Just days after allegations surfaced that he molested a 12-year-old girl in the 1980s, Pastor Robert Morris has resigned from his Dallas megachurch, Gateway Church.
In a statement released to media today, Gateway claimed it did not know the age of Morris’ victim and the length of her abuse.
pero en un statement just released to El Informe Roys (TRR), the victim, Cindy Clemishire, said she confronted Morris about the abuse in an email sent in 2005. Clemishire added that former Gateway Elder Tom Lane responded to Clemishire’s email, “acknowledging that the sexual abuse began on December 25, 1982, when I was 12 years old.”
In its statement, Gateway’s board of elders said: “The elders’ prior understanding was that Morris’s extramarital relationship, which he had discussed many times throughout his ministry, was with ‘a young lady’ and not abuse of a 12-year-old child.”
The elders added that they did not know the victim’s age or the length of the alleged abuse.
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“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.”
Gateway also stated that it has retained the international corporate law firm Haynes and Boone to investigate the allegations, so the church has a complete understanding of what happened.
However, Clemishire said in her statement, “My family and I have gone to leaders of very prominent churches and well-known ministries with this information, hoping that someone would hold (Morris) accountable and remove him from ministry leadership.”
In addition to the 2005 email correspondence with Morris and Lane, Clemishire said her lawyer sent a letter to Morris in 2007, hoping for reimbursement of thousands spent on counseling “as a result of this abuse.”
“His attorney acknowledged the days as well and then attempted to blame me for the abuse,” Clemishire said.
She added, “At the very least, both the Gateway pastor and at least one elder had specific notice that I was sexually abused beginning when I was 12-years-old. Gateway had the information but intentionally decided to embrace the false narrative Robert Morris wanted them to believe.”
Clemishire also took exception to the firm Gateway hired to conduct its investigation. Clemishire noted that Haynes & Boone specializes in “gestión de crisis.” And on its website the firm says it aims “to mitigate financial and reputational loss and stabilize in a crisis situation . . .”
“This does not appear to be an independent investigation and this deeply concerns me,” she said.
Clemishire also noted that her attorney, Boz Tchividjian, is urging the church to expand the scope of the investigation to Morris’ entire tenure at Gateway, not just 1982-1987, when Clemishire’s abuse allegedly happened.
“This is just the beginning,” Clemishire stated. “I wholeheartedly and sadly believe I am not the only victim.”
She also quoted former Gateway Pastor Bob Hamp, who wrote in an article published yesterday by TRR: “This scandal is not just about Robert Morris; it’s about larger system dynamics at play that both foster and protect ongoing predatory behavior. If we miss this larger picture, we miss the opportunity to protect the church and put a stop to an epidemic of abuse.”
Abuse uncovered
Last Friday, El reloj de Wartburg published allegations by 54-year-old Oklahoma grandmother, Cindy Clemishire, that Morris had sexually molested her, beginning in 1982 when she was 12 years old. Clemishire told El Informe Roys (TRR) that the abuse took place in Texas and Oklahoma and lasted four years.
Later the same day, Gateway’s elders sent a statement to staff, which was obtained by TRR. In it, Morris admitted that “in my early twenties, I was involved in inappropriate sexual behavior with a young lady in a home where I was staying.”
Morris claimed the behavior involved “petting and not intercourse.” He also claimed that he “confessed and repented of” his actions and stepped down from his ministry position for two years in March 1987. He added that he returned to the ministry with the blessing of the “young lady’s” father.
Morris has pastored Gateway Church, a megachurch with more than 100,000 active attendees, for more than 20 years. He also has a television program, which airs in over 190 countries, and a radio program, which airs in more than 6,800 cities, according to su sitio web.
However, Clemishire told TRR the abuse began with inappropriate touching and escalated to rape by instrumentation. She also said her father did not “bless Morris returning to ministry.”
Morris resigns from flagship ARC church
Yesterday, Morris, who had served as an overseer of Church of the Highlands (COTH), the largest church in Alabama, resigned from that position.
