ARGYLE (TX)
The Roys Report [Chicago IL]
August 14, 2024
By Julie Roys
A second pastor has resigned from Cross Timbers Church in Argyle, Texas, just weeks after Lead Pastor Josiah Anthony stepped down amid scandal.
In a statement released this week, Cross Timbers Executive Pastor Byron Copeland acknowledged the difficulty the church has experienced and announced his decision to leave.
“I have felt the heavy weight of our recent hurt at Cross Timbers Church,” Copeland wrote. He added that he is optimistic about the future of the church, especially given that church founder Toby Slough had returned to “steady the ship.”
“But, I sense that God is calling me to a fresh season of life,” Copeland continued. “So, it is with a thankful heart that I have decided to resign from my position.”
As The Roys Report (TRR) previously reported, Josiah Anthony resigned from Cross Timbers in July due to what was initially labeled “inappropriate and hurtful” actions. However, later Cross Timbers’ elders revealed that Anthony had a “concerning pattern of behavior communicating inappropriately with women,” which was “sexual” and “excessively personal.”
Initially, the church had tapped Copeland to replace Anthony. However, in an email August 1, the elders announced that Toby Slough would take over lead pastor responsibilities.
“The elevation of Toby to this position is not due to the lapse of Byron’s service to Cross Timbers,” the elders wrote. “Rather, it is Byron’s gracious deference to the most trusted and qualified person to tend to the hearts of Cross Timbers, and lead our church family forward during this time.”
Before coming to Cross Timbers, Copeland worked for 20 years as a pastor at the embattled Gateway Church in the Dallas area, TRR reported.
Additionally, Copeland was accused of misconduct in a 2023 civil lawsuit filed by Rachel Childress against Gateway.
According to the lawsuit, Childress told Copeland in 2020 about sexual harassment she was experiencing from another Gateway pastor.
“Copeland sympathized with her but did nothing,” the suit says.
The suit alleges that about a year later, Childress sent an email to several Gateway pastors and an associate director of HR about her “hostile work environment.”
“Pastor Copeland aggressively confronted Ms. Childress while they were at the Administrative Headquarters of Gateway,” the suit says. “Pastor Copeland backed Ms. Childress into a corner of the room they were in and threatened to fire her if she didn’t shut up and stop stirring drama. Pastor Copeland subsequently sent her an apology via Slack later that evening.”
Childress’ lawsuit was settled for an undisclosed amount on June 21—less than a week after Cindy Clemishire accused Gateway founder Robert Morris of sexually abusing her, beginning when she was 12 years old.
Morris has since resigned from Gateway, as has his son, James Morris, who was expected to succeed his father as senior pastor.