A Tarrant County, Texas, judge has told Gateway Church and its founder and former pastor, Robert Morris, to decide where their case about disputed retirement payments will proceed. Morris, who resigned from the Southlake church in disgrace last June, wants the civil case handled through private arbitration, while the megachurch seeks public resolution in court.
On July 24, a judge gave the two sides about one month to agree on next steps.
Last summer, Morris resigned from Gateway after Cindy Clemishire publicly accused him of sexually abusing her in the 1980s, beginning when she was 12 and he was in his early 20s. Morris, now 63, faces five counts of lewd or indecent acts with a child. A preliminary hearing in that criminal case is scheduled for Sept. 4 in Oklahoma.
After Morris resigned, he demanded from Gateway more than $1 million that had accrued in his retirement account. In addition, Morris said church elders had verbally promised him $800,000 per year in retirement benefits until age 70, and then $600,000 per year after that, while either he or his wife was alive.
In its court filing, however, Gateway submitted paperwork showing that it had agreed to pay Morris $170,000 per year for 20 years after he retired. The agreement also contained stipulations related to pastoral behavior.
Robert Morris Seeks Arbitration in Dispute About Retirement Funds
According to Gateway, its employment agreement with Morris also noted that he would receive no retirement benefits if he were fired or resigned for violating church policies or harming the church.
In court documents, Gateway described the “chaos” that Morris’ alleged behavior has “unleashed upon Gateway and his community.” Since the scandal broke last summer, fallout at the multi-site church has included declining offerings and attendance. In addition, staff and worship services have been cut.
According to Morris, when Gateway elders forced him to resign last June, they “assured [him] he would receive his retirement benefits,” though they said that might require getting “creative.” Morris insisted he wouldn’t have willingly resigned otherwise.
Morris’ employment contract with Gateway noted that any disputes were to be mediated—and, if necessary, arbitrated—through the Institute for Christian Conciliation. But Gateway says that provision no longer applies because the institute has new owners.
Unless Gateway honors its commitment to pay Morris’ retirement benefits, his lawyer warned, “Pastor Robert will be forced to make clear that he was transparent with the [Gateway elder] board” about his alleged abuse of Clemishire.
As ChurchLeaders has reported, the scandal has had repercussions in other states and at other churches. At issue is who knew about Clemishire’s age, and when.