COTH is the flagship church of the scandal-ridden Association of Related Churches (ARC) and has a lodge for restoring fallen pastors. In 2015, COTH Pastor Chris Hodges and Robert Morris spoke on “Restoring Fallen Pastors” at a Gateway Conference.
Morris was the first pastor to platform disgraced former Mars Hill Pastor Mark Driscoll after Driscoll abruptly resigned from Mars Hill Church in 2014. At the 2014 Gateway Conference, Morris told attendees that Driscoll had made some mistakes, but “most of what you read is not true.”
Morris also served as an overseer for Driscoll’s new church in Scottsdale, Arizona, The Trinity Church, for many years. And in August 2022, Morris and Gateway hosted a preaching conference with ARC and featured Driscoll as a speaker.
*This is a breaking story and will be updated.
Julie Roys es una reportera de investigación veterana y fundadora de The Roys Report. Anteriormente, también presentó un programa de entrevistas nacional en Moody Radio Network, llamado Up for Debate, y ha trabajado como reportera de televisión para una filial de CBS. Sus artículos han aparecido en numerosas publicaciones periódicas.
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76 Respuestas
What did his wife know? And when did she know it? I think that should be part of the conversation. If she knew, and let him carry on in the church, then she needs to also come clean.
Secondly, he was leading Christians to get involved in local elections to help stop groomers in our public schools and libraries.
This was from 1982 to 1987 … which was 37 to 42 years ago. With all the subterfuge it seems It’s pretty unlikely we’re really going to get the truth about when Robert Morris shared this information with his wife.
Rereading the original report, I see it states the victim Cindy “received a call from Debbie Morris, who told Cindy that she ‘”forgave her.’”
So it sounds like Morris’s wife Debbie knew everything all along (plus put the blame on the 12-16 year old victim)
So yes, there should be questions for her as well.
This probably hit the mainstream media because he was seen with Trump.
Mega-church pastors love being see with Trump. It helps their celebrity status. But I simply cannot fathom any child of God wanting to lay hands on DJT & yap some words over him that God never hears anyway bc He NEVER hears prayers from sinners. Trump is a sexual predator & VERY foul-mouthed egotist!! Ezek. 6:17-18
Colin Stitt
Ezekiel 6: 17-18 does not exist.
God loves even sinners, as we all were before coming to know Him.
Romans 5:8
“But God shows His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Did you notice how God still used President Trump to get three Supreme Court Justices to overturn Roe vs. Wade? Not to mention the historic Abraham Accords. So once again, God works with sinners for such a time as this.
Good, if that what it takes for some accountability for his crime, finally. Would you have preferred it remained covered up?
Did you notice how God still used President Trump to get three Supreme Court Justices to overturn Roe vs. Wade?
Lisa,
Republicans had to lie, cheat and steal to get those seats on the Supreme Court.
If we need to lie, cheat and steal do bring about God’s will in America, are we really doing God’s will?
Greg – Great points – thanks for exposing this hypocrite!
According to The Wartburg Watch, Debbie (Morris’s wife) apparently called Cindy to say she “forgave” her when Cindy was 16. That would indicate that Morris’s wife knew within four years of the start of this mess. I mean, who knows how he framed it and tried to gaslight his wife. I’m not really blaming her; I blame him. But as Wartburg Watch pointed out, it’s hard to imagine a mom (or even anyone who recalls being a naive teenager) blaming the kid for the abuse.
She reportedly told Cindy years ago that ‘she forgave her (cindy).
And this is an example for the consequences for churches and pastors/elders who don’t have such influential Republican connections that Robert Morris has.
And sorry to say, but, once again it’s #notadragqueen.
At molestation sentencing, judge rips pastor who did not report child’s allegations
David Yount was found guilty sexually abusing a child more than two decades ago. At the sentencing hearing, Judge Jerry Harmison took issue with Yount’s former pastor who did not hotline the victim’s allegations
by Jackie Rehwald
3 hours ago
The judge did not mince words when handing down a 21-year prison sentence for a Springfield man charged with molesting a child two decades ago.
