Lawsuit against Gateway Church’s Kevin Grove over tithes dismissed

A recent class action lawsuit filed against Gateway Church in Southlake, Texas, alleging misallocation of tithes and failure to honor a money-back guarantee, has seen former Executive Global Pastor Kevin Grove removed as a defendant.

Plaintiffs in the lawsuit, including Gateway Church members Katherine Leach, Garry K. Leach, Mark Browder, and Terri Browder, initially named Gateway Church founder Robert Morris, former Executive Pastor Tom Lane, founding elder Steve Dulin, and Grove as defendants. Interestingly, Grove also served as a trustee of The King’s University.

Recently, the plaintiffs requested the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas to dismiss the case against Grove without prejudice, which was granted by U.S. District Judge Amos L. Mazzant.

The lawsuit primarily alleged lack of transparency regarding Gateway Church’s finances, as the ministry recorded over $100 million in annual revenue in previous years. In a motion filed on Dec. 16, 2024, Grove’s attorneys argued that the court did not have jurisdiction over the case, citing the absence of federal claims and the failure to meet prerequisites under the Class Action Fairness Act.

Similarly, other defendants in the case raised similar arguments. However, attorneys for the church members rebutted, highlighting that their claims did not involve issues related to theological doctrine or religious governance but centered on allegations of fraud and misrepresentation in the solicitation of tithing funds.

While the church members acknowledged they did not enter into a contract with Lane or Grove, they expressed their intention to continue pursuing the claims against Gateway Church, Robert Morris, and their fraud and conspiracy claims against Lane and Grove.

Robert Morris, who founded Gateway Church in 2000 and resigned in 2024 following allegations of sexual abuse, had previously announced a money-back guarantee on tithes during a sermon in 2022. He encouraged congregants to tithe the first 10% of their income, offering a refund if they were not satisfied after a year—an offer that, to date, no one has taken up on.

Overall, the dismissal of Grove as a defendant in the class action lawsuit against Gateway Church marks a significant development in the ongoing legal dispute, shedding light on the complexities and intricacies of litigation related to financial transparency and accountability within religious institutions.