A prominent Dallas-area Christian megachurch, Gateway Church, recently removed four of its elder board members following an internal investigation into how the church handled revelations of child sexual abuse by its founder, Robert Morris. Morris, who had served as a spiritual adviser to former President Donald Trump, was implicated in sexual abuse claims dating back to 1982, when the victim, Cindy Clemishire, was a minor.
During a recent church service, Gateway leadership announced the ousting of these elders, who either knew of Morris’s abuse or failed to investigate further when informed. While the church did not disclose the names of those removed, a local news outlet reported that Jeremy Carrasco, Kevin Grove, Gayland Lawshe, and Thomas Miller were no longer listed on the church’s elder page. Three elders remain on Gateway’s board.
The scandal has garnered widespread attention, partly due to Morris’s connections with Trump’s previous presidential campaigns. Morris stepped down in June after admitting to inappropriate sexual behaviour with Clemishire from 1982 to 1987. Though he described the encounters as stopping short of intercourse, he acknowledged actions that were “wrong.” Despite disclosing the abuse to church leaders in 1987, the details remained private until Clemishire publicly accused him of the misconduct.
Gateway Church, one of the largest in the U.S. with over 100,000 members, was founded by Morris in 2000 in Southlake, Texas, and has grown significantly under his leadership. Initially, the church condemned Morris’s actions, claiming they were unaware of the specific details, including the victim’s age. However, an investigation by Haynes and Boone, a Texas-based law firm, contradicted this, revealing that most church elders had knowledge of the abuse but did not act accordingly.
The investigation further disclosed that Morris resisted cooperation and instructed staff to issue statements downplaying Clemishire’s accusations. Gateway leaders have indicated that additional details cannot be shared publicly due to ongoing litigation and a criminal investigation.
Peace Nero is a writer and blogger who loves to explore different topics of self-development. She shares her personal experiences in order to help people discover their true purpose in life.