North Texas churches have seen a string of high-profile departures in recent weeks amid claims of “moral failures,” “immoral” behavior, and in some cases, sexual abuse.
At least 14 North Texas pastors from mostly megachurches have resigned or been fired since May.
Four have been arrested on charges related to sex offenses and another is under a criminal investigation for similar allegations. Claims against other pastors are vague.
Michelle Simpson Tuegel, a Dallas-based victims’ rights attorney, said what’s happening in North Texas is kind of a “domino effect.”
“It often starts with the voice of one courageous survivor who comes forward…and it communicates to other survivors within that institution and often others, that they're not alone,” she said.
And, she said, more may speak out.
Tuegel said there can be blatant signs that abuse is occurring, but it’s often ignored or covered up. She said in institutions like megachurches where profits can be at stake, there’s an incentive not to be seen in a negative light.
“That doesn't mean that there's more abuse or less, but I think it allows it to thrive in the secrecy that sometimes pervades those institutions,” she said. “Just because of the sheer number of people and the profit and money involved and a lot going on in these churches, it's easier for an abuser to continue and hurt more people in a megachurch.”
Pete Singer, executive director of Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment (GRACE), said it’s important a church is transparent with its members when a person has abused or harmed an individual.
“[Churches] need to give some details because saying that just that a person resigned, not giving any other details, doesn't give other people who may have been harmed notice that it's OK to come forward,” Singer said.
When it comes down to it, he said, protecting the organization means that they aren’t focusing on the harm that has been caused to the victim or survivor.
“People who abuse put a lot of effort into being the kind of person that would make you say they'd never do that,” Singer said.
Here are the North Texas pastors under scrutiny:
Robert Morris, Gateway Church — Southlake
In late June, pastor and founder of Gateway Church Robert Morris admitted to “sexual inappropriate behavior” after Cindy Clemshire accused him of sexually abusing her when she was 12 years old. Clemshire said the abuse started in 1982 and continued for nearly five years.
Morris resigned on June 18 as head of the megachurch.
Since then, Morris’s wife and son resigned from their church positions and three church elders took a leave of absence.
Founding elder Steve Dulin has also parted ways with the church. Executive director Lawrence Swicegood told the Fort Worth Report church elders met with Dulin last week.
“Out of that meeting, the Elders have decided to go in a different direction regarding Steve’s position as both an Elder and a staff member,” Swicegood said. “Steve is no longer serving as a Gateway Elder and a pastor leading Gateway Kingdom Business Leaders.”
A four month internal investigation found multiple church staff and elders know about the alleged abuse for years and failed to report it. It's unclear how many knew but four elders were removed from the church's website following the investigation's report.
Morris hasn’t been charged but faced more backlash after it was revealed his lawyers blamed his accuser in letters obtained by WFAA.
Additionally, a lawsuit in which at least five church staff members were accused of covering up allegations of sexual assault of a minor resurfaced amid Morris’s resignation. The child’s mother filed the lawsuit in 2020, and it was settled in May.
Gateway did not respond to KERA’s request for a comment.
Josiah Anthony, Cross Timbers Church — Argyle
Cross Timbers Church’s lead pastor Josiah Anthony resigned in late July.
Speaking to congregants last Sunday, church elder John Chalk said the board had become aware of “events and circumstances” with Anthony that occurred over the past few years. The church asked him to resign, citing "hurtful and inappropriate actions.”
Cross Timbers officials told WFAA Anthony’s actions "do not include any children, physical or sexual interactions or any illegal activity to our knowledge."
In an email sent to members on Thursday, church elders revealed two women had made reports to the church about “inappropriate communication” with Anthony.
The email said one of those incidents was “not sexual but excessively personal” and “inappropriate for a pastor.”
After Anthony’s resignation, another woman came forward and said he made comments through text message and social media that were “sexual in nature,” according to the email.
“Because the power dynamic of these interactions were never equal, we do not consider these to be consensual,” church elders said.
Church founder Toby Slough will serve as interim pastor during a search for a new leader.
Executive pastor Byron Copeland was originally announced to serve as interim pastor.
He previously worked for Gateway Church in Southlake for 20 years, where he was named in a lawsuit for civil rights violations after “aggressively confronting” a female employee.
“Pastor Copeland backed [her] into a corner of the room they were in and threatened to fire her if she didn’t shut up and stop stirring up drama,” the lawsuit stated.
Cross Timbers did not respond to KERA’s request for a comment.
