From KERA News:
North Texas churches have seen a string of high-profile departures in recent weeks amid claims of “moral failures,” “immoral” behavior, and in some cases, sexual abuse.
At least seven North Texas pastors from mostly megachurches have resigned or been fired since May.
Three have been arrested on charges related to sex offenses and another is under an internal church investigation for similar allegations. Claims against other pastors are vague.
Michelle Simpson Tuegel, a Dallas-based victims’ rights attorney, said what’s happening in North Texas is kind of a “domino effect.”
“It often starts with the voice of one courageous survivor who comes forward…and it communicates to other survivors within that institution and often others, that they’re not alone,” she said.
And, she said, more may speak out.
Tuegel said there can be blatant signs that abuse is occurring, but it’s often ignored or covered up. She said in institutions like megachurches where profits can be at stake, there’s an incentive not to be seen in a negative light.
“That doesn’t mean that there’s more abuse or less, but I think it allows it to thrive in the secrecy that sometimes pervades those institutions,” she said. “Just because of the sheer number of people and the profit and money involved and a lot going on in these churches, it’s easier for an abuser to continue and hurt more people in a megachurch.”
Pete Singer, executive director of Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment (GRACE), said it’s important a church is transparent with its members when a person has abused or harmed an individual.
“[Churches] need to give some details because saying that just that a person resigned, not giving any other details, doesn’t give other people who may have been harmed notice that it’s OK to come forward,” Singer said.
When it comes down to it, he said, protecting the organization means that they aren’t focusing on the harm that has been caused to the victim or survivor.
“People who abuse put a lot of effort into being the kind of person that would make you say they’d never do that,” Singer said.
Here are the North Texas pastors under scrutiny:
Josiah Anthony, Cross Timbers Church — Argyle
Cross Timbers Church’s lead pastor Josiah Anthony resigned in late July.
Speaking to congregants last Sunday, church elder John Chalk said the board had become aware of “events and circumstances” with Anthony that occurred over the past few years. The church asked him to resign, citing “hurtful and inappropriate actions.”
Cross Timbers officials told WFAA Anthony’s actions “do not include any children, physical or sexual interactions or any illegal activity to our knowledge.”
In an email sent to members on Thursday, church elders revealed two women had made reports to the church about “inappropriate communication” with Anthony.
The email said one of those incidents was “not sexual but excessively personal” and “inappropriate for a pastor.”
After Anthony’s resignation, another woman came forward and said he made comments through text message and social media that were “sexual in nature,” according to the email.
“Because the power dynamic of these interactions were never equal, we do not consider these to be consensual,” church elders said.
Church founder Toby Slough will serve as interim pastor during a search for a new leader.
Executive pastor Byron Copeland was originally announced to serve as interim pastor.
He previously worked for Gateway Church in Southlake for 20 years, where he was named in a lawsuit for civil rights violations after “aggressively confronting” a female employee.
“Pastor Copeland backed [her] into a corner of the room they were in and threatened to fire her if she didn’t shut up and stop stirring up drama,” the lawsuit stated.
Cross Timbers did not respond to KERA’s request for a comment.
Robert Morris, Gateway Church — Southlake
In late June, pastor and founder of Gateway Church Robert Morris admitted to “sexual inappropriate behavior” after Cindy Clemshire accused him of sexually abusing her when she was 12 years old. Clemshire said the abuse started in 1982 and continued for nearly five years.
Morris resigned on June 18 as head of the megachurch.
An internal investigation has since been launched, church officials said in a statement.
Since then, Morris’s wife and son resigned from their church positions and three church elders took a leave of absence.
Founding elder Steve Dulin has also parted ways with the church. Executive director Lawrence Swicegood told the Fort Worth Report church elders met with Dulin last week.
“Out of that meeting, the Elders have decided to go in a different direction regarding Steve’s position as both an Elder and a staff member,” Swicegood said. “Steve is no longer serving as a Gateway Elder and a pastor leading Gateway Kingdom Business Leaders.”
Morris hasn’t been charged but faced more backlash after it was revealed his lawyers blamed his accuser in letters obtained by WFAA.
Additionally, a lawsuit in which at least five church staff members were accused of covering up allegations of sexual assault of a minor resurfaced amid Morris’s resignation. The child’s mother filed the lawsuit in 2020, and it was settled in May.
Gateway did not respond to KERA’s request for a comment.
Luke Cunningham, Lakeside Baptist Church — Granbury
Lakeside Baptist issued a statement in early June that it had suspended youth pastor Luke Cunningham after learning of allegations of sexual assault against a minor at a church where he had previously served.
Turning Point Community Church in Lubbock told WFAA 41-year-old Cunningham was the student pastor from 2016 to 2020, but never heard any complaints or allegations before or during his time there.
He was fired from Lakeside Baptist after the church gathered more evidence against him a few days later.
Cunningham was arrested on June 19 and charged with sexual assault of a child, aggravated sexual assault of a child, and a second count of indecency with a child by sexual contact, according to jail records. The crimes were committed between 2016 and 2018.
In the past, Cunningham also served at North Fort Worth Baptist Church and the now-closed Agape Baptist Church.
“We believe that when we find a wolf among the sheep, including another who may be called ‘pastor,’ then the true pastors must step forward and bring about discipline,” Lakeside Baptist senior pastor Mark Forrest said in an email to KERA. “We have done so, and we encourage all other true pastors to act with integrity toward God and the church, protecting the members and the little ones among us from harm.”
Ronald Goines, Koinonia Church — Arlington
Lead pastor Ronald Goines was arrested July 25 on one count of indecent assault and one count of sexual assault.
Allegations against Goines, 51, were made in early June by an unidentified woman, and he turned himself in to Tarrant County Jail after Arlington Police Department’s Sex Crimes Unit obtained two arrest warrants.
On Friday, the church announced a new lead pastor to serve in Goines’ place.
“Recognizing the unique challenges that our founding pastor is facing presently, we want his full attention to be focused on becoming healed, whole, and fully restored,” church leaders said in a news release.
Goines is a well-known figure in the community. He was a part of Arlington’s Unity Council and formally a member of APD’s Arlington Clergy and Police Partnership program.
A representative from Koinonia Church declined KERA’s request for a comment over the phone Wednesday.
Tony Cammarota, Stonebriar Community Church — Frisco
Tony Cammarota, an associate pastor at Stonebriar Community Church in Frisco for 17 years, was fired after confessing to a “moral failure” to church leaders last month.
The church sent congregants an email announcing his removal, but asked members to “please guard against giving the Devil any foothold for more damage to our church through unnecessary speech and speculation.”
Stonebriar did not respond to KERA’s request for a comment.
Tony Evans, Oak Cliff Bible Fellow Church — Dallas
Tony Evans, senior pastor of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship Church, announced in a statement to the church. his departure on June 9 due to an undisclosed “sin.” He had been at the church for almost 50 years.
“While I have committed no crime, I did not use righteous judgment in my actions,” Evans told the church. “In light of this, I am stepping away from my pastoral duties and am submitting to a healing and restoration process established by the elders.”
Oak Cliff did not respond to KERA’s request for a comment.
Terren Dames, North Dallas Community Bible Fellowship – Plano
Senior pastor Terren Dames was arrested in May for solicitation of prostitution, according to Collin County jail records.
Plano Police said on May 2, Dames called an undercover officer offering $150 for sex. After arriving at the motel address the officer sent Dames, police recorded him at the scene.
He was indicted on the charge in June.
In a news release Wednesday, executive pastor David Lawson said Dames was removed from his position when the incident first occurred. Lawson called his actions a “moral failure.”