Greene County Judge Jerry Harmison found David Patrick Yount, 57, guilty in April 2024 of the class B felony of first-degree child molestation and first-degree statutory sodomy.
At the sentencing hearing on Tuesday, June 18, Harmison recalled one of the attorneys quoted Springfield pastor Ben Davis in their opening statements:
“The quote was, ‘The state punishes, but the church forgives,’” Harmison said. “Today, it’s time for the state to speak.”
https://sgfcitizen.org/government/crime/at-molestation-sentencing-judge-rips-pastor-who-did-not-report-childs-allegations/
What do drag queens have to do with any of this? Are they a persecuted minority that needs special treatment, so we Don’t Hurt Their Feelings? I don’t care about Republicans, Democrats, the Bad Orange Man, or the current Fossil In Chief. There are plenty of “affirming” churches where the pastor has plenty of Democrat connections. So what? Shouldn’t this be about the behavior of men without chests? Who have no character, and the massive damage they’ve done? And about how to help their victims?
Eric, it’s pretty clear that drag queens were mentioned because the church’s narrative is that drag queens are dangerous because they are grooming and abusing children, but the reality is that the church and it’s leaders are grooming and abusing children. and the percentages in comparison aren’t even close.
We are given ample clarity in regard to false teachers: 2 Timothy 4:3–4 (ESV): “For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.” Such was Robert Morris.
Paul warned, calling out by name, in 1 Timothy 1:20 (ESV): “…among whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme.”
I take no joy in this or to celebrate his fall, but it needed to happen. Proverbs clearly instructs us, Proverbs 16:18 (ESV): “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” And, such is the sadly the case here.
This guy was a Celebrity first, a pastor, very distant 2nd, in my honest opinion. He was CEO of a Money-machine. And, He was teaching aberrational doctrine. He platformed people like Mark Driscoll, holding them up as prime examples and letting them play victim instead of being honest about their massive failures and the broken souls and bodies left in his wake as he bailed on Mars Hill Church, after refusing to be disciplined by his elders. We literally saw some of the outflow of that at our local South Seattle church! I spoke to some of these people.
Now, as if that is not enough, Morris adds sexual molestation to the list of transgressions. How many victims are left in his wake? We may never know.
I am personally so disappointed in someone who I so admired and learned so much from. God help you Pastor Morris.
All of this was brought out when it happened? Right now media will carry this to the ends of the world because he was seen with Trump. It is a horrible thing that happened and I guess one can repent. Can that person ever have a normal life. Maybe after the girl gets millions to forget??
She deserves millions and you deserve to be shamed for caring about any of that over the well being of a sister. Shame on you.
Linda, please tell me you are a troll. This cannot be real. You are defending this pedophile because he backs Trump? Poor girl?!? She was molested/raped (repeatedly for years) and your thought process is, let her get some money and she will forget. So Christ-like. Congratulations on being everything the world says we are.
The woman hasn’t sought any monetary award other than reimbursement of her counseling costs. If this were about money, she would have asked for hundreds of thousands, if not millions. They offered her half her counseling bills on the condition she sign an NDA (so he could continue to be a celebrity pastor with all the perks).
“God help Pastor Predator Morris”. Really? What the heck about his 12 year old victim? May our Great God and King bless and comfort Cindy. Thank the Lord there are some brave believers who will stand up against the churches elite and supposedly untouchable pastors who believe they are entitled to abuse the Lord’s children. “Vengeance is mine saith the Lord”.
I know this is a very devastating happenning but we as christian cannot be the judge we are to guard our hearts not to be swept inn with judgemental spirit and sin against God Jesus said i did not come to judge the world ,I came to save the world . i realize our job as christian is to pray for those that are fallen. he was exposed because of the Love of Christ over him while he is still alive he has hope for redemption . prayerfully this time he will really name it confess it that god may forgive him.whom God loves he chastise.
Actually in 1st Corinthians 5:9-13 we are specifically commanded to judge.
In Ephesians 5:11, the command is very clear, too.
