SOUTHLAKE, Texas — James Morris, the son of the former Gateway Church pastor Robert Morris who resigned over child sex abuse allegations last month, has also stepped down from his pastor role at the church.
Gateway Church officials confirmed the resignation in a statement late Thursday.
The move marked a significant change in the church's future, as Robert Morris had planned to turn over leadership of Gateway to James Morris in 2025.
Instead, the statement said, Gateway elders met with James Morris, an associate pastor at the church, and his wife, Bridgette, also a pastor at the church, and "they collectively made the decision" that the couple would step down from their roles.
Bridgette Morris had served as an executive pastor of the church's ministry experience and communication.
“We as Elders affirm and believe that God has placed a desire in both Pastors James and Bridgette’s hearts to serve as senior pastors of a church at some point in the future," the elders said in a statement. "We love Pastors James and Bridgette and their children - we deeply care about them and sincerely thank them for investing their lives here at Gateway Church. They have faithfully and honorably served our congregation and this community through all the years that they have been part of Gateway Church.”
Gateway leaders said Pastor Max Lucado has stepped into an interim teaching role at the church.
James Morris' father, Robert Morris, founded Gateway Church and led the massive congregation for decades before his resignation in June after allegations of sexual abuse surfaced.
The fallout began when Cindy Clemishire, Robert Morris' accuser, came forward with her story that alleged Morris began sexually abusing her in the early 1980s. She was 12 at the time and Morris was in his 20s.
After the allegations were made public, Morris admitted to his congregation that he was "involved in inappropriate sexual behavior with a young lady," though he did not make reference to the girl's age.
Overwhelming public backlash ensued, and Morris ultimately decided to resign from the church on June 18.
Gateway Church leaders have since hired the law firm Haynes and Boone to conduct an internal investigation into the accusations against Morris.
As the investigation got underway, three Gateway elders and Robert Morris' son, James Morris, went on temporary leaves of absence.
The Gateway leaders in their statement Thursday said they have been "diligent in prayer" over the last several weeks and sought "advice and wisdom of many well-respected pastors and ministry leaders in order to gain godly counsel."
The church leaders ultimately decided to meet with James Morris, who had worked at the church in various roles since 2012, and his wife Bridgette about the two stepping down.
More recent coverage of Gateway Church from WFAA:
