Gateway Church Removes Elders, Employees Over Robert Morris Sexual Abuse Allegations

Gateway Church, a megachurch based in Southlake, Texas, has taken significant steps in response to allegations of sexual abuse against its founder, Robert Morris. During a Saturday service on November 2, church elder Tra Willbanks announced that the church has removed several elders and employees who were aware of the abuse allegations but failed to act appropriately.

The allegations surfaced in June when Cindy Clemishire, now 54, publicly accused Morris of sexually abusing her between 1982 and 1987, starting when she was 12 years old. Following her accusations, Morris resigned from the church. An independent investigation by the law firm Haynes and Boone LLP was conducted to determine what church elders knew about the allegations before June 2024.

The investigation revealed two groups within the church who had knowledge of the abuse. One group knew that Clemishire was 12 years old when the abuse began, while another group was aware of the sexual abuse allegations against Morris but did not inquire further. Both groups have been deemed “fundamentally wrong” and are no longer part of the church’s leadership or employment.

The church is also cooperating with a criminal investigation into the allegations. Willbanks emphasized that the church’s culture had allowed the truth to be “buried for too long” and acknowledged a “massive governance and accountability failure” within the church’s leadership. The church is revising its bylaws, including the removal of its apostolic elders office and prohibiting staff members from serving as elders, except for potential future senior pastors who may serve in a non-voting capacity.

Willbanks praised Clemishire for coming forward and encouraged others with additional information to do the same, assuring them of confidentiality. The investigation did not find any other victims of Morris beyond Clemishire.

The church’s interim teaching pastor, Max Lucado, described the current moment as a “demarcation point” or “mile marker” for the church, emphasizing the need for necessary endings and new beginnings to reset the church’s focus on God.