Furthermore, every book and epistle in the New Testament (apart from Philemon) mentions wolves, false teachers, false converts and/or false brethren and THE NEED TO REBUKE and EXPOSE THEM.
Jesus says “you will know them by their fruit”. That obviously implies that we need to look at fruit.
Jesus also tells us to “judge righteously and not by appearance” (John 7:24).
Problems arise when people ignore that and DO judge by appearance (charisma, “great oratory skills”, qualifications, lip service etc).
Scripture says elders are to be “beyond reproach”. Morris obviously was not so BY DEFINITION…for decades.
Please think of the VICTIMS and potential victims when you suggest we ignore what Scripture tells us to do.
This is a HUGE problem with the church. Our salvation is to be worked out personally, with fear and trembling. Not worked out by us doing whatever we want and other people standing in the gap for us with prayer. You’re not holding anyone accountable with the discernment the Holy Spirit gives, you’re letting a repeat, felony criminal get away with abusing a child because “we should pray for him…” What about Cindy?? Discernment isn’t judgment and making points about how discernment should have been exercised more by “leadership” in these “churches” isn’t judgement. You’re trying to silence defenders of TRUTH so you can feel better about how God may judge you for having an opinion. You’ve been gaslit and manipulated by religious dogma to keep silent, or complacent, in the face of evil. Yeshua didn’t flip over the tables in the temple for nothing…
Awesome article Julie. Sadly, another one bites the dust!
“My family and I have gone to leaders of very prominent churches and well-known ministries with this information, hoping that someone would hold (Morris) accountable and remove him from ministry leadership.”
~ Cindy Clemishire
I’m going to be watching very closely as this story unfolds. I’m very interested to know which ministry leaders Ms. Clemshire went to, seeking help, support, and accountability.
I will only say that IF she went to now deceased Foursquare Pastor Jack Hayford, it would not be the first time that Dr. Hayford turned a blind eye to child sexual abuse when it was reported to him.
I’m grateful and relieved that this survivor is being legally represented by my trusted friend, Boz Tchividjian.
Because he was married at the time, it really is a good question to ask, to find out when his wife knew and how she navigated the situation, especially when it was immoral and illegal. Unfortunately, Gateway hiring a law firm who specializes in damage control and image control reinforces the tone-deaf attitude of church leaders when they deal with things like this. And I hope Cindy can sue them for millions of dollars, so that change can take place, even if it is for the wrong reasons, to save money in the future.
Why does he think that claiming it was “only” petting, not intercourse, makes it any better?
No it is a horrible ordeal. I had a brief encounter with a man when I was very young and I quickly exposed him so it didn’t go any further. Just saying…
This is terrible this church was so beautiful it praise and worship was amazing God will have his way no matter what God bless this woman she was a baby please pay her millions she deserves it God for give him for what he done iam so sorry that I tithe to this church but I did it to Jesus be good gateway to her
I hope I am wrong but, there are probably other victims out there. These guys are usually not one and done.
His son, “associate pastor” James Morris, was going to take over in less than a year anyway, according to the Gateway Southlake website.
After a “rigorous six month interview process” and “39 in-depth interviews” (not 38 or 40?), “every elder received a word from God affirming James as the next senior pastor”.
Well! Imagine that!
See “Leadership staff” under “About” in the drop-down menu on the “church’s” website.
I just saw that today too! No wonder there is a lack of true accountability in so many churches when it’s all in-house/kept in the family all the time.
The senior leader has complete control and dictates everything and then when they want to move on they put someone in that is close to them anyway. Plus that leadership section ‘Robert Morris will continue to preach…’ – isn’t that for the new leadership (let alone God) to decide – it sounds like Robert Morris just told them he would continue to do that…which smacks of controlling behaviour again. He just can’t let go so ‘will continue to preach’ even when he hands on being senior leader. Typical.
The staff all received a word from the Lord. Imagine that.
Nepotism and groupthink never seems to be on the radar with these organisations.
And though no Christian faith community is perfect, spiritual prudence asks what constitutes being a pastor and church community?
