrupt buddies in the ministry to publicly back him and tell us he has repented and been restored, and is a truly a humble, great man that has helped so many. Oh, and also file a civil suit for millions of dollars in an attempt to restore his good name!

 “Joy to the world, the Lord is come, let Earth receive her King! Let every heart, prepare him room, and heaven and nature sing!” So sings the grand old Christmas carol, with the implication that now, with the coming of Jesus into our world and our lives, things are going to be really different.

 And that theme is sustained through the ages up to the present. No knowledgeable person can think anything else. Transformation into goodness is what the “Good News” is all about…isn’t it?

 But there is a great deal of disappointment expressed today about the character and the effects of Christian people, about Christian institutions, and —at least by implication -about the Christian faith and understanding of reality. Most of the disappointment comes from Christians themselves, who find that what they profess “just isn’t working” —not for themselves nor, so far as they can see, for those around them.

What they have found, at least, does not “exceed all expectations,” as the standard evaluation form says. “Disappointment” books form a subcategory of Christian publishing. Self-flagellation has not disappeared from the Christian repertoire. But the disappointment also comes from those who merely stand apart from “visible” Christianity (perhaps they have no real knowledge of the situation, or have just “had enough”), as well as from those who openly oppose it. These people often beat Christians with their own stick, criticizing them in terms that Jesus himself provides. There is an obvious Great Disparity between, on the  one hand, the hope for life expressed in Jesus-found real in the Bible and in many shining examples from among his followers-and, on the other hand, the actual day-to-day behavior, inner life, and social presence of most of those who now profess adherence to him.

 The question must arise: Why the Great Disparity? Is it caused by something built into the very nature of Jesus and what he taught and brought to humankind? Or is it the result of inessential factors that attach themselves to Christian institutions and people as they journey through time? Are we in a period when both rank-and-file Christians and most of their leaders have, for some reason, missed the main point?”

-The Great Omission: Reclaiming Jesus’s Essential Teachings on Discipleship by Dallas Willard

Location 79 of 469 Kindle Version

Comments

“Anybody Can Quit” — 48 Comments

  1. Have said before, though fully aware that the ‘good old days’ weren’t altogether that good. One does miss those days when people took responsibility for their negative behaviour and didn’t rationise it, were contrite and had a sense of shame, plus fell on their swords because their attitude and ‘ actions warranted it.
    You tell that to the young people today and they won’t believe you.

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  2. > Are we in a period when both rank-and-file Christians and most of their leaders have, for some reason, missed the main point?”

    I speculate that Prosperity, however desirable it may be from the point of view of individuals, is not so great for groups of any kind. The value that can be extracted by those as the top will attract people into leadership who want that value more than they want the good of the group. It’s a variation on the Iron Law of Institutions.

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  3. “There is an obvious Great Disparity between, on the one hand, the hope for life expressed in Jesus-found real in the Bible and in many shining examples from among his followers-and, on the other hand, the actual day-to-day behavior, inner life, and social presence of most of those who now profess adherence to him.

    The question must arise: Why the Great Disparity?”

    This is a powerful and timely question.

    Why?

    Is discipleship the answer?

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  4. Thing is, God’s calling and a job or career in religion are two different things.

    These folks need to remember no one owes them a job just because they got their education in religion, or because they invested years in their career. One misstep and it can be over in a heart beat.

    Were he truly repentant he would have quit. Better to ask if you want fries with that and have a clear conscience than to pile sin upon sin in protecting a job.

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  5. What is discipleship?

    By coincidence I was just now reminded of this quote below from Walt Whitman.

    Many became his disciples, through poetry, literature, and experience, rather than commandments. Nobody seems to worship Walt, thank God—yet truly, he was God’s son and prophet.

    It has often been observed that the Boy Scouts (USA) were his informal followers.

    I myself was both an altar boy and a Boy Scout. My discipleship as an altar boy was sterile and I gladly quit. My discipleship as a Boy Scout was (and is) rich, generative, spiritual, and transformative.

    Walt Whitman’s take on life, and how to live it well:

    “This is what you shall do: Love the earth and sun and the animals; despise riches; give alms to every one that asks; stand up for the mentally and emotionally impaired; devote your income and labor to others; hate tyrants; argue not concerning God; have patience and indulgence toward humanity; take off your hat (bow) to nothing known or unknown or to any man or number of men; go freely with those who lack power, are uneducated, are still young, and are mothers and caretakers; read these instructions in the open air every season of every year of your life; reexamine all you have been told at school or church or in any book; dismiss insults; and your very flesh and existence shall be a great poem.”

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  6. “We often see authoritative, abusive pastors in the Christian religion quote Romans 11:29 (“for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.”)”

    The key word being “calling”. There is a world of difference between a “calling” by God vs. “going” into the ministry. “Training” for the pastorate does not always equal a “calling” on someone’s life to enter that sacred office. I spent several decades as a Southern Baptist – I knew very few church leaders who I sensed were truly called forth by God.

