Pastor removed over fake social media accounts used to slam other ministers
A Christian preacher and author who founded one of the largest evangelical conferences in the United States has been removed from his leadership role at a Georgia church after elders there said he used fake social media accounts to slander other ministers online. He has also resigned as president of G3 Ministries, a non-profit ministry based in Metro Atlanta.
Dr. Josh Buice, was placed on indefinite leave at Pray’s Mill Baptist Church (PMBC) in Douglasville last week, and stepped down as G3's president, the non-profit organization announced May 12. The church is located on Atlanta's west side, about 30 miles from downtown.
In an online statement released by G3, its board members wrote Buice, who founded the non-profit in 2010, admitted to concealing his identity by operating at least four anonymous social media accounts, two anonymous email addresses, and two Substack platforms over the past three years to defame other ministers.
In recent weeks, the statement reads, PMBC elders of uncovered "irrefutable evidence" Buice used the accounts "to publicly and anonymously slander numerous Christian leaders, including faithful pastors" some who previously spoke at G3 conferences as well as several elders at the reformed Baptist church he pastored.
"These actions were not only sinful in nature but deeply divisive, causing unnecessary suspicion and strife within the body of Christ, and particularly within the eldership of PMBC," the statement continues.
The board did not elaborate on the content of the slander or say what the post and emails said.
Paste BN has reached out to Buice.
Pastor Josh Buice, a reportedly outspoken SBC critic
Buice, a reformed Baptist and a reportedly outspoken critic of Southern Baptist Conference leaders over issues of race and social justice, initially denied he created the accounts to the board, according to the statement.
In an updated May 13 statement, leaders wrote he later confessed to the "public and egregious sin."
"We believe Josh Buice has stained the mission and character of G3 Ministries," the church wrote. "After further consideration and godly counsel, we have made the decision to remove all of Josh Buice’s content from every platform... From our founding, G3’s purpose has been to educate, encourage, and equip local churches with sound biblical theology. With sadness, yet in light of these recent events, we do not believe Josh’s content will help fulfill that purpose any longer."
On May 14 the non-profit still had Buice listed on its X account as the ministry's founder but the link to his social media page read the account no longer existed.
G3 Ministries declined to comment further to Paste BN.
Who is Josh Buice?
According to the church's webpage, after pastoring in the states of Kentucky and Tennessee, Buice was hired in June 2010 as Pray’s Mill Baptist Church head preacher.
According to his online bio, the 41-year-old preacher became a Christian at age 25, and he and his wife attended seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. The couple also share four children.
Buice is a Calvinist pastor who quit the Southern Baptist Convention after Religion News Service reported the minister claimed it "was too woke and liberal."
He authored and edited "The New Calvinism: New Reformation or Theological Fad?"
Paste BN has also reached out to PMBC.
What is G3 Ministries?
G3 Ministries website shows G3 stands for gospel, grace and glory and the non-profit was created help local churches by investing in pastors as well as "educate, encourage, and equip local churches with sound biblical theology for the glory of God."
The first G3 Conference was held in Douglasville on the campus of Pray’s Mill Baptist Church in 2013 and, according to the church's website, the annual event grew from 750 people to 6,500 from 2013 to 2021 skyrocketing it into one the largest evangelical conferences in the nation.
The ministry calls it a theology conference created "to focus on God’s Word as opposed to the pragmatism and techniques that are so often the focus of evangelical conferences."
G3 conference canceled
According to G3 board leaders, Buice's actions forced the board to cancel this year's conference because several of the scheduled speakers "had been sinfully targeted by him through anonymous accounts."
The board promised full refunds for the event which had been set to take place in September.
"We did not want to put these brothers in the difficult position of deciding whether to participate in an event so closely tied to someone who had maligned them," the board wrote in an updated May 13 statement. "We understand this is disappointing to many who have faithfully supported the conference over the years, but we believe this was the necessary and right course of action in light of such grievous sin."
"These are difficult matters and may take some time to fully unfold. Please be patient as we seek to be transparent and biblical and treat the sinner and victims in a godly manner. Please continue to pray for the church, the elders, the victims, Josh, and his family as they walk through this difficult process."
Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for Paste BN. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund.