Texas-based Gateway Church has been embroiled in recent controversies, including the fallout from Pastor Robert Morris’ sexual abuse scandal from decades ago coming to light. However, just months before Morris resigned from his position at the church, Gateway settled a lawsuit in which at least five of its pastors and a youth ministry leader were accused of covering up the sexual assault of a minor by another member.
In a 2020 lawsuit filed in Tarrant County, Texas, the following defendants were named: Gateway Church, Denise Edwards, youth leader Logan Edwards, and Doug Vaughn. The following Gateway Church pastors were also named: Kelly Jones, Rebecca Wilson, Samantha Golden, Mondo Davis, and Sion Alford.
Gateway Church and the defendants were accused of gross negligence and breaching their fiduciary duties to the plaintiffs. However, they admitted no liability and claimed to have only settled the lawsuit for an undisclosed amount to “buy peace.”
“Defendants Samantha, Sion, Kelly, Rebecca, and Mondo were all informed of the sexual assault accusations to which Plaintiff Doe subjected to as being the central leadership of Gateway. Although Defendants were made aware of the sexual assault accusations made by Plaintiff Doe, a minor, none filed a formal complaint with the necessary child protective agencies, law enforcement agencies, or even alerted … Plaintiff Doe’s mother, to the existence of the alleged assault,” the lawsuit reads, as reported by the Christian Post.
Furthermore, after the victim’s mother attempted to take legal action after learning of the sexual abuse against her daughter, Gateway officials were accused of trying to discredit the claims. “The defendants who were ordained pastors of Gateway, embarked on a concerted campaign to conceal, misconstrue, and discredit the assault accusations while the active criminal investigation was ongoing. Defendants encouraged other members of Gateway to ostracize (minor’s mother) … and had her removed from the various ministries of which she had served dutifully,” the lawsuit says.
The Christian Tribune previously reported on the embattled church’s controversy surrounding Pastor Robert Morris, who confessed to an “inappropriate sexual” relationship with a young girl when he was in his early twenties. “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,” Morris said.
He 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. Morris further claimed that he sought forgiveness, stating, “I asked their forgiveness, and they graciously forgave me.”
The Elders at Gateway Church claimed Morris was honest with his confession and repentance. “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,” the elders stated.
Featured image credit: Jared Stump, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gateway_Church_NRH.jpg