Robert Morris is the founding lead pastor of Gateway Church, a large and influential multi-campus church based in Southlake, Texas. He is a popular author, speaker, and televangelist known for his teachings on giving, tithing, prosperity, and the role of the Holy Spirit. His television program, "The Blessed Life," reaches a broad audience, and his book of the same name has been widely distributed and influential, particularly in charismatic and evangelical circles. Morris has gained a reputation for promoting teachings that emphasize financial giving, blessings, and the believer’s relationship with the Holy Spirit.
Why Robert Morris Should Be Regarded as a False Teacher and Avoided
1. Promoting the Prosperity Gospel and Tithing as a Means to Gain God’s Favor
One of the most concerning aspects of Robert Morris's teachings is his strong emphasis on tithing and financial giving as a means to receive God's blessings, favor, and protection. In his book "The Blessed Life," Morris teaches that if believers faithfully tithe (giving at least 10% of their income), they will experience financial prosperity, protection from financial hardships, and other material blessings from God. He presents tithing as a kind of spiritual transaction in which giving to God "opens the door" to blessings and favor.
However, this view of tithing and financial giving distorts the biblical teaching on grace, faith, and God’s provision. The Bible teaches that believers are saved by grace through faith, not by works or financial transactions (Ephesians 2:8-9). Giving is to be done out of a cheerful heart, not as a means to manipulate God or secure blessings (2 Corinthians 9:7). While Scripture encourages generosity, it never teaches that tithing is a requirement for receiving God’s favor or that it guarantees financial prosperity. By promoting a transactional view of giving, Morris leads people to view God as a means to gain wealth, which is contrary to the biblical call to seek first the kingdom of God (Matthew 6:33).
2. Teaching a Man-Centered, Works-Based Approach to the Christian Life
Robert Morris often emphasizes what believers must do to receive blessings, favor, and success in their lives. His teachings frequently focus on principles, steps, and techniques for living a "blessed life," which suggests that experiencing God’s blessings depends on human effort, obedience, and adherence to certain practices, such as tithing, praying, or following specific spiritual principles.
This man-centered, works-based approach contradicts the biblical teaching that believers are to rely on God’s grace and the finished work of Christ. The apostle Paul wrote, "Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving" (Colossians 2:6-7). The Christian life is not about following a formula to receive blessings but about growing in a relationship with Christ, who has already secured every spiritual blessing for us (Ephesians 1:3). By focusing on human effort and works, Morris's teachings encourage a performance-based Christianity that undermines the sufficiency of Christ's grace.
3. Misusing and Twisting Scripture to Support His Teachings on Tithing and Prosperity
Robert Morris frequently takes Scripture out of context to support his teachings on tithing, financial prosperity, and blessings. For example, he often cites passages like Malachi 3:10 ("Bring the full tithe into the storehouse...") as evidence that God requires believers to tithe and that doing so will result in financial blessings. However, this passage was written to the Israelites under the Old Covenant, and the New Testament never mandates tithing as a requirement for Christians.
The New Testament teaches that giving should be voluntary, generous, and motivated by love, not by compulsion or expectation of reward (2 Corinthians 9:6-7). By taking Old Testament passages out of context and applying them to New Testament believers, Morris promotes an unbiblical view of giving that places an unnecessary burden on believers and fosters a mