Church refuses to grant millions to Robert Morris in his retirement request.
Rewritten Article:
Gateway Church, of Southlake, refused a multi-million-dollar request from the disgraced pastor Robert Morris, who left the church amid sexual abuse allegations, according to Tuesday's court filings.
Morris, 63, stepped down from his position last June following accusations of sexually abusing a minor during the 1980s for over four years. The controversial pastor has since been indicted in Oklahoma, where the alleged abuse occurred, on five counts of lewd or indecent acts to a child.
The church accused Morris of being relentless in his pursuit of retirement funds. Morris' legal team met with Gateway Church less than two months after his resignation, seeking "financial commitments" from the church, and sent a letter demanding payment the month after, according to court records.
"The disaster caused by Morris's alleged child sex crimes has caused significant damage to Gateway Church and its nationwide reputation," the church stated in court documents. "Morris was right to resign from his position as pastor. And Gateway is confident that Morris's definitive but tragic disqualification from the pulpit also prevents him from obtaining the millions of dollars in present and future retirement benefits he now seeks."
KERA News reached out to Morris' attorney, with no immediate response received.
Gateway claims Morris asked for $1 million upfront, then $800,000 a year until he turns 70, followed by $600,000 a year for the rest of his and his wife's lives.
"Following the disturbing revelations about Morris's past behavior, Robert Morris reached out to Gateway Church with a series of substantial financial demands," the church stated in an email to KERA News. "Gateway Church has chosen not to meet those demands. In response, Robert Morris has filed a lawsuit in arbitration seeking financial compensation. His claims are false and do not reflect accountability for the impact of his actions on the community. We are filing our own response to this lawsuit, affirming our commitment to addressing these issues thoughtfully and thoroughly. We recognize the pain that has been felt by so many, and we are dedicated to maintaining the trust of our church family as we navigate this situation."
Court records showed Morris' attorney filed a private demand for arbitration of the payout dispute – a process where disputing parties agree to have their case heard by a third party instead of going to court.
Morris alleged the church forced him out of his employment amid the sexual abuse allegations by telling him he would be terminated if he did not step down immediately. He also stated he was "not given the opportunity to seek legal counsel to ensure his rights and benefits."
Morris made his first court appearance earlier this week in Osage County as the case unfolds. He's set to appear again on September 4.
Penelope Rivera is KERA's breaking news reporter. Send that hot tip to [email protected] *._
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- The latest breaking news within the community involves Robert Morris, the disgraced pastor of Gateway Church, who has filed a demand for arbitration over a multi-million-dollar retirement funding dispute with the church.
- The alleged sexual abuse scandal involving Morris has not only caused damage to Gateway Church but has also raised concerns within the general-news and crime-and-justice spheres, as Morris has since been indicted for lewd acts towards a minor.
- In response to Morris's substantial financial demands, following his resignation due to sexual abuse allegations, Gateway Church has chosen to prioritize accountability and the well-being of their community over potential financial compensation, refusing to meet his demands and filing a response to his arbitration lawsuit.
