Ep. 480: Gateway Church, Trinity Broadcasting, Burk Parsons and the PCA

On today’s program, sexual abuse victim Cindy Clemishire has filed a civil lawsuit against Gateway Church and its founding pastor Robert Morris. She claims church leaders knew she was 12 years old when Morris began abusing her, and defamed her when they tried to cover it up. We’ll have details. And cuts to federal funding are sending some nonprofits into a tailspin…some see the cuts as an attack. Others see opportunity. We spoke with ministry experts who weigh in. Plus, Trinity Broadcasting is set to open a $134-million senior living facility in Orlando, Florida. But first, the Burk Parsons has been suspended as a teaching elder in the Presbyterian Church in America after a church commission found him guilty on several charges. Burk Parsons, senior pastor of St. Andrew’s Chapel and chief editorial officer and teaching fellow for Ligonier Ministries, has been found guilty by a church judicial commission on three charges and indefinitely suspended from his role as a teaching elder in the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kim Roberts, Jessica Eturralde, Adelle Banks, Clemente Lisi, and Brittany Smith. A special thanks to Religion UnPlugged for contributing material for this week’s podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.   MANUSCRIPT:    FIRST SEGMENT Warren: Hello everybody. I’m Warren Smith, coming to you from Charlotte, North Carolina. Natasha: And I’m Natasha Cowden, coming to you from Denver, Colorado, and we’d like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast. Warren: On today’s program, sexual abuse victim Cindy Clemishire has filed a civil lawsuit against Gateway Church and its founding pastor Robert Morris. She claims church leaders knew she was 12 years old when Morris began abusing her, and defamed her when they tried to cover it up. We’ll have details. And cuts to federal funding are sending some nonprofits into a tailspin…some see the cuts as an attack. Others see opportunity. We spoke with ministry experts who weigh in. Plus, Trinity Broadcasting is set to open a $134-million senior living facility in Orlando, Florida. Natasha: But first, the Burk Parsons has been suspended as a teaching elder in the Presbyterian Church in America after a church commission found him guilty on several charges. Warren: Burk Parsons, senior pastor of St. Andrew’s Chapel and chief editorial officer and teaching fellow for Ligonier Ministries, has been found guilty by a church judicial commission on three charges and indefinitely suspended from his role as a teaching elder in the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). At a public meeting on June 12, the judicial commission of the Central Florida Presbytery announced the decision. The defense told the commission it plans to appeal. Natasha: What was he convicted of? Warren: Specifically, Parsons was unanimously found guilty on three charges of “being harsh, ungentle, and unkind to those under his care or with whom he interacts”; “not being a humble servant leader but instead ‘lording it over others’ (i.e, autocratic) and being domineering, contentious, and quarrelsome/pugnacious in his leadership so that those in his care and in his ‘leadership orbit’ were intimidated, bullied, and/or afraid”; and “slandering and/or demeaning other servants and churches of our Lord.” He was found not guilty on two other charges, which were not specifically listed in the report. Natasha: According to the judicial commission’s report, Parsons’ trial was held between May 12 and 28 and included over 55 witnesses and 45 hours of proceedings. Warren: Parsons is indefinitely suspended from his duties as a teaching elder, including preaching, teaching, administering the sacraments, and participating in church courts. He is not suspended from receiving the sacraments. Natasha: Next, more news from the Dallas megachurch Gateway, and its former pastor Robert Morris, who resigned after admitting to having an inappropriate sexual relationship with an underage girl. Warren: That girl is Cindy Clemishire. Now, she and her father Jerry filed suit last week in Dallas County, Texas, against Gateway Church and its elders, plus founding pastor Robert Morris and his wife Deborah, for defamation, conspiracy, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Clemishire claims that when Morris declared he’d been “involved in inappropriate sexual behavior with a young lady” and claimed the Clemishire family had “graciously forgiven [him],” that he was making false and defamatory statements that had a tendency to harm or lower her reputation. Natasha: The lawsuit asserts that the Gateway defendants have benefited financially from Morris’s moral failures, having “made millions of dollars…preaching about sexual