Ministries Distance Themselves From Gateway’s Robert Morris
Robert Morris. (Video screenshot @Pastor Robert Morris)
Ministries continue to distance themselves from Robert Morris, founder of Gateway Church in Texas, in the wake of accusations that he sexually abused a girl for several years, starting when she was 12.
After survivor Cindy Clemishire told Wartburg Watch that Morris molested her during the 1980s, Morris admitted to Gateway staff that over 35 years ago, he had “inappropriate sexual behavior with a young lady” but did not specify her age.
The fallout was swift, and soon after, Morris resigned as lead pastor from Gateway.
On June 23, Gateway Elder Tra Willbanks, tearfully addressed over 100,000 attendees and apologized to Clemishire and anyone who had experienced abuse. “I’m so sorry. I’m just so sorry. I cannot imagine the pain and the emotions this past week has stirred inside of you as you felt betrayed. And on behalf of the elders, we’re sorry.”
In a statement to the congregation, published on Gateway’s website just days before, Gateway’s elders said that although the abuse “occurred many years before Gateway was established,” they are committed to finding the truth. “Regrettably, prior to Friday, June 14, the current Elders did not have all the facts,” the statement said.
The statement said the elders have retained law firm Haynes and Boone to conduct an independent inquiry.
As news spreads about the allegations, ministry allies are distancing themselves.
The Church of the Highlands in Birmingham, Alabama, accepted Morris’ resignation as a longtime overseer. The King’s University, whose partnership with Gateway once recognized Morris as school chancellor, has removed him from its website. On June 18, Daystar Television Network announced they had cleared all of Morris‘ programming from its broadcasting schedule.
Much of the separation from Morris is expected. But a public statement by Life Outreach International — an organization Morris served in the past when it was known as the James Robison Evangelistic Association — is stirring confusion.
Until recently, the organization was unaware of “specific details” surrounding why Morris had stepped down from full-time ministry, according to the statement. It said Morris joined JREA in the late 1980s, and only as a call center director.
“Morris’ duties did not include public speaking, nor was James Robison involved in professional counseling or formal restoration to ministry for Robert Morris,” it said.
But a newspaper clipping and an archive of Robert Morris Evangelistic Ministries cloud that narrative.
A 1982 Longview Morning Journal article suggests Morris was more than just a call center supervisor, saying Robison and Morris were “joining forces.” Despite Life Outreach International’s claim that Morris didn’t join JREA until the late ‘80s, the article says Morris was invited to join JREA as an “associate evangelist” in December 1981 — just 10 months after Morris said he first gave his life to Christ and a year after leaving the drug scene.
MinistryWatch contacted Life Outreach and received a statement that read in part: “The Human Resources team at LIFE Outreach International, formerly James Robison Evangelistic Association (JRWA), has scoured digital and archived personnel records and spoken with previous employees and supervisors … to better establish a timeline of Robert Morris’ employment and roles.” The statement said Morris was an “associate evangelist” from Jan. 14, 1982, through May 31, 1982.
On June 21, Life Outreach published a video titled James Robison Corrects the Record. Seated next to his wife, a solemn Robison began by acknowledging Morris’ abuse.
“Since [Morris admittance of ‘moral failure’], people have been asking questions about my relationship with Robert,” Robison said. “I’d like to set the record straight.”
Robison refuted allegations that he was present during one of Morris’ visits to Clemishire’s family home in 1987 and said he did not know the victim’s age. Robison then displayed a paper with a letterhead from Clemishire’s attorney, Boz Tchividjian, confirming Clemishire’s acknowledgement that Robison was not present during the visit.
While the letter removes Robison from accusations that he accompanied Morris to Clemishire’s childhood home, the video does not address the discrepancies between Life Outreach International’s letter and archived articles.
Clemishire expressed her reservations about Gateway’s path forward in a public statement released on June 18, in which she quoted a tweet from Tchividjian.
“Just days ago the Gateway elders released a statement saying, ‘Since the resolution of the 35-year-old matter, there have been no other moral failures.’ Now that they have allegedly just learned that he was being untruthful, why limit the investigation to his conduct between 1982-1987. Why not expand it to his entire tenure at Gateway Church? Also, why have they retained a law firm that specializes in ‘crisis management’?”
In its statement, Gateway requested prayers for all those affected, including Clemishire, her family, the Morris family, Gateway members, staff, and others.
This piece originally appeared at MinistryWatch.
Jessica Eturralde is a military wife of 18 years and mother of three who serves as a freelance writer, TV host, and filmmaker. Bylines include Yahoo, Huffington Post, OC16TV.