Parishioners and former employees of Gateway Church respond to allegations of sexual abuse by Robert Morris

Jared King and his family have been attending Gateway Church for 11 years. He appreciated the Christian worship music and the community he built with other church members.

However, one day before the church’s Father’s Day morning service, King saw a breaking news story about an allegation against the senior pastor of sexually abusing a 12-year-old girl in the 1980s.

“We usually go to church at 11 a.m. on Sundays, but we had already made a decision. We were not going to the Gateway,” King said.

Robert Morris, founder and pastor of the Gateway Church, resigned a few days after the allegations became known. Morris had confessed to “inappropriate sexual behavior” toward a “young lady,” but did not disclose her age.

A June 14 internal statement sent by the church’s elders to Gateway staff and later posted on X said Morris had been “open and honest about a moral failing he committed over 35 years ago.” On June 18, the Gateway Church’s Board of Elders said they “did not have all the facts,” including the age of the victim and the duration of the abuse, and accepted Morris’ resignation from the Gateway Church that same day.

Gateway community members, former employees and government officials shared their experiences of the impact the events had on the community.

King said he was frustrated by the “lack of transparency” shown by church elders with congregants. He said he did not yet know if he would return to Gateway Church.

“I’m all for reparations, but you can’t allow a child molester to be a leader in the church, period. It’s just inappropriate,” King said. “It’s an absolute nightmare.”

King said he believes the board of elders, who know the details of Morris’ past, should resign. He also said he would not support church attendance if Robert Morris’ son and daughter, who are pastors of the church, were leading the congregation.

Morris had previously announced that he would step down from his position as senior pastor of the church. He proposed his son, James Morris, as his successor to the elders in February 2022. As things stand, James Morris is scheduled to begin his service as senior pastor of Gateway Church in spring 2025.

Shannon Thomas remembers watching Morris’ teachings on DVD before she and her husband moved to Southlake in 2006. A big reason for the move was to be part of the Gateway church, she said. For six months, she worked as an administrative assistant in the Family and Marriage Ministry at Gateway Church.

When Thomas, a licensed social worker, found out that Morris was accused of sexually abusing then-12-year-old Cindy Clemishire, she recalls being “deeply disgusted.”

“The community has been led to believe for so long that there was actually a moral failure, but we all thought it was with an adult,” Thomas said. “I think what’s shocking is that this key factor has been ignored for all these years.”

Bob Hamp, a licensed marriage and family therapist, served on the staff of Gateway Church between 2005 and 2014. Hamp said he was “heartbroken” when he heard the news.

“If this had been treated as a legal matter 35 years ago, none of these conversations would have taken place,” Hamp said. “Instead of letting the church handle it and giving Robert Morris a platform again, it would have been more like, ‘Let’s get the police involved.'”

Community leaders and government officials go public

Laura Downey Hill served as Southlake’s first female mayor between 2015 and 2021. She said Morris’ actions have made an impression on Southlake families who have long attended Gateway Church.

“Gateway has always been very proud of its Southlake address and the authority that comes with it and has done great things for the community,” she said. “Now they have hurt the community so badly and I suffer with my community.”

John Huffman, who served as mayor of Southlake from 2021 to 2024, also released a statement on X, saying the consequences of the events were “so far-reaching because the church has grown and adopted an international brand.”

Republican Rep. Nate Schatzline of Fort Worth released a statement on X condemning Morris’ actions. In March, Schatzline was named an ordained pastor of Mercy Culture Church, where the Gateway Church Network has placed its senior pastors.

“Although I believe in restoration, the details that have recently come to light are deeply disturbing and unacceptable to anyone, especially a spiritual leader,” Schatzline said.

Republican state Rep. Giovanni Capriglione of Southlake said in his statement to X that Morris “must be held accountable for his actions.”

“The pain he caused cannot be erased and he must face the consequences of his crimes,” Capriglione said.

Gateway Church and Cindy Clemishire seek legal counsel

The Gateway Church’s Board of Elders said in its statement that the church was engaging the law firm of Haynes & Boone, LLP to conduct an “independent, thorough and professional review of reports of past abuse” from 1982 to 1987.

“We are deeply shocked and appalled by what has come to light over the past few days and we extend our deepest condolences to the victim and her family. On behalf of the victim, we are grateful that this situation has come to light,” the panel said in a statement.

Boz Tchividjian, an attorney representing Clemishire, released her statement in response to Morris’ resignation and the church elders’ June 18 statement. Clemishire said she wondered why the investigation did not examine Morris’s entire tenure at Gateway Church.

“This is just the beginning. I believe wholeheartedly and deeply that I am not the only victim,” Clemishire said.

If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual violence, it is not your fault. You are not alone. Help is available 24/7 through the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE or visit the Online-Hotlineand in Spanish in rainn.org/es.

Marissa Greene is a Report for America Corps member and covers faith for the Fort Worth Report. Reach her at [email protected] or @marissaygreene. At The Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy Here.

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