Executive pastor resigns from Cross Timbers Church weeks after Josiah Anthony stepped down
Byron Copeland, the executive pastor at Cross Timbers Church in North Texas, has resigned less than a month after lead pastor Josiah Anthony stepped down amid allegations of inappropriate behavior that was sexual in nature.
Copeland was appointed as the interim lead pastor in late July following Anthony's resignation. He served as the executive pastor at Cross Timbers beginning in November 2023 after serving over 19 years as the executive pastor at Gateway Church in Southlake, which has faced its own leadership crisis after sexual abuse allegations against founding pastor Robert Morris led to his resignation earlier this year.
In a letter to the Cross Timbers community this week, Copeland offered his resignation to pursue a "fresh season of life."
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"I have felt the heavy weight of our recent hurt at Cross Timbers Church. But, I am thankful that this is a place of healing and hope," Copeland said in the message.
"Though this period has been exceptionally challenging, walking through this with the staff has enriched my life," Copeland added. "I have met so many incredible people who have inspired my faith. But I sense that God is calling me to a fresh season of life. So, it is with a thankful heart that I have decided to resign from my position."
The church's founding pastor, Toby Slough, has been called back as interim lead pastor.
"Especially with Toby Slough's willingness to return to steady the ship, I am as confident and optimistic about the future of this church as I've ever been," Copeland wrote in his message to the congregation.
"As I transition, I am very confident for you as a congregation. I continue to be impressed by the character and sincerity of the Cross Timbers Elders and Staff. You are in great hands, and I believe your best days are ahead. We wish nothing but goodness and blessings for Cross Timbers Church."
After the church announced Anthony's resignation in July, it was later revealed that he sent "inappropriate comments made in text messages and through social media that were sexual in nature." The church previously announced he engaged in "inappropriate and hurtful" actions that weren't sexual but clarified that Anthony was not "forthcoming or transparent" and engaged in a pattern of inappropriate communications with women.
Anthony has been a part of the ministry since 2011 and served in various capacities at Cross Timbers, including as a student minister and campus pastor.
The church initially became aware of the issues just before Anthony went on his annual sabbatical when elders received a report of inappropriate communication with a female former church member.
Further investigations revealed another communication with a former staffer that, while not sexual, was deemed "excessively personal and overly familiar," leading to his resignation.
John Chalk, the most senior member of the church's elder board, said at the time that Anthony's struggle with his emotional and mental health had occurred over a "prolonged" period that resulted in "events and circumstances" over a number of years which they only learned about in the past month.
Chalk, addressing the congregation, said that Anthony was not transparent with his struggles, ultimately leading to his inability to continue serving as lead pastor.
"Once all of this came to light over the last few weeks, it became evident that Josiah could not continue to serve as our lead pastor," Chalk stated.
A few days later, elders said they discovered Anthony engaged in behavior that was sexual in nature and were bracing for more allegations to come.
"After announcing Josiah's resignation to our congregation, we then learned about additional inappropriate comments he made in text messages and through social media that were sexual in nature," the elders said in a message to congregants published by survivor advocate Amy Smith.
"We want to be very clear; we do not consider any of these instances to be emotional affairs. Because the power dynamic of these interactions were never equal, we do not consider these to be consensual. This behavior will not be tolerated at our church."
Copeland's past is also not without controversy.
In 2023, he was named in a lawsuit against Gateway Church alleging civil rights violations, where he allegedly "backed [the plaintiff] 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." Court documents state that Copeland later apologized to the employee on Slack that day.
