“Never forget that when we are dealing with any pleasure in its healthy and normal and satisfying form, we are, in a sense, on the Enemy’s ground. I know we have won many a soul through pleasure. All the same, it is His invention, not ours. He made the pleasures: all our research so far has not enabled us to produce one. All we can do is to encourage the humans to take the pleasures which our Enemy has produced, at times, or in ways, or in degrees, which He has forbidden.” CS Lewis: The Screwtape Letters
Special thanks to a special pastor who profoundly cares about Cindy Clemishire and Amy Smith @watchkeep, who assisted in taking pictures and helping with videos.
Update 6.14.24:
- I made one minor correction. James Robison was not with Morris when he asked permission to return to ministry.
- I have one MAJOR addition: Robert Morris discussed stepping down from ministry for a period of time due to pride. Please see the screenshots from his book
At the urging of a mutual pastor friend, Cindy Clemishire and I spoke. Cindy has wanted to tell her story for a long time. I have been writing about sexual abuse in the evangelical church for fifteen years. Cindy’s presentation of her abuse by Robert Morris was detailed, down to a description of what she was wearing when Morris’ abuse began. For the lawyers, I must say it is “alleged” abuse. However, I believed her account within short order and knew her story must be told.
As our readers know, many victims of childhood abuse often blame themselves for what happened. When they reach adulthood, they begin to understand that the responsibility for the abuse does not and should never rest on the young victim. Many victims start speaking out in their late 30s-50s. Cindy realized what had happened when she was 35 while watching an Oprah show featuring a man who described grooming.
Robert Morris admits to a sexually immoral lifestyle before becoming a Christian at 19.
Before I tell the story, I think it would be helpful if the reader watched this video of Robert Morris discussing his sexually immoral lifestyle as a teenager. Here is the relevant portion of this video.
Robert Morris’s alleged abuse of Cindy Clemishire.
In 1981, Cindy and her family met Robert Morris at a youth revival in Tulsa. He was a twenty-year-old traveling evangelist married to Debbie, his current wife. Cindy was eleven years old. Her family was involved in many evangelistic events, and they were active in church. Morris was invited to do a youth revival in her hometown of Hominy, Oklahoma. After that, he began to regularly preach at their church on Sundays. He would often stay at her home and sometimes bring his wife, Debbie, and their little boy, Josh. Robert and Debbie Morris quickly became family friends, and Cindy viewed them as safe and friendly. Their families would often go on trips with each other.
All that changed for Cindy on 12/25/1982. Yes, Christmas night. The Morris family came to visit and spend some time there. Cindy sat in the back seat of the car with Robert. He asked her to visit him in his room that night. She shared a room with her sister. Cindy, an innocent twelve-year-old girl, movingly described what she was wearing. She was wearing pink pajamas with bloomer pants. She wore underwear underneath. She had a snap-up robe on. I laughed. I used to dress for bed similarly.
She thought nothing of visiting a family friend in their bedroom. He told her to lie down on her back and touched her stomach. He told her to close her eyes. Then he touched her breasts and felt under her panties. He warned her:
Never tell anyone about this because it will ruin everything.
She returned to her bedroom and didn’t tell her sister what happened.
Robert Morris repeated this behavior until March 1987. This would happen in Texas and Oklahoma, and the family would stay at the Morris home in Texas. Her father donated money to Robert’s ministry, not realizing what was happening to his daughter.
Morris wanted to make out and engage in heavy petting. He reportedly told Debbie that he was “counseling” Cindy. Cindy wondered if Debbie was in denial about what was happening.
Things changed when she turned sixteen. He would take her out in his car and attempt to have sexual intercourse. Once, he was fixing a vanity in his home and held up a screw and asked Cindy if she wanted to “do this.” By this time, Morris was a pastor at Shady Grove Church, which would eventually become Gateway Church-Grand Prarie Campus.
The abuse became known to both families.
Cindy confided in a close friend (G.F.) who knew both families. Her friend said she needed to tell her parents. Her father was angry and called the head pastor of Shady Grove Church to report Morris. He demanded that Morris get out of ministry, or he would call the sheriff. Morris reportedly stepped down from ministry for two years,
Cindy received a call from Debbie Morris, who told Cindy that she “forgave her.” Debbie is a mother. It is inconceivable to me that a mother would blame a 12-year-old child for her husband’s abuse. Cindy believes that Robert Morris might have told Debbie it was “Cindy’s fault!’ Cindy said things fell apart at this point. Their circle of family friends was no more.
Two years later, Robert returned to Hominy with Debbie, allegedly with James Robison’s blessing. The pressure was on, and Robert Morris was aiming for the big time. They told her father that he wanted to get back into ministry. At that point, her father washed his hands of Morris and no longer interacted with him.
Cindy sought counseling for the abuse she endured.
