The Cost of Betrayal
I talk a lot about accountability, leadership, and the responsibility that comes with influence. It doesn’t matter if you’re a CEO, an elected official, a teacher, or, yes, a pastor — when you stand in front of people and claim to guide them, you have an obligation to uphold the trust they place in you. So, when I read about the latest wave of scandals involving Texas megachurch pastors, I wasn’t surprised — but I was angry. Because here’s the thing: These are not just personal failures. They are betrayals of faith, of community, of people who came looking for guidance and got exploitation instead.
The latest controversy centers around Robert Morris, former pastor of Gateway Church, one of the largest megachurches in the country. He resigned after admitting to sexually abusing a 12-year-old girl back in the ’80s. Let that sink in. A man who built an empire on God’s word harbored this secret for decades while preaching about righteousness. And now, in a move straight from the “How to Handle Scandals” playbook, the church leadership is scrambling. Some elders were removed for allegedly covering things up, and Gateway is facing a class-action lawsuit over financial mismanagement. Because, of course, when deception starts, it rarely stops at one sin.
But it’s not just Gateway. Oaks Church in Red Oak had to fire two pastors after their names surfaced in a criminal investigation involving minors. Cross Timbers Church in Argyle saw its lead pastor resign for “hurtful and inappropriate” behavior. Fellowship Church has been under scrutiny for financial excess for years. I wish I could say these were isolated incidents, but we’ve seen it time and again — power unchecked leads to corruption. And when the pulpit becomes a stage for manipulation instead of ministry, people suffer.
What breaks my heart the most isn’t just that these so-called leaders failed. It’s the people left in the wreckage. What happens to the young woman who trusted her pastor, only to have that trust shattered? What about the congregation members who gave their hard-earned money to a church that turned out to be a business with a tax-free status? What about the believers who feel foolish forever thinking they were in a safe space? This is why people walk away from faith. It’s why they grow cynical, why they stop believing in community, why they turn their backs on institutions that should be offering them guidance. And I can’t blame them.
If a CEO mismanages funds, they’re fired. If a teacher abuses a student, they’re arrested. But for some reason, when it comes to churches, we see scandal after scandal, and the worst many of these leaders face is a resignation statement full of empty platitudes. That’s not accountability. That’s damage control. The real work of faith isn’t about building multimillion-dollar campuses, flying on private jets, or living in gated mansions. It’s about service. It’s about integrity. It’s about making sure the most vulnerable are protected, not exploited. And if a church isn’t doing that, then it’s not a church. It’s a business, a brand, a tax shelter — but not a house of God.
To the people sitting in these pews, listening to these sermons, donating their time and money: You have every right to demand better. You have every right to ask where your money is going. You have every right to question leadership. Faith isn’t blind. It’s not supposed to be. And trust is earned, not given just because someone wears a title. Because when a leader falls, it’s not just their reputation that takes a hit. It’s the faith of the people who believe in them. And that is a weight no leader should take lightly.
Scandal doesn’t just shake faith in individual pastors — it calls into question the entire system that allows power to go unchecked. Now, even T.D. Jakes’ name is swirling in controversy, tied not to direct accusations but to his alleged relationship with embattled music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs. A recent lawsuit states that Christian music producer Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones has “irrefutable evidence” that Combs detailed how he planned to leverage his relationship with Jakes to soften the blow of the Cassie Ventura lawsuit, which accused Combs of years of abuse. While Jakes is not named as a defendant in the lawsuit, his association with Combs is now under scrutiny.
This controversy isn’t just a matter of social media gossip. In December 2023, unverified reports accused Jakes of participating in sex parties hosted by Combs. He denied these claims during a Christmas Eve service at The Potter’s House. However, the story has resurfaced after federal agents raided Combs’ homes in California and Florida as part of a sex trafficking investigation. Jones’ 98-page lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, alleges a disturbing pattern of sexual harassment, drug use, and threats while he worked for Combs from 2022 to 2023. The lawsuit also states that Jakes was mentioned as someone who could be used to restore Combs’ public image.
This is where things get murky. Even if Jakes had no direct involvement in the crimes alleged against Combs, his name being used in the same breath as damage control for a man under federal investigation raises serious questions. What was his role, if any? Why would Combs see Jakes as a potential shield against bad press? And why is it that when controversy arises in these circles, there always seems to be a well-oiled machine designed to protect the powerful while leaving victims to fend for themselves? Faith leaders are supposed to be just that — leaders. Not public relations strategists. Not power brokers. Not men whose names appear in lawsuits as potential fixers for billionaires accused of heinous crimes.
At some point, we have to ask ourselves: How many more scandals will it take before people demand real accountability from their religious leaders? How many more victims have to suffer before churches stop protecting their own image at the expense of the truth? How many more lawsuits, resignations, and revelations do we need before people realize that faith is not the problem — the institutions built around it are? I’m tired of seeing people defend the indefensible. I’m tired of watching men in power issue half-hearted apologies while the people they hurt are left picking up the pieces. I’m tired of seeing faith used as a shield for corruption, manipulation, and outright evil.
If you claim to lead in God’s name, then lead with integrity. Lead with honesty. Lead with the understanding that you will be held accountable, not just by the law, but by the people who put their faith in you. Because when faith leaders fall, they don’t fall alone. They take entire communities down with them. And that is a betrayal no church, no pastor, no so-called man of God should ever be allowed to get away with.
