.png)
After much change in leadership within the past few months, Gateway Church has a new pastor stepping up on Sunday mornings once again.
After the founder and former pastor of Gateway Church in Southlake, Texas, Robert Morris, confessed to sexually abusing a 12-year-old girl back in the 80s, he quit his job on June 18, 2024. Filling in the gap, Morris' son, James, took the pastoral position shortly after.
However, as of Thursday the elders of the church released a statement saying that James and his wife Brigette would be stepping down from the pulpit.
"Earlier this week, the (church) elders met with Pastors James and Bridgette and they collectively made the decision that Pastors James and Bridgette would both step down from their current positions and from leading Gateway Church in the future."
The elders continued on saying they sought counsel from many other pastors about the decision to fully cut ties with all the Morris's after the abuse was confessed to.
"We as elders affirm and believe that God has placed a desire in both Pastors James and Bridgette's hearts to serve as senior pastors of a church at some point in the future," said the elders in their statement. "We love Pastors James and Bridgette and their children. We deeply care about them and sincerely thank them for investing their lives here at Gateway Church. They have faithfully and honorably served our congregation and this community through all the years that they have been part of Gateway Church."
Lucado, author of roughly 100 Christian non-fiction and children's books, will take the role as teaching pastor at Gateway until the end of the year. He also serves as a teaching pastor at Oak Hills Church in San Antonia.
"My desire is simply this — love God's hurting people," says Lucado on social media. "I see this as an opportunity to do just that."
Lucado says he will preach at both locations in the fall.