It has forced elders and the founder’s son to take leave.
Three members of the Board of Elders at Gateway Church in Southlake, Texas, have chosen to temporarily step down amidst an independent investigation into allegations of child sexual abuse against the church’s founder, Robert Morris. This includes his son, James Morris.
Gateway Church has engaged the law firm Haynes and Boone to conduct an impartial investigation. The firm’s preliminary advice suggested that any elder who might have a conflict of interest, especially concerning events from 2005 to 2007, should take a leave of absence. In a statement, the Board of Elders announced that three current board members—Kevin Grove, Steve Dulin, and Gayland Lawshe—who were elders during the critical period but not church staff, have voluntarily taken leaves. Although these elders have claimed they were unaware of the incidents in question, they have stepped aside to ensure the investigation remains unbiased. James Morris, who recently became an elder and is the son of Robert Morris, also took a leave of absence to preserve the investigation’s integrity, despite not being an elder during the period under review.
These elders will continue to serve in their staff roles at Gateway Church, supporting its mission and community activities, according to the Board of Elders. The congregation has been asked to support the leadership and ongoing process through prayers.
The allegations against Robert Morris involve inappropriate sexual behavior with Cindy Clemishire, who has accused him of abusing her from the age of 12 over several years. Clemishire first brought these allegations to light through The Wartburg Watch, detailing that the abuse began on December 25, 1982, and lasted four and a half years. She confirmed the details with The Christian Post, describing the severity of the abuse, which included inappropriate touching and penetration.
Clemishire confronted Morris in 2005, demanding compensation for the abuse. Morris responded by accusing her of blackmail and inquiring about her price, to which she responded with a request for $2 million. Morris never paid Clemishire, and he resigned from his position at Gateway Church on June 18.
Clemishire has been dealing with the psychological effects of the abuse for decades and shared email correspondence with The Christian Post that showed her initial outreach to Morris in 2005. Ethan Fisher, the senior pastor of Gateway Church and Morris’s son-in-law, addressed the congregation about the distress his family has faced following Clemishire’s allegations. Fisher, who was also removed as the apostolic and overseeing elder of Gateway Church Houston, expressed the personal impact on his family and the church community.