3 megachurch scandals that will SHOCK you



In a recent New York Times article titled “Around Dallas, the Church Scandals Seem to Have No End,” writer Ruth Graham called out several prominent Dallas-Fort Worth pastors and churches for eyebrow-raising misconduct.

Pat Gray and the “Unleashed” team discuss what is becoming a real cause for concern in the DFW Christian community.

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“The article starts out this way,” says Pat, reading from Graham: “On a Sunday morning, the pastor of Fellowship Church in Grapevine, Texas took to the stage with his wife to reassure their congregation.”

The pastor being referenced is Ed Young, who, as far as Pat knows, has not been accused of any misconduct.

Young told his congregation, “Lisa is the only woman I've ever been with, and I'm the only man she's ever been with. ... We don't have to worry about any sexual skeletons in our closet.”

Young’s statement comes as a response to the growing list of DFW-based pastors who seem to be falling like flies as of late — the most noteworthy being Robert Morris of Gateway Church, who was accused of sexually abusing a child in the 1980s, Tony Evans of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship, who stepped down due to some vague “secret sin” from his past, and most recently, Steven J. Lawson of Trinity Bible Church, who had an inappropriate relationship with a woman.

Graham calls out all three of these men in her article — and more.

“There is an associate pastor at Stonebriar Community Church in Frisco. ... He was fired in July for moral failure. The lead pastor of Cross Timbers Church in Argyle resigned over inappropriate and hurtful actions,” says Pat, citing the article.

“It’s like a rampant virus,” he sighs.

To learn more, watch the clip above.

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Weed is getting stronger — and it could make you schizophrenic



Marijuana may be treated like a harmless recreational drug — but its effects can be devastating.

“There are people who say that it’s really helped them,” Allie Beth Stuckey says. “I’ve also talked to some medical professionals who say that medical marijuana is not a thing.”

While Stuckey believes weed dims the potential of users and renders them fat and lazy, that’s not her only issue with the drug.

Not only is marijuana one of the most used drugs in the U.S., it has a horrifying effect on some people who are otherwise told it’s a harmless drug.

In one study published in May led by researchers from the University of Toronto, it was found that there was an 11-times higher risk of developing a psychotic disorder among teenagers who used cannabis compared with those who did not.

When the analysis was limited to just emergency room visits and hospitalizations, there was a 27-fold increase in psychotic disorders in teenagers who had used marijuana.

In separate Danish and British studies, a link was found between heavy marijuana use and psychiatric disorders such as depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia.

Several other studies reflect similar findings, while doctors have begun sounding the alarm on marijuana use and psychosis.

“It’s not harmless, it’s not innocent, it causes all kinds of problems, and as I said, it can lead to the use of drugs, and with the availability, accessibility of drugs today because of their legality, you are setting your child up for failure,” Stuckey tells parents who might believe that weed isn’t an issue.

The drug is especially dangerous now that a lot of it is laced with fentanyl, which Stuckey says is a “consequence of open borders.”

“THC levels in marijuana have been getting stronger for decades, so it’s not the same, it’s not the same as what you saw maybe 30 years ago when it really was just ski bums getting a little high,” Stuckey says.


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Megachurch pastor confesses to ‘inappropriate sexual behavior’ with a MINOR



Megachurch Pastor Robert Morris has stepped down from his position at Gateway Church in Southlake, Texas, after a horrific confession.

In his own words, Morris admitted to engaging in “inappropriate sexual behavior with a young lady.”

However, that “young lady” was only 12 years old at the time. The accuser, Cindy Clemishire, revealed in a post on the church watchdog site the Wartburg Watch what Morris had done to her in 1982.

Clemishire is now 54.

“I want you to pay close attention to what he said, that he has confessed to ‘inappropriate sexual behavior with a young lady.’ So, that implies that this was some kind of consensual interaction with a woman, but that’s not what went on,” Allie Beth Stuckey says, disturbed.

Morris also claimed that he had stepped down from his prior position in 1987 for a time of counseling and was forgiven before being restored to the ministry.

According to Clemishire, the first time she was assaulted by Morris was when he was 21 years old and a married traveling evangelist with a young son. The abuse lasted over four years.