I looked at the leadership staff as you noted – the page reminded me – in a way – of what Apple’s executive staff page looks like, or any other corporate page. Something just not right about a church looking like a corporation – and I find it hard to trust all those smiling faces.
I hope that going forward people will recognize that associations matter – Word of Faith, MAGA Trump, Driscoll, celebrity, mega Church, television ministry, radio programs. Robert Morris fit every one of them, and one does not need to wait until they fall.
Each of those associations indicate to me that they are not going to be representing the character of God or the life that he has called us to live. Or maybe teaching it but not living it.
It should be no surprise when the evil undercurrents are exposed.
Turn off the TVs and the radios and the internet programs. Stop following the nationally / internationally recognized pastors and turn to your local community for teaching and discipleship and a pastor who is personally invested in the lives of the people he leads.
“MAGA Trump”? 😂President Trump did more for preborn children than anyone. Abortion is my litmus test for who I vote for. Are you for abortion? Who do you vote for?
Hi Lorraine,
This goes off topic a little bit but I did bring it up because of the fact that Robert Morris was one of Trump’s “spiritual advisors”.
I hope not to criticize your support of Trump but to give you something to think about.
My guiding principle is to be faithful to the words of Micah 6:8 which I believe to sum up the message of the Bible, how we are to live in response to the gift of salvation, that as representatives of Christ we shine a light in the world so all can know who God is when His people represent Him accurately:
“He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”
While I don’t expect that a Political candidate models these (as they are often not followers of Christ) it is a warning flag whe one models the direct opposite, even disdains the principles. I cannot as a follower of Christ align myself with them by voting for them.
I am full-on pro-life, while recognizing the complexities involved in creating a culture of life. It’s not a matter of changing laws. Abortion has historically been lower during times of democratic majority. Even now with Roe vs Wade overturned, abortion has increased. If our goal is to reduce abortions we are not on the right path. Voting for Republicans only will not get you what you are looking for.
Hey guys a pastor raped a child repeatedly. How about you focus on that .
Tricia, Your stated statistic about abortion being less under Democrat than Republican administrations is factually incorrect. It’s Democrats who champion partial birth abortion. I live in Maine, a blue state run by Democrats where babies can be murdered up until the time of birth. The Clintons, The Obamas and the Bidens are all champions of Planned Parenthood, that hideous enemy of God and His precious children.
How about we stick to the topic here. The repeated rape of a child of a child! My God
. Argue trump stuff somewhere else. Focus on saving our children and holding predator pastors and leaders accountable. This is half the problem. How about we save the unborn AND the BoRN
More abortions are happening, tell what trump did to change that?
President Trump helped overturn Roe v Wade with his three Supreme Court picks, so now it’s up to each state again to write their own abortion laws. In my state of Tennessee, abortion has been made illegal thanks to Trump. Of course, it’s still happening, but at least we’re moving in the right direction. Lord willing!
Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good. We are all sinners living in a fallen world.
We can bring the abortion rates down even farther by :
1. Conservative Christian women stop having abortions.
2. Conservative Christian men stop paying for the abortions of their lovers and mistresses.
is it really “the good” if you have to lie, cheat, and steal to get it? Also, is it really “the good” empirically, when it’s caused abortion rates to INCREASE? The rates are at their highest in nearly a decade. https://www.guttmacher.org/2024/03/despite-bans-number-abortions-united-states-increased-2023
It seems like God cares about the means as much as the results, and doesn’t actually “bless” results achieved by corrupt means.
Yes. It’s not surprising that men have feet of clay. What’s more disturbing is these patterns of abuse keep cropping up over and over again in the context of the mega-churches whose oversight mechanisms are purposefully weak. When foxes design the henhouses there will be no accountability.
Feet of clay is one thing. The desire to get sexually involved with A CHILD is not only perverted sexuality but a crime! This isn’t a “typical” sexual sin. It’s predatory and coercive in nature. It’s damaging in a way consensual adult relationships will never be. It’s abuse. If police would have been involved he would have prison time. It’s different.
