Gateway Church, the Texas megachurch chain founded by Trump-allied child molestor Pastor Robert Morris, announced this week they’re cutting Saturday services at all congregations except for the main campus in Southlake, WFAA reports on another sign of a flock in serious decline.
“As we continue to strengthen our relationship with the Gateway Church family and community, we’re making a shift at several of our DFW campuses by hosting our church services on Sundays only,” a church spokesperson said. “This adjustment will allow us to minister to and love our congregation well while prioritizing the needs of our individual campus communities. Throughout all our locations, our commitment to loving God and loving people remains unchanged.”
Morris, the founding pastor who served on convicted felon President Trump’s “spiritual advisory council” during his first campaign in 2016 and until June 2024 led the large Gateway Church chain of congregations and – per Morris’s lawyer – had in 2007 told molestation victim Cindy Clemishire she was the one who had “initiated inappropriate behavior” by entering his guest room “and getting in bed with him,” on Christmas in 1980 when Clemshire was 12 and Morris was 20 or 21 and he had been staying with her family in Oklahoma, was indicted in the state in March on five counts of lewd or indecent acts with a child. Probably part of the branding problem for Gateway.
Not helping things are that Morris, fired by the board of elders, is suing them for $1 million in back pay as well as intellectual property rights to his books, sermons, and social media accounts.