Gateway Slashes Staff After Tithes Plunge
Gateway Church in Southlake, Texas, has announced that it will lay off staff due to a sharp decline in tithes and general donations. Church leadership attributed the financial downturn to the ongoing scandal surrounding its founder, Robert Morris, who faces serious allegations of child sexual abuse. In a message to congregants, the church’s elders explained that despite steady attendance, giving has dropped significantly, forcing them to make difficult budgetary decisions. The layoffs are expected to be completed by mid-July, around the same time new Senior Pastor Daniel Floyd and his wife will begin their leadership transition.
According to officials, affected employees will be offered severance packages based on years of service, with the church expressing sorrow over the impact on long-time staff. Elder board chair Tra Willbanks said the decision was not made lightly, emphasizing the church’s commitment to ministering effectively while navigating this painful period. Church attendance reportedly dropped between 22% and 24% in the months following Morris’ resignation in June 2024, settling at roughly 19,000 attendees per weekend.
The church also faces mounting legal troubles, including a class-action lawsuit alleging misuse of millions in donated funds originally intended for global missions. The lawsuit names several current and former leaders alongside Morris and accuses them of financial mismanagement. In response, Gateway Church has pledged to join the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability and undergo a forensic audit to ensure transparency going forward.
Separately, Cindy Clemishire, who accuses Morris of sexually abusing her beginning at age 12, has filed a defamation lawsuit against both the former pastor and the church. She claims that leaders downplayed her allegations by framing the abuse as a consensual relationship. Morris was indicted earlier this year on multiple charges related to the abuse, with the alleged incidents occurring over a four-and-a-half-year period in the 1980s while Morris was a traveling evangelist.
As Gateway Church attempts to recover from financial and reputational damage, leaders have expressed a commitment to healing and transparency. Still, the combination of legal battles, falling donations, and leadership changes presents a major challenge for the once-thriving megachurch. The full impact of the scandal on the church’s future remains to be seen.