According to a report from the Daily Beast, the pastor of Texas megachurch who was appointed to Donald Trump's "spiritual advisory" group in 2016, has admitted that he fondled a 12-year-old when he was 20 and was staying with her family in 1982.
That admission, made in a statement to the Christian Post, came after the woman, identified as Cindy Clemishire, spoke with The Wartburg Watch and accused Pastor Robert Morris, who is now a senior pastor at the Gateway Church in Dallas- Ft. Worth, of sexually assaulting her.
Speaking with Wartberg Watch, she claimed, "She thought nothing of visiting a family friend in their bedroom. He 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."
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According to the Beast, "The abuse continued for years before Clemishire confided in a close friend, prompting Morris’ wife to find out and Morris to step down from the ministry, according to the report. He eventually returned to the church and founded Gateway Church in 2000, turning it into one of the country’s largest megachurches with an estimated weekly attendance of 100,000."
Pressed about the accusations by the Christian Post, Morris explained in a statement, "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. This behavior happened on several occasions over the next few years."
He then added, "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."
You can read more from the Beast here
You can watch Pastor Morris discussing how to achieve "salvation" below via YouTube.
You Can't Achieve Salvation | “Right Standing” by Pastor Robert Morris | Gateway Church youtu.be