If the allegations are true, Robert Morris committed a crime. Crime must be punished. (Yes, sin can be forgiven.) When crime goes unpunished, there remains injustice. If Robert Morris is guilty, he should be on the sex offender list. And justice should be served.
no need for the “if”. He’s admitted it. He lied about the details, but there’s plenty of evidence that shows that he did every bit of it. Please don’t minimize this abuse by “benefit of the doubt”ing it.
The fact that Cindy Clemshire indicated that she got a response from Tom Lane in 2005 indicates that Tom and probably the other Elders did in fact know the details of her abuse and chose to “cover” them. There are more people to blame for all of this than just Robert. As a former member I know that there was a pattern of spiritual abuse at Gateway. It happened to members and to staff members who were fired after years of faithful service to the congregation.
Over the years, there was an unhealthy concentration of power to Robert and anyone who disagreed with him,even if they were an elder were removed. This environment promoted the problems that are now being exposed.
I think what happens in these corrupt organizations is the good people try to confront the leaders, but the leaders block them. Then those good people leave. So what ends up happening is only the corrupt remain. Then the organization just becomes increasingly corrupt. The pastor was corrupt and the elders were corrupt. Once the last good elder is gone, there is no recovery, it’s all downhill.
God stirs up a victim to go public and the judgment begins…
The pastor tends to become surrounded by “yes” men. It is run like any other organization that has family involved, family will remain in control. Experienced the same thing locally. The good people move on. No need to lead a rebellion, God will not bless that. But if there is criminality, it must be exposed. I hope that Cindy is finally compensated and Morris is held to account. What a shame. Let’s not forget the victim of his unrighteousness.
“No need to lead a rebellion, God will not bless that.” Have you ever read Jesus’ words in Red? What He said about the temple and the Pharisees who ran the place? One of the clear reasons they wanted to kill him and eventually did was because He was leading a very practical rebellion against them. All Christians were eventually not welcome in the temple. And God destroyed it within a lifetime.
Red flagged Morris years ago. He once stated that “Jesus is God’s tithe” and when teaching about giving he stated that when asked about tithing Jesus said “do it” Mis quoting and pulling out of context the Matt 23:23.
All of this is not surprising. After all, Mr. Morris shilled for a sexual abuser like Donald Trump. Mr. Morris chose his Trump-god, and not the Triune God of Christian faith.
Oh, the Trump train. The hate in this country. God bless you
Trump is not a pastor. He is a very flawed human being, yet because of his choice of Supreme Court Justices Roe vs Wade was overturned and now, at least, states get to choose whether or not to kill their unborn babies. Thankfully, some have chosen to preserve life.
Trump, just like Clinton and Biden, was accused of, but not convicted of sexual abuse. None of them are angels, but I know who those dead babies would be voting for if they had been given half a chance. The church will be held accountable if doesn’t start speaking out for the 60 million aborted (murdered) babies in this country. (Not to mention those who are destroyed by trans hormone drugs and surgery. And, not to mention those sexually abused by men of the cloth).
“Now choose life so you and your children may live, that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice and draw close to him”.
If nothing else, you can put a pro- life bumper sticker on your car. Maybe, someday, in paradise, a saved child will thank you.
The worship of Trump has exposed American evangelicals to be liars and hypocrites.
Then please present us with an alternative to the ungodly choice on the other side. I know most of it is a game, but we are not choosing a pastor.
What does Trump have to do with any of this? There is an entire church filled with people in Texas that has been brainwashed and indoctrinated by Morris…Trump does not have a seminary education and is influential as to my Christian beliefs.
Good grief, people, can we focus here?
Yes,FOCUS! and THANK You for saying that!👍
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Thought not a criminal case involving jail time, a jury in a civil suit by Jean Carroll over sexual abuse did find Trump liable.
Also, I find it ironic that after all the “we’re voting for a president, not a pastor” rhetoric in 2016 and 2020, we’re seeing all these celebrity pastors going down for things similar to what raised concern among Christians about Trump.
