Predator Pastor Robert Morris Permanently Resigns From 100,000-member Church After Child Sex Abuse Revelations
Robert Morris, the senior impastor of Gateway Church, the largest church in America, has permanently resigned in shame and scandal after revelations emerged that he molested a child for years and then covered it up for decades.
When initially confronted about it, the elders of Gateway Church released a statement to staffers saying that Morris had a “moral failure” 35 years ago and was “involved in an inappropriate sexual behavior with a young lady” that involved “kissing and petting and not intercourse.” They insisted however that he underwent a “lengthy restoration process” and has since walked in purity, and therefore was was not disqualified from ministry.
That was all a lie, of course.
Following the revelation that the “young lady” was a 12-year-old child that he molested for over four years, the church changed their tune, telling Christian Post in a statement:
Today, June 18, the Board of Elders of Gateway Church accepted the resignation of Robert Morris, the senior pastor. In addition, the Board has retained the law firm of Haynes & Boone, LLP, to conduct an independent, thorough, and professional review of the report of past abuse to ensure we have a complete understanding of the events from 1982-1987.
Regretfully, prior to Friday, June 14, the elders did not have all the facts of the inappropriate relationship between Morris and the victim, including her age at the time and the length of the abuse. The elders’ prior understanding was that Morris’s extramarital relationship, which he had discussed many times throughout his ministry, was with ‘a young lady’ and not abuse of a 12-year-old child.
Even though it occurred many years before Gateway was established, as leaders of the church, we regret that we did not have the information that we now have. We are heartbroken and appalled by what has come to light over the past few days, and we express our deep sympathy to the victim and her family.
For the sake of the victim, we are thankful this situation has been exposed. We know many have been affected by this, we understand that you are hurting, and we are very sorry. It is our prayer that, in time, healing for all those affected can occur.”
