A blog recounting the alleged sexual abuse of a woman when she was 12-years-old by Gateway Church Pastor Robert Morris has prompted the Texas-based megachurch to acknowledge decades-old “moral failure.” However, in a statement to staff, the church did not note the age of the woman at the time of the “inappropriate sexual behavior,” referring to her simply as a “young lady.”
Gateway Church was founded in 2000 by Morris and has more than 100,000 people attending each weekend at their nine sites and online.
On Friday morning, The Wartburg Watch published a story, alleging that Pastor Morris had sexually abused Cindy Clemishire, a 54—year-old grandmother of three from Oklahoma, beginning in 1982, when she was 12.
Around 4 p.m. yesterday, Executive Lead Pastor Thomas Miller sent a statement from Gateway’s elders to church staff via the messaging platform Slack, according to sources close to the church. Those sources also provided The Roys Report (TRR) with a screenshot of the message from Miller and the elders’ statement.
In the statement, 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 described the behavior as “petting and not intercourse” and said it happened “on several occasions over the next few years.”
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He added, “Since that time, I have walked in purity and accountability in this area.”
According to Clemishire, who spoke with TRR and gave us permission to use her name, Morris’ abuse began when she was 12 years old—on Christmas night 1982.
A young and charismatic traveling evangelist, Morris was invited to host a youth revival in her hometown in northeast Oklahoma and quickly became friends with Clemishire’s parents.
“He and his wife, Debbie, were family friends and often stayed in our home when he was preaching at my dad’s church,” Clemishire said, revealing how the alleged abuse continued until she was 16 years old. “We even went on trips together.”
Clemishire noted that she was “not a ‘young lady,’” as Gateway’s statement said. “I was a child. I was an innocent little girl.”
At the time of the alleged abuse, Morris was 21 to 25 years old. He also was a pastor of Shady Grove Church, which now is Gateway Church-Grand Prairie Campus.
Clemishire said she shared a bedroom with her older sister at the time. But when Morris visited, he allegedly slept in the girls’ room, while Clemishire and her sister slept in another room.
On Christmas night, Morris allegedly asked Clemishire to come into her bedroom and spend some time talking. During this visit, Clemishire said Morris sexually assaulted her.
“It was so innocent,” the woman said. “I was wearing pink pajamas with bloomer pants over my underwear, and I had on a snap up robe.”
The accuser described her childhood growing up in Oklahoma in the 1970s and 1980s as picture perfect with a loving family.
“He told me, ‘Never tell anyone because it will ruin everything,’” Clemishire said.
“It didn’t ruin anything for him, but it ruined everything for me,” she added. “This was always in the background.”
Clemishire said she was 17 years old when she told her parents of the years of abuse that had escalated from inappropriate touching to rape by instrumentation.
“Years later, when my father found out what happened, he told the lead pastor at Shady Grove Church that if Morris didn’t get out of the ministry, he would report him to the police,” Clemishire said.
After years of counseling, the woman reached out to a high-profile criminal defense attorney to file a civil lawsuit against Morris.
The statute of limitations for authorities to file criminal charges had expired in Oklahoma. However, Clemishire confirmed to TRR that the abuse also took place in Texas, which has no statute of limitations for child sexual assault.
“I just wanted someone to pay for the years of counseling I went through,” she said.
Clemishire said Gateway offered her $25,000 if she would sign a non-disclosure agreement, which she refused.
“I wasn’t wanting money,” she told TRR. “I wanted him to pay for the counseling I had gone through.”
In Morris’ statement, he says he “confessed and repented of” his actions and stepped down from his ministry’s position for two years in March 1987. He said he also received counseling and returned to the ministry in two years later with the blessing of the “young lady’s” father.
However, Clemishire said her father did not “bless Morris returning to the ministry.”
“We are instructed to forgive – but that does not mean my father gave his blessing. He wanted to kill him,” Clemishire said.
TRR reached out to Gateway Spokesman Lawrence Swicegood for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
In his message to Gateway staff, Pastor Miller stated that he was sending the statement from the elders “to empower (staff) with a response if someone inquires, not as something to proactively sent out to people.”
The email further told staff to direct congregants who want “to talk further about anything” to a campus pastor, and to direct media to Lawrence Swicegood.
Gateway Church Statement – June 14, 2024
*This story has been updated to note that the alleged crimes against Clemishire also took place in Texas, which has no statute of limitations for child sexual assault.
Sheila Stogsdill is a freelance print journalist and digital reporter, primarily covering crime issues for KSN/KODE.
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179 Responses
I’m losing my ability to be shocked.