When are any of u going to wake up? Christianity as it is known today has failed miserably in every aspect. There have been leaders falling like rocks for decades, mostly due to sexual sins. If u have simply read a bible, let alone studied one, u would know that the wage of sin is death. Always has been Gen. 2:17, to Rev. 21:6-8, 22:14-15. The ONLY way to get to know God, which is essential for salvation, Jn. 17:3, 2 Thes. 1:8-9 is to search for Him with ALL your hearts, Jer. 29:11-14 in His autobiography. When u really know Him, after many hours of studying His autobiography, u WILL learn to fear Him, which is also essential for salvation. Ex. 20:20, Prov. 14:26-27, 16:6, Acts 10:34-35. So, there are three essential aspects to salvation, Know God. Fear God. Do what’s right. Sin negates any possibility of ‘doing what’s right.’ Doing what’s right, is simply ‘righteousness,’ Gen. 4:7, Rom. 2:13, 6:16, 1 Jn. 3:7, Rom. 6:15-18. Repentance is also essential for salvation, but that is the same as ‘doing what is right.’ Repent means to turn from all sin & never return to any of it. It can only be done once in anyone’s life-time. Heb. 6:4-6. So, it must be done B4 God gives u the Holy Spirit for the forgiveness of your sins. Acts 2:38. At that time you will become a new creation IN Christ 2 Cor. 5:17 where there is NO SIN. 1 Jn. 3:4-10KJV The modern versions have words added by the men who compiled them. Don’t let your preacher con u with those added words.
My book details all of this clearly. Amazon has ‘A Nation Broken.’ http://youtu.be/Ga1IQ80Sq7U
I agree with you, Mr. Stitt, but most people don’t want to be woken up. They don’t want to believe in evil and be depressed by the fact that the world is broken and marked for destruction by God and no amount of good deeds or positive thoughts is going to change that. Staying asleep is a choice that we are allowed to make. Obviously it’s a terrible option to accept, but people do.
The better question to ask is why do so many people allow themselves to be deluded and lead astray by false teachers? Is it easier because of the mental comfort?
Why do so many people make the choice to stay asleep rather than wake up and struggle with the truth of reality? Is just easier than dealing with the depressing aspects of reality?
I’m not buying your book, but I would like a response.
What does mark driscoll have to do with any of this?
When Driscoll left Mars Hill under a cloud of controversy (to put it nicely), after a “rehab period”, he started a church in the Phoenix area. One of the pastors who declared him “restored” was Morris.
This story, tragic and evil as it is, is about far more than one person. The whole church system there failed an innocent child victim, and even at points tried to blame her. That indicates a deep and long lasting problem that no one was willing to face honestly. In any other profession, he would never have been given a position of leadership. In fact, the police would have been called and he would be in prison as a child molester. And that’s exactly what should have been done. Yet the church, including multiple layers of leadership, covered it up, glossed it over, blamed the victim, and did nothing to pursue justice.
It’s worse than shameful. It’s disgusting beyond belief.
I agree with everything you have said, except for the “in any other profession.” In EVERY other profession there are instances of crimes being committed and the person (usually a man) getting shuffled off to somewhere else, a promotion or early retirement to cover up the crimes. Especially in churches, police precincts and schools; all places children are told to believe, trust and respect authority over all else. Hmmm I wonder why these places are a hot bed for abuse? Their ability to groom and access to children in these institutions is unmatched.
Ok. I’ll change “every” to “most.”
I still lay more blame on the church than others because they are supposed to be doing as Christ would. That is their whole purpose, and by tolerating this behavior they have defiled everything about that.
Agreed. Only stated what I did to keep the light shining in every nook and cranny.
And I’m not shocked that they are doing a “impartial and unbiased” investigation with a law firm… just reminiscent of Mike Bickle and the IHOP scandal. This needs to stop!
Morris’s son James Morris is Associate Senior Pastor and next in line to run the “show”.
Of course he is. Nepotism is an easy way to keep the ideology going and it provides an opportunity for him to talk about how he knows his father to be a “loving, kind, repentant” man.
My heart goes out to the members of his church. They are probably bewildered, fearful, angry and sad. They are victims too!