On Sunday (Aug. 17), Gateway Church in Southlake, Texas, officially installed Daniel Floyd as its new lead pastor during a special commissioning service.
Floyd’s installation came a little more than a year after Robert Morris, the church’s founding pastor, resigned in disgrace after decades-old allegations resurfaced that he committed child sex abuse.
Morris now faces criminal charges in Oklahoma, where the abuse is alleged to have occurred. Cindy Clemishire, who came forward to allege that Morris abused her as a child, is also engaged in civil litigation with Morris, Gateway Church, and some of the church’s former elders.
In May, Gateway Church elders announced that Floyd would be stepping in as the new pastor. Floyd previously founded and pastored Lifepoint Church in Fredericksburg, Virginia, alongside his wife, Tammie.
Now, the Floyds have officially transitioned from Virginia to Texas.
Sunday’s celebration service included congratulatory video messages from several Christian artists, including Steven Curtis Chapman, Mack Brock, Darlene Zschech, Phil Wickham, CeCe Winans, Josh Baldwin, Martin Smith, Bryan and Katie Torwalt, Brandon Lake, Michael W. Smith, Cody Carnes, and Kari Jobe.
Pastors Steve Carter, Levi Lusko, and Joakim Lundqvist and authors Lisa Harper and Max Lucado also offered their congratulations in video messages.
Flanked onstage by the Floyd family and the Gateway Church elders and their wives, elder Tra Willbanks told the congregation, “Thank you for your faithfulness. It’s not lost on us—the thousands of prayers that you’ve offered on our behalf. And there is no way we’ll know this side of heaven the strength that we gained from the prayers that you offered on our behalf.”
“And you have a choice where you worship, and you chose to stick it out,” Willbanks continued. “And I just wanna tell you, ‘Thank you.’”
“This is an exciting and historic day for Gateway Church, and it is my great honor to stand here and be part of this milestone occasion. I know you’re excited,” Willbanks said, joking that the elders are “especially thrilled” that Floyd is assuming leadership and that they can “return to our day jobs, which I think we’re actually qualified for.”
, Gateway Church in Southlake, Texas, officially installed Daniel Floyd as its new lead pastor during a special commissioning service. ){kind=link}