I believe that Debbie Morris also contributed to her pain by implying Cindy needed to be forgiven by her. It took over a decade of counseling for her to fully comprehend what had happened to her during those 4 1/2 years of abuse.
Cindy sought a financial settlement to help reimburse her for her counseling, but she wouldn’t sign an NDA,
In 2005, she obtained an attorney to file a civil lawsuit. Robert Morris’s attorney responded by implying that they believed it was her fault because she was “flirtatious.” She asked for $50,000 (which was not much in my estimation.) They responded that they would give her $25,000 if she signed an NDA. She refused, so she can now tell her side of the story.
Update 06.14.24
Cindy found relevant information in Robert Morris’s book From Dream to Destiny, which was written in 2011. He says he stepped down from the ministry when he was 25 due to issues of pride. He claims he was a security guard at Motel 6. Cindy added that she believed he was a used car salesman as well.
The following pages are from the chapter titled The Pride Test.
He steps out of ministry to take a regular job.
He works as a security guard at Motel 6 because he lacks the qualifications for a “regular job.”
It appears the timing meshes well with Cindy Clemishire’s account.
Further relevant information:
Hebephilia is a paraphilia like pedophilia.
Fifteen years ago, I was reeling from the shock of over 13 teen boys having been molested in my SBC church. I started this blog. I care about those harmed by a variety of abuse: sexual, domestic violence, and spiritual, among others. Nothing hurts my heart more than minor teens and children being sexually molested. It is a crime according to the law. It is an act that has profound, lifelong effects on the victim. The term for someone who shows sexual interest in pubescent teens is hebephilia. Yes, like pedophilia, it is a disorder, and acting on those impulses is a crime. Both disorders are considered paraphilias. In my church, the seminary student who molested those boys went to prison for only 13 years. He got one year for each of the thirteen boys who testified. Sadly, many of the other victims were not allowed to testify by their parents.
The NIH National Library of Medicine presents an overview of the current treatment of pedophilia and hebephilia.
Paraphilias constitute a set of psychiatric conditions that are often chronic and require a combination of treatment approaches, such as pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy. Sexual interest toward prepubescents and pubescents (pedophilia and hebephilia) is frequently identified in criminal settings, within numerous child sexual abuse and child p*rnography offenses. The high prevalence rates and negative consequences of these acts, causing distress in multiple important areas of health and functioning, reveal the importance of preventing these offenses as a clinical and social matter. Secondary prevention programs, which provide treatment and support for those with paraphilia disorders before sexually abusive behaviors and legal system involvement, show as ethically and socially necessary.
Could Robert Morris’ interactions with Cindy have been repeated with others?
A complaint about the single’s ministry at Gateway.
Immediately before connecting with Cindy, I received a call from a young woman (30s) who told me that the men in the group would often sit next to her, stroking her hair and commenting about her looks. She spoke to the leaders, but they didn’t respond meaningfully, and the uncomfortable behavior continued. She then reported it in a note to the pastoral staff at the church. They did not respond, so she left the church. I wonder if the church does not take complaints like this seriously due to their experiences.
Of demons and bitter roots
2014, I wrote ARC’s Robert Morris: Paul Preached “Under the Influence.” Morris, at least back then, believed that demons often infect people. He even said Paul had one.
Here is where it gets interesting. Paul has a demon who is physically in him! (Red alert!!!) Also, watch out for the word *clearly* when used to support a controversial opinion. Ask this. If it is so clear, then why is there so much disagreement over the matter by people who truly want to do the right thing?
Regarding that same influence with born-again believers, our clearest scriptural example is found in 2 Corinthians 12:7 (NASB). Paul states: “because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to buffet me—to keep me from exalting myself!”
The apostle Paul testifies concerning himself that God sent a “messenger of Satan” (angelos) to be a thorn in his flesh (sarki). These phrases clearly indicate that an angel of Satan was in the physical person of Paul. The same position of influence described in the encounters with Jesus is indicated even more clearly in Paul’s own description of his condition.
Of course, Paul’s writing of much of the Epistles raises the problem. If a demon influenced him, does that mean our Scriptures may be questioned?
Morris has an on-site demon removal team to fix your problem. He said he uses them as well.
Then, in the full video at the beginning of the post, he discusses how bitter roots or problems with your ancestors can cause present-day problems. Watch the whole sermon as linked.
This raises a potential problem. Are our failings easily blamed on demons and bitter roots? He seems to imply this throughout the video and in some of his teaching. If so, then let me state clearly: Morris is fully to blame for his abuse of Cindy, not some demon or some long-ago ancestor’s lousy day on the prairie. I have learned much about the problem of sin since I joined a conservative Lutheran church. Yes, pastors can sin as much and as badly as anyone else.
( In 2015, Robert Morris called Blogs “Satan’s Hit List. I would imagine not much has changed.)
Mark Driscoll’s Mars Hill imploded, and Robert Morris backed up Driscoll! It had something to do with “bad media.”