Me, too. After Ravi Z. and Tony Evans, I’d be shocked if a mega church pastor hasn’t committed some sexual sin in his past.
Keep in mind that Robert Morris was on Trump’s evangelical pastors committee- you know, the group of ministers who were to represent evangelical Christians and to hold Trump accountable.
Morris’ victim says he finger raped her. Now we know why Morris kept quiet when a jury last year voted unanimously that Trump did the same thing to E. Jean Carrol.
What happened to all of our John the Baptists who would speak truth to power?
“What happened to all of our John the Baptists who would speak truth to power?”
They Bent the Knee, Kissed the Ring, Made the Incense Offering, Poured the Libation, and took The Mark on both forehead and right hand.
All of them.
Remember the (non-Lindsay) interpretation of Revelation where The Beast represents a corrupt political system and The False Prophet a corrupt religious system in cahoots? In all the End times books, which is always The Boss and which is always the sniveling sidekick who THINKS he’s The Boss?
Not to muddy the waters in this discussion, Greg, but you already muddied them. Have you read the entire case brought against Trump by E. Jean Carrol? Have you heard her in an interview, ANY interview? Do you know the legal underpinnings they used to bring a civil case against Trump? Do you know the evidence that they had for a charge, much less for a conviction? Choose to be intellectually honest and independent, and scrupulous in research. It is the only way to guard against passing on false information and false allegations. We must never forget that false accusations are included in the 10 Commandments. God considers “bearing false witness” worthy of being included on the same list with murder and adultery.
Last year Robert Morris led a move to take over local school boards to protect kids from groomers in our public schools and libraries.
A fight over religion and politics is roiling a Texas school board election. And ‘it’s gotten ugly.’
Mike Hixenbaugh and Antonia Hylton
October 4, 2023
GRAPEVINE, Texas — In this suburb 20 miles northwest of Dallas, some religious and political leaders have framed a nonpartisan school board election this week as a spiritual battle between forces of good and evil.
During a Sunday worship service, Robert Morris, a megachurch pastor and spiritual adviser to former President Donald Trump, warned his congregation that Satan was at work in the Grapevine-Colleyville Independent School District and other area schools, then shared the names of Christian school board candidates who would stand against such demonic forces.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/fight-over-religion-politics-roiling-140042254.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAA-KldgoYSOIGo0sB3h6ip9DBhnPrFcN5I9F0kHxLPg4IqICf0MD7LhfbZmMfmVd8b07yoLXlwX8G-_wb6GvJqnqsYmoF_zvOk1ZkYG_JjhTcRVGIiGTAlDYSUM1IgCjR_M3JKE9F1mKk3U5ycJP6tzoc8Z1DAkx744FckiNQn7D
I would still like to know what Tony Evans actually did. As a black woman who is a member of a predominantly white large SBC church in Kentucky. I have thoroughly enjoyed his teachings. It’s crazy that I was telling a female staff member of my church a few days before Tony Evans resigned. How much I loved his teachings.
This is not a moral failure. This is sexual abuse of a child by a person in authority. It’s vile. And the wording behind it is vile and has undertones of blame of the child who suffered unimaginable abuse as well as seeing this man thrive in ministry. Can you imagine the inner turmoil she struggled with? Every member of that team that chose that response to this should be removed. “Moral failures” have become the blanket statement for leadership to gaslight their congregations.
If child sexual abuse does not disqualify you from leadership in these networks what will?
I completely agree with you. I honestly don’t think anything these days would disqualify anyone from ministry. I am sure that murder would be excused and wouldn’t disqualify anyone from ministry. Clearly sexual abuse isn’t a big enough crime to disqualified from ministry. And people wonder why women and men don’t come forward sooner with these allegations. As a 32 year old woman who has survived being sexually assaulted multiple in my life so far. I don’t trust the police or the church to handle these sort of these things properly and with grace and tact. While my abusers weren’t at all related to my experiences in the church. I have seen in my own life the various men who abused get a pat on the back and I get that “men will be men” or “you should have been covered up more”. As if wearing jeans and a t-shirt wasn’t covered up enough. My heart breaks for this woman and her family.
Moral failure might could apply to a single incident with another adult.
Sexual molestation of a minor is a crime, and when it is repeated over time, all the more heinous.
And repeated extramarital sexual activity where both were adults would go beyond a “moral failure” to a pattern of ungodly character, and be disqualifying.
Thank you, Amy, for your forthright moral clarity.
