Posted on 07/05/2024 1:16:21 AM PDT by Morgana
Several Elders from Gateway Church, the largest church in the country, have taken a leave of absence following the revelation that senior pastor Robert Morris molested a child and then covered it up, according to a statement from the church.
As Haynes and Boone (the outside law firm Haynes and Boone to conduct an independent and comprehensive inquiry related to the recent events) 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. This includes any Elder with a relational conflict and those Elders who were on the Board from 2005–2007.
It was in the period of 2005-2007 that Morris’ victim, Cindy Clemishire, contacted the church regarding her abuse at his hands, which began when she was 12 years old and lasted until she was 16. The back and fourth phone call, revealed in leaked transcript, saw Clemishire express a desire to see Morris pay for his abuses against her, and Morris in turn seeking to buy her off.
Noting that “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,” Gateway reveals that the recommendation for absence affects three men “Kevin Grove, Steve Dulin, and Gayland Lawshe” who Gateway insist 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.”
Morris’s son, Pastor James Morris, who was recently appointed to take over the church from his father, is also taking a break due to his closeness with his father, which could be a conflict of interest.
(Excerpt) Read more at protestia.com ...
Sadly, there seems to be little difference between the Catholic and Protestant church leaders. Clean up on every aisle.
Never heard of this “largest church”. Wikipedia reports 25,000+. That might be the largest in one facility, but Life.Church has 45 “campuses” with total attendance probably over 100,000. https://www.life.church/locations/
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