Pastor Robert Morris Gateway Church’s senior pastor, Robert Morris, has resigned after the presbytery announced it had hired a law firm to investigate allegations that he sexually abused a girl more than 30 years ago, when she was 12. “Today, June 18, the presbytery of Gateway Church accepted the resignation of senior pastor Robert Morris. In addition, the board has hired the law firm of Haynes & Boone to conduct an independent, thorough, and professional investigation of past abuse reports to provide a full understanding of the events from 1982 to 1987,” the board said in a statement. Christian Post.
As Crosswalk Headlines previously reported, his grandmother, Cindy Clemisher, 54, recently alleged that Morris began sexually abusing her when she was 12 years old, and that the abuse continued for about four and a half years. Without naming Clemisher, Morris confessed that he engaged in “inappropriate sexual conduct with young women” while he was a pastor in his early 20s.
“When I was in my early 20s, I engaged in inappropriate sexual activity with a young woman in a house where I was staying. It was kissing and caressing – not sexual intercourse – but it was wrong. This behavior occurred on several occasions over the next few years,” Morris said in a statement to CP.
“In March of 1987 this situation was brought to light, confessed and repented. I submitted to the elders of Shady Grove Church and the young woman’s father. They asked me to resign from my ordination and seek counseling and the ordination of freedom, which I did. I have remained clean and responsible in this area ever since,” Morris added.
Gateway Church elders told CP they believe Pastor Morris has been open about his past sins and has been reinstated to the ministry in accordance with the Bible. But in their latest statement, they acknowledged that Pastor Morris did not disclose that he had abused a 12-year-old girl.
“Unfortunately, prior to Friday, June 14, the Elders did not know all the facts regarding the inappropriate relationship between Morris and the victim, including her age at the time or the duration of the abuse. The Elders’ previous understanding was that the extramarital relationship that Morris spoke of many times as a pastor was with a ‘younger woman’ and was not the abuse of a 12-year-old child,” the elders explained.
“Though this incident occurred years before Gateway was founded, we regret that, as church leaders, we did not have the information we have today. We are saddened and appalled by the facts that have come to light in recent days, and our deepest sympathies go out to the victim and her family,” the elders said.
“On behalf of the victims, we are grateful that this situation has been brought to light. We know many have been affected by this. We understand that you are hurting and we are so sorry. We pray that time will bring healing to all who have been affected.”
Related article: Pastor Robert Morris speaks out about abuse allegations
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