Fort Worth church fires pastor over false claim of viewing inappropriate images: attorney
A pastor was wrongfully let go from his position at a Fort Worth church over unfounded allegations that he viewed inappropriate images, his attorney says.
Scott Crenshaw was terminated as senior pastor at Lake Country Church about two weeks ago, his attorney, Mark Lane, confirmed.
Crenshaw “did not view any inappropriate images. This is an absolutely baseless claim on behalf of seniors,” Lane said.
“They did not engage in anything but scandalous noise and discussions with employees with malice,” said the lawyer.
Crenshaw joined Lake Country’s leadership in 2018 and was installed as its senior pastor two years later. This came after he was left to serve as senior pastor at New River Fellowship Church in Parker County in 2016.
In a statement at the time, Crenshaw said he saw the inappropriate images on his church computer at New River Fellowship.
According to a statement issued by the elders of New River Fellowship, Crenshaw agreed to seek counselingthe Star-Telegram reported in 2016.
When asked Wednesday about his termination at New River Fellowship, Lane said, the previous issue “from a church eight years ago is not relevant for today.”
Lane plans to send a letter to Lake Country Church and two other individuals eventually involved seeking a public statement of apology from the elders and to restore Crenshaw’s position.
“It’s terrible to destroy a man’s career,” Lane said in a telephone interview.
He is also seeking compensation for damages caused by the allegations, according to Lane.
When the elders were first informed of the allegations, they initially offered Crenshaw to take a 60-day sabbatical in support of him, Lane told the Star-Telegram. The seniors rescinded their offer, offering a 90-day leave. Two days after the offer for him to resign temporarily, Crenshaw was fired, according to Lane.
In response to the Star-Telegram’s e-mail request for a statement, Lake Country replied, “I have no comment.”
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Crenshaw’s release from the church comes after an exodus of pastors from North Texas occurred throughout the summer of 2024.
Resignations and terminations began when the founder and senior pastor of Gateway Church Robert Morris resigned in June. In a statement to church officials, Morris admitted to sexually abusing a girl decades earlier. The woman, Cindy Clemishire, who is now in her 50s, told media sources that the abuse took place in the 80s and 90s in Oklahoma and Texas, starting when she was 12 and Morris was in his 20s.