immorality and redemption all while concealing the true facts.” Warren: Much of the lawsuit surrounds allegations of when the Gateway leadership knew the specifics of Morris’s actions, including Clemishire’s age. She was 12 and Morris was 22 when the abuse began. Warren: In 2000, Morris founded Gateway Church. In 2005, Clemishire emailed Morris to confront him about his abuse. She said she received a response from then-elder Tom Lane. In it, Lane says that Morris “has been completely open with the Elders of Gateway Church about his past and specifically about his indiscretion with you.” In February 2007, Morris’s attorney Shelby Sharpe, who represented him in response to Clemishire’s communications, sent an email to Clemishire’s attorney that blamed Clemishire, at least in part, for the abuse. Natasha: These communications are important because they plainly show that church leaders knew of Morris’s behavior. Some of the elders of the church at that time are now claiming they did not know. Warren: Clemishire asserts that no later than 2011, the Gateway elders knew that she was a child when Morris began sexually abusing her. Clemishire’s lawsuit seeks damages for loss of her reputation, for mental anguish and psychological pain, and for exemplary damages because she claims the defendants acted with malice. MinistryWatch reached out to Gateway, but a spokesperson declined to comment. Natasha: Aside from her own case against Morris and Gateway, Clemishire also testified in favor of Trey’s Law—a bill that makes nondisclosure agreements unenforceable in child sexual abuse cases. Last week, Missouri signed that bill into law. Warren: Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe has signed a bill into law voiding nondisclosure agreements (NDAs) in child sexual abuse cases. Trey’s Law, so titled for Trey Carlock who died by suicide after suffering sexual abuse at the hands of Peter Newman at Kanakuk Kamps, makes NDAs signed after August 28, 2025, unenforceable in childhood sexual abuse claims, the Springfield News-Leader reported. The law was passed as an amendment to House Bill 737 in April. Natasha: Until now, Tennessee had been the only state to have passed a law — in 2018 — specifically prohibiting NDAs in civil child sexual abuse settlements, rendering them “void and unenforceable.” Warren: Senate Bill 835 by Sen. Angela Paxton also passed in Texas in late May and is awaiting the signature of Gov. Greg Abbott. It makes an NDA “void and unenforceable as against the public policy of the state” if it “prohibits a party from disclosing an act of sexual abuse or facts related to an act of sexual abuse to any other person.” Natasha: Next, authorities have cleared charges of sexual assault and indecent assault against a Texas pastor. Warren: Last July, MinistryWatch reported on the arrest of Rev. Ronnie Goines, lead pastor of Koinonia Christian Church, who turned himself in to authorities after police issued two warrants for his arrest. Investigators filed two criminal charges against Goines — one for indecent assault and another for sexual assault. According to WFAA News 8 and court records, a woman who joined Goines' church in 2022 accused him of making repeated unwanted advances during two encounters at his apartment in March 2023—allegations he denies, though a recording reportedly captures him apologizing for making her uncomfortable. Natasha: This March, a grand jury no-billed Goines on the sexual assault charge, concluding insufficient evidence to justify proceeding with a formal indictment, confirming that he will not go to trial in a sex assault case. Warren: According to Tarrant County court records, the prosecutor dismissed the misdemeanor indecent assault charge in April. However, although authorities have dropped all charges against Goines, he now faces a civil lawsuit. Natasha: Court records show the same woman who accused him of sexual assault filed a separate civil suit in Tarrant County in February. Warren: She is seeking $1 million in damages. Goines announced in October that he was returning to the church after the interim lead pastor said he was asked to resign. In a statement earlier this year, Koinonia said that the church supports Goines and believes the accusations against him are motivated by financial reasons. Natasha: Warren, let’s take a quick break. When we return, What foundations are doing in the face of Federal funding cuts. I’m Natasha Cowden, along with my co-host Warren Smith, and we’ll have that story and much more, after this short break.   BREAK   SECOND SEGMENT Natasha: Welcome back.  I’m Natasha Cowden, along with my co-host Warren Smith, and you’re listening to the MinistryWatch podcast. Next, the story we promised before the break. Warren: In the wake of federal funding cuts affecting nonprofits,...