The (Un)blessed tie that binds accused pedophile preachers: 'due process'
Megachurch (ex)ministers Robert Morris and Mike Bickle share a controversial tie; meanwhile, silence from the former Morris attorney is not due to the counselor's integrity
This is Part 2 of 2. Part 1 can be accessed below:
When news broke that former Pastor of Gateway Church, Robert Preston Morris, had been indicted by a multicounty grand jury in Oklahoma for five counts of lewd of indecent acts to a child, reactions were swift. Most, including the child, now in her 50s, Cindy Clemishire, whose devastating story rocked the gates of Gateway last summer, felt relief and a sense that at least a day in court might come. Far too many who are accused of heinous acts like these go off into the sunset like a cowboy who just won a battle in the old west. Thanks to an old Native American protection law—to keep cowboys accountable, Morris can’t even transcend the borders of the United States of America since his ensuing arrest warrant including the mandate to surrender his passport.
Morris and Mike Bickle, the founder of IHOPKC, have some parallel patterns—and connections, however. And it’s a safe bet that Bickle, who would never allow anyone to see his heart flutter, lest it reveal weakness, is probably a wee bit flustered seeing Bobbie Boy busted.
It’s also likely both are hoping for their due process.
Due Process, did you say that, Dr. Dénouement? Watch yo’ mouth!
Ah, but indeed, Dr. Dénouement, did say that! This is because the thread that binds our two former ministers of a gospel—though we aren’t sure they even believed the gospel they preached—is the subject of another controversy.
First, let’s take a step back to part of both men’s statements regarding their abuse and molestation allegations:
“I sadly admit that 20+ years ago, I sinned by engaging in inappropriate
behavior—my moral failures were real.(I am not admitting to the more intense sexual activities that some are suggesting). -Mike Bickle Dec. 12, 2023“When I was in my early twenties, I was involved in inappropriate sexual behavior with a young lady in a home where I was staying. It was kissing and petting and not intercourse, but it was wrong. This behavior happened on several occasions over the next few years.” -Robert Morris, Christian Post, June 2024
Seriously, folks. Someone coming upon these stories might think these two coordinated their statements or something. But in fact, it’s just the usual hyper-rhetorical jabber of excuse-making thieves who are caught with their hands in the till.
“…sinned by engaging in inappropriate behavior….” - Who said it worst?
Since the beginning of this saga, we have heard “Bicklebots” on social media demand “due process” for Bickle. And now that Morris has an arrest warrant and is expected to turn himself into authorities, he will actually be entitled to due process, but that term is the core of a whole lot of muddling going on. If ever a concept were misconstrued, if ever a phrase so misused, due process might top the charts.
Ironically, the author of the phrase as people apply it here is a common bond between Morris and Gateway, and IHOPKC, the Bickle investigation, and the disastrous assembling of the now-infamous Pastoral Recommendation Team (PRT): Dan Juster, a founder of Tikkun Global, who has emerged to many in the advocacy space as a polarizing figure who should step aside. .
The defective PRT report heads back to the shop for repair
Investigative guru, Judy L. Thomas from the Kansas City Star, reported this past week on the PRT’s upcoming “clarification.” Thomas notes that the recommendations drew “harsh criticism” from sex abuse survivors and former IHOPKC leaders and followers. Thomas reports on the most offensive portions—the statements that includes a path for a return to ministry for Bickle and the leaders at IHOPKC who were complicit in the cover-up. This is, of course, a criminal act if there is any knowledge of abuse or even a report of it. While the Firefly report incorrectly stated that there was not mandated reporting in “Kansas,” as this newsletter pointed out when the report was released:
Thomas also reports on former staffer, worship team member, and vocal advocate for survivors, Alyssa DeGraff asserting that PRT report is “not fixable.”
“Nobody trusts whatever panel put out that awful statement,” DeGraff posted Saturday on X. “Because nobody foresaw this process as a discussion around the restoration or healing of the people who abused them. We thought it was about victims and THEIR healing, and that exposure could be a part of that. “ … Every single part of this process has re-traumatized survivors.”
But fixable or not, the report went in for more maintenance.
However, to read the announcement explaining the situation sounds more like an “oopsie-whoopsie,” instead of the grand mal seizure survivors felt as Tikkun moved to redo it—or have the PRT redo it, or maybe not since they are not involved, except Juster. Juster is. But… Confused much?
To be clear, Tikkun takes some liberties with its operation of the investigation that cause concern to some. Several social media posts from advocates have criticized the way the reports are posted. Access required navigation through the organization’s pop-ups asking if they wanted to join a mailing list, and “advertising” type web page with fancy rolling video. When something is supposed to focus on a single unified goal, it should look independent—not dependent, not requiring people to navigate through what some called “a long ad” (it wasn’t an ad, but perception is 9/10ths and all that). This begs the question: Does Tikkun make money with every click on its page to access reports? Why is there not an independent site or neutral host set up—a free Google or Wix site for example, not flashy but functional. From the start it created optics that were off putting. This matters to many folks due to the core of the issues at hand.
