Leaked Video Reveals Gateway Church Tithes Down 35%-40% After Robert Morris Scandal+ Layoffs Loom
In a video intended for church staff but quickly leaked to social media, Kenneth Fambro, one of Gateway Church’s three remaining elders, revealed that giving has decreased between 35% and 40%, resulting in imminent staff reductions and layoffs.
Speaking to staff members four months after news broke that head pastor and founder Robert Morris sexually molested a 12-year-old girl when he was in his twenties, resulting in him being permanently separated from Gateway, along with several elders who knew about the situation and did nothing, Fambro began by “acknowledge(ing) all of the time that you guys have put in and all the sacrifice that you guys have done” before sharing:
(I) wanted to come to you personally, just really to give you an update on where we are from a financial standpoint here at Gateway. We have in fact seen our tithes reduced between 35 and 40 percent. As a result, we really need to go and start looking at the ministry itself and looking into some staff reductions.
…If your department is dissolved or reduced, you will receive the same severance package as those who took the voluntary severance. That is: one month for every year of service up to four months. We really want to take care of our staff through this process. I know that this is a very difficult thing as I’ve mentioned before, but we want to come alongside you and really help you through this transition and through this process.
I also do want to acknowledge that things in terms of staff reductions were not handled well in the past, and for that I apologize. We really are trying to look at leadership differently and express leadership differently in doing so. My heart goes out to everyone who’s processing this right now, but know that we want what God wants. We want you to be exactly where God wants, and whether that’s in your career or whether you attend a church, like we want the best for you.
As you process this, please go to your manager and discuss the details. And understand that as elders, we’re here as well. We love you and we thank you for your service.
We previously reported that Gateway Church, which was once considered the largest church in America with over 100,000 attendees, has seen an attendance drop of nearly 50% as a result of the scandals they’ve been embroiled in.
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