Robert Morris, the founder and senior pastor of Gateway Church and an evangelical advisor to former President Donald Trump, has recently come under scrutiny, as allegations of sexual abuse from the 1980s have resurfaced.
During a service on Saturday afternoon in Southlake, Gateway Church Elder Tra Willbanks shared details about an internal investigation conducted by the law firm Haynes & Boone regarding Robert Morris. This investigation was initiated after Robert Morris resigned in June following accusations from 54-year-old Cindy Clemishire, who alleged that he sexually abused her for over four years, starting on December 25, 1982.
Willbanks revealed that nearly all of the Gateway elders were aware of Morris' interactions with Clemishire, but did not seek further information. Some elders reportedly had prior knowledge of the allegations, understanding that Clemishire was a minor at the time the abuse took place.
According to the Christian Post, Willbanks did not reveal the identities of the elders or staff members who were dismissed as a result of the investigation. However, as of Sunday afternoon, the photos of elders Kevin Grove, Thomas Miller, Jeremy Carrasco, and Gayland Lawshe have been removed from the Gateway Church's Elders webpage. Willbanks continued to say:
"We have decided to draw a very bright line here based on biblical and moral values and the values of our church family, and we can report to you that as of today, no individual in either group serves as an elder, is employed by or works at Gateway Church... They have been removed."
Who is Pastor Robert Morris?
Pastor Robert Morris is the founder of Gateway Church, a prominent nondenominational church he established with his wife, Debbie, in 2000. Located in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, Gateway Church has expanded to multiple campuses and boasts over 100,000 active members, making it one of the largest megachurches in the United States.
Morris' influence extends well beyond the walls of his church. He hosts a television program that reaches audiences in 190 countries, along with a radio show called Worship & the Word with Pastor Robert, which is broadcast in more than 6,800 cities. His teachings have garnered substantial attention online, with his sermons and videos on YouTube totaling over 7.1 million views.
An accomplished author, Robert Morris has written several books, including The Blessed Life, Dream to Destiny, The God I Never Knew, and Grace, Period. He is also the chancellor of The King’s University, located in Southlake, Texas.
The institution, originally founded by Jack Hayford in Van Nuys, California, in 1997, aims to prepare future leaders for the church through biblically grounded education. In collaboration with Hayford, Robert Morris helped establish the Southlake campus, which became the main campus in 2014. Today, the university offers a variety of undergraduate and graduate programs in vocational ministry.
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Morris gained significant recognition beyond his church activities when he was appointed as a spiritual adviser to then-presidential candidate Donald Trump in 2016. Four years later, he hosted Trump at Gateway Church in Dallas, where the former president praised Morris and another elder, Steve Dulin, as "great people with a great reputation."
However, recent allegations of sexual abuse have cast a shadow over Robert Morris's legacy.
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