Pastor James Knox & the Criminal Independent Fundamental Baptist Network

by Barbara Aho

Let Us Prey: A Ministry of Scandals 

"Dr. Jack Hyles (born 9/25/26) pastored the First Baptist Church in Hammond, Indiana (FBCH) from 1959 until his death on February 6, 2001, overseeing its growth from 700 (attendance) to over 20,000 (membership claimed at over 100,000).(The 'Dr.' is for a purely honorary degree from the Pontiac, Michigan, Midwestern Bible College, a Hyles'-'protégé' school.) He was also founder and chancellor of Hyles-Anderson College... 

"Hyles had also become known for his alleged immorality, specifically his behavior with his secretary (the wife of a deacon in the church), and for his explicit sexual references from the pulpit, in counseling, and through FBCH's schools (grade school, high school, and Hyles-Anderson Bible College)... (The Biblical Evangelist, 5/1/89). Hyles' reported love affair with his secretary (allegedly begun in 1969), the wife of a deacon at FBCH, is well documented... See 'Sin in the Camp' report for more details... "

Besides Hyles own church and schools being scandalized with immorality and pedophilic activity (numerous FBCH men have been charged or convicted of child molestation), Hyles spawned a number of 'ministries' (there are approximately 200 independent Baptist churches nationwide that hold Hyles and his teachings in high regard) that have been scandalized in the same manner. For example, seven Hyles-affiliated churches from 1984-1993 were rocked by child molestation scandals (San Diego; North Sharon, MI; Petersburg, VA; Anniston, AL; Monroe, LA; Beaumont, TX; and Hyles own church in Hammond). From 5/16/93-5/20/93, Detroit television station WJBK-TV aired a five-part exposé on Hyles and various associated ministries... In the years since the WJBK-TV exposé, other criminal sexual misconduct scandals involving current or former Hyles-trained/-employed men have come to light... 

Jack Hyles was a member of Gail Riplinger's KJV-Only Cult

"Hyles was a staunch member of the KJV-Onlyism cult... At Hyles' Pastor's Conference in 3/96, Mrs. Gail Riplinger (author of New Age Bible Versions) was awarded a 'Sword' and an 'Honorary Doctorate' from Hyles-Anderson College. Hyles, clowning around as was his custom, said he was ready to 'ordain' Riplinger to preach. He referred to Riplinger's book as a 'masterpiece,' but shortly thereafter said he had read the book but 'did not understand it.' This might explain how he could endorse a book when its author denies the doctrine of the Eternal Sonship of Christ, the same doctrine believed by the KJV translators. (Reported in the 7/29/96, Christian News, p. 21.)..." (Jack Hyles (1926-2001), Biblical Discernment Ministries)

Not only did Jack Hyles have a 20-year affair with his secretary and covered up what appears to have been a pedophile ring in his network of Fundamental Baptist churches, he tolerated all manner of sin, including homosexuality, at Hyles-Anderson College. For more information, read "The Saddest Story We Ever Published!" in The Biblical Evangelist. 

Pastor James Knox and Assistant Pastor David Brown are agents within Jack Hyles' KJV-Only Independent Fundamental Baptist Network

Dr. Harold B. Sightler, was a contemporary of Pastor Jack Hyles who laid the foundation for the Independent Fundamental Baptist (IFB) network and founded Hyles-Anderson College. Jack Hyles frequently preached at Harold Sightler's Tabernacle Baptist Church in Greenville, S.C. From February 22-26 in 2021, Pastor James Knox also spoke at Tabernacle Baptist Church which is within a large network of 6,000 "Independent Fundamental Baptist" churches. Harold Sightler's son, James H. Sightler was the father-in-law of Joel Logan, who is the current pastor of Tabernacle Baptist Church and a frequent speaker (from 1999-2016) at James Knox's Bible Baptist Church conferences. Joel Logan's brother, Brent Logan, is also a frequent speaker at James Knox's church conferences and is the pastor of Sweet Springs Baptist Church in Ardmore, AL where James Knox last spoke from Sept. 14-16, 2020. James Knox's Assistant Pastor, David Brown, was raised under Joel Logan's preaching when he was senior pastor of Sweet Springs Baptist Church. 

Why would Pastor James Knox, a Talmudic Jew, affiliate his church with the Independent Baptist Network pedophiles?   

