Texas pastor explains why he wants Gateway Church to tell the truth about Robert Morris' allegations

A former pastor at the Gateway Church in Southlake said he believes past church leaders knew of disgraced founder Robert Morris' alleged sexual assault of a 12-year-old girl and assisted in covering it up.

Stephen LeBlanc, who is now senior pastor of the Sherman Bible Church, said he feels betrayed by Morris and doesn't believe Gateway is taking responsibility for its now-former leader's alleged actions.

Morris resigned from Gateway last month after Cindy Clemishire said he had sexually assaulted her for years, beginning when she was 12 years old in the 1980s.

In a statement Wednesday night, a Gateway spokesperson said: "The sexual abuse of Cindy as a child by Robert Morris is unfathomable."

"The elders are committed to finding the truth and holding people accountable," the spokesperson said. "Regrettably, prior to June 14, the current elders did not have all the facts."

LeBlanc, who said he had known Morris since the late 80s and accepted a job as a pastor at Gateway in 2011, said he had no idea the details of Morris' alleged sexual assault, despite Morris' frequent invocation of his past "immorality."

"It never in a thousand years would’ve crossed my mind to say 'Let me ask you, Robert, what was the age of this person?'" LeBlanc said. "It was always framed as indiscretion with a young lady. And when I hear young lady, I don’t think 12-year-old. I don’t think anybody does."

[Donna-hzvi]

I am so thankful this man of God is standing strong for the Truth. God bless him.

[bobbiejoyce]

EXCELLENT interview. This pastor has a heart for Almighty God and his Lord Jesus. Very courageous.

[EM-vbgx]

Thank you for this interview! This is a high value pastor that’s hard to find these days. I would definitely go to his church if I lived in TX. God bless him!

[tammy]

Wow. God bless this man for speaking out and for standing for what is right.

[lovekoko]

Wow. I have never been this impressed with a postor. What integrity he has and he is so well spoken.

[kittylemew]

This was an excellent interview. Thank you!

[michelerivera]

Judgment begins in His House. We r a Nation under Judgment

[Discernmentlab]

This man is a true shepherd of the flock and says the truth. Phenomenal interview.

[grannyjclay-joannieholdhus]

Thank you, Pastor LeBlanc. It is incredibly refreshing to hear other pastors stand on the Truth. You have blessed me and perhaps many, many others.

[friendoflife]

Yes- absolutely! All the visiting pastors are telling the congregation " you will get through this". They need to tell the members " You have been lied to and used ". They need to bust open the elder body and find some new men of God who will have the fear of the Lord and not be so willing to lie and hide just another double-talking pastor.

[BerniceGreenwood]

Yes God bless this man for speaking the truth. We need more men in churches like him. Bernice

[carriemccurley-thgn]

“What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore the more important aspects of the law—justice, mercy, and faith. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things." Matthew 23:23

[linalesia]

Its not often you hear a Pastor talking about tithing the way this Pastor does. So many Christians are guilted into giving money to church. We are not talking about the mandated 10% here; we mean those envelopes that are collected at every Sunday service. How are they different to the sale of indulgences in the Catholic Church in middle ages? We all know what all that led to in the history of the church.

[JosephMusonda-jb]

Amen no preacher is telling me there curses to deal with in my life when Jesus dealt with that for me on the cross.

[julesadames]

I would love to go to this pastors church. He has said several times, The Bible is clear, he has a strong conviction for the truth. God bless him. Thank you for speaking out.

[twig]

The last two minutes of this are GOLD ❤

[justino]

Well spoken and on point. The average American Church today is off-base in their priorities and unbiblical in their teachings. The exposure of these problem will always eventually happen. However, so much damage is done to so many people in the midst of it all. Like the interviewee stated, go find a real church, not an entertainment venue.

[margiehankins-jerde]

This Pastor is a real Christian. He is absolutely right in what the prosperity churches preaching. And this person sleeping around. Wow.

[kimtonearts]

Thank-you, Brother Stephen, you've helped redeem my faith in Pastors. 💫🕊️

[lizr]

I truely belive this pastor this abomination should have been reported to the police authorities robert is moving on and looking happy he has not been punished for his crime why any other person would have been hunted down and get arrested. But he seem to have a silver spoon in his mouth and the church that is protecting him is as wicked as him if he thinks God is hereing him he makes a sad mistake. He has not repented if he did he would have handed himself into the hand of the police and that is when God will honour his true repentance