“You can recognize survivors of abuse by their courage. When silence is so very inviting, they step forward and share their truth so others know they aren’t alone.”
― Jeanne McElvaney, Healing Insights: Effects of Abuse for Adults Abused as Children
Folks, due to the large amount of information coming in, we may post more than usual until the information flow settles down.
We have received several requests to investigate other pastors. We will do our best to respond in the next two weeks. If you do not hear from us, please send another email. We are swamped, but we care for all folks who have been abused by churches and would love to tell your stories if possible.
The following statement from Cindy adds insight into the elders’ statement that the church leaders did not know that Morris’ victim was 12 years old. I will post a narrative by an individual who sent emails to Robert Morris and other pastors and then met with Tom Lane in 2009 regarding a statement of abuse made by Cindy online. I have the emails and look forward to adding them to the information the public has.
I have bolded a section in Cindy’s statement in which she claims that she wrote to both Robert Morris and Tom Lane via email. This is her statement challenging the elders’ statement from yesterday. Cindy is already becoming an incredible advocate for victims of childhood sexual abuse. Please pray for her peace.
I look forward to reading your comments.
Statement by Cindy Clemishire 6/18/24
First, I would like to thank the many people who have sent me messages of support during these past few days. Many of these encouraging notes have come from complete strangers. This has given me and my family much strength and hope during this difficult time!
I have many mixed thoughts and feelings upon hearing the news of Robert Morris’ resignation. Though I am grateful that he is no longer a pastor at Gateway, I am disappointed that the Board of Elders allowed him to resign. He should have been terminated.
As I have previously stated, I have been seeking this for years. My family and I have gone to leaders of very prominent churches and well-known ministries with this information, hoping that someone would hold him accountable and remove him from ministry leadership.
The leadership at Gateway received actual notice of this crime in 2005 when I sent an email directly to Robert Morris’ Gateway email address. 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. Again in 2007, my then attorney Gentner Drummond (the current Attorney General of Oklahoma) sent a letter to Robert Morris with the hope that he would help reimburse me for the thousands of dollars I had expended in counseling as a result of this abuse. His attorney acknowledged the dates as well and then attempted to blame me for the abuse. At the very least, both the Gateway pastor and at least one elder had specific notice that I was sexually abused beginning when I was 12 years old. Gateway had the information but intentionally decided to embrace the false narrative Robert Morris wanted them to believe.
As stated by my attorney earlier this afternoon, “Just days ago the Gateway elders released a statement saying, “Since the resolution of the 35-year-old matter, there have been no other moral failures.” Now that they have allegedly just learned that he was being untruthful, why limit the investigation to his conduct between 1982-1987. Why not expand the investigation to his entire tenure at Gateway Church? Also, why have they retained a law firm that specializes in “crisis management?” Their own website states, …it is critical to have a highly skilled and experienced legal team able to quickly assemble and focus on the immediate and long-term strategies necessary to mitigate financial and reputational loss and stabilize in a crisis situation and to coordinate the efforts of specialized consultants to mitigate harm.
This does not appear to be an independent investigation and this deeply concerns me.
This is just the beginning. I wholeheartedly and sadly believe I am not the only victim. I encourage anyone who has been sexually victimized by a leader at Gateway Church to take the bold step forward and say something. Now is the time. Please know that you will be supported and will not walk this journey alone. I hope and pray that the leadership at Gateway Church will echo this encouragement knowing that this can be an opportunity to find the truth while providing help and restitution to victims.
To the congregation of Gateway Church and the countless who have followed Robert Morris online, my heart is equally broken for you. Please remember our faith is in Jesus, not an institution or a man in the pulpit. Keep your faith! 2
Though we are called to forgive those who hurt us, please understand that forgiveness is about you and can take time. We should expect and demand consequences. To Quote Bob Hamp, “This scandal is not just about Robert Morris; it’s about larger system dynamics at play that both foster and protect ongoing predatory behavior. If we miss this larger picture, we miss the opportunity to protect the church and put a stop to an epidemic of abuse.”
Lastly, I am committed to fighting for criminal and civil statute of limitations reform for victims of child sexual abuse. Victims should not be robbed of justice simply because it has taken them time to process childhood trauma before being emotionally ready to confront those who are responsible for these crimes. It is time for us to START protecting children and STOP protecting predators!