    “Touch not my anointed” is another verse often used to protect bad-boy pastors. The dudebros love to gather around that one! Anointed is a touch from God for ministry … “Seek men filled with the Holy Spirit” is seldom (if ever) used in SBC ranks (in my humble, but accurate, opinion). We mistake a touch of charisma and a gift of gab for anointing … anything can happen when you put such folks in a pulpit (TWW provides many examples).

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  7. Max: “for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.”

    There is also a vast difference between “gifts” and “talents”. There are many in Christian ministry who are talented orators, but not necessarily gifted by God to speak for Him. They get away with it because the pew doesn’t have enough spiritual sense to sort it out. “I know Pastor has done some bad things, but he sure can preach!”

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  9. Sandy: What is discipleship?

    in my experience, Winston Smith AFTER Room 101.
    And Room 101 was the Moment of True Discipleship, what Koinonia House called becoming TRULY Born Again (Sanctified) and Cult Analysts call the “snapping phenomenon”. And they also stressed that “Discipleship” comes from “Discipline” (and we all know what Christian Discipline(TM) means…)

    I am so lucky I discovered D&D before they could love-bomb me into their Compound.

    I myself was both an altar boy and a Boy Scout. My discipleship as an altar boy was sterile and I gladly quit. My discipleship as a Boy Scout was (and is) rich, generative, spiritual, and transformative.

    Same with me discovering D&D (and Others Like Me).

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  12. Max:
    Off-topic (sorta), but of interest to the TWW community:
    “Gateway Church founder Robert Morris appears in Oklahoma court on child indecency charges”
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKNqWz3vuio

    The fascinating part for me was the lawyer’s smarmy condescension. His supporters will find it clever how he puts the Jezebel reporter in her place.

    Others, like me, cried because this is what our church has become.

    It looks like there will be a longer interview with Cindy Clemishire later today.

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  18. Ian Docker-
    What good old days? Christian leaders have had trouble keeping sexually pure since the days of the early church. It’s why there are so many warnings about sexual purity and marital faithfulness in the epistles. I think todays’s difference is that it is much harder to keep secrets in our current networked culture.

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  25. davewis: The fascinating part for me was the lawyer’s smarmy condescension. His supporters will find it clever how he puts the Jezebel reporter in her place.

    “See How Clever *I* Am?” is never a good sign.
    Came across the attitude too many times in deep-dives into bad fanfics.
    Jerry Jenkins (AKA the Greatest Christian Author of All Time) is especially prone to it when coining character names.

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  26. Max: Yeah, I noted that, too. Looks like Morris picked a legal team of similar personality.

    Maybe his search criteria for a lawyer was a CHRISTIAN with the same Correct Theology as himself?
    Or one of his Elders(TM) had a bar license?

    “And you’ll only drink milk if it comes from a CHRISTIAN cow…”
    — Steve Taylor, “Guilty by Association”

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  28. “Oh, and also file a civil suit for millions of dollars in an attempt to restore his good name!”

    Nothing like a fancy lawsuit powered by a team of high-priced lawyers to financially obliterate your accusers while demonstrating to the world how humble and winsome (TM) you are.

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  29. From the OP:
    The question must arise: Why the Great Disparity? Is it caused by something built into the very nature of Jesus and what he taught and brought to humankind? Or is it the result of inessential factors that attach themselves to Christian institutions and people as they journey through time? Are we in a period when both rank-and-file Christians and most of their leaders have, for some reason, missed the main point?”

    Such an important question. I’ve wrestled with this very question now for 5 years. I’m not an expert, but my best answer to date is this: Rank-and-file Christians will follow almost any doctrine (remember, Jesus called us “sheep” for a reason).
    If you teach them the words of Jesus, they’ll follow it…

    But if you teach them to love gimmicks, they’ll follow it.
    If you teach them to be greedy and love money, they’ll follow it.
    If you teach them to conflate politics, nationalism and God, they’ll follow it.

    We are gullible and those who lead churches take advantage of our initial, genuine love for God, and over time, convert us to a different gospel, and they make us disciples of their personal opinions, while using the language of the scriptures and tossing Jesus’ name around once in a while (which is why we fall for it). They are overpaid for the actual “work” they do, think way too highly of themselves, and not qualified to do a real job, and so are highly motivated to maintain their positions, all while claiming that they are “called.” The solution? Eliminate the full-time paycheck and we would see about 90% of all “called” pastors quickly disappear. We would see who has been “called” all along, and churches would return Jesus as our focus under the guidance of bi-vocational pastors who are not motivated by money or power. I’ve seen first-hand that when the money runs out, so does the pastor. Unfortunately, we can’t legislate the elimination of this grift, and so the Pastor Game goes on.

    “Is it caused by something built into the very nature of Jesus and what he taught and brought to humankind?”

