A list of Texas pastors who resigned in 2024 after accusations of misconduct

Marley Malenfant , Austin American-Statesman
·4 min read

Several Texas pastors have resigned this year after allegations of misconduct, among other accusations. Some pastors face charges for their actions.

In June, the American-Statesman reported on megachurch pastor Robert Morris resigning after allegations of child abuse.

Morris resigned from his position as the senior pastor of Gateway Church in Southlake, near Fort Worth, after a confession made in early June regarding his involvement in sexual behavior with a child during the 1980s.

Here is a breakdown of Morris and the other Texas pastors who stepped down this year.

Robert Morris child sex abuse allegations

Cindy Clemishire made allegations in a report that Morris had abused her when she was 12 years old.

Clemishire, who is now 54, detailed her abuse in “The Wartburg Watch,” a blog focusing on nefarious issues in Christian churches. The alleged abuse continued for more than four years, Clemishire said.

According to WFAA, Morris’ defense team is blaming Clemishire for initiating the inappropriate conduct.

The now-former Pastor Robert Morris of Gateway Church, who was preaching to more than 100,000 active attendees in Dallas and was once a spiritual adviser to former President Donald Trump, resigned on June 18, 2024, two days after admitting to "inappropriate sexual behavior with a young lady" decades ago. The "young lady" in question was 12 and the "behavior" as she described it would amount to criminal sexual abuse.

"It was your client who initiated inappropriate behavior by coming into my client's bedroom and getting in bed with him, which my client should not have allowed to happen," the letter from Morris’ lawyer said.

Morris has not been charged.

Youth pastor Luke Cunningham charged with sexual assault of child

Cunningham — a 41-year-old former youth pastor at a church in Lubbock — was arrested by U.S. Marshalls and booked into Lubbock County Jail in June. Cunningham was arrested on separate charges of sexual assault of a child and aggravated sexual assault of a child.

The first charge accuses him of sexually assaulting a teenager on Jan. 8, 2017. The second charge accuses him of raping a different teenager on Oct. 17, 2018 during which he used his hands as deadly weapons. He also faces a second count of indecency with a child by sexual contact for touching the girl's genitals on Jan. 1, 2016.

His last place of employment was the Lakeside Baptist Church in Granbury. The church fired Cunningham after learning of the accusations against Cunningham regarding inappropriate conduct with a minor at a different church.

Ronald Goines of Koinonia Church charged with sexual assault

Goines — a pastor at Koinonia Church in Arlington — was arrested July 25 in connection to an ongoing sexual assault investigation, according to the Arlington Police Department.

Goines turned himself into the Tarrant County Jail after the police department's Sex Crimes Unit obtained two warrants for his arrest. He was charged with indecent assault and sexual assault. Goines was released on July 27 after posting $23,000 in bail for the two charges.

Tony Cammarota of Stonebriar Community Church let go for 'moral failure'

Cammarota was an associate pastor at the Stonebriar Community Church in Frisco for 17 years before being fired in early July for a “moral failure.”

The church didn’t say what Cammarota did but said in an email obtained by WFAA that “He is deeply remorseful but his sin disqualifies him from serving on our staff as a pastor."

Dallas pastor Tony Evans resigns over unnamed 'sin'

In early June, Evans, the senior pastor of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Dallas, stepped down after nearly 50 years of ministry due to an unnamed 'sin.'

Evans said he has "committed no crime," but "did not use righteous judgement in my actions."

Following prayer and meetings with Evans and church elders, Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship officials said they would hold Evans accountable.

"Dr. Evans and the elders agree that it's the elders' responsibility to hold any elder or pastor accountable if they don't meet the high standards of the scripture, and to ensure that the church maintains its integrity," the church's website states.

Josiah Anthony of Cross Timbers Church resigns over 'inappropriate and hurtful' conduct

Anthony, the pastor of Cross Timbers Church in Argyle, stepped down from his role in late July. His resignation was prompted by undisclosed "inappropriate and hurtful" actions towards both church members and staff.

The church said once they were aware of Anthony's actions, he could no longer serve as the lead pastor.

In a statement to media outlets, the church clarified that the inappropriate behavior "does not include any children, physical or sexual interactions or any illegal activity to our knowledge."

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Here's a look at Texas pastors involved in controversies in 2024