Full disclosure: I have faced accusations of moral inappropriateness in my life as an Army chaplain. I also resigned from ministry because my wife left me. And I faced a probationary period my last semester at a Christian College because of inappropriate sexual behavior with my then-fiancee’. I am no stranger to this situation.

What is happening in Dallas / Fort Worth at Gateway Church is terrible.

Here are the facts as reported in the media:

Robert Morris, the now-former pastor Gateway Church, had sexual contact with a 12-year old girl. Not sure how old Morris was at the time, but I’m guessing he was in his 20’s and married. He was very open about this situation and went through a process of reconciliation and forgiveness with the girl’s family. Throughout his ministry, he was open about this situation except the age of the child.

He apparently did not discuss this latter detail with the leadership team when he planted Gateway Church in the year 2000. Now, almost 40 years later, the woman is going public and making this an issue. She claims it was “abuse”, and instead of going to Morris to confront him, she went to a “whistle blower” to make a media issue out of this situation.

Here are my thoughts in the midst of these reports:

1. What Morris did with a 12-year old girl was immoral, inappropriate, stupid, and illegal. He was the adult in this relationship and bears the full consequences. All people of goodwill can agree that this was repugnant and SINFUL.

2. The parents had the right to prosecute Morris in 1987 but chose not to do it. I don’t know if there is a statute of limitations involved here, but there may be legal issues involved.

3. Pastors are moral leaders. Situations like this are complex because a young pastor made a serious moral error, but did everything correct in response. I believe raising this issue 40 years later is questionable.

4. Morris made the decision to resign his position today, which was the correct move. The people in his congregation have suffered too much for him to continue in ministry with them.

5. After a period of recovery, I believe Morris can and should take up ministry again…whether he should pastor a church is a matter between him, a congregation, and those to whom he is accountable.

6. I am OUTRAGED at how the media is silent about this woman coming forward 40 years later. This smells putrid to me. I believe the same sort of thing happened to Bill Hybels – with the difference that he still emphatically denies any sexual behavior occurred with his accuser.

7. Finally, the #MeToo movement looks more and more like a means to destroy people instead of healing victims. Make no mistake: inappropriate sexuality has no place in our society and definitely the church. But these revenge situations four decades later – especially in a case where the accused dealt honorably with his sin – is both wrong and immoral.