We have an ex-president, now running for the office of President of the United states, who has bragged about “grabbing women by their (privates)” whenever he felt like it. “They’ll let you do do anything when you’re famous!” explains Donald Trump on the Access Hollywood tape. Most evangelical voters still will vote for Trump and this is why Beth Moore, Ruth Graham Lotts, and many other Christian women are upset with the evangelical community. This is acceptable behavior, apparently, in many churches. Amazingly, Trump was even found guilty in a trial by his peers of forcibly raping a woman in a dressing room, and he still he is supported by most evangelicals! It’s becoming more and more clear to most Christian women that many churches believe that treating young girls and women in this criminal way is perfectly acceptable – requiring only a mere slap on the wrist, a wink, and a ” boys will be boys” excuse. Thus is why more young women than men are walking out the doors of churches and not looking back.
Exactly. You nailed it with this. A lot of evangelicals who are Trump supporters do not recognize the harm that Trump has done to American evangelicalism. My guess is that they don’t because their own souls have been corrupted. Of course, I’ve always thought that a closet Buddhist could easily lead an evangelical megachurch given the biblical illiteracy rampant in most of our churches.
They willfully ignore it because to not vote for Trump is apparently a vote for Biden. The concept of losing to win is lost on them, all that matters is pyrrhic political wins. They have no clue how destructive this is to the body of Christ
Can we possibly go any lower?
Robert Morris did not engage in “inappropriate sexual behavior” with a “young lady.” As a (married) man in his twenties he repeatedly sexually assaulted a twelve year old girl and continued this predatory pattern of behavior over a period of four years. When he was found out, the church not only failed to report this to law enforcement, but they covered up the assault and tried to silence the victim with a $25,000 payout. A mere two years later, the church gave a confessed pedophile a platform to continue preaching. Decades later, as this sickening story comes to light, the “elders” justify their abominable cover up by assuring congregants that the years-long rape of a minor was a one off.
It would seem then, that if a pedophile wants to act with impunity, the safest place to hide is within the walls of the church? Can we think of any other vocation where this kind of behavior would not only incur prison time, but would also be vocationally disqualifying? Where do we get the idea that restoration to ministry is a right? Shepherding God’s people is a privilege. A man must qualify for the office and by his own actions can disqualify himself.
We write great books about protecting children from the liberal agenda. Consider, that many of our children need protection from the wolves and predators in our very midst.
Yes, you are Biblically correct that shepherding God’s people requires a higher moral purity. He can and should repent of it, but that doesn’t mean he should remain a pastor as you already noted.
Keep in mind that it happened over forty years ago,not recently. He may have repented . If that woman needs some kind of financial compensation;she should get it. However ,if God kept the memory of our sins forever; no one would be saved. But nowadays, too many sinners are willing to cast the first stone.
He most certainly has not truly repented. If he had, he would have seen to it that this poor woman was cared for and not demanded she sign an NDA. If he was repentant, he would not call what he did “inappropriate sexual behavior.” It was child sexual assault. It was rape by instrumentation. It was legally criminal child abuse. If he was repentant, he would not have called her a “young lady.” He would have called her a child or a girl. If he was repentant, he would have turned himself into the law to humbly accept all consequences of his actions. He could have even done this up to 30 years later. If he was repentant, he would NEVER have re-entered ministry. There is zero discussion about it. There is no restoration to eldership after child sexual assault. If someone doesn’t understand that, I hope they don’t have any children. He is without a doubt, a wolf in sheep’s clothing to this day. I am physically nauseous that anyone would suggest that he be allowed to continue as a pastor.
IF she needs financial compensation?? Lord have Mercy.
Joel, it may have happened over 40 years ago, but I guarantee you it has impacted her life ever single day of those 40 years. Sexual assault of children has INCREDIBLE impact on that child, and while Robert Morris (and other offenders) seem to be able to move on and live their life, many victims have said that seeing their offenders meet justice helps with their healing and being able to live in a world that doesn’t just accept them as collateral damage in a man’s career pursuits.
What opens up concern for me personally is yes what just came out happened 40 years ago. But what else has been hidden? There is no real accountability here even if think now to the financial scandal they had a few years ago.
Joel, he sexually assaulted a 12-year-old child. A 12-year-old child. Enough already.
And he basically approached it from the Gateway pulpit as, “heck yeah I did it, but I’m forgiven now…”? SMH. I didn’t think I could be shocked, but this one has me floored.
Winsome, excellent comparisons.
Agreed, it’s not “inappropriate behavior;” it’s statutory rape of a minor. And vocational disqualification . . . consider Neil Goldschmidt, who died a few days ago. He was a prominent Oregon politician until admitting (years after the fact) that he had raped an eighth-grade girl. Unbelievers don’t tolerate such crimes; why is Robert Morris still employed?
