Gateway Church Pastor Admits to Past Abuse Scandal

The senior pastor of Gateway Church in Texas, Robert Morris, has recently come under scrutiny after allegations of past sexual abuse surfaced. The accuser, Cindy Clemishire, revealed that Morris engaged in inappropriate behavior with her when she was just 12 years old, during a Christmas visit in 1982.

In a report by The Daily Beast, it was stated that Clemishire detailed how Morris molested her and warned her to keep silent about the abuse, fearing it would ruin everything. The abuse reportedly continued for years until Clemishire confided in a friend, leading to Morris stepping down temporarily from his ministerial duties.

Despite the scandal, Morris later reemerged and founded Gateway Church in 2000, which has become one of the largest megachurches in the country with a weekly attendance of around 100,000. Notably, Morris was also a spiritual adviser to former President Trump.

After Clemishire’s revelations, Morris admitted to his wrongdoing, describing it as inappropriate sexual behavior with a ‘young lady’ without directly acknowledging Clemishire’s age at the time of the incidents. He claimed it was consensual and only involved kissing and petting.

According to The Christian Post, church elders at Gateway Church affirmed that Morris had confessed to a ‘moral failure’ but had been forgiven and absolved of his past actions. The church has taken steps to shield Morris from media attention and has restricted his public appearances.

Clemishire, however, expressed skepticism towards Morris’ apology, stating that she did not find it genuine or repentant. She emphasized that Morris should not be in a position of authority, especially in the church, given his history of abuse.

Despite not facing criminal charges due to the statute of limitations in Texas, the controversy surrounding Morris and Gateway Church continues to raise questions about accountability and transparency within religious institutions.