Last week, America’s largest megachurch, Gateway Church in Texas, was rocked by scandal when the public learned that Robert Morris molested a 12-year-old girl in 1982 and continued over the course of four and a half years. Now, Robert Morris has resigned, and the elders of Gateway have released a new statement with numerous discrepancies.
Statement from the Board of Elders of Gateway Church
Regarding the Resignation of Pastor Robert Morris
SOUTHLAKE, Texas, June 18, 2024- Today, June 18, the Board of Elders of Gateway Church accepted the resignation of Robert Morris, the senior pastor. In addition, the Board has retained the law firm of Haynes & Boone, LLP, to conduct an independent, thorough, and professional review of the report of past abuse to ensure we have a complete understanding of the events from 1982-1987.
Regretfully, prior to Friday, June 14, the elders did not have all the facts of the inappropriate relationship between Morris and the victim, including her age at the time and the length of the abuse. The elders’ prior understanding was that Morris’s extramarital relationship, which he had discussed many times throughout his ministry, was with “a young lady” and not abuse of a 12-year-old child. Even though it occurred many years before Gateway was established, as leaders of the church, we regret that we did not have the information that we now have.
We are heartbroken and appalled by what has come to light over the past few days, and we express our deep sympathy to the victim and her family. For the sake of the victim, we are thankful this situation has been exposed. We know many have been affected by this, we understand that you are hurting, and we are very sorry. It is our prayer that, in time, healing for all those affected can occur.
The elders claim to not have known that Robert Morris was molesting a 12 year old. However, there were clear signs that they, in fact, knew the “young lady” was a minor. Consider their initial leaked memo.
From the Elders of Gateway Church:
Pastor Robert has been open and forthright about a moral failure he had over 35 years ago when he was in his twenties and prior to him starting Gateway Church. He has shared publicly from the pulpit the proper Biblical steps he took in his lengthy restoration process.
The two-year restoration process was closely administered by the Elders at Shady Grove Church and included him stepping out of the ministry during that period while receiving professional counseling and freedom ministry counseling.
Since the resolution of this 35-year-old matter, there have been no other moral failures. Pastor Robert has walked in purity, and he has placed accountability measures and people in his life. The matter has been properly disclosed to church leadership.
Robert Morris stated: “When I was in my early twenties, I was involved in inappropriate sexual behavior with a young lady in a home where I was staying. It was kissing and petting and not intercourse, but it was wrong. This behavior happened on several occasions over the next few years. In March of 1987, this situation was brought to light, and it was confessed and repented of. I submitted myself to the Elders of Shady Grove Church and the young lady’s father. They asked me to step out of ministry and receive counseling and freedom ministry, which I did. Since that time, I have walked in purity and accountability in this area.
Two years later, in March of 1989, I stepped back into ministry with the full blessing of the elders and her father. In October of 1989, Debbie and I met with her and her family, and I asked their forgiveness, and they graciously forgave me.
This sin was dealt with correctly by confession and repentance, which I did in 1987 and 1989.”
OC
There is enough evidence in the initial memo that the elders of Gateway Church knew that it was a minor. Did they know she was 12 when the conduct began? Perhaps not. But how many times does the “young lady’s father” need to be referenced before its obvious that she was under 18?
The elders of Gateway Chruch are shamelessly trying to save face because they participated in Robert Morris’s lies. Evidently, they’ve had enough, so he resigned.
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This “moral failing” came up in early 2000’s when she wanted 50K from Morris to pay for her counseling, and Morris offered her 25K and an NDA requirement. How slimy is that? 50K is a bit much, how about 25K? Yikes. How about weeping, mourning and “what can I do to help you heal?” It pains me to see “ambassadors” of Christ go down, but this guy deserves a beating, a prolonged azz whooping.