This innocent child and her family never received any compensation from the perpetrator. No social, spiritual, or financial support. The intent has been only to clear the name of the perpetrator.
To be biblical, appropriate compensation should’ve been made, regardless of the cost to Morris. The Old Testament laws required this when guilt was determined, and to do so would’ve been the only thing that could be called biblical repentance.
This could’ve been prevented by the implementation of ONE ministerial expectation. This one: “We will NEVER be alone with a woman (and certainly not a girl).”
Do you think all ministers will sexually assault girls if they happen to be alone with one? What about boys? Are ministers even more likely to rape pre-teens than adults?
No, but as a male minister, you are protecting yourself and others by NEVER being alone with a female who you are not related to. That is why many pastors have security cameras in their offices when counseling. There are people who are just looking to take down or sue ministers. This is why many have a traveling companion. Morris’s entire career has been destroyed and the body of Christ given a deep wound. I would argue that he should have been removed from ministry when this first came to light. He is not owed a career in ministry. He planted this bomb when he committed this molestation. Yes, God forgives, but there are consequences that you cannot escape.
This might protect male ministers from (rare) false accusations but does absolutely nothing to protect the children and women because the men who abuse will find a way.
I agree that a person who is never alone with another person is “protected” from the accusation that he or she abused a person he or she was alone with, but that’s an awful world to live in.
I think, in most cases, being a person who doesn’t abuse others helps a lot.
Respectfully, that rule only works when the predator is held accountable by others and constantly monitored. It’s not sustainable for any person to have that. . Predator or not. No one can be monitored 24hpurs a day iday in and day out.
He preyed upon her and forced her into isolation and ultimately raped a child. He had a target. He went for her. Disqualifying child rapists from ministry period is the only way to stop this
Our church has a policy that no adult be alone with a minor, same or opposite sex, in a building room or in a vehicle, unless that minor is their own child.
So does mine, and it’s a wise policy for an organization to have. Putting barriers in the way of potential abusers is a good thing. However, having a church policy in existence would not have prevented Mr. Morris’s abusing Cindy Clemishire. Youth protection policies are a necessary but not sufficient safeguard.
He stayed with this family as a Married Traveling Itinerant Pastor who often brought his wife along, too 😳 😬
He wasn’t alone in a too. He PREYED on her because he was able to get her alone. This is not a temptation thing this is an evil thing. End of storing. When a predator has his eyes on a target he seeks them out like a wolf and devours them. It makes everyone uncomfortable to the point they subtly hint at partial blame at a child. He PREYED on her. No rule stops that evilness. Protect the church kids.
All this rule does is objectify women, and really, prove that men who need this rule shouldn’t be in leadership in the first place.
Treating every women like a sexual threat (because after all, it’s about avoiding even the appearance of evil) takes away their humanity, their intellect, their humor, the call of God on their life, their gifting and talents- and reduces them only to their genitals. That they *might* tempt you becomes their most important, and really ONLY quality. It ignores the fact that if they DO tempt you, that’s 100% a you problem, not a them problem- and if you act on it, you are wholly disqualified from ministry.
In a ministry sense, this rule diminishes the gifting of half of the Body of Christ, because the other half can’t control themselves enough to work with them. After all, you can’t partner with people that you refuse to meet with or know. And if you’re willing to meet 1:1 with men, and you’re open to build relationships with them, that puts them at a HUGE advantage over women when it comes to participating fully in the Body.
I prefer my leaders to have enough self control to work with men AND women. To see the beautiful humanity in everyone, and to have the self control to not act inappropriately with ANY of them. I want leaders who don’t need the silly Billy Graham Rule to keep them from raping children or abusing women- but who can do that all on their own. Who’s relationships with both men and women don’t raises suspicion because they’re obviously appropriate. THOSE are the leaders I want (and have). THOSE are the leaders who don’t end up on this page.
Jen, I second your profoundly true comment about the exclusion of women in the Body of Christ when we are seen as a threat, as walking genitalia and “needing control.” All of that is insidiously evil. Billy Graham never sought to be exclusionary OR famous, known throughout the entire world. If you know his story, it was an unlikely person, William Randolph Hearst, who catapulted Graham into a kind of fame that is STILL difficult to comprehend. Paparazzi followed BG & his team everywhere they went, capturing & going through their trash at big & little hotels, shooting with telephoto lenses, lurking in hotel lobbies & hallways to capture a photo that “LOOKED suspicious.” Imagine living under a magnifying glass for 60 years! His phone calls & conversations were often illegally recorded, & people used telescopes to peer into the windows of his home, offices & hotels. He was called to pray w Queen Elizabeth & Churchill. He met w all the US Presidents.He met w Gandhi & Golda Meir. He brought a message in the bowels of the Kremlin! He created those rules to prevent ANY photographer or prying eye from being able to misconstrue anything. He prayed every morning, “If, Lord, I might do anything today to bring disrepute upon your name, please take me off the earth before I have the chance to do that.”For Billy Graham, who saw his wife as his co-worker in the Kingdom, the rules were needful. He was on the cover of Time, and voted Most Admired Man in the World.They would all have paid very large sums of money to catch him doing, or appearing to do, something wrong.
