Background
Hunt was born in Lumberton, North Carolina.
Hunt was born in Lumberton, North Carolina.
He is currently the senior pastor of First Baptist Church Woodstock, in Woodstock, Georgia. Hunt"s father left the family when he was seven. He became an alcoholic and gambler.
He dropped out of school at 16 and managed a pool room.
He has earned degrees from Gardner-Webb College and the Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, and received honorary doctorates from Immanuel Baptist Theological Seminary, Covington Theological Seminary, and Tennessee Temple University. They have two daughters: Deanna Hunt Carswell and Hollie Hunt Hixson.
They also have three granddaughters: Katie Carswell, Hope Hixson, and Addie Hixson. He has one grandson, Carson Carswell.
Hunt has held ministry positions at Lavonia Baptist Church, Mooresboro, North Carolina (July 1976–August 1979), Falls Baptist Church in Wake Forest, North Carolina (1979–1980), Longleaf Baptist Church, Wilmington, North Carolina (May 1981–December 1, 1986), and at his present church, the First Baptist Church in Woodstock, Georgia, from 1986 to the present.
First Baptist Woodstock is one of the largest churches in the United States. Under his ministry the church has grown from about 1,000 to more than 19,000 members. In June 1996, Hunt was named the President of Session Border Controllers Pastor"s Conference.
On March 11, 1997, the Johnny Hunt Chair of Biblical Preaching was established at the Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.
He was succeeded by Bryant Wright.
He is a member of the Lumbee Native American Indian tribe based in North Carolina.