A Texas evangelical pastor and former spiritual adviser to Donald Trump has confessed to molesting a young girl in his past. Robert Morris, founding pastor of the Dallas-based Gateway megachurch, was accused by an Oklahoma woman of sexual abuse that began when she was 12 and continued until she was 16 in the 1980s, the Guardian reported.
Morris confirmed the allegations to the Christian Post, a religious publication.
In a statement to the Christian Post, Morris said: "When I was in my early 20s, I was involved in inappropriate sexual behaviour with a young lady in a home where I was staying."
In her statement to the Christian Post, the victim of the assault said she was "appalled" at the description of her as a "young lady" and said the repeated abuse had taken decades for her to process. She said her family had threatened Morris with the police and later considered filing a lawsuit.
Other churches where Morris has ministered, including Shady Grove Church in Grand Prairie, were allegedly aware of his abusive history. However, Morris told the Christian Post that he received counselling and has since "walked in purity and accountability in this area."
Shady Grove Church became Gateway Church's Grand Prairie campus in 2013.
Morris told the Christian Post, "In March of 1987, this situation was brought to light, and it was confessed and repented of. I submitted myself to the Elders of Shady Grove Church and the young lady's father. They asked me to step out of ministry and receive counselling and freedom ministry, which I did."
Despite his confession, Morris will remain a primary speaker at the church on weekends, with his son, James Morris, set to take over his senior pastor duties next year.
Morris was never criminally charged, and by the time his accuser sought legal action, she was advised that the statute of limitations for both criminal and civil cases had likely expired.
In a statement to the local Dallas news outlet WFAA, Gateway church said the "35-year-old matter" had been resolved: "Pastor Robert has been open and forthright about a moral failure he had over 35 years ago when he was in his 20s and prior to him starting Gateway church. He has shared publicly from the pulpit the proper Biblical steps he took in his lengthy restoration process.
"The two-year restoration process was closely administered by the elders at Shady Grove church and included him stepping out of the ministry during that period while receiving professional counselling and freedom ministry counselling. Since the resolution of the 35-year-old matter, there have been no other moral failures."
Morris's accuser stated that while she had forgiven him for the sexual abuse, she did not believe he should have returned to ministry.
Morris was appointed to Trump's evangelical advisory board during his 2016 presidential campaign.
