Gateway Church names new senior pastors after Morris resignation

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The Gateway Church in Southlake announced a new senior pastor during Sunday morning service.

The announcement comes nearly one year after the former lead paster, Robert Morris, resigned amid child sex abuse allegations.

New senior pastor

The Gateway megachurch in Southlake declared Daniel Floyd and his wife, Tammie Floyd, as the new senior pastors. The couple will be leaving their senior pastor roles at Lifepoint Church in Fredericksburg, Virginia. 

Floyd founded Lifepoint Church about 20 years ago and now has five locations throughout the state of Virginia. The couple were not in attendance during the announcement but recorded a video greeting their new home of the North Texas megachurch. 

Daniel Floyd spoke to Gateway Church earlier in the year and received a "fantastic" response from the congregation.

What they're saying:

"With full confidence, we can say that God has called us here," said Daniel Floyd."Twenty years ago, we had the privilege of planting Lifepoint Church in Fredericksburg, Virignia, and it's been the honor of our lives to shepherd that community. So when we say this next season is a calling, we don't take that lightly, and we mean it with all of our hearts."

Daniel Floyd spoke about his relationship with the elders of Gateway in his greeting video.

"Over the past five months, we've walked closely with the elders here at Gateway. Leaders we deeply honor, and we are thankful for their wisdom, their time, their prayer and their patience."

The backstory:

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Gateway Church founder Robert Morris resigns over abuse allegations

In the past, Morris has admitted to an extramarital relationship with a "young lady." Tuesday, the Southlake church’s board of elders said they weren't aware that the "young lady" in question may have been 12 years old.

Former founding pastor of Gateway, Robert Morris, stepped down following accusations of molesting a 12-year-old Cindy Clemishire in 1982. An Oklahoma grand jury indicted Morris on five counts of indecent acts with a child in March and most recently filed a request in court to stop the arbitration process started by Morris. 

The church argued Morris tried to force Gateway to pay him more than $1 million in deferred compensation and retirement benefits. Morris’ arbitration also seeks to obtain the intellectual property rights to books he authored, recorded sermons, and social media accounts tied to the pastor.