North Texas' Gateway Church is facing serious allegations as a lawsuit asserts that a male member of its youth group sexually assaulted a 13-year-old girl. According to the lawsuit, detailed by MySA, the church failed to provide adequate supervision for its youth group, thus neglecting their duty which led to a series of assaults claimed to have occurred on The King’s University campus in Southlake, dating from December 2016 to February 2017. The lawsuit further alleges that Gabriel Snyder, the accused and at the time a 17-year-old member of the group, "used the biblical beliefs and teachings of [Gateway Church's] pastor and ministers" to manipulate the young girl into submission.
While Gateway Church has rebutted all accusations leveled against it, a recent filing presents a mere general denial without further expanding on their defensive stance. The lawsuit highlights the presence of multiple surveillance cameras at the site of the assault, raising concerns about the church's monitoring protocols and its response to the alleged crime. Notably, KERA News reports concerns that there could be additional victims who have yet to come forward. Following these allegations, Gateway Church announced the cancellation of its annual conference, coinciding with the resignation of its founding pastor, Robert Morris, who faces unrelated child sexual abuse charges.
This is not the first time Gateway Church has been embroiled in controversy involving sexual misconduct. In 2020, a lawsuit accused several church staff members of concealing sexual assault allegations against a minor. Although that lawsuit was settled back in May, it resurfaced in the wake of Morris' resignation. The internal investigations by the church's elders persist but have not, as of yet, produced charges or arrests for Morris. Both parties involved in these cases were minors at the time of the alleged incidents, leading to a cautious approach to public disclosures by the media entities involved.
KERA News reached out to the church for a statement and plans to update the public when additional information becomes available.