“Could have been prevented”?? That doesn’t even make sense in this case. He is a predator. He was intentional. He groomed her for possibly years. You can’t prevent a wolf from attacking sheep. When a pastor refuses to be alone with a woman, it is to protect HIMSELF from false accusations by HER. If he thinks he needs to protect her from himself with that rule, then he shouldn’t be a pastor!!
This is just the beginning. I have no doubt that this was not an isolated incident, but rather a pattern of abuse.
Morris was an itinerant minister that came on staff as an associate pastor of Shady Grove Church in the late 80s. He was there until he left to start Gateway church. Shady Grove was independent of Gateway but had strong ties with leadership. They merged with Gateway in June 2013 which then became Gateway Grand Prairie campus.
My husband and I attended Shady Grove Church from 2007 – 2013. I was on staff of Gateway during the merge process of Shady Grove becoming Gateway Church. I assisted during the transition from February until June 2013. I had no contact or interaction with Morris other than what others told me about him about his history at Shady Grove, all of which was positive.
It’s soo horrible to hear that the leadership of Shady Grove and James Robinson’s ministry did not report this predatory pedophile behavior. Only two years for sexually assaulting a minor.
The laws in this country need to take away the statutes of limitations in regards to sexual abuse to minors and it should be a federal crime! Lord have mercy on the American church as more light shine on the darkness that only Jesus can heal and restore.
I’m so tired of people claiming to be forthright, but then using language to soften the truth—in this case the sexual abuse of a 12-year-old child. The letter makes it sound as though it was just petting with a young lady; admittedly bad, but not so bad. Be truthful!
“Dear Elders of Gateway Church – please help us understand when and how you were informed of this issue from his pastoral history?”
In Podcast number 12 of the Rise and Fall of Mars Hill (Christianity Today) you will hear Robert Morris defending the unrepentent Mark Driscoll, calling him the wounded rather than the wounder, and saying that any of us (pastors present) could suffer the same thing. I also noted that Gateway church wanted Ms. Clemishire to sign an NDA. In such circumstances, NDAs have an tremendous impact on mental health and PTSD, and one of the Kanakuk campers committed suicide after signing one. This is truly inhuman behavior by the Gateway leadership. This is a clear sign (visible from ‘here to Rivendell’) that the leadership of Gateway contains bad apples who also need to resign. Ms. Clemishire is to be commended for not signing an NDA and speaking up rather than resigning herself to silence.
You are spot on. I was thinking the same thing this morning about the whole Mars Hill, Mark Driscoll situation. Mike Bickle did the same with Paul Cain. The elders and his wife engaged in a cover up. This man should have spent time in jail over this and be registered as a sex offender. The elders if alive today should be punished to for their part in all this. Today, the way Gateway has handled this is not biblical. As with IHOP this should be shut down.
When I heard that Morris gave Driscoll the red carpet treatment and made Mark out to be the victim rather then the bad guy, I decided then that Morris should not be listened to, nor his material shared in churches. And now this just validates that judgment.
I’m not sure that everyone is picking up that this happened while Pastor Morris was already married to his wife, Debbie Morris. How tragic … from 1982 to 1987 … five years
Dawn im with you girl.
“Moral failure”? Wasn’t it a crime? Is it any wonder why people are negative on and disgusted by the Christian church?
Assuming the report of his withdrawal from ministry, seeking forgiveness for his admitted sinful behavior from the victim and her parents, going through counseling for two years before returning to active ministry, what more could he have done. I am not minimizing the gravity of his sin, but what more was required before he could continue with his life.
How about restitution, for starters? How about find another vocation? He did continue his life, while she suffered in silence for decades.
“…but what more was required before he could continue with his life”? He could continue with his own life BUT NOT AS A PASTOR! He disqualified himself a long time ago.
What more could have been done??? Before continuing on with his life? Seriously? Continuing on with his life is one thing, but continuing on in ministry is a big NOPE! They do not have a right to be a pastor when they sexual abuse a sheep, I mean lamb. Unreal I just had to even say that.
