Before an Oklahoma grand jury indicted Gateway Church founder Robert Morris on five felony counts of lewd or indecent acts involving a child, his resignation as senior pastor a year earlier had caused a stir among his former congregation. This followed his accuser coming forward to detail the alleged years of sexual abuse. The indictment, issued by a multi-county grand jury, accuses Morris, 63, of sexual misconduct dating back to December 1982 and involving a 12-year-old girl. The alleged actions are said to have started on Christmas and continued over the next four years.
Attorney General Gentner Drummond stated, “There can be no tolerance for those who sexually prey on children. This case is especially despicable as the alleged perpetrator was a pastor who exploited his position. The victim in this case has waited far too many years for justice to be served.” Despite the passage of decades since the crimes took place, the attorney general’s office has indicated that the statute of limitations does not apply in this case due to Morris not being a resident or inhabitant of Oklahoma at any time.
The accuser, Cindy Clemishire, publicly disclosed the allegations in June 2024 with the Wartburg Watch, a blog focusing on sexual abuse within the church. In a statement following the indictment becoming public, Clemishire expressed relief that after nearly 43 years, the law had finally caught up with Morris for the crimes committed against her as a child.
Robert Morris, who was part of President Donald Trump’s spiritual advisory board during his 2016 campaign and initial term, did not play a role in the 2024 reelection effort. The accusations against Morris and subsequent legal actions are detailed in the following paragraphs.
At the age of 12, Irene, along with her sister, left Gateway Church’s support for Robert Morris wanes.
Initially, when accusations against Clemishire surfaced, Gateway Church appeared to stand by their then-senior pastor. In a statement to WFAA-TV, they mentioned Morris had been transparent about a moral lapse from over 35 years ago, emphasizing that there were no further incidents. Morris himself acknowledged the past mistake and highlighted his subsequent repentance and counseling.
However, in light of Morris’s resignation, the church elders released a statement expressing regret for not being fully informed earlier. They acknowledged the impact on the victim and those affected, offering apologies and seeking healing for all involved.
Following a more recent statement, Gateway Church distanced itself from Morris, even suggesting the resignations of his son James and daughter-in-law Bridget. Despite James Morris’ integrity and lack of awareness of the situation, the church opted for his temporary leave to ensure an impartial investigation.
The church further took action, removing elders and aiding a criminal inquiry into the allegations. An independent investigation by a law firm gathered extensive data and testimonies, uncovering the disturbing nature of the abuse suffered by Cindy Clemishire. The church denounced such acts and expressed sympathy for all victims of abuse.
As Gateway Church continues to cooperate with the legal proceedings, the focus shifts to the future of Robert Morris, with an impending indictment and his surrender expected in Oklahoma.
Robert Morris is facing felony charges with a potential prison sentence of up to 100 years if found guilty on all five counts. The pastor’s biography on the Gateway Church website reveals that he once hosted a television show in over 190 countries and a radio program in more than 6,800 cities. His now-defunct YouTube channel had 80,000 subscribers and featured videos such as “Freedom Through Forgiveness” and “Did You Know You’re Made Perfect By God’s Grace?” This information was reported by Nolan Clay and James Powel in an article on USA TODAY about the circumstances that led to Morris’ indictment.