When dealing with internal compromise, as we have with IHOPKC and Gateway, appearing circumspect becomes more crucial for everyone. Frankly, no one on either side (from the boards, to the elders, to the media folks) have done a remotely okay job of this. Return to DeGraff’s words again, and process why people may feel this way.
As Tikkun announced the removal of the PRT report for clarification, the post said:
Dear Tikkun Global Family:
Since the release of the Pastoral Recommendations Team (PRT) Report, we have received some excellent questions and feedback concerning its content. We believe that the issues are weighty enough to request the PRT to make some clarifications. They will have the freedom and authority to edit and clarify as they see fit.
In the meantime, we have decided to remove the PRT report from this forum.
The address to the “Tikkun Global Family” is an example of the language used that is more “church jargon,” serving to say that the audience is part of their family In fact, it would behoove every stakeholder to realize that a significant portion of the audience looking for objective information may not even be comfortable identifying as a believer anymore, let alone a Christian minority, such as a Messianic believer. IHOPKC was/is known for its insider speech, acronyms, and other special jargon. As minor as it may seem from the outside, forcing people to access needed resources by visiting a religious site that uses spiritual addresses as if the audience is the family, not the captives who need information, has turned people away.
Adding to the (non-antiphonal) choruses of frustration is another former IHOPKC staffer and worship team member, Susan Tuma, and her Substack post makes her voice loud and clear, and echoes those of myriad folks on X, Facebook, Instagram, and other socials which Dr. Dénouement is likely not hip enough to troll.
Tuma leaves no room for misunderstanding the issue with PRT-convener and Tikkun leader Dan Juster—author of Due Process—as she writes:
“While it’s purportedly a third-party panel, every part of its formation carries the fingerprints of Tikkun. Dan Juster—founder and director of Tikkun International—hand-selected both the pastors and mental health experts who made up the PRT. He also oversaw the process himself. On every level, the PRT’s recommendations function as an extension of Tikkun’s own values… Worse, Tikkun made explicit commitments to survivors—and broke every single one. They said it wouldn’t be based on Juster’s book, but then used “Due Process” to cast doubt on the Firefly Report.”
What might the mechanic ‘clarify’?
By now readers here have read the report if they so desired, and the word clarify seems odd to some because most of us did not struggle with understanding meaning. This gallery below has some highlighted passages (with some classic Dr. Dénouement “commentary,” included with strikeouts).
A side note to the gallery above: You’ll see the strikethrough on the word works under Life Model Works. While in part that’s an acknowledgement to the many posts criticizing books by E. James Wilder. I have had a few email conversations with Jim Wilder—a decade past—and I’ll be clear in saying he was quite kind to me, but I wrote him as the result of spiritual abuse and told him I was absolutely fed up with people twisting his book—Life Model Works. It did NOT work; it was used and abused, and it tossed the ones who needed it out in the street—in the dark of night on a pig farm, or in a church parking lot… This story is for another day, another post, another tale of Charismatic “deliverance,” and I recognize Wilder cannot be held responsible for what people do with his teachings, but the modern church eschews it, even when they pretend it works. And yep, that’s a broad generalization I try not to make. Mr. Wilder, should you see this, I remain thankful for your kindness toward me (though I wrote you under a pseudonym, but I still have your emails). I do still think the model is a dangerous recommendation—especially in this situation.
We didn’t need the report “clarified.” We got it. We were just disgusted, betrayed, and angry about it. Dr. Dénouement can only speak for herself here, but despite seeing years of connection between Bickle and most of the Tikkun leaders, she does believe they don’t support him now. Watching Asher Intrater and Dan Juster come through town often, it’s clear that they—and the rest of Tikkun Global—likely had to wrestle through a lot of pain.
But adding to the mix, is Juster’s book and philosophy which surrounds it; addressing this is like beating our heads against a wall. We could ask for due process—except that’s not what it means.
Juster’s process vs. due process
If you have not read his book by the same name, you can have a look at this article he has posted on his site. This piece was opined during the confirmation hearings for Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.