    This is the heart of the question. If the grift and pride we see is truly built into the words and nature of Jesus, then he is no different than any other system, religious or otherwise, and one is better off throwing his words and his ways right out the window. After being a hard-core believer for decades, I have struggled and fought and wrestled with this for 5 years now….and then I remember Jesus’ opening line of his first public address, his words that define who he is and what his whole life would demonstrate:

    “Blessed are the poor in spirit (the humble)…
    blessed are the meek (the gentle)…
    blessed are the merciful….
    blessed are the peacemakers….
    blessed are those who are persecuted for doing what’s right….”

    Just writing those words reminds me what it felt like to be a new believer (so many years ago now) and why I was attracted to his words in the first place. We just don’t have that in churches nowadays. We have a lot of hype and entertainment and busyness and drama and emotion and fear-mongering, but not much humility, gentleness, mercy, or peace-making.

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  30. Ariel,

    Amen & Amen! The BEST comment I’ve ever read on TWW. You and I are kindred spirits … I could have written those words … you speak my heart … you paint our condition well. The Main Thing is simply not the Main Thing any longer in far too much of “Christendom” … we’ve lost our way in the American church.

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  32. Ariel: I was attracted to his words … We just don’t have that in churches nowadays

    I live in a community that has a church on nearly every corner. Over the years, I’ve visited most of them. It’s amazing how many “pastors” I have heard that preach doctrines of men without ever quoting the words in red. Jesus is still speaking, but few hear His voice … even in church!

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  43. Jeffrey J Chalmers:
    Christie24,

    I think that might be the OT concept of “hardened heart”…

    Which is more likely an idiom for Psychopath than its current Screwtape-worthy redefinition of “Anyone who resists my God-ordained steamroller”. redefinition.

    A type example would be this Social Media “Just a Prank, Bro!” influencer who uploaded a Social Media video of himself spraying insecticide on the produce at a Phoenix-area WalMart. Intercut with Selfie-stick selfies of himself doing so with a completely stoic stone-face expression that never changed. And a Social Media trail of similar videos but forcing his way into the kitchens of fast-food places and emptying a 25-pound bag of ice into the deep-fryer, again intercut with stone-faced Selfies. last I heard, the cops got him for the WalMart insecticide prank.

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  46. Sandy,

    Since Fundamentals = religion with most of the truth taken out (mealy mouthed false top-down ecumenism of those not convinced in their own minds) religion bosses were the main prime movers that cancelled true anthropology, true history, true spiritual economy (laying down metal in each others’ souls), true language and true meanings.

    Prevaricators – Todd, that is a superb Smith & Creed quote superbly chosen, thank you – gaslighters, reducing God’s treasure that was supposed to be in us to half truths.

    Determined to teach us to be prevaricators also. But religion was always meant to be eccentric and inconsequential (and poisonous)?

    Half a Holy Spirit = no Christ, not a clue what salvation is supposed to be from (from the force of codependency).

    Penal substitutionary atonement is for the codependent-making / the sociopaths first, and the more inadvertent behaviours that follow among us second. How can we be advertent when we have beeen browbeaten, by spiritual force, with half truths?

    Truth with the truth taken out is what Dallas Willard called “barcode doctrine” – staying with the label but not checking the contents. Result: “microwave” (button pressing) ministry, in Michael L Brown’s parlance: literally nuking humanity.

    Fundamentalists are not descended from apes – they ARE apes, playing with the Red Button.

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  47. Nick Bulbeck,

    I think this is a helpful perspective that can be applied to many situations involving ministerial ethics.

    Often the minister receives a lucrative salary & benefits, while having a high level of power and status. There is little accountability to make sure they do the right thing, and few consequences when they cross the line.

    On the other hand, the congregation are the ones who make this lifestyle possible, both through financial contributions and volunteering their time. When a minister commits a breach of trust, this primarily affects the victim, but also affects the whole body of Christ.

    So in these cases, the minister is benefitting on multiple levels, at the expense of the congregation. It’s clear that to step down is the costly and sacrificial thing to do, but to fight for power at all costs is actually taking the easy way out.

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  48. Christie24: Often the minister receives a lucrative salary & benefits, while having a high level of power and status. There is little accountability to make sure they do the right thing, and few consequences when they cross the line.

    I am of the opinion that while such ministers (the ones with lucrative salaries, speaking gigs, etc.) wield outsized influence and tend to dominate the conversation, both positively as influencers and negatively when they fail, and that spectacularly, they are very much in the minority of all pastors. Most pastors receive compensation at or below the level of their congregations, and the vast majority serve in churches with fewer than 200 members, and the majority of those have less than 100.

    In addition, the majority of pastors are not driven mad by power, but can be on the receiving end of abusive and controlling deacons/elders/trustees/etc., because congregation members can be every bit as bad to the pastor as we see high profile pastors be to the congregations they supposedly serve. Human nature is corrupted by original sin, after all.

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