Gateway Church Removes 4 Elders Following Abuse Investigation, Discloses Criminal Probe

Gateway Church has removed four elders following an investigation into allegations of sex abuse by former founder Robert Morris. The church announced the decision over the weekend, stating that the elders either knew about the abuse claims or had enough information to investigate further. Additionally, longtime Gateway Spokesman Lawrence Swicegood has left his role at the church.

Elder Tra Willbanks addressed the congregation, explaining that the actions were a result of a third-party investigation conducted by the law firm Haynes & Boone. The investigation focused on the abuse allegations against Morris, who resigned in June after being accused by Oklahoma woman Cindy Clemishire of sexually abusing her starting when she was 12 years old. Willbanks noted that the investigation found no other allegations of abuse by Morris, though six individuals, including Morris, refused to participate.

Willbanks also revealed that some elders and staff were not as unaware of the allegations as previously believed. He stated that one group of individuals knew definitively that Clemishire was 12 when the abuse began, while another group had enough information about Morris’s alleged misconduct to warrant further inquiry. Both groups were deemed unacceptable by the church and have been removed from leadership and staff roles.

The four elders removed from Gateway’s website include Executive Global Pastor Kevin Grove, Church Network Pastor Gayland Lawshe, Executive Pastor Thomas Miller, and Jeremy Carrasco, who was not on staff. Swicegood, who was previously the Director of Gateway Media, is no longer listed on the church’s website, though his exact status remains unclear.

The church is cooperating with a criminal investigation, though no details have been provided about its scope or findings. Willbanks emphasized that neither the church nor its current leadership are subjects of the probe. The situation highlights ongoing concerns about accountability and transparency within religious organizations, particularly regarding the handling of abuse allegations.

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