SUNDAY’S GATEWAY CHURCH SERVICE WAS PATHETIC! MANY EMPTY SEATS, A SAD SPIRIT AND LOOK, AND ON TOP OF THAT, A RECORDED MESSAGE WITH PEOPLE WALKING OUT HALFWAY THROUGH THE PITIFUL APOLOGY.
DANIEL WHYTE III, PRESIDENT OF GOSPEL LIGHT SOCIETY INTERNATIONAL, SAYS THE SAD, PATHETIC, AND PITIFUL SUNDAY GATEWAY SERVICE IS A PICTURE OF THE DEATH OF EVANGELICALISM IN THIS COUNTRY. WHYTE ENCOURAGES ALL BORN-AGAIN-SAVED PASTORS AND CHURCHES TO GO BACK TO CALLING THEMSELVES AND REFERRING TO THEMSELVES AS “CHRISTIANS” — “AND THE DISCIPLES WERE CALLED CHRISTIANS FIRST IN ANTIOCH.” LET US STOP BEING ASHAMED IN EVERY SPHERE OF LIFE, INCLUDING POLITICS OF BEING IDENTIFIED WITH OUR SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST. WE ARE NOT EVANGELICALS ANYMORE; WE ARE CHRISTIANS.
TRA WILLBANKS, GATEWAY ELDER
Yesterday’s Sunday service at Gateway church’s Southlake campus was a sad affair, marked by low attendance, a recorded message, and several families walking out halfway through the apology.
Unlike Saturday’s service, which featured a packed church listening to Gateway Elder Tra Willbanks addressing the congregation and apologizing to them and Cindy Clemishire following allegations of Robert Morris, all the while protesters gathered outside, Sunday’s atmosphere was completely different.
“I can’t imagine carrying a burden like that for so many years. And I want to say to you, Cindy, I’m so sorry.”
Gateway Church Elder Tra Willbanks spent 10 minutes on Saturday adressing the congregation, apologizing to them and Cindy Cleminshire following allegations of Robert… pic.twitter.com/d9EwKecNKw
— Protestia (@Protestia) June 23, 2024
The 11:00 am service was half empty. It featured live music and then a brief message from Plano Campus pastor Jelani Lewis, who shared, according to the Fort Worth Star Telegram:
“I’m so sorry. I know that many of us are coming today and we’re all in different places. Some of us have come in today and we’re heartbroken. Some of us have come in today and we’re angry. Some of us have come in today and we’re not sure what to feel and then some of us have never been more hopeful.”
Rather than have a message from a pastor or elder present in the room, the church instead played the aforementioned video by Willabanks, seen below, resulting in many people walking out halfway throug, and then a recorded sermon from Joakim Lundqvist, the lead pastor of Life Church in Uppsala, Sweden, filled out the rest of the service.
Lewis concluding by inviting members to sign up for a chance to talk to a pastor about their feelings about the situation.