Who is Cindy Clemishire? Robert Morris survivor speaks out as Gateway Church founder pleads guilty to child sex crimes

Former televangelist and pastor, Robert Morris, pleaded guilty to five felony counts of child sex abuse on Thursday, October 2, in an Oklahoma court.

The case against the Gateway Church founder stemmed from the severe allegations that Cindy Clemishire made publicly last year through a blog post on The Wartburg Watch. The woman accused Morris of abusing her during the ‘80s, when she was still a minor. The former founding pastor of a Texas megachurch faced indictment earlier this year in March. 

According to her Facebook profile, Cindy Clemishire hails from Hominy and currently resides in Edmond. She is a mother of three and has grandchildren through her eldest son. According to Homes.com, Cindy is also a real estate agent who has studied at the University of Central Oklahoma and John Brown University. 

Clemishire made it to the national headlines after she shared her childhood experience as a sex abuse victim in June 2024 with The Warburg Watch. According to a blog post, Robert Morris molested Cindy on Christmas 1982, when she was 12. Furthermore, the victim endured the abuse for four and a half years. 

Cindy Clemishire also addressed the case in a Facebook post in November last year and wrote: 

“Never lose hope….its been more than 41 years since I was sexually abused as a 12 year old little girl that continued for more than 4 years. The journey has included lots of heartache, confusion, codependency, counseling, acceptance, forgiveness, hope and prayers for healing, and sharing my story as I felt lead. Thank you to all who have supported me and my family all of these years.” 

After four decades, Robert Morris pleaded guilty, which Clemishire hailed as "justice” during a statement in the court.  

Cindy Clemishire speaks up after Robert Morris pleads guilty to five felony counts of child sex abuse

More than six months after the indictment of the founding pastor of Gateway Church, a verdict has been delivered. Morris pleaded guilty to the five counts of child sex abuse in a case based on Cindy Clemishire’s allegations. The victim also spoke after the former pastor and televangelist admitted to his crimes in an Oklahoma court. 

According to CBS News, Cindy Clemishire said in the courtroom: 

“I am no longer the silenced little girl you abused.” 

The plaintiff remarked (via CBS News): 

“Even if you never see the truth, the state of Oklahoma does and has finally done what should have been done decades ago — brought you to justice. For that I am deeply grateful.” 

She continued calling out Morris: 

“While you built a megachurch, authored books, and gained fame, I dropped out of college, endured divorces, and struggled with self-worth, battled depression, made countless poor decisions, and added more shame to my life.” 

Cindy accused the convicted sex offender of labeling his actions as “consensual” when she tried to speak up against him. She said (via CBS News): 

“Robert, the abuse itself was horrific. But when you and your church rewrote the story, you multiplied the harm.”

According to CBS News, Robert Morris stayed silent during the hearing, while his attorneys spoke on his behalf. The former pastor publicly apologized to Clemishire and her family for the first time through his lawyers in a statement.