Morris’ account of his past is now in question. Church elders said Morris disclosed he had an extramarital affair, not that he had allegedly abused a 12-year-old girl.
An outside law firm, Haynes and Boone, is conducting the investigation.
“As Haynes and Boone begins their work, they have recommended that any Gateway Church Elder with a potential conflict of interest take a temporary leave of absence from the Board of Elders,” the announcement said.
That includes elders with a “relational conflict” and those on the board between 2005 and 2007.
“A leave of absence in no way whatsoever assumes or implies that any elder had any knowledge of the true facts related to this situation,” the announcement said.
Three of the elders taking leaves of absence weren’t on Gateway Church staff in 2005, but they were on the board between 2005 and 2007.
“These three Elders — Kevin Grove, Steve Dulin, and Gayland Lawshe — are men of integrity who have served Gateway Church with distinction, and each of these three Elders has clearly stated that they had no knowledge of the true facts of this situation,” the statement said.
The law firm investigating the allegations also recommended Pastor James Morris, Robert Morris’ son, to take a temporary leave of absence from the Gateway Board of Elders. He was not an elder between 2005 and 2007.
“Pastor James Morris is a man of integrity, and he has clearly stated that he had no knowledge of the true facts of this situation,” the statement said.
“However, because Pastor James Morris is related to Robert Morris, Haynes and Boone has recommended that Pastor James also take a temporary leave of absence from the Board of Elders and Pastor James has volunteered to do so to demonstrate his commitment to a truly independent and unbiased inquiry.”
source: https://www.cbsnews.com/texas/news/4-gateway-church-elders-take-leave-amid-investigation-into-allegations-involving-pastor-robert-morris/
DANIEL WHYTE III TOLD THE GATEWAY CHURCH, THE GATEWAY ELDERS AND THE GATEWAY EXECUTIVE STAFF THE FOLLOWING ON JUNE 23RD, 2024
DANIEL WHYTE III, PRESIDENT OF GOSPEL LIGHT SOCIETY INTERNATIONAL, SAYS:
1. THE ENTIRE ELDER BOARD SHOULD RESIGN EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY;
2. THE ENTIRE EXECUTIVE STAFF SHOULD RESIGN EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY;
3. GATEWAY CHURCH SHOULD IMMEDIATELY DO AWAY WITH THE THOUGHT OF ROBERT MORRIS’ SON, JAMES MORRIS, OR ANYBODY IN ROBERT MORRIS’ FAMILY TAKING OVER THE CHURCH AS PASTOR;
4. ROBERT MORRIS AND HIS WIFE SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO ATTEND THE CHURCH EVER AGAIN ON ANY CAMPUS;
5. THE CHURCH SHOULD WELCOME A FULL AND THOROUGH INVESTIGATION OF ROBERT MORRIS, HIS WIFE, THE ALLEGATIONS AT HAND WITH CINDY CLEMISHIRE, THE EMAIL REGARDING 100 COUNTS OF CHILD RAPE, THE PAST 35 YEARS OF SO-CALLED “MINISTRY” AT THE CHURCH THAT WOULD INCLUDE A COMPLETE SHAKING OF THE TREE OF THE CHURCH TO SEE IF THERE ARE ANY MORE CASES OF CHILD MOLESTATION, CHILD RAPE, CHILD GROOMING, AND CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE
6. ANY COUPLE WITH SCHOOL-AGE CHILDREN SHOULD NOT ATTEND THE CHURCH BUILDING UNTIL THIS HORRIFYING MATTER IS COMPLETELY DEALT WITH AND MAYBE SHOULD NOT EVER GO BACK. THESE PEOPLE SHOULD CONSIDER HAVING CHURCH AT HOME OR GO TO ANOTHER BIBLE-TEACHING, BIBLE-PREACHING, AND BIBLE-LIVING CHURCH.
7. IF YOU DECIDE TO GO TO GATEWAY, KEEP YOUR CHILDREN WITH YOU. DO NOT LEAVE THEM IN THE NURSERY OR SOME OTHER PART OF THE CAMPUS WHERE YOU CANNOT SEE THEM AND OBSERVE THEM. A DEMONIC SPIRIT OF PEDOPHILIA IS AT THAT CHURCH BUILDING.
8. BE LOYAL AND FAITHFUL TO THE LORD, NOT TO A DREAM OR VISION OR HOPEFULNESS OR AN IDEA OR A CHURCH BUILDING. BE FAITHFUL TO THE LORD. MANY SHOULD CONSIDER LEAVING THIS CHURCH BUILDING PERMANENTLY BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN A 35-YEAR DECEPTION, FRAUD, CRIME SCENE, AND A DEMON SPIRIT OF PEDOPHILIA IS THERE.
9. UNTIL ALL OF THIS IS INVESTIGATED, CEASE TITHING AND GIVING TO THIS ENTITY — THIS HOUSE OF HORRORS — IF YOU HAVE GIVEN LARGE SUMS OF MONEY IN THE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS AND EVEN MILLIONS, ASK FOR ALL OF IT BACK AND DONATE IT TO ANOTHER CHRISTIAN MINISTRY OR ORGANIZATION THAT YOU TRUST BECAUSE IN REALITY THIS OPERATION SHOULD BE CLOSED DOWN AT LEAST TEMPORARILY.
10. ALL PUBLIC FIGURES WHO HAVE PREACHED AT GATEWAY CHURCH AND WHO ARE SCHEDULED TO PREACH SHOULD PUBLICLY CONDEMN ROBERT MORRIS FOR RAPING A CHILD FOR 5 YEARS AND LYING ABOUT IT FOR 35 YEARS TO MULTIPLE PEOPLE. THIS ALSO INCLUDES ALL OF TRUMP’S EVANGELICAL EXECUTIVE ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS, WHICH INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING:
- Michele Bachmann – Former Congresswoman
- Mark Burns – Pastor, Harvest Praise and Worship Center
- Tim Clinton – President, American Association of Christian Counselors
- Kenneth and Gloria Copeland – Founders, Kenneth Copeland Ministries
- James Dobson – Author, Psychologist and Host, My Family Talk
- Jerry Falwell, Jr. – President, Liberty University
- Ronnie Floyd – Senior Pastor, Cross Church
- Jentezen Franklin – Senior Pastor, Free Chapel
- Jack Graham – Senior Pastor, Prestonwood Baptist Church
- Robert Jeffress – Senior Pastor, First Baptist Church of Dallas
- David Jeremiah – Senior Pastor, Shadow Mountain Community Church
- Richard Land – President, Southern Evangelical Seminary
- Greg Laurie — Harvest Christian Fellowship, Riverside, California
- James MacDonald – Founder and Senior Pastor, Harvest Bible Chapel
- Johnnie Moore – Author, President of The KAIROS Company
- Tom Mullins – Senior Pastor, Christ Fellowship
- Ralph Reed – Founder, Faith and Freedom Coalition
- James Robison – Founder, Life OUTREACH International
- Tony Suarez – Executive VicePresident, National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference
- Jay Strack – President, Student Leadership University
- Paula White – Senior Pastor, New Destiny Christian Center
- Tom Winters – Attorney, Winters and King, Inc.
- Sealy Yates – Attorney, Yates and Yates