In 2014, Warren Throckmorton featured the following post on his website: Open Letter to Gateway Pastor Robert Morris From a Former Member of Mars Hill Church. Mark Driscoll, whose ministry imploded in a rather spectacular fashion, left Seattle, ready to start a new church (Just like all bad boy pastors) and found the ever-loving open arms of Robert Morris, who offered up some silly excuses such as the “media was against this man of God.” Yikes! Robert Morris, who seems to have an extended list of “those I allegedly endorse,” made a big mistake. He didn’t listen to those deeply wounded by his failed ministry.
Robert, the first thing I suggest you need to publicly apologize for is being reckless in how you handled the truth in your teaching on the topic of Mark Driscoll. Yes, I agree you can’t believe everything you read on the internet or hear from the media. But sometimes a person gets bad media because they deserve it, yes? Before you spoke to thousands of leaders about the Mark Driscoll situation publicly (and tens of thousands more on the internet) the office you hold should have compelled you to personally talk to the Mars Hill elders and see why Mark was being asked to engage in a restoration plan.
When you labeled Mark’s behaviors as “mistakes’ you undermined the literally hundreds of hours work of the leaders chosen by God to oversee Mark’s behavior in Seattle and in my view, put yourself on the opposite side of the issue from God. That is correct, I am saying that God was clearly speaking through Mark’s elders at Mars Hill when they presented him with a restoration plan…and when you ignored that with your comments, you opposed God.
…Mark is in trouble because Mark sinned. Not because he just made mistakes (though he made those too). If you want to know how he sinned, ask the elders who investigated.Ask the 21 former Mars Hill pastors who he has still not reconciled with.Ask the 9 pastors/elders who spoke out(andmost of whom lost their jobs). Ask Matt Chandler and those at Acts 29. Ask aboutthe Real Marriage book debacle. Ask about the the poor in Ethiopia who got a small fraction of what they were due from the Global Fund money that donors thought was going direct to them, while the rest went to other Mars Hill enterprises (thoughthe money was restricted fundsand could not legitimately be used that way) including toMark’s apparent $500K-$600K+ annual salary(plus of course a $200K housing allowance on top of that for total compensation of $700-800K per year). Do you think God likes people living on dollars a day in Ethiopia to be shortchanged so Mark can get a raise? (let me be clear; I am not saying that stealing from Ethiopian’s was Mark’s motive. I am saying that was the consequence of a series of events that occurred under his watch, for which he is ultimately accountable as the leader).
Well, read the whole post. Remember, not all who sin do so because of bitter roots and errant demons. Not everything is quickly resolved by a demon expulsion team or blaming some grandparent for getting shot by a neighbor. Not all of the mess from people like Driscoll was caused by the ever-elusive term “mistakes.” Sometimes, people are just plain sinful, even after they “become Christians,” something Robert Morris may know something about.
Robert Morris, his friend Chris Hodges, and various leaders rule the ARC. Did you know there is a concern about fallen pastors in the ARC?
The Roys Report has an entire section dedicated to fallen pastors and other controversies surrounding this Association of Related Churches. Did you know about the Lodge for Fallen Pastorsthat Chris Hodges started at his megachurch site?
Here is a video in which they discuss restoring pastors.
Final thoughts: It’s about a forgotten victim.
It’s getting late, and I could keep writing for a long time about these issues. Let’s get back to the most critical issue. Robert Morris allegedly molested a young teen girl. His wife, Debbie, appears to blame this girl, a minor, who could not give consent. It is considered a crime. Did you know that Texas has passed a clergy abuse statute that makes such abuse toward an adult now illegal? Texas is a leader in this area.
Clergy sexual misconduct (CSM)/adult clergy sexual abuse (ACSA) toward an adult is illegal in several states in the US. Survivors of clergy-perpetrated sexual abuse of adults, advocates, and experts are working to make clergy sexual abuse of adults criminalized in all 50 states.
In other words, Morris allegedly molested a minor while he was a pastor. I believe the victim. It was a crime, but it is beyond the SOL. We also believe that a pastor who molests children has turned in their clergy card. They can be forgiven but should no longer serve in the pulpit. Given the recorded history of ARC churches, it would seem that “repentant” clergy get restored tout suite. See Dino Rizzo for an example.
Cindy was molested as a minor. She has been deeply wounded and has been in counseling for a decade. Robert Morris of The Blessed Life gives away houses and has the largest church in the USbut only offered her $25,000 so long as she signed an NDA. As a 12-year-old girl in pink pajamas, she was told that they found her flirtatious. I guess this might mean Robert Morris could not contain himself! Good night!
My heart goes out to Cindy, the young girl she was so long ago and the brave woman she has become. I ask everyone who prays to pray for the peace that passes all understanding for Cindy and her loved ones.
Finally, nothing makes those oft-discussed demons smile more than a man who cannot contain himself around a 12-year-old girl in pink pajamas.