Morris — who had befriended her family — had allegedly asked her to lie down on her back one night, before he proceeded to touch her inappropriately. The sexual misconduct had escalated to digital rape over the years, before he attempted to have sex with her on multiple occasions.

Clemishire had originally attempted to sue Morris in 2005, when Pastor Morris’ attorney implied that it was her fault for being “flirtatious.” They then offered her $25,000 if she signed a nondisclosure agreement, but she refused.

“He may have turned away from that and may have never done that again, maybe,” Stuckey says. "That would be extremely unique when it comes to these stories of pedophilic molestation. Like that would be extremely, extremely, unique.”

“I hope that is true. I hope that there are no other victims. It may be true that he turned around after that from that sin and he never committed that sin again, please God I hope that is true,” she continues, adding, “However, real repentance in this case would have included justice under the law.”


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Gateway Church founder Robert Morris resigns days after reported molestation victim speaks out



Robert Morris, the founding pastor of the popular Gateway Church in Southlake, Texas, resigned Tuesday after admitting to engaging in "inappropriate sexual behavior with a young lady."

Blaze News previously reported that the "young lady" in question, who was allegedly 12 when the sexual abuse began, is Cindy Clemishire, now 54.

"It was kissing and petting and not intercourse, but it was wrong," Morris said in a statement to the Christian Post. "This behavior happened on several occasions over the next few years."

"It went on for many years," said Clemishire, troubled by the pastor's apparent revisionism. "He says there was no sexual intercourse, but he did touch every part of my body and inserted his fingers into me, which I understand now is considered a form of rape by instrumentation. I was an innocent 12-year-old little girl who knew nothing about sexual behavior."

"I was 12 years old. I was a little girl. A very innocent little girl," added Clemishire.

The Board of Elders of the megachurch revealed in a statement Tuesday that it had accepted Morris' resignation.

"In addition, the Board has retained the law firm of Haynes & Boone, LLP, to conduct an independent, thorough, and professional review of the report of past abuse to ensure we have a complete understanding of the events from 1982-1987," said the statement.

The elders appeared eager to walk back the phrasing of their internal June 14 statement, where they wrote, "Pastor Robert has been open and forthright about a moral failure he had over 35 years ago when he was in his twenties and prior to him starting Gateway Church. He has shared publicly from the pulpit the proper Biblical steps he took in his lengthy restoration process."

'They're basically lying and minimizing the crime.'

The elders added in their initial statement, "Since the resolution of this 35-year-old matter, there have been no other moral failures. Pastor Robert has walked in purity, and he has placed accountability measures and people in his life."

On Tuesday — after Clemishire suggested "they're basically lying and minimizing the crime" — the elders noted that they previously "did not have all the facts of the inappropriate relationship between Morris and the victim, including her age at the time and the length of the abuse."

They claimed that they were previously commenting under this misapprehension that Morris' "extramarital relationship, which he had discussed many times throughout his ministry, was with 'a young lady' and not abuse of a 12-year-old."

'He told her to close her eyes.'

"We are heartbroken and appalled by what has come to light over the past few days, and we express our deep sympathy to the victim and her family," added the elders. "For the sake of the victim, we are thankful this situation has been exposed."

Clemishire recently shared her story with the Wartburg Watch, a watchdog blog that details incidents of abuse within various churches. Clemishire indicated that she only fully came to grips with what she was subjected to as a child after watching a description of predatory grooming on television.

Clemishire noted that decades ago, a young traveling evangelist, then in his 20s, befriended her parents, and over time became a family friend whom she regarded as "safe and friendly." That safety and friendliness proved illusory on Christmas night 1982 when the evangelist, Robert Morris, allegedly molested her.

Morris allegedly "told her to lie down on her back and touched her stomach. He told her to close her eyes. Then he touched her breasts and felt under her panties. He warned her: 'Never tell anyone about this because it will ruin everything.'"

Blaze News previously noted that the alleged molestation, which included digital penetration, apparently continued until March 1987, at which point Morris was a pastor at Shady Grove Church, which would eventually become the Gateway Church – Grand Prairie Campus.

