A legal challenge has been brought against Gateway Church, Texas, by four of its members accusing the church and its leaders, including founder Robert Morris, of failing to honour a "money-back guarantee" on tithes.
The lawsuit, filed by Katherine Leach, Garry K. Leach, Mark Browder, and Terri Browder, alleges a lack of financial transparency within the church, estimated to earn over $100 million annually.
Alongside Morris – who has since resigned over claims of sexual assault – the lawsuit names Tom Lane, Steve Dulin, and Kevin Grove among the defendants.
Gateway Church spokesperson Lawrence Swicegood said the church does not comment on ongoing legal matters but is taking the allegations seriously and conducting an internal investigation.
"Funds donated to our church are sacred," he said.
The plaintiffs argue that promises from church leaders to allocate 15% of collected tithes to its Global Ministries fund have not been met.
The suit also claims that the church received approximately $100 million, but only $3 million was given to Global Ministries.
The filing states the litigation is driven by a desire for transparency and biblical stewardship principles, rather than financial gain for the plaintiffs.
Notably, the lawsuit alleges that the church failed to uphold a purported tithing refund promise made by Morris and other church leaders, stating: “Robert Morris and Tom Lane promised on multiple occasions that if the congregation is not happy with the use of its money, it can get the money back.”
In a YouTube sermon video, Robert Morris says: “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 said. "With 22 years in the church, no one's ever asked for their money back."
The plaintiffs are seeking a jury trial and are aiming for a monetary payment of $1 million alongside compensation for legal fees. They assert that Morris' promise constituted a contractual obligation under Texas law - a promise they claim was not fulfilled by Gateway Church despite repeated requests from members seeking refunds.