Prison time and never being allowed 10 feet within any child. What is wrong with you?
Withdraw from the ministry permanently!!!! Why did no one report this to the authorities? Was there no mandated reporter law in Texas back then? He should have been prosecuted and jailed!
Pedophilia is a big disqualifier for becoming a pastor. He’s lucky her dad didn’t kill him.
I almost wonder if Satan gives some leaders huge success (mega churches) just so they can hurt the Church later when hidden sin is found out. That sure happened at my church, Willow Creek. So sad.
Morris is a damaged person; he is not qualified to minister to people. He should find another profession and stop kidding himself that God has forgiven him. If a child of God is still in pain, then he is not forgiven.
There are things that disqualify you from ministry. This is one of them. It was not a “one off” but happened repeatedly over the course of many years. There are acts and sins that when committed do close future doors here on earth. This was not a private sin such as alcohol or pronography,which are debilitating and harmful, but he repeatedly harmed a child. Yes, the family was instructed to forgive, but that does not absolve him of the consequences of his actions. The father should have reported him to the authorities. Too many have been harmed by sexual predators hiding in the church. Sorry this is a line that should never be crossed. He could have worked as a truck driver or one of many careers, but his time as a minister should have been over. How many others have not come forward?
Turning himself in to the sheriff to start with. This was a crime committed.
This is not a matter of counselling, this is a crime. Whoever commits one should be reported to police and face the law, no matter their profession.
Someone truly repentant for raping a child would turn themselves in to the authorities and plead guilty. Someone truly repentant for raping a child would understand at a heart level that there is no restoration to eldership after child rape. Someone truly repentant for raping a child would make sure that child received all the help she needed to heal and recover her life, even if it meant he could barely make ends meet while paying for her therapy. He is filthy rich. He demanded she sign a NDA. He’s a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
Respectfully, As soon as you said the word “but” after acknowledging the severity of the continuing sexual abuse of a child in her own home and did not mention the fact that a shepherd is still not taking full responsibility you minimize led the abuse. He has every right to continue on in his life. He doesn’t however have the right to be in authority over sheep.
God is cleaning house and when Jesus said that He was going to prepare a place and that His Father’s house had many rooms….these that claim they prophesied in His name and did miracles blah, blah, blah…..
Get away from ME I never knew you.
TWELVE🤦🏻♀️
‘A one off’!!! Gross
…and this is the ‘professional’ tithing guy whom pastors ship in when they’re on vacation so they don’t have to talk about the money grab. Yeesh
I am overwhelmed by the number of predators in our churches. Even more disgusting are the elders and other church leaders whose first impulse is to cover these things up. Lord help us.
Ohhh my goodness!!! How awful !!! He must step down. He’s a pedophile . He’s disqualified for any ministry leadership position.
Convicted felon donald trump sure knows how to pick his friends. First his good friend Epstein, now pastor morris. Remind me why Christians think he’s Gods anointed?
In 2005, Morris and Gateway Church, speaking through their attorney, accused the child of attracting the abuse on herself because she was “flirtatious”.
Does the Rev. Morris still hold to that accusation?
Blaming victims for Five Years of Clergy Grooming & Ongoing Sexual Abuse is Sickening🤮& Deceptive😡
Many teenage girls have crushes on older men. I sure did. Fortunately, nothing ever came of them. What’s more thrilling for a man than to have young women fawning over them? Think of movie stars, rock stars, athletes, politicians, teachers. Powerful people in positions of authority must be held to a higher standard. With much power comes much responsibility. That’s why parents need to raise sons to have self-discipline and self-control. And wives need to help their husbands resist temptation.
No need to deflect blame from the actual perpetrator here. Yes, we DO need to raise our sons differently, especially in the evangelical church- but no mount of parenting will fix a man who is sexually attracted to children. In the same way, no amount of sex with his wife, a full grown woman, will keep a man who is sexually attracted to children from being sexually attracted to children. The trope that wives need to keep their husbands satisfied so they don’t stray is both nonsense in general, and not even a little applicable here.
Agreed Lisa. And even when girls/boys are flirtatious, the adults(spiritually and physically) should lovingly, expeditiously but firmly shut such situations down – verbally and with physical distance. It would have protected her, her family,his family, ministry and all of their future.
