Accusations of child molestation from decades ago have brought down a pastor who founded one of the largest megachurches in the U.S. and once served as an evangelical adviser to former President Donald Trump.
Texas pastor Robert Morris recently admitted to "inappropriate sexual behavior" with a 12-year-old girl in the 1980s and stepped down from his post at Gateway Church based in Dallas. The allegations were first published on June 14 by The Wartburg Watch, a blog dedicated to examining abuse and other issues in the church. The blog shared the account of Cindy Clemishire, who accused Morris of molesting her for several years, beginning when she was 12.
Now, the church's board of elders is scrambling to respond to Clemishire's account. It addressed the congregation during church services this past weekend and said in an additional statement that it has taken a series of steps to respond to the fallout.