Robert Morris (pastor)

Robert Morris
Morris preaching in 2022
Title	Senior Pastor
Personal
Born	(1961-07-29) July 29, 1961 Marshall, Texas, U.S.
Religion	Christianity
Spouse	Debbie
Denomination	Nondenominational and charismatic
Organization
Church	Gateway Church
Senior posting
Period in office	2000–2024
Predecessor	Position established
Successor	Vacant

Robert Morris (born July 29, 1961) is an American former pastor who is the founder and was the senior pastor of Gateway Church, a megachurch based in Southlake, Texas. In 2024, he resigned from Gateway Church after allegations of sexual misconduct with a minor when he was in his early 20s.

Early life

Morris was born on July 29, 1961 in Marshall, Texas.

Pastoral career

Morris and his wife, Debbie, founded Gateway Church in Southlake, Texas in 2000. As of 2024, the church has over 100,000 weekly attendees in its several locations across the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex.

In addition to his pastorship, Morris has published several books, including The Blessed Life, Dream to Destiny, The God I Never Knew, and Grace, Period. He runs a radio show named Worship & the Word with Pastor Robert, which reaches over 6,800 cities, and a television program aired in 190 countries.

In 2009, Morris and Gateway Church worked with Jay Hayford to start a branch of the King's University in Southlake, with the Southlake branch ultimately becoming its main campus in 2014.

Prior to the allegations against him, Morris had announced he intended to step down as senior pastor of Gateway Church and transition his son into the leadership role by Spring 2025.

Advisor to Donald Trump

Morris served on a 25-person "evangelical executive advisory board" to Donald Trump's successful 2016 presidential campaign, and he hosted Trump at Gateway Church in June 2020. Following the sexual misconduct allegations, a spokesman stated Morris has no role in Trump's 2024 presidential campaign.

Alleged sexual misconduct with a minor

In June 2024, it became public on The Wartburg Watch, an internet website focused on reporting abuse in churches, that Cindy Clemishire, a 54 year old woman, had claimed that on Christmas night in 1982, Morris, whom she has been staying in the same household with, had invited her to his room, instructed her to lay on his bed, and then proceeded to touch her breasts and feel under her panties. At the time, Clemishire was 12 years old and Morris was a 21 years old traveling evangelist. She further claimed that similar encounters with Morris continued to occur over the next four and a half years. She recalled him saying, "Never tell anyone about this" and that it would "ruin everything."

In 2014, Morris gave a sermon saying he struggled with sexual immorality as a teenager and that he "learned to lie and manipulate" and "looked for the girls that would be the most susceptible."

Following the allegations by Clemishire, Morris confessed to a "moral failure." It was reported by the Christian Post, a Christian news source, that Morris had stated that he priorly engaged in "inappropriate sexual behavior with a young lady" in a home where he was staying "on several occasions" over a period of years and that the behavior constituted "kissing and petting" but not intercourse. The sexual relationship lasted between 1982 and March 1987, when the "situation was brought to light" as he was serving as pastor of Shady Grove Church in Grand Prairie, Texas. He then left ministry and underwent counseling before being approved to return in 1989. He stated that he and his wife met the survivor and her family and that they "asked their forgiveness, and they graciously forgave me." Clemishire says although she forgave Morris, she never approved of his return to ministry.

The Board of Elders of Gateway Church acknowledged they were aware of Morris having a past inappropriate sexual relationship, but they stated that it was their understanding that it was an "extramarital relationship, which he had discussed many times throughout his ministry" and that it "was with ‘a young lady’ and not abuse of a 12-year-old child." The elders have hired a crisis management law firm to investigate the matter further.

Though initially receiving support from Gateway Church, Morris resigned from his role as senior pastor following significant criticism over the sexual misconduct revelations. Morris has not been charged with any crime, and, according to Clemishire's attorney, Morris cannot be criminally charged or held civilly responsible for the abuse due to statute of limitations that existed in the late 80s in both Texas and Oklahoma where the incidents occurred.