In a troubling turn of events for Texas megachurches, another high-profile pastor has resigned amid allegations of inappropriate behavior. Josiah Anthony, the lead pastor at Cross Timbers Church in Argyle, Fort Worth, stepped down on Sunday, following a series of undisclosed issues.
The announcement was made during a sermon, which has since been removed from the church’s Facebook page. Church elder John Chalk addressed the congregation, revealing that Anthony had been grappling with significant emotional and mental health struggles. These challenges reportedly led to some actions and decisions that were deemed inappropriate and hurtful, although specifics were not provided.
“We want to clarify that Josiah’s behavior did not involve children, physical or sexual interactions, or any illegal activities to our knowledge,” the church stated. Despite the lack of detail, the resignation comes on the heels of a similar scandal involving Robert Morris, a former Trump adviser who stepped down from another Texas megachurch in June following a child sexual abuse scandal.
Anthony, who has been with Cross Timbers Church since 2014, has yet to publicly comment on his resignation. The church’s leadership has not responded to further inquiries about the situation.
In the interim, Byron Copeland, the church’s executive pastor, will assume the role of lead pastor. Copeland has a contentious history himself, having been named in a 2023 civil rights lawsuit against Gateway Church for alleged gender discrimination. The lawsuit claimed that Copeland aggressively confronted a former employee, an accusation that led to a subsequent apology from him.
As Cross Timbers Church navigates this transition, the congregation and broader community await further details and clarification on the matter.
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