The scandals has affected her faith.
After working for several years with the troubled Gateway Church in Southlake, Texas, one former employee and most of her family now find it unimaginable to be involved in any organized religion or attend a megachurch.
In a recent interview with The Christian Post, Jana Scott (a pseudonym used to protect her identity) was asked if she could ever return to worship at a megachurch. Her response was a firm “No,” and she added that none of her family members attend church anymore. Scott believes that their experiences at Gateway Church have deeply impacted and divided her family.
The turmoil at Gateway Church intensified after Robert Morris, the church’s founder, resigned on June 18. This followed allegations from Cindy Clemishire, who claimed Morris began sexually abusing her on December 25, 1982, when she was just 12 years old, continuing for over four years. Scott noted that problems at the church had been brewing long before these allegations came to light, and the damage extended far beyond Clemishire’s suffering.
Morris has claimed that he repented of his actions and was forgiven by Clemishire’s family. However, Scott is skeptical about the authenticity of his repentance. She accused Morris of continuing to lie about the situation and maintaining a misleading narrative until the end.
In a previous statement, Morris admitted to engaging in “inappropriate sexual behavior” with a young woman while he was in his early twenties, though he did not specify the age of the individual. He acknowledged that this behavior occurred on several occasions but emphasized that it involved kissing and petting rather than intercourse. Morris said he confessed and repented of these actions in March 1987 and underwent counseling as recommended by church elders.
Initially, Gateway Church’s elders believed Morris had been transparent about his past and had been biblically restored. However, they later admitted they were unaware of the full extent of his misconduct, including the abuse of a 12-year-old girl.
In response to the allegations, Gateway Church has commissioned an independent investigation to uncover what was known about the abuse within the church.
Scott is now advocating for legal action against Morris, hoping that the statute of limitations will be adjusted to allow for his prosecution. She believes Morris should face jail time and financial compensation to Clemishire.
Reflecting on her time at Gateway Church, Scott feels that Morris’s true intentions were selfish and self-serving rather than genuinely spiritual. She expressed regret for not seeing the warning signs earlier and has been grappling with the realization of spiritual abuse she was previously blind to. Scott described her experience at Gateway as being more about business and career than ministry.
She also mentioned that her previous experience at a smaller church involved similar issues of spiritual abuse, suggesting that downsizing churches might not be a solution. Instead, Scott has focused on creating a more personal and familial approach to worship at home.