Evangelist Justin Peters replied to Burleson’s post with old newspaper clippings that contradict Life Outreach International’s statement that “Morris’ duties did not include public speaking.”
“This letter cannot possibly be true. This letter is an outright lie,” Peters said. “October 24, 1988 was a Monday. This is from 1988 and states, ‘Robert Morris, a member of Evangelist James Robison Ministries, will hold a three-day revival at the Chapel Hill Fellowship.’”
Burleson replied, “Spot…on.”
ChurchLeaders has reached out to James Robison for comment and will update this article in the event of a reply.
Robert Morris Admits to ‘Inappropriate Sexual Behavior With a Young Lady’ and Resigns
Last Friday (June 15), Cindy Clemishire released her testimony through The Wartburg Watch, alleging that Morris sexually abused her when she was a minor. Morris was in his 20s at the time, married, and a father.
In a statement released that same day, Morris admitted that he was “involved in inappropriate sexual behavior with a young lady in a home where I was staying.” Morris said the behavior involved only “kissing and petting and not intercourse.”
“This behavior happened on several occasions over the next few years,” 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.”
RELATED: Gateway Church Learned of Robert Morris’ Crime in 2005, Says Abuse Survivor Cindy Clemishire
Morris explained that he stepped out of “ministry in order to receive counseling” and claimed that he has walked in “purity and accountability” in this particular area ever since.
“Two years later, in March of 1989, I stepped back into ministry with the full blessing of the elders and her father,” Morris said.
He went on to say that in “October of 1989, Debbie and I met with her and her family, and I asked their forgiveness, and they graciously forgave me. This sin was dealt with correctly by confession and repentance, which I did in 1987 and 1989.”
Clemishire told The Christian Post that she is “mortified” that Morris said her father gave his blessing for him to return to ministry.
RELATED: Daystar Television Network Removes All of Robert Morris’ Programming
In fact, she said that her “father told him he’s lucky he didn’t kill him.”
On Tuesday (June 18), Morris resigned as the pastor of Gateway Church. In the resignation announcement, Gateway Church elders said they “did not have all the facts of the inappropriate relationship between Morris and the victim.”
These facts included “her age at the time and the length of the abuse.”
However, Clemishire claims that Gateway Church elders “received actual notice of this crime” when she sent an email directly to Robert Morris’ Gateway email address. Clemishire indicated that “former Gateway elder Tom Lane received and responded to my email, acknowledging that the sexual abuse began on December 25, 1982, when I was 12 years old.”
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