Note:  Read The Talmud to find out.     

James Knox founded the Bible Baptist Church of DeLand, FL in 1987 during the period the pedophile network in the IFB was being exposed. Today, James Knox oversees the vast network of IFB churches and frequently travels nationally and internationally to preach at IFB churches. Considering James Knox's close ties with the IFB leadership, it is fair to assume that he has long been aware of the gross immorality of Jack Hyles and the pedophiles in the IFB. Why would Pastor Knox affiliate his church with the morally bankrupt IFB in the first place?

As of 2023, there were more than 400 claims of child molestation in IFB churches. Have James Knox or the current IFB leadership exposed the past problem of pedophiles in the IFB churches or assisted the investigations of 400+ abuse cases and prosecution of guilty ministers? Pastor Knox is critical of Christians every Sunday from his pulpit and even in his book, From Where I Stand, he demeans Christians as stupid, immoral, mean, lazy, stingy, worldly, but never does he expose the sordid history of the IFB which sponsored a criminal network that destroyed the lives of hundreds of children over decades and may still be preying on the innocent.

"For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ." Jude 4

A commenter confirms that Jack Hyles was a frequent speaker at Harold Sightler's Tabernacle Baptist Church 

Hyles' Independent Fundamentalist Baptist empire was built on a foundation of sinking sand—sexual scandals, perversion and cover ups—that infected nearly every church in the IFB movement, and the cover-up continues to this day. A commenter on an expose of Bob Jones University confirmed that Jack Hyles was a frequent speaker at Harold Sightler's Tabernacle Baptist Church, chapel and Bible conferences. 

When Jack Hyles' 20 year adulterous affair was exposed along with many other sex scandals at his First Baptist Church and other IFB churches, Harold Sightler participated in the cover-up, according to a former student of Tabernacle Christian School.

"I attended Tabernacle Christian School in Greenville, South Carolina in the 60's. Harold Sightler was the pastor of the Church, Rod Bell was the Principal, and Melvin Aiken was the Assistant Principal of the school. Jack Hyles often spoke in chapel and at Bible conferences then. Jack Hyles was young, nice looking and funny, had a beautiful wife, and I enjoyed his sermons. A welcome relief to the rest of the stodgy old speakers. 

"For a couple of years in the late 60's, Dr. Hyles did not appear in chapel or at Bible Conferences. There was talk, even back then, of an adulterous relationship that put him out of favor with Tabernacle. I was personally shaken by this revelation of a man I respected. 

"Fundamental circles have been critical of the Catholic Church for fostering and hiding the indiscretions of Priests. It is disappointing to know that we are capable of the same obfuscations. 

"As the harboring of homosexuality and pedophilia in the Priesthood has severely damaged the reputation of the Catholic Church, so will the ruin of the fundamental movement be if we continue to ignore the sins of the leaders of our church. 

"If a 13 year old boy in Greenville, South Carolina knew the sexual indiscretions of a minister in Hammond Indiana in the late 60's, it is not a 'local church matter'. Why did it take 20 years for John R. Rice, Harold Sightler, Bob Jones Jr. Rod Bell, Walt Hanford, Oliver B. Green, Jack Van Impe and many others, to bring this man to account. Surely they knew more than this 13 year old boy. 

"Fundamental Pastors would do well to temper their exhaustive examination and battle over the version of the Bible they are teaching from, and use any version of the Bible to examine the pastors who are preaching. Bible translations, ancient and modern decry; Thou shalt not commit adultery." 

Mark Christopher 

Greenville, South Carolina 

The cover-up of Jack Hyles continues. Before his death in 2019, James Sightler was posting Jack Hyles' sermons on his website, HACAlumni.com. How is this code of secrecy possible? 

"[Jack Hyles] negligently and carelessly has fostered...a system of secrecy in the church directing that matters of criminal violations not be reported to judicial authority for whom he openly preaches scorn, but to the church itself, meaning Jack Hyles."

Men and women brought up among an estimated 8 million members of over 6,000 IFB churches attest to a cult-like culture of coverups, abuse, and corruption in the Independent Fundamental Baptist (IFB) church. The following documentary relates some of the stories an investigative reporter uncovered of more than 400 sexual abuse claims in IFB churches. These victims founded The Blind Eye movement to expose The IFB Cover-Up Machine and prosecute IFB crimes against children.