Kavanaugh had hurdles against him when his past sex assault allegations came forth—an issue that has not vanished, by the way. Here we read Juster’s take on due process, based on the politics he sees at play in the hearings, as also compared to an 11-year old child pushing a ruler under his bottom and worrying the “principle” [sic] would not believe his story so he would not get “justice”:
My Facebook followers are aware of my position on the hearings on Judge Kavanaugh. They know that I believe that the Democrats were involved in a campaign of personal destructing as part of a power grab. Justice, in my view, was not a motivation at all. Witness how Mrs. Ford was outed so the campaign of personal destruction could begin. During the campaign on the left we were told that the Judge should be judged on the basis of unproven accusations, and that even the lower standard of the preponderance of the evidence was not required since this was a job interview and not a court. When the Judge in anger noted that this was a partisan attack not based in seeking justice he was labeled too partisan! I noted that if Judge Kavanaugh was not approved, it would ruin his life. He has been dropped as a lecturer at Harvard, wondered if he could coach girls basketball, and would probably not be able to continue as an appellate judge. The only exoneration that would save his life was his approval. So the results would be as severe as any court conviction that would find someone guilty of the crime, not of rape, but of harassment and limited assault.
However, I want to speak on the idea that because this was not a court, due process and a standard of innocent until proven guilty, and at least a preponderance of the evidence standard was not required. The famous French Christian thinker, Jaques Ellul, argued that justice is something that we practice in our personal lives way before we are dealing with political issues, courts … I was 11 years old. A student sitting behind me was sliding a ruler under my bottom over and over. I turned around and told him to stop. He did not. He did it again and again and I repeatedly told him to stop. My teacher sent us both to the principle [sic] for disrupting the class. My mother was called and came to the office. Thankfully the principle [sic] listened and my story was credible. But for a season I knew unjust judgment. For many years as a national leader of the Messianic Jewish movement in America things were spread about me by other leaders with no due process, and such things if believed would have ruined my reputation. Many did believe them, but I had so many friends who know these claims were false, and they defended me valiantly.
My point is that due process is not just for courts, though it is a rule for that. Judging on the basis of due process and innocent until proven guilty is a standard for personal relationships, family, business life, school and really in every sphere of life. The standard comes form [sic] the Bible and its strong strictures [sic] on spreading reports against another without due process. Sometimes the innocent suffer when the preponderance of the evidence standard makes it look like they are guilty and they are not. They are convicted by the court despite being innocent. However, we have to do the best we can and judge on the basis of evidence, when parents settle disputes with children, teachers with students, supervisors at the work place, the elders in governing a congregation, and Senate committees!
Listen, sir, I get it. You’re 11—you’re a good kid. But come on! This is false equivalency. Further, a Supreme Court Justice nominee does have a say in whether or not he or she accepts the nomination. Kavanaugh opened himself to scrutiny—and frankly, a man accused of sexual assault who wonders if he can still coach girls’ basketball is asking the wrong question. Obviously, Justice Kavanaugh’s “life was saved” as Juster argues (honestly, you have got to be kidding me right now), but if one enters the justice system as a judge—literally a judge—that is something that comes with it. Public scrutiny is a part of the job when you get to interpret the United States Constitution. Full Stop.
Juster’s definition essay on due process—even as a child—is not appropriate. His interpretation of the Bible is allowed, and he is a leader who can express that within his own leadership context. But the fact is, it is a legal term; Juster is actually discussing equity and fairness. Every child is wrongly judged for a prank or goofing off. Every one of us is judged by our appearance or what we do or don’t do. The idea that I could go to work and think someone was harshly judging me and demand due process based on what I think should happen is bizarre. I do, however, concede that doesn’t make it right if it happens, but to liken false accusations of sex abuse, as he believes here to a kid playing a stupid (wrong but stupid) kid prank in elementary school. Nope.
DUE PROCESS- Cornell Law School
The Fifth and the Fourteenth Amendments of the U.S. Constitution guarantee due process to all citizens. The Amendments, also known as the Due Process Clauses, protect citizens when the government deprives them of life, liberty, or property, and limits the government’s arbitrary exercise of its powers. The U.S. Constitution requires two types of due process: procedural due process and substantive due process.
See, by applying the real definition and application of the term to a bratty kid behind you slapping a ruler under your butt—or even a Supreme Court Justice hearing, which is a job interview of the highest sort—it is a miscarriage of the legal ideal. Some legal authors say that the idea of due process is there to ensure we “avoid a police state.” Juster’s idea actually feeds into our modern entitlement mentality that we “deserve” something and we get to argue our side with everyone stopping to listen until we do.
There’s a reason parents tell kids: “Life is not fair, honey. So today you get the smaller cookie.”
Robert Morris, Mike Bickle, and Tikkun
It’s clear that Gateway Church and all its fancypants optics tanked like no one there had a background in marketing or took a class in PR. They make The Whippersnapper look like a PhD in PR and crisis management—but we will return to that in a minute as well.
Questions remain on several fronts, though.
If the PRT report is “clarifying", that speaks to making it easier to understand what was meant initially. Clarification is refining, not redoing. Will it be doubling down with different rhetoric?
