Robert Morris’ son-in-law, Ethan Fisher, renames Gateway Church Houston in wake of scandal

By Leonardo Blair, Senior Reporter Monday, August 19, 2024

Further distancing himself from the Gateway Church brand in what he describes as a call from God, Ethan Fisher, senior pastor of Gateway Church Houston, who is also the son-in-law of embattled Gateway Church founder Robert Morris, announced Sunday that his church has been renamed Newlands Church following the child sex abuse allegations against his father-in-law.

“I believe that during this season, as a church, that God is once again calling us into something new, and I simply want to follow,” Fisher, the husband of Morris' daughter, Elaine, told his congregation as he directed them to watch a recorded announcement of the rebranding.

“We believe the Lord has given us a new name. This next chapter is about obedience and stepping out in faith to be who God has called us to be. In Scripture, when God changed a name He was speaking prophetically to who that person was to become. I believe today God is speaking to us to look forward to who we are to become. I am excited to announce that Gateway Houston is becoming Newlands Church,” Fisher revealed in the video. “I am full of hope and expectation that God has amazing things in store for you, your family, and our church, and I believe the best is yet to come.”

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Fisher’s announcement follows the revelation of allegations from 54-year-old Cindy Clemishire that Morris began sexually abusing her when she was 12, on Dec. 25, 1982, then continued with the abuse for four-and-a-half years after that. Morris resigned from Gateway Church on June 18.

Without naming Clemishire, Morris admitted to CP that he had engaged in "inappropriate sexual behavior with a young lady" while he was a pastor in his early 20s.

Elders at Gateway Church had initially told CP that Morris was transparent about his past and believed he had been biblically restored to ministry. However, after Clemishire's report was made public, they said Morris did not tell them the "young lady" was 12 years old at the time. 

Reacting to the scandal in late June, Fisher said he was left at "a loss for words" after the news broke.

"This past week, we have been obviously grieved and shocked over the child sexual abuse allegations that have been brought to light regarding Robert Morris," he told his congregation, which he said is not a campus of Gateway Church but an independent, autonomous operation. "For years, he has shared about a moral failure early on in his marriage. But prior to this past week, the leadership, including myself and even Elaine, for the leadership here at Gateway Church Houston, did not have all the facts regarding the allegations."

After Morris resigned from Gateway Church, Fisher said he was also removed as the apostolic and overseeing elder of Gateway Church Houston.

"Elaine and I, we're processing it, obviously, as family. Elaine is a daughter, and I've done my best to be there for her. Me, as a son-in-law, we're processing the pain in real-time in the same way I know many of you are," Fisher told his congregants.

On Sunday, Morris’ son-in-law explained that his “church is more than a name on a building.”

“It is full of people who are willing to say yes to God, to pray consistently, give generously and serve sacrificially, to see people everywhere know God, belong to family, discover purpose, and build the kingdom,” he said.

“In Hebrews 12, it tells us to fix our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfector of faith. A pioneer is one who sets the path for others to follow. As God's people, He is calling us to be not mere spectators but participators in this journey of faith. Every path we have walked has been following the voice of God as He builds His Church,” he added as he explained how God had been speaking to the congregational leaders for more than a year about “creating a distinct localized identity.”

“Over the next few months what you're going to see is, you'll see Gateway and kind of Newlands walking parallel, and by 2025 it will shift 100% to that,” Fisher noted.

“So you'll see signage at locations going up and you'll just see some changes as we navigate this. But really, I'm excited for the future and all that God is going to be doing.”