Texas megachurch reveals why lead pastor was forced to resign

[Pelican Press 0]

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Texas megachurch reveals why lead pastor was forced to resign

A Texas megachurch has revealed that its pastor was forced to step down over “excessively personal” and sometimes “*******” communications with women.

The elders of Cross Timbers ******* in the Dallas-Fort Worth area said last week that

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over the past few years. The ******* declined to go into details, saying only that he had behaved in “inappropriate and hurtful” ways to “current and former members of the Cross Timbers family and staff.”

But in an email to congregants on Thursday,

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, the elders clarified that Anthony had stepped down over “a concerning pattern of behavior communicating inappropriately with women”, which was sometimes “******* in nature.”

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Pastor Josiah Anthony and wife Alex. Josiah Anthony was rorced to resign after “*******” communication with women. (Cross Timbers *******)

“We should have communicated more clearly and directly with you,” said ******* elder John Chalk, according to WFAA. “Our lack of clarity led to a lot of assumptions about the situation, and in trying not to cause unnecessary harm, we inadvertently did.”

It is the latest in a string of sudden resignations by high-profile *********** ******* leaders in north Texas for alleged personal violations.

In June, Dallas pastor Robert Morris stepped down after a woman accused him of molesting her when she was 12 years old, followed in July by

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.

A pastor at Stonbriar Community ******* in nearby Frisco

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after 17 years due to an unspecified “moral ********,” while a former pastor at the North Dallas Community ****** Fellowship in Plano

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.

At Cross Timbers, which

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, Josiah Anthony resigned after elders received a report of “inappropriate communication” with a female former ******* member.

When they investigated, they learned of another communication with a former ******* worker that, although not *******, was deemed “excessively personal and overly familiar.”

At the time,

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that Anthony’s known actions did not involve “any children,” any “physical or ******* interactions” or “any ******** activity.” But after the resignation, elders discovered other messages that were indeed ******* in nature.

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When ******* officials investigated, they learned of communication with a former ******* worker that, although not *******, was deemed “excessively personal and overly familiar.” (

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)

“Please know that we are trying not to hide it from you… we shared with you what we knew to be true at the time,” Chalk reportedly said at a service on Sunday.

Chalk apologized for statements from ******* staff members who had appeared to blame Anthony’s behavior on his mental health struggles.

He also apologized for a former staff member who had described the communications as “emotional affairs,” which Chalk said falsely implied the interactions were consensual and elided the power imbalance between a head pastor and one of his flock.

“That behavior will not be tolerated in our *******. It should not be tolerated at any ******* or in any ministry. We are deeply sorry for those who have experienced it,” said Chalk.

The ******* also thanked the “courageous” women who came forward about Anthony’s behavior.

“We believe you, are grateful for your willingness to share your experiences, and we are deeply sorry that your trust was violated,” it said.

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