Plaintiffs in a category motion lawsuit accusing Gateway Church in Southlake, Texas, of misallocating their tithes and failing to honor a money-back assure have eliminated former Govt World Pastor Kevin Grove as a defendant.
The lawsuit, filed in October 2024 by Gateway Church members Katherine Leach, Garry Ok. Leach, Mark Browder and Terri Browder, initially named embattled Gateway Church founder Robert Morris; former Govt Pastor Tom Lane, founding elder Steve Dulin; and Grove as defendants. Grove additionally served as a trustee of The King’s College.
On Feb. 26, the plaintiffs filed a movement asking the U.S. District Court docket for the Jap District of Texas to dismiss the case in opposition to Grove with out prejudice.
Get Our Newest Information for FREE
Subscribe to get every day/weekly e-mail with the highest tales (plus particular affords!) from The Christian Put up. Be the primary to know.
Final Friday, U.S. District Decide Amos L. Mazzant granted the movement to dismiss with out prejudice all pending claims in opposition to Grove, based on courtroom paperwork reviewed by The Christian Put up.
The lawsuit stems primarily from allegations that Gateway Church was not clear in regards to the ministry’s funds because it generated over $100 million in annual income in previous years.
On Dec. 16, 2024, attorneys for Grove filed a movement to dismiss the lawsuit in opposition to him, arguing, amongst different issues, that the courtroom lacked jurisdiction over the case.
“The Court lacks jurisdiction over Plaintiffs’ claims as the Complaint does not assert any federal claims, and Plaintiffs’ attempt to invoke jurisdiction under the Class Action Fairness Act does not meet the necessary prerequisites set forth by the Act,” Grove’s attorneys Michael D. Williams and Charles M. Kibler, Jr., of the legislation agency Brown Sims, P.C argued. “Plaintiffs’ claims are vague allegations that rely on alleged promises that Grove himself did not make. Further, the Court lacks jurisdiction to adjudicate the Plaintiffs’ claims under the ecclesiastical abstention doctrine. Thus, Plaintiffs’ claims against Kevin Grove must be dismissed.”
The opposite defendants within the case have raised comparable arguments. In response to motions to dismiss the case in January, attorneys for the church members argued that the First Modification’s ecclesiastical abstention doctrine doesn’t bar their claims for aid as argued by the defendants.
“The ecclesiastical abstention doctrine does not bar Plaintiffs’ claims against Defendant or the Church because the claims raise no issue as to theological doctrine, religious or moral teaching, or internal church governance,” they word.
“Rather, Plaintiffs take issue with misrepresentations by the Church and its elders in their solicitation of tithing funds, an issue for civil and secular analysis that happened to be committed by church officials. … The ecclesiastical abstention doctrine does not shield church pastors and leaders from committing fraud and other torts. Plaintiffs’ claims allow for the Court to distinguish between the religious teachings behind tithing and the Church’s fraudulent misrepresentations to induce donations from congregants.”
The church members conceded, nevertheless, that they didn’t enter right into a contract with Lane or Grove however would “continue to pursue this claim, in addition to the others, against Defendants Gateway Church and Robert Morris and will continue to pursue their fraud and conspiracy claims against Defendants Lane and Grove.”
Morris based Gateway Church in 2000 and resigned in June 2024 amid an allegation he sexually abused a baby for years within the Nineteen Eighties, starting when she was 12 years previous. On Wednesday, he was indicted on 5 counts of lewd or indecent acts with a baby by a multi-county grand jury in Oklahoma in connection to that case.
The megachurch founder beforehand introduced his money-back assure on tithes throughout a 2022 sermon at Willow Creek Neighborhood Church within the suburban Chicago space about “The Principle of First” to assist enhance falling revenues amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I don’t want to exaggerate, but I’m sure thousands and thousands of people, and I’m sure it’s multiplied, that have told me some way over the years through email, letters, whatever, ‘this changed my life,'” Morris mentioned, as seen in a YouTube clip from his message on tithing the primary 10% of 1’s revenue.
“When I started giving the first 10% to God, it changed everything. And here’s what I’d like to do. I’d like to just challenge you. I’ve done this with our church. I’ve told our church on multiple occasions, I’ve said to them, if you’ll try it for one year, if you are not fully satisfied, at the end of that year, I’ll give you your money back,” Morris mentioned. “With 22 years in the church, no one’s ever asked for their money back.”
Contact: [email protected] Comply with Leonardo Blair on Twitter: @leoblair Comply with Leonardo Blair on Fb: LeoBlairChristianPost
“Well bless their hearts.”