“What’s more thrilling for a man than to have a young girl fawning over him?” Uhhh, I for sure know one thing, relationship and connection with Yeshua. You’re truly under the impression that a grown adult, Christian man is, by default, more thrilled and moved by young girls than God? And that’s okay with you? Being consumed by the world means sex is the number one priority. Why would a man of God care at all about carnal pleasure if he is truly dedicated to embodying the Love of Christ? Sentiments like you have just shared and the fact men are repeatedly, continually for decades, getting away with assault is why people are leaving churches in droves. Christ is not found in religion and religious people prove it every second of every day.
Standing with you, Cindy.
In solidarity,
Lori Anne Thompson
Agreed!
Cindy, you are one strong woman! Please know you speaking out about this isn’t just helping you it’s helping people wake up to hidden abuse that happens. Stay strong woman of God!
#istandwithcindy
It’s appalling to me the men, father’s, brothers, church elders and just as bad, women who do not protect females. Do not hold these men accountable. It’s sickening to excuse this. This is the very reason the church is dying on the vine in the United States. We have thrown Jesus under the bus for too long for the sake of our own sin, pride, greed, we look just like the world. Why do they need us? Or would listen to anything we have to say? God has a history of allowing the enemy of his people to overcome them to get their attention. They otherwise refuse to learn. Don’t be surprised. Jesus and Jesus alone. Not rockstar mega pastors.
Morris should be turned out of the ministry and have no authority or responsibility in a ministerial position ever again.
It is unlikely that this venomous snake will see any justice on this planet. Indeed, true justice is incredibly rare these days. The US worships fame and Mammon. You have that and you will get more and can get away with murder. You do not have those and you are much more likely to face actual jail time. But this man is old and facing a judgment that Jesus himself said it would be better for a millstone have been put around his neck and him drowned before he took advantage of his first victim. This one may not be the first victim and is likely not the last. Soon this guy will get everything he deserves for an eternity. For now we let these snakes get away with this filth because we worship them and throw our Mammon at them. In hell there is no mammon and the demons will not worship Morris. In just a short while he will be there for God is not mocked and Jesus is a fearsome foe that most ignore because they do not read the first couple of books of the Revelation of Jesus Christ.
Ralph,
We don’t know the state of Morris’s heart, so I would stop short of condemning Morris to hell as the final judgement belongs to God. I am certainly not excusing the severity of Morris’s moral failings, but judging him further and assigning him to hell is not our place.
This right here is the problem.
#istandwithcindy
So sorry, Amy, if I hesitate to assign Robert Morris to hell when I have never met him, do not know him personally, and am only aware of him through what I see and hear in media.
Again, so sorry, I’ll try harder to discern the personal salvation of people I meet by appearance and actions alone and then I’ll post my conclusion on the internet with great declaration and certainty!
Glad we had this talk.
Jesus makes it plain who goes to hell and who does not. I am not the judge, but the things you suggest contradict the bible in many places. You contradict Paul and others. You most certainly contradict Jesus Christ. Please read your bible. Jesus and Paul and others do most plainly state that people doing certain things are headed to hell. And it is a most real place I can assure you of that. You can start with Revelation 20.
Your offense is strong. The fact your focus is only on making sure everyone knows that God is the one that makes these decisions. We are all aware of that. That’s handled by God.
Your focus should be on raping a child. Your focus is on a black and white topic. It distracts from THIS crime.
I enjoyed this talk. Hopefully you did too.
It seems Jesus had thoughts about hurting children:
Matthew 18:6 New International Version (NIV)
“If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.
Jen,
You are right. The church needs to order another millstone.
We should be getting a quantity discount by now.
I speak from his teachings. Snakes do not inherit the Kingdom of God. Why do people claim to be Christians but cannot quote Jesus Christ? “Jesus said to His disciples, ‘It is inevitable that stumbling blocks will come, but woe to the one through whom they come! It would be better for him to have a millstone hung around his neck and to be thrown into the sea than to cause one of these little ones to stumble. Watch yourselves. If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.”
This man is a child molester. I know what this is like for my own brother is one too. Repentance is an action. The year my other brother died I was shown a cell in hell reserved for someone who thought he was saved, but was not. It was the most real place I have ever experienced. Jesus makes plain who is saved and who is not. False teachers and child molesters who never do the actions required of repentance are most definitely not saved. Not everyone who calls Jesus “Lord, Lord” is admitted into the Kingdom.
I agree this is a crime, not just a moral error. But what about the Catholic priests? Why don’t you cover them too or this a sure only about Protestants? Catholics are supposed to be Christian’s too. You could start with the long, long, long history of pedophilia in the Catholic Church. Interview the thousands of victims who will never receive justice!
No need to deflect blame or “what about” here- Let the Catholics deal with their own house. Julie is dealing with protestants because she is dealing with her own. It’s easy to point fingers at others, but we have no right to with this much corruption in our own house.
