J.D. Hall
| Birth Date | Unknown |
|---|---|
| Birth Place | Unknown |
| Occupation(s) | Former pastor |
| Hometown | Sidney, Montana |
| Affiliation(s) | Protestia (formerly) Fellowship Baptist Church (formerly) |
| Spouse(s) | Mandy Hall |
| Children | 2 sons, 2 daughters |
| Website | Substack blog |
Jordan Daniel "J.D." Hall is a Reformed Baptist and former pastor of Fellowship Baptist Church in Sidney, Montana. Hall was polemics blogger, he was a founder of the Christian news websites Pulpit & Pen and Protestia (both of which he is no longer affiliated with).
Ministry career
J.D. Hall relocated to Sidney, Montana, from Missouri in 2008, where he eventually became the lead pastor of Fellowship Baptist Church, an independent fundamentalist Baptist congregation. The church described itself as adhering to strict biblical literalism, including six-day creationism and opposition to progressive theological trends. Hall’s ministry was marked by a focus on discernment, often critiquing what he perceived as liberal drift in evangelicalism, particularly within the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), despite his church not being formally affiliated with the SBC.
Public presence
Hall gained prominence beyond his pastoral role through founding Pulpit & Pen, a polemics blog that later rebranded to Protestia after being banned from Facebook. The platform was known for its sharp criticism of prominent Christian leaders like Beth Moore, Russell Moore, and J.D. Greear, accusing them of compromising biblical truth. Hall also established the "Gideon Knox Group", which operated various media outlets, including the Montana Daily Gazette, Polemics Report, and a podcast network, extending his influence into political and religious commentary. His media work often aligned with right-wing Christian perspectives, targeting issues like critical race theory and LGBTQ rights.
Tenure at Fellowship Baptist Church
Hall served as pastor of Fellowship Baptist Church for over a decade, during which the congregation reportedly grew to a regular attendance of 50 to 100 people. His leadership was characterized by a combative style, both in preaching and public engagement. The church initially stood by him through early controversies, viewing his legal and personal struggles as persecution for his faith.
Controversies
In 2022, the following events related to Hall occurred:
May 2022 Arrest: On May 11, Hall was arrested in Sidney for driving under the influence (DUI) and carrying a concealed weapon while intoxicated. Despite blowing 0.0 on a breathalyzer, he failed a sobriety test, which the church attributed to a vitamin D deficiency. Initially, Fellowship Baptist rejected his resignation offer, placing him on a three-month sabbatical.
June 2022 Resignation: On June 5, an incident (later revealed to involve allegations of domestic abuse and Xanax dependency) prompted further scrutiny. Church leadership discovered Hall had been abusing the prescription drug beyond his prescribed dosage. He resigned on June 8, citing disqualification under 1 Timothy 3 (biblical qualifications for elders), and the church accepted it after a vote. Protestia then also severed ties with Hall.
Subsequent Allegations: In July, elder Caleb Snodgrass reported to police that Hall’s wife, Mandy, had expelled him from their home on June 5 for allegedly physically abusing her and their son, including an alleged assault with a knife and strangulation. The church also accused Hall of embezzling over $10,000, with estimates suggesting misuse of up to $100,000 in church funds over five years for personal expenses like travel, a gun safe, and payments to blog staff.
Membership Revocation: On July 24, 2022, Fellowship Baptist Church removed Hall from church membership due to a "failure to demonstrate repentance" for sins against his family and church, urging him to seek professional help.
Legal battles
In September 2024, Hall entered into a plea bargain with the Richland County Court in an Order Deferring Imposition of Sentence (under Montana Code Annotated (MCA) 46-18-201).[1] Under a deferred sentencing agreement filed on September 10, he was ordered to pay $15,454.44 in restitution to Fellowship Baptist Church, issue a court-ordered apology, and abide by probation terms, including abstaining from drugs and alcohol. Prosecutors had alleged over $100,000 in improper expenditures, but Hall’s defense maintained most transactions were legitimate, narrowing the adjudicated amount to the specified restitution.
If compliant with the requirements of the process, Hall will have the future ability to motion (under Montana Code Annotated (MCA) 46-18-204) that requires the court to strike (remove) the defendant’s plea, dismiss the charges entirely, and remove all information related to the charge from the public record to dismiss the case.
Current status
Hall no longer holds any pastoral or minsitry roles with Fellowship Baptist Church or any other church, Hall has also publicly announced that he no plans to return to ministry.[2]
