Texas Megachurch Pastor Resigns After Sexual Abuse Allegations

the senior pastor of a prominent Dallas-area megachurch has resigned following allegations of a past inappropriate relationship with a 12-year-old girl. Robert Morris, who has been a pivotal figure at Gateway Church, stepped down on Tuesday amidst the controversy.

The Board of Elders at Gateway Church issued a statement explaining their decision. According to the statement, the elders were unaware of the full extent of Morris’s misconduct until recently. “The elders’ prior understanding was that Morris’s extramarital relationship, which he discussed many times throughout his ministry, was with ‘a young lady’ and not the abuse of a 12-year-old child,” the statement reads. The church leaders expressed their regret over the new revelations and their initial misunderstanding of the situation. “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.”

The elders of Gateway Church also expressed deep sorrow and compassion for the victim and her family, stating they were “heartbroken and appalled” by the details of the abuse.

Robert Morris, in a statement, admitted to his past inappropriate behaviour, describing it as kissing and petting, but not intercourse. “When I was in my early twenties, I was involved in inappropriate sexual behaviour with a young lady in a home where I was staying. This behaviour happened on several occasions over the next few years,” he confessed.

The victim, Cindy Clemishire, shared her painful account with WFAA, a local news station. Clemishire revealed that the abuse began on Christmas Day in 1982 and continued until 1987 when she confided in her parents. Her story first came to light through The Wartburg Watch, a church watchdog blog, which reported the allegations last Friday.