Shocking news out of Oklahoma: Robert Preston Morris, once a towering figure in Texas evangelical circles, has pleaded guilty to heinous acts against a child decades ago.
The New York Post reported that on Thursday, Morris, the 64-year-old founder of Gateway Church in Southlake, Texas, was admitted to five counts of lewd and indecent behavior with a minor in Osage County, Oklahoma, before District Special Judge Cindy Pickerill.
The story begins in 1982, when Morris, then a traveling evangelist, stayed with a family in Hominy, Oklahoma, and began abusing a 12-year-old girl named Cindy Clemishire. This betrayal of trust wasn’t a one-time lapse; it stretched over four agonizing years.
Fast forward to 2025, and an Oklahoma grand jury indicted Morris earlier this year, finally bringing the weight of justice down on a man who built a megachurch empire. Gateway Church, founded by Morris in 2000, grew into one of the largest congregations in the nation, yet this stain on his legacy looms large.
As part of a plea deal, Morris received a 10-year suspended sentence, with the first six months to be served in Osage County Jail.
He’ll also register as a sex offender and face supervision by Texas authorities under an interstate compact. Talk about a fall from grace—handcuffed and suited, he was escorted from court by deputies.
Additional penalties include covering incarceration costs, medical expenses, and restitution to Clemishire, now 55, who has waited decades for this moment. One has to wonder if any amount of money can heal wounds this deep.
Clemishire’s statement cuts to the core: “Justice has finally been served.” Her courage in speaking out against a man who wielded spiritual authority exposes a grim reality often swept under the rug in some circles.
“My hope is that many victims hear my story, and it can help lift their shame and allow them to speak up,” she added.
While her words resonate with raw honesty, they also spotlight a cultural battle—too often, progressive narratives push to silence such accountability under the guise of “tolerance.”
Morris’ attorney, Bill Mateja, claimed his client “long since accepted responsibility in the eyes of God.” If that’s true, why did it take a courtroom to force earthly accountability? This kind of deflection reeks of a troubling trend where personal failings hide behind spiritual platitudes.
Morris himself, in a statement last year to The Christian Post, downplayed the abuse as “kissing and petting.” Such minimization is a slap in the face to victims everywhere, revealing a disconnect that’s all too common when powerful men face their reckoning.
Until his resignation last year, Morris led Gateway Church, a powerhouse in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, even hosting political figures like Donald Trump in 2020 for discussions on race and the economy. His political ties, including a past role on Trump’s evangelical advisory board, only amplify the public nature of this scandal.
Gateway Church, unsurprisingly, declined to comment on the plea, leaving congregants and observers to wrestle with the fallout. When leaders fall, the silence from institutions often speaks louder than words—perhaps a fear of confronting hard truths in a culture obsessed with image over integrity.
Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond didn’t mince words: “There can be no tolerance for those who sexually prey on children.”
His condemnation of Morris as a pastor who exploited trust is a reminder that no title or position shields wrongdoers from consequence.
Yet, in an era where some push to redefine morality with ever-shifting standards, cases like this underscore the need for unwavering principles. Protecting the vulnerable isn’t a partisan issue—it’s a human one, and society must reject any agenda that softens accountability for predators.