Luke Cunningham, Lakeside Baptist Church — Granbury
Lakeside Baptist issued a statement in early June that it had suspended youth pastor Luke Cunningham after learning of allegations of sexual assault against a minor at a church where he had previously served.
Turning Point Community Church in Lubbock told WFAA 41-year-old Cunningham was the student pastor from 2016 to 2020, but never heard any complaints or allegations before or during his time there.
He was fired from Lakeside Baptist after the church gathered more evidence against him a few days later.
Cunningham was arrested on June 19 and charged with sexual assault of a child, aggravated sexual assault of a child, and a second count of indecency with a child by sexual contact, according to jail records. The crimes were committed between 2016 and 2018.
In the past, Cunningham also served at North Fort Worth Baptist Church and the now-closed Agape Baptist Church.
“We believe that when we find a wolf among the sheep, including another who may be called ‘pastor,’ then the true pastors must step forward and bring about discipline,” Lakeside Baptist senior pastor Mark Forrest said in an email to KERA. “We have done so, and we encourage all other true pastors to act with integrity toward God and the church, protecting the members and the little ones among us from harm.”
Ronnie Goines, Koinonia Church — Arlington
Lead pastor Ronald Goines was arrested July 25 on one count of indecent assault and one count of sexual assault.
Allegations against Goines, 51, were made in early June by an unidentified woman, and he turned himself in to Tarrant County Jail after Arlington Police Department’s Sex Crimes Unit obtained two arrest warrants.
In August, the church announced a new lead pastor to serve in Goines’ place.
“Recognizing the unique challenges that our founding pastor is facing presently, we want his full attention to be focused on becoming healed, whole, and fully restored,” church leaders said in a news release.
Goines returned as lead pastor in October and told KERA he voluntarily chose to step down.
“I was never fired, I never stepped down from my position as pastor,” Goines said.
Goines also denied the charges he’s facing.
“That’s just something that I did not do,” he said. “Not guilty, [I am] innocent.”
Goines is a well-known figure in the community. He was a part of Arlington’s Unity Council and formally a member of APD’s Arlington Clergy and Police Partnership program.
Tony Cammarota, Stonebriar Community Church — Frisco
Tony Cammarota, an associate pastor at Stonebriar Community Church in Frisco for 17 years, was fired after confessing to a “moral failure” to church leaders last month.
The church sent congregants an email announcing his removal, but asked members to “please guard against giving the Devil any foothold for more damage to our church through unnecessary speech and speculation.”
Stonebriar did not respond to KERA’s request for a comment.
Tony Evans, Oak Cliff Bible Fellow Church — Dallas
Tony Evans, senior pastor of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship Church, announced in a statement to the church. his departure on June 9 due to an undisclosed “sin." He had been at the church for almost 50 years.
“While I have committed no crime, I did not use righteous judgment in my actions,” Evans told the church. “In light of this, I am stepping away from my pastoral duties and am submitting to a healing and restoration process established by the elders.”
Oak Cliff did not respond to KERA’s request for a comment.
Terren Dames, North Dallas Community Bible Fellowship – Plano
Senior pastor Terren Dames was arrested in May for solicitation of prostitution, according to Collin County jail records.
Plano Police said on May 2, Dames called an undercover officer offering $150 for sex. After arriving at the motel address the officer sent Dames, police recorded him at the scene.
He was indicted on the charge in June.
In a news release Wednesday, executive pastor David Lawson said Dames was removed from his position when the incident first occurred. Lawson called his actions a “moral failure.”
Kemtal Glasgow, Gateway Church - Southlake
Kemtal Glasgow, who served as an executive pastor at the Southlake campus, was fired in August after a “moral issue,” church elder Tra Willbanks said in a video.
Willbanks said Glasgow was removed from his position Aug. 19.
“We were informed last week of a moral issue which we believe as elders disqualify him from serving in the role he had at Gateway,” Willbanks said.
The church didn’t offer further details and did not respond to KERA’s request for comment.
Scott Crenshaw, Lake Country Church – Saginaw
Scott Crenshaw, senior pastor at Lake Country Church in Saginaw north of Fort Worth, was fired in September after church elders claimed Crenshaw was looking at inappropriate images online, his lawyer Mark Lane told the Dallas Morning News.
“He has been discharged because of extreme false rumors and false information that was given to the elders of this church, who did not engage in any investigation at all,” Lane told the paper.
He has since been removed from the church’s staff page.
This isn’t the first time Crenshaw's faced these kinds of allegations. In 2016, he was removed from his position at New River Fellowship Church after “viewing inappropriate images” on his work computer.