Clemishire's father reportedly found out what was going on and called the head pastor of Shady Grove to report Morris. He apparently gave the head pastor an ultimatum: have Morris leave the ministry or deal with the police.

Morris left the ministry for two years and would later suggest in his 2011 book "From Dream to Destiny" that he had done so on account of an excess in pride.

According to the Wartburg Watch, Morris' wife, Debbie, allegedly called up the victim after her husband's ouster and told Clemishire, then still a minor, that she "forgave her."

'We must be consistent in our efforts to protect Texas kids.'

Texas state Rep. Nate Schatzline (R) was one of the many who called on Morris to resign, noting that while he believes in "restoration, the details that have recently come to light are deeply disturbing and are unacceptable for anyone, especially a spiritual leader. I wholeheartedly condemn these actions and any attempt at covering them up."

Schatzline, himself a pastor, added, "We must be consistent in our efforts to protect Texas kids, and that starts with exposing it regardless if they are a leader in the church. These actions demand public exposure, should never be tolerated, and any person who harms a child should and must be held accountable."

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BlazeTV host Allie Beth Stuckey noted on X, "Child molestation isn't just a sin, it's a crime. This should've been handled by civil authorities, which God gave us to keep evil in check. Instead, it was brushed under the rug after he was 'restored.'"

Clemishire has indicated the statute of limitations for criminal or civil action has almost certainly run out.

"Let's set something straight: repentance and restoration does not include restoring an accused abuser to a leadership position (if, in fact, the claims against him prove true)," added Stuckey.

In a Tuesday letter obtained by KDFW-TV, Clemishire noted that she would have preferred for the church elders to have fired Morris rather than let him resign.

Clemishire indicated further in her letter that while it was Morris who molested her, those in his orbit added insult to injury. When she asked Morris to reimburse her for the counseling she needed "as a result of this abuse," Clemishire said his attorney "attempted to blame [her] for the abuse." She added that at least one Gateway elder was aware of Morris' sexual abuse of a minor but chose to believe the pastor's account of events.

"This is just the beginning," wrote Clemishire. "I wholeheartedly and sadly believe I am not the only victim. I encourage anyone who has been sexually victimized by a leader of Gateway Church to take the bold step forward and say something. Now is the time."

Clemishire said to the congregation of the church, "My heart is equally broken for you. Please remember our faith is in Jesus, not an institution or a man in the pulpit. Keep your faith!"

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Woman accuses popular megachurch pastor Robert Morris of molesting her as a child. He cops to 'moral failure.'



A woman recently came forward accusing Robert Morris, the founding pastor of the popular Gateway Church in Southlake, Texas, of molesting her as a child. Morris confirmed in a statement to various outlets that decades ago, he did indeed engage in "inappropriate sexual behavior with a young lady."

"When I was in my early twenties, I was involved in inappropriate sexual behavior with a young lady in a home where I was staying. It was kissing and petting and not intercourse, but it was wrong," Morris told the Post. "This behavior happened on several occasions over the next few years."

Cindy Clemishire, the woman in question, has contradicted Morris' characterization of events, telling the Christian Post that she had been no "young lady" at the time the molestation began.

"I was 12 years old. I was a little girl. A very innocent little girl. And he was brought into our home. He and his wife, Debbie, and their little boy, Josh, and trusted and preached at the church that my dad helped start and then began grooming all of us to do this, which took me decades to wrap my brain around as an adult," said Clemishire.

"It went on for many years," added the victim. "He says there was no sexual intercourse, but he did touch every part of my body and inserted his fingers into me, which I understand now is considered a form of rape by instrumentation. I was an innocent 12-year-old little girl who knew nothing about sexual behavior."

Clemishire initially shared the story of her alleged victimization by Morris with the Wartburg Watch, a watchdog blog that details incidents of abuse within various churches. Clemishire indicated she only realized the full extent of what had happened to her upon watching a description of predatory grooming on television.

Clemishire recalled that she and her family met Morris long before he had a television program and a radio show while at a youth revival in Tulsa. Morris was reportedly a 24-year-old traveling evangelist at the time, married to his current wife, Debbie. According to Clemishire, after Morris was invited to do a youth revival in her hometown, he began regularly preaching at her church on Sundays. Over time, he and his wife became family friends, whom she regarded as "safe and friendly."