Juster, spokesperson Ron Cantor, and others in Tikkun have condemned Bickle. Cantor, citing two decades of ministry, calls him “a monster who used a Christian ministry system as an ideal breeding ground for him to groom and sexually abuse women.” He distances himself from the PRT here, too, but is unclear on the association with Juster, who assembled it.
Tikkun also had (can we assume this is over? Have we been told? Honest question) a relationship with Morris, who, in fact, was a featured speaker at The Tikkun Global conference, and spoke on Sept. 11, 2023, less than a month before the Bickle allegations broke privately at IHOPKC.
Edit about one month after the original post, TIKKUN has made this video private, which is unsurprising, of course. I am not removing the link. It was live until some time after this post, and as I note below “The video posted above was accessed days after Morris was indicted. Morris will have due process—under the law.” The issue here and with many things in these various scandals is how organizations and people quietly remove links and hope people will not notice. We do.
Tikkun has a relationship with Gateway via The King’s University (TKU), a Bible college which moved from Van Nuys, CA to Southlake, TX, and emphasizes Messianic study and the “One New Man” teachings. This document covers that aspect.
“Subsequent to the conference, Rabbi Dan Juster became a key Tikkun/MJBI leader involved in the formation of the program.” (p.8, footnote 37)
“Well-known Messianic Jewish leaders—such as… Dan Juster, and Michael Brown—recommend TKU’s Messianic Jewish Studies program” (p.14)
The upshot of all of these connections is really one in the same: the advocacy community, the survivor community, the church community overall—whether Jew or gentile is irrelevant in this case—are all wanting clarity, not by revising a report so it looks less “oopsie-whoopsie.” What actions has Tikkun—Juster especially—taken with Morris and Gateway? The video posted above was accessed days after Morris was indicted. Morris will have due process—under the law. But as Cindy Clemishire watches the IHOPKC community have its time with an investigation and report recommendation, surely she and others want to know—similar to what Cantor asks above when he says “I’m hoping trusting the PRT will correct this error.”
We are hoping we can trust the convener of the PRT to also clarify what is being addressed regarding Morris. And as this two-parter closes, there’s a sort of footnote, too short for a post, too long for a real footnote.
And remember the old legal eagle Morris defense—J. Shelby Sharpe?
Come on! Say it with me now, and be sure it seeps out with a good Georgia accent, smooth as honey on a summer afternoon in the deep south: Jay. Sh-eh-lll-beee. Sshh-ahrppp.
You might best recall ol’ J. Shelby with this email:
Or perhaps you recall the absolutely lovingly tender ways in which he addressed Clemishire and her attorney when she sought therapy reimbursement. He blamed 12-year old Cindy:
“It was your client who initiated inappropriate behavior by coming into my client’s bedroom and getting in bed with him, which my client should not have allowed to happen.” -J. Shelby Sharpe, Feb. 6, 2007
Sharpe also achieved a bit of infamy for his defense of Southwestern Baptist Theological President Paige Patterson who was fired by unanimous vote in 2018:
“because the Southern Baptist leader lied in response to a question about reports that an alleged rape, occurring during his time as president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in 2003, went unreported to police… [a leader] also cited an e-mail related to a separate 2015 rape allegation at Southwestern Seminary quoting Patterson as saying he wanted to meet the accuser privately so he could “break her down.”
The former Morris attorney, Sharpe, said it was merely “an isolated statement” without “adequate context.” Of course he did.
Some have speculated about Morris and who his legal defense may be, noting he did not list any yet. Where, oh where, did J. Shelby go?
It turns out the dude has been seeking his own due process, but isn’t getting too far.
Sharpe’s slithering tactics and reverse accusations on the victims, including the vile comments he made to Clemishire appear to have backfired, if not directly. While unrelated to the Patterson case previously or to Morris’ case currently, one reason that Sharpe is not defending Morris is that he can’t.
J. Shelby Sharpe is currently suspended from practicing law in the Northern District of Texas. The summary below sums up this larger document here:
“The judge determined the attorney violated Texas’ rules of professional conduct when he made an undisclosed $100,000 loan to his clients. There are additional reasons to uphold the suspension, such as his involvement in a prohibited real estate transaction and his continuing to file legal motions while suspended. The attorney’s due process rights have not been violated, as he was given sufficient notice and opportunity to respond to the allegations. A court has jurisdiction to discipline attorneys for unethical conduct in cases within its control, and any harm to the attorney from being temporarily prevented from practicing in the Northern District of Texas is outweighed by the need to protect the judiciary and the public from attorney misconduct.”
Morris is expected to turn himself in on Monday, and it’s unlikely he’ll do so without and attorney.
Meanwhile, we wait for the PRT to clarify its report, and for Juster, perhaps, to speak to those who feel betrayed or traumatized, as those who have shared expressed.
And of course, everyone is waiting for due process.
If only life were fair that way.