SOUTHLAKE (TX)
The Roys Report [Chicago IL]
July 11, 2024
By Sheila Stogsdill
Less than a week after an Oklahoma woman accused Gateway Church founder Robert Morris of abusing her when she was a child, the church settled a sexual harassment claim against a former Gateway pastor.
Rachel Childress filed a civil lawsuit in 2023 alleging sexual harassment and a hostile work environment while employed at Gateway. The case was settled for an undisclosed amount on June 21, according to court records.
Telephone calls to Childress’ attorney, Debra Edmondson, were not returned.
Childress’ lawsuit comes on the heels of another lawsuit reported by The Roys Report (TRR). In that lawsuit, Gateway Church was accused of concealing the sexual assault of a girl who attended the church.
Childress took aim at former pastor Aldean “Al” Pearson, accusing him of sexual harassment and alleging Gateway pastors failed to listen and act on her accusations. She also accused the megachurch of failing to promote her, saying they wanted a man to occupy those positions, according to a 15-page complaint filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas.
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Email message went to Lawrence Swicewood, Gateway Church spokesman and Pearson were not returned.
Childress was hired in May 2018 as a temporary administrative assistant for Pearson at Gateway’s North Richland Hills campus in the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area. Her relentless accusations against Pearson led to his firing from Gateway in 2021, the complaint states.
During the summer and fall of 2020, Pearson led multiple livestreamed prayer video calls for Gateway Church. As of Wednesday, several prayer videos showing both Pearson and Childress were still on Gateway’s Facebook page.
According to Pearson’s Linkedin account and Facebook account, he is a financial strategist.
Sexual harassment claims
Childress repeatedly outlines unwanted sexual overtures by Pearson, including commenting on her appearance as she battled cancer, the complaint states.
Pearson told Childress that God gave her cancer as a lesson and he repeatedly asked Childress to take her wig off and urged her to just go bald.
He also made comments about how good she smelled, inquired if she were dating, and would bring her gifts, the complaint states.
Pearson also forced Childress to be alone with him in his office with the blinds closed to discuss personal matters, the complaint states.
During weekly oversight meetings, Pearson began to complain about his marriage and his wife to Childress.
“Specifically, in one of these meetings, Pearson made a physical advance on Ms. Childress and talked to her about ‘love languages’ and how the two of them could do physical touch in his office and he could be her spiritual mentor,” the complaint states.
Childress rejected Pearson’s advances and told him she was uncomfortable with him. However, Pearson’s actions continued, the lawsuit indicates.
Childress alleged in the lawsuit that she was not immune from Pearson’s actions when attending worship services.
During a service, Pearson approached Childress and started talking about the story of the woman at the well found in the New Testament, according to the lawsuit.
Pearson told Childress that Jesus never forgave the woman, the complaint states.
Later the two were seated next to each other during a working lunch on March 21, 2021, when Pearson turned to Childress and said the MeToo movement was caused by false accusations against Bill Cosby. Cosby, who maintains his innocence, has faced civil and criminal action several times amid sexual assault allegations, most recently in January.
When confronting Pastor Kemtal Glasgow about Pearson’s activities, Glasgow told Childress not to be alone with Pearson.
Despite Childress repeatedly telling her supervisors she did not want to be alone with Pearson, saying she did not feel comfortable or safe with him, Pearson’s supervisors continued to have Childress report to Pearson.
Hostility at work
Childress was told Pearson had “changed” and urged to give him another chance, the complaint states, referring to when Childress was repeatedly placed under his authority.
After learning her supervisors didn’t believe her claims, Childress started recording her interactions with Pearson, according to the lawsuit.
Gateway Pastor Kyle Fox told her she was being insubordinate because she did not want to report to Pearson, the complaint states. On Oct. 21, 2019, Childress was presented a “written warning” for challenging authority.
In an April 20, 2021, “Reconciliation Meeting” with Childress, Pearson became hostile and verbally aggressive but admitted to Childress’ allegations, the complaint alleges.
But later, Childress was given a “Probation & Employment Commitment” document which blamed her for the situation rather than Pearson. Childress refused to sign the document.
During a six-week medical leave, Childress was asked to either resign with three months’ pay as severance or sign the Probation document.
On June 24, 2021, Childress received a written apology for how she had been treated by Gateway. Gateway also agreed to pay for counseling.
Childress replied requesting a written apology from Pearson and to be moved when she returned from medical leave.
Upon returning, she was presented with her second “Probation & Employment Commitment” document where she learned she would not be getting a written apology from Pearson because he had been terminated, the complaint states.
Paulette Gillespie, Human Resources Director, told Childress, “It is your fault Pearson is gone, so there will be no apology from him.”
Gillespie also said Gateway was willing to pay six months’ severance payment to Childress if she would resign.
Pearson was paid two years’ salary in exchange for his signature on a non-disclosure agreement, the complaint states.
On July 29, 2021, Gateway agreed to pay for Childress’ counseling. She returned to work on September 7, 2021, and was fired during a Zoom meeting. She was offered a “Separation Agreement” that offered six months’ pay and benefits.
‘Our congregation responds better to men’
Childress took the $15-an-hour job as Pearson’s temporary administrative assistant and eventually landed a full-time employee as Glasgow’s administrative assistant.
The change was not a promotion, after Childress saw her pay decrease to $14.42 per hour. The reason for the pay cut was that she was newly eligible for health benefits.
In February 2019, Glasgow asked Childress to apply for an open “Care Pastor” position which would have meant a significant pay increase and increased responsibility.
Pastors Stokes Collins and Wendell DePrang told Childress “That while she was more than qualified for the position, they were looking to hire a man for the position because ‘our congregation responds better to men,’” the complaint states.
A man was chosen for the job.
Four months later, Glasgow encouraged Childress to interview for the Associate Pastor of Groups position at the Frisco campus.
Again, Childress was told, this time by Pastor Adana Wilson, that although she was “well qualified for the position, the Frisco team wanted to hire a male for the position,” the complaint states.
For the second time, a man was chosen for the job.
Gateway added more responsibilities to Childress’s job as administrative assistant. Instead of offering a raise, Pastor Kyle Fox told her she should consider the extra work an “honor,” the complaint states.