A Texas megachurch pastor has stepped down, after revelations of his “inappropriate and hurtful” actions.

Josiah Anthony is the latest in a string of pastors in the Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) area to have left, or been removed from their jobs, this year.

The married father of three “has been in a prolonged and sustained season of struggle with his emotional and mental health”, a church elder told the congregation of Cross Timbers Church, on Sunday.

John Chalk, the longest serving elder at the church which has buildings in Argyle and Denton, TX, acknowledged that it was “hard news” to share.

He added: “While Josiah has made mistakes, he is accepting the consequences of his actions and we are continuing to support his recovery and restoration…This is hard. But God is here and God is working in this.”

He urged church members to approach church staff if they have any concerns, questions or are hurting.

Anthony had served at Cross Timbers, which has a membership of around 5,000 people, for more than 10 years.

According to The Independent, there are at least six DFW pastors who have made headlines this year for “being removed over allegations of serious wrongdoing”.

Cross Timbers’ elders have not gone into detail about Anthony’s inappropriate and hurtful actions, but have appointed Bryon Copeland, the church’s executive pastor, as lead pastor as they seek a replacement pastor.

Copeland himself was caught up in the headlines last year after a former administrative assistant at Gateway Church accused him of ignoring her complaints about sexual harassment by another pastor.

Gateway Church is also the church of former pastor Robert Morris, who as Premier reported last month, stepped down when allegations came to the fore of his “inappropriate sexual behavior” with a 12-year-old girl in the 1980s.