Texas pastor Robert Morris, founder of one of the largest megachurches in the United States, has admitted to engaging in inappropriate sexual behavior with a 12-year-old girl in the 1980s. Morris, who also served as an evangelical adviser to former President Donald Trump, recently stepped down from his post at Gateway Church in Dallas.

The allegations against Morris were first made public on June 14 by The Wartburg Watch, a blog that examines abuse and other issues within the church. Cindy Clemishire, the survivor who came forward, accused Morris of molesting her for several years, starting when she was just 12 years old.

Gateway Church's board of elders responded to Clemishire's account during church services over the weekend. In an additional statement, they acknowledged the allegations and expressed their commitment to addressing the fallout. The church, which boasts approximately 100,000 active attendees and multiple campuses, is now under scrutiny for its handling of the situation.

Morris, 62, gained prominence after founding Gateway Church in 2000. He later became known as Trump's spiritual adviser and served as a member of his evangelical advisory committee in 2016. During Trump's reelection campaign, Morris had no involvement, according to a spokesman for the Trump campaign.

Following the publication of the allegations, Morris resigned from his leadership position at Gateway Church on June 18. However, he has not faced any criminal charges thus far. Morris has yet to comment on the matter.

In Clemishire's account shared with The Wartburg Watch, she detailed how the abuse began in 1982 when she was 12 years old and Morris was 21. He was a traveling evangelist at the time, and their families were friends. The abuse continued for over four years and took place in Texas and Oklahoma. Clemishire alleged that Morris started by touching her inappropriately and later attempted to engage in sexual intercourse with her.

The abuse came to an end when Clemishire turned 16 and decided to confide in her parents. Her father demanded that Morris leave the ministry, or he would report the abuse to the authorities. Morris briefly stepped away from ministry work in the 1980s but later returned.

In response to the allegations, Gateway Church's current leadership, as well as former leaders, have claimed they were unaware of the full extent of the abuse or Clemishire's age at the time. However, in an update to The Wartburg Watch, Clemishire stated that Gateway Church elders were informed of her allegations as early as 2005.

Gateway Church's Board of Elders issued a statement confirming Morris' departure and announced the hiring of a law firm to conduct an independent inquiry into the case. They emphasized their commitment to protecting individuals, especially children and the vulnerable, and pledged their full cooperation with the investigation.

Clemishire's attorney, Boz Tchividjian, criticized Gateway's leadership for changing their version of events regarding their knowledge of Morris' actions. He also expressed disappointment that previous efforts to raise awareness within ministries and churches yielded no action.

As the investigation unfolds, the church community awaits further developments while grappling with the shocking revelations surrounding their former pastor.