Gateway Church exodus: Another leader out at Texas megachurch over 'moral issue'

A high-ranking member of a Texas megachurch has stepped down, making him the fourth leader to lose his position at Gateway Church in just two months.

The Dallas church asked for the resignation of executive pastor Kemtal Glasgow over an unspecified "moral issue" they learned about last week that "disqualifies him from serving," elder Tra Willbanks said Wednesday in a statement posted on the church's YouTube page.

"We love his family, we love his wife and his kids and we want to come alongside them during this difficult time and help them find restoration and healing that they need as a family," Willbanks said.

In June, Gateway senior pastor Robert Morris resigned after admitting to having "inappropriate sexual behavior with a young lady" 35 years ago. The "young lady" in question had been 12 and Morris was 21 and married.

Morris' son, James Morris, stepped down from his position in the church the next month. James Morris' wife, Bridgette Morris, also stepped down from her role as a pastor.

Glasgow's dismissal 'had nothing to with the departure of Robert Morris'

Glasgow's information is no longer visible on Gateway's website, but according to an archive biography page, he was head of leadership and oversight at all of the church's campuses.

In a statement to CBS News Texas, Gateway said that "it's our deepest desire for every staff member to lead a life of integrity, both in their personal and professional lives."

"It recently came to light that Kemtal Glasgow had a moral failure so we've asked him to step down as a pastor at Gateway and devote time to his marriage and family," the megachurch said. "Although his employment is ending, we are devoted to still caring for Kemtal and his family."

The church continued to say that "this decision regarding Kemtal had nothing to with the departure of Robert Morris nor related to those circumstances."

Pastor James Morris resigned in July

Glasgow's apparent firing comes nearly a month after Robert Morris' son, James Morris, resigned during a "temporary leave of absence" that Gateway advised him to take on June 28.

"Pastor James Morris is a man of integrity, and he has clearly stated that he had no knowledge of the true facts of this situation," the church wrote in a Facebook post ,referencing the allegations against his father. "However, because Pastor James Morris is related to Robert Morris, Haynes and Boone (law firm) has recommended that Pastor James also take a temporary leave of absence from the Board of Elders and Pastor James has volunteered to do so to demonstrate his commitment to a truly independent and unbiased inquiry."

What are the allegations against Robert Morris?

Robert Morris resigned in June, four days after 54-year-old Cindy Clemishire accused him of sexually abusing her when she was 12.

Clemishire first shared her story with the Wartburg Watch, a blog about sexual abuse within the church, and said Morris began sexually abusing her on Christmas in 1982. She said the abuse continued in Oklahoma and Texas until 1987.

She told USA TODAY that she has been sharing her story for decades with leadership in "very large and high-profile" churches and organizations, but no one removed Morris from ministry or the pulpit. She decided to come forward publicly to encourage other possible victims of Morris' alleged actions to tell their stories, she said.

"I've always just trusted that God's timing would take it wherever it needed to go," she said about Morris. "Why hide?"

In a statement at the time, Morris downplayed the allegations, saying "it was kissing and petting and not intercourse."

"It was wrong," he continued in the statement to local Dallas news station WFAA-TV. "This behavior happened on several occasions over the next few years ... Since that time, I have walked in purity and accountability in this area."