'He would take her out in his car and attempt to have sexual intercourse.'

"All that changed for Cindy on 12/25/1982. Yes, Christmas night. The Morris family came to visit and spend some time there. Cindy sat in the back seat of the car with Robert. He asked her to visit him in his room that night," alleged the Wartburg Watch. "She shared a room with her sister. Cindy, an innocent twelve-year-old girl, movingly described what she was wearing. She was wearing pink pajamas with bloomer pants. She wore underwear underneath. She had a snap-up robe on."

Morris allegedly "told her to lie down on her back and touched her stomach. He told her to close her eyes. Then he touched her breasts and felt under her panties. He warned her: 'Never tell anyone about this because it will ruin everything.'"

The molestation apparently continued until March 1987.

"Morris wanted to make out and engage in heavy petting. He reportedly told Debbie that he was 'counseling' Cindy," the Wartburg Watch said, paraphrasing Clemishire's recollection of events. "Cindy wondered if Debbie was in denial about what was happening. Things changed when she turned sixteen. He would take her out in his car and attempt to have sexual intercourse. Once, he was fixing a vanity in his home and held up a screw and asked Cindy if she wanted to 'do this.' By this time, Morris was a pastor at Shady Grove Church, which would eventually become Gateway Church-Grand Prairie Campus."

Gateway Church has grown significantly, such that it now sees as many as 100,000 people in attendance each weekend.

When Clemishire's father found out about what was going on, he reportedly called the head pastor of Shady Grove Church to report Morris and demanded that unless the alleged pedophile abandoned the ministry, he would inform local law enforcement.

Morris apparently stepped down for two years.

Morris' 2011 book "From Dream to Destiny" suggests his momentary leave from the vocation was alternatively the result of an excess in pride.

In a 2014 sermon, the pastor referenced his bout of sexual immorality, noting that there "was a bit in my life toward immorality and I couldn't get free. Without Christ, I couldn't get free." However, he suggested this took place during his teenage years.

'I have walked in purity and accountability in this area.'

"We would go out and meet girls and I would end up being immoral in just one night," said Morris. "There was a curse in my life where immorality became easy for me."

Morris, a father of three and now also a grandfather, said in a statement to the Christian Post, "In March of 1987, this situation was brought to light, and it was confessed and repented of. I submitted myself to the Elders of Shady Grove Church and the young lady’s father. They asked me to step out of ministry and receive counseling and freedom ministry, which I did. Since that time, I have walked in purity and accountability in this area."

"In March of 1989, I stepped back into ministry with the full blessing of the elders and her father," Morris added in his statement. "In October of 1989, Debbie and I met with her and her family, and I asked their forgiveness, and they graciously forgave me."

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram highlighted alleged internal communications at Gateway asking not to "proactively" circulate a statement from the megachurch to the media or in public.

The statement from the "Elders of Gateway Church" says, "Pastor Robert has been open and forthright about a moral failure he had over 35 years ago when he was in his twenties and prior to him starting Gateway Church. He has shared publicly from the pulpit the proper Biblical steps he took in his lengthy restoration process."

According to the elders, "Since the resolution of this 35-year-old matter, there have been no other moral failures. Pastor Robert has walked in purity, and he has placed accountability measures and people in his life."

While the church characterized the matter as resolved, the Wartburg Watch claimed that Clemishire was poised to file a civil lawsuit in 2005, but was allegedly met with the suggestion from Morris' attorney that she had been at fault, having been "flirtatious." Clemishire asked for $50,000 and Morris' team allegedly agreed to $25,000 if she also agreed to sign a nondisclosure agreement, which she refused to do.

Clemishire has retained evangelist Billy Graham's grandson Boz Tchividjian as her attorney, reported WFAA-TV. While Tchividjian suspects that the statute of limitations for criminal or civil action has run out, he indicated they are considering their options.

"My hope and prayer is for all of this to be good," said Clemishire. "For the church, for God's glory, and for other victims to find freedom."

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