Lake Country Church declined to comment to KERA.
Steve Lawson, Trinity Bible Church – Rockwall
Lead preacher Steve Lawson was removed from his position in September after church elders discovered an “inappropriate relationship” with a woman, according to the church’s website.
The post says he’s been removed from all ministry activities at the church, “effective immediately.”
“Several days ago, the elders at Trinity Bible Church of Dallas were informed by Steve Lawson of an inappropriate relationship that he has had with a woman,” the announcement says. “The elders have met with Steve and will continue to come alongside him and pray for him with the ultimate goal of his personal repentance. Steve will no longer be compensated by Trinity Bible Church of Dallas.”
No further details were given, and the church declined to comment to KERA.
Craig Stone, Willowwood Church of the Nazarene -- Denton
Craig Stone, youth director of Willwwwood Church was arrested on Sept. 26 and charged with indecency with a child and possession of child pornography, according to a Denton Police Department news release.
A parent and child reported to Denton police on Aug. 28 that Stone was engaging in inappropriate behavior with teenagers, according to police.
In interviews with detectives in September, police said additional teens told detectives about possible sexual images of children on Stone’s computer.
A teenage boy also alleged that Stone inappropriately touched him.
Stone, 63, allegedly admitted to touching the teenage boy and to possessing nude images of a second teenage boy.
KERA attempted to reach out to the church but the phone line was disconnected.
Marvin Scales - Waxahachie
Marvin Scales pleaded guilty in September to sexually assaulting four minors, according to the Ellis County District Attorney.
Scales, 53, faced charges of continuous sexual abuse of a young child, aggravated sexual assault of a child and sexual assault of a child, according to the DA.
He was also accused of impregnating a 14-year-old girl. A warrant was obtained for the baby’s DNA, and it was confirmed that Scales was the biological father, according to the DA.
Authorities did not release the name or location of the church where Scales worked as a youth pastor to “protect their confidentiality,” District Attorney Ann Montgomery told WFAA.
In August 2023, Waxahachie police were notified of a 14-year-old girl in labor at a Waxahachie hospital, the DA said. Hospital staff reportedly told law enforcement Scales was “overly involved” in the delivery process.
More victims came forward after the church found out about the pregnancy, leading to an active investigation of Scales, the DA said. Police used Scales’ security system as evidence, and the DA said several of the assaults were recorded.
Scales has been a registered sex offender in Texas since 2006 after facing three aggravated sexual assault of a child charges and an indecency with a child charge between 1992 and 1997, according to court records.
David Scarberry, Revival City Church -- McKinney
Police arrested David Scarberry, an evangelistic outreach leader at Revival City Church in McKinney, in October on a charge related to violence against a family member or close partner more than once within a 12-month period. It’s not clear who the alleged victim was in relation to Scarberry.
In the past, Scarberry, 53, was the subject of a domestic abuse protective order filed by his ex-wife and has a criminal record in Oklahoma that includes convictions on drug and weapon charges, public records show.
Court records showed in 1994 Scarberry was arrested in Payne County, Oklahoma for assault and battery. His ex-wife filed the protective order that same day.
Oklahoma Department of Correction records and court records show that Scarberry spent five years in an Oklahoma prison after he was found guilty of using an offensive weapon in a felony and for two additional drug felonies in 2002.
In a phone call with KERA, Scarberry declined to comment on the Collin County charges except to say they were a “misunderstanding” and “false accusations.”
“You can definitely say I am not guilty, because I’m not,” Scarberry said.
Revival City Church did not respond to KERA’s request for comment.
Arturo Alarcon, 121 Community Church – Grapevine
Arturo Alarcon was arrested Dec. 5 for possession of child pornography and invasive visual recordings, according to court records.
Alarcon, 38, served at 121 Community Church and was a substitute teacher for Grapevine-Colleyville ISD, according to Grapevine police.
A couple in November discovered spy cameras disguised as alarm clocks and wall plugs inside a mobile home the church used for missionaries, according to an arrest warrant provided by the Grapevine Municipal Court.
An affidavit says associate pastor Elvis Gallegos reported Alarcon, who oversaw the trailer, to police.
Police said they found child pornography on Alarcon's phone, unrelated to the initial report.
The affidavit said police also found a screenshot of Alarcon's son by a spy camera in his bedroom and told police he hid the existence of the camera from his wife.
GCISD told family and staff the district is working with police to determine if any evidence reveals any connection to the school district.
Penelope Rivera is KERA’s news intern. Got a tip? Email Penelope at privera@kera.org.
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