Published on October 8, 2024, 12:27 am

Donors of Gateway Church in Southlake, Texas, have gone to court over allegations of misrepresentation, fraud, and breach of contract related to the administrative handling of tithes. The lawsuit, filed by members against the church and its top brass, including ex-Senior Pastor Robert Morris, alleges that church leadership reneged on their pledge to allocate 15 percent of all tithes towards global missions and Jewish ministry partners. These promises came with a supposed refund guarantee if the commitments were not fulfilled.

For many years, congregants were assured by church leaders like Robert Morris that a substantial portion (15%) of all tithe dollars would go towards global ministries via Gateway Global Ministries. This assurance was even documented in the Members’ Handbook handed out to new adherents. Despite these promises, donors allege that the church failed in following through with the tithe agreement.

With monthly financial statements reflecting increases alongside fund expenses such as salaries, administrative costs and approved gifts to other ministries being regularly received by the CPA involved, it is stated in the complaint that never did yearly Global Ministries fund disbursements exceed $3 million.

However intriguingly enough; when the CPA began working with Gateway Church at a time when its annual revenue was about $100 million this figure had ascended to approximately $120 million by 2014. Notwithstanding an approximated annual accumulation of $10 million in the unspent global fund balance depending on tithing amount and corresponding year. These findings pose stark contrary evidence to repeated congregational reassurances made during Global Impact Weekend meetings each year where leaders claimed that full pledged amounts were allocated towards missionary work.

Speaking on their side’s arrangement guaranteeing satisfaction on funds management; In case any congregation member expressed dissatisfaction after one year following acceptable usage concerns over tithes made: Morris had reportedly promised refunds – “I’ll give you your money back”, which turned out contrary with refund requests allegedly getting no response or eventual refusal.

The lawsuit further underscores that Gateway Church leadership did not only fail to adhere to promised fund use, but also showed an apparent lack of transparency and accountability by snubbing queries regarding the noticeable disparity between pledged allocation and actual disbursement. It is this frustration expressed by the discontent donors that finally led them to legal means of seeking justice.

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The complainants are calling for a trial by jury, in which they’re seeking monetary compensation rounding up to $1 million. The initiation of this case follows hot on the heels of the sexual abuse scandal surrounding Pastor Morris involving minor victims from the 1980s – an allegation he admitted albeit without divulging finer details about the minor’s age and degree of reported misconduct – creating an atmosphere of uncertainty in the larger Christian community.

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