Child molesters in our midst are no less harmful because there are child molesters elsewhere.
When will people realize Yeshua told us to discern these wolves, these Pharisees! These people INFEST your churches. LEAVE THEM. Christ is not in religion.
Exactly. All these men want to be the HEAD when there is ONE head (Ephesians 5:23, Colossians 1:18 etc) and every other regenerate believer (the only kind: John 1:12-13, Romans 8:9) is a MEMBER of the body.
They replace Christ without a second thought, just as Lucifer desired to do (Isaiah 14, Ezekiel 28) and then people act surprised when their behavior is demonic.
In this case, it’s both the hideous sin and the prideful lies and cover-up (and disdain for the victim who waa never acknowledged) lasting years
I’ve been learning from Robert Morris’s teachings for about 15 years, and he has always been forthright that when he and his wife were first married, he was sexually immoral. This language always led me to believe it was adultery of some sort. I struggle to process that THIS is what he was actually referring to!
The softened language is horrible: “Over 35 years ago…, This 35-year-old matter… This behavior happened on several occasions…” Yesterday or 35 years ago makes no difference at all for the heart of the child he obliterated. AND the behavior didn’t “happen” ~ it should read, “I continued with the behavior on several occasions…”
Here in Texas, the young age of the girl and the continuous nature of the abuse (NOT inappropriate s*xual behavior!), if this had criminally prosecuted as it should have been, are First Degree Felonies!
And yet, I resonate with Greg Culross comment in that I, too, am losing my ability to be shocked.
Amy,
My dad was an atheist for most of my life, and had softened to agnostic in his later years. In the last couple of years, on his own, he started watching Robert Morris on TV, and liked that he approached things intellectually and could explain things in a way my dad understood. We had some great conversations about my faith, and faith in general.
I am SO thankful, that my dad passed away in January, before this news came out, and that he never had to reckon with the fact that this man of faith, that he trusted, was a child molester. They harm this man did is immeasurable- both to Cindy, and also to anyone who trusted him.
“The statute of limitations for authorities to file criminal charges have long expired.”
This is incorrect.
The Texas Penal Code Section 21.11 defines indecency with a child as engaging in sexual contact with a child under 17 years old, or exposing oneself to a child under 17 with the intent to arouse or gratify sexual desire. This is considered a very serious felony offense in Texas.
Specifically:
Indecency with a Child by Contact
Punishable by 2-20 years in prison and up to $10,000 fine (second-degree felony)
Requires lifetime sex offender registration
No statute of limitations, can be prosecuted at any time
Indecency with a Child by Exposure
Punishable by 2-10 years in prison and up to $10,000 fine (third-degree felony)
Requires 10 years of sex offender registration
No statute of limitations, can be prosecuted at any time
I hope The Roys Report will continue to look into this. I don’t understand why this was not prosecuted criminally.
🔥🔥🔥🔥
The problem now is the statute of limitations because of how long ago it was.
Actually, in Texas with the crime of indecency with a child, there is NO statute of limitations.
Yes it did. In Tulsa nearby where I once lived. Oklahoma state laws would apply not Texas.
“No statute of limitations, can be prosecuted at any time.”
What part of “No statute of limitations” don’t you understand?
One of the qualifications for ministry is for the elder to be “well thought of by outsiders” (1 Timothy 3.7).
Here in Australia there is a system run by the various state governments to check a person’s criminal history in relation to sexual offenses. In the state I am in (Tasmania) it is called a “working with vulnerable people licence”. Like a driving licence, it is a photo ID that you can produce when working (in paid or volunteer capacity) to show that you are “clean” when it comes to sexual offenses. Schools, disability organisations and nursing homes require staff and volunteers to have one of these licences. Churches can also use these licences for their staff and volunteers.
And by doing this, churches have staff and volunteers who meet a moral requirement that the non-Christian (outsider) world respects and encourages.
Ah, but when a church never reports these crimes, they won’t show up on any records check.
Hi Neil
I am in Australia too.
Robert Morris would PASS a Working With Children Check and a Police Check.
The Freemasonry insider network of clergy/police/legal/court protection around him was/ is so thorough he was never charged. Someone posted here or on X that the senior pastor at his church was a former Highway Patrolman who saw Morris was never charged…..
The highest level pedophiles a la the Houstons are given a free pass for generations.
The only solution here is stop letting these CHILD RAPISTS off. The church needs to go back to protecting the sheep. Any sexual assault is a hard no. The church needs to stop acting like judge and jury. Charge and prosecute so these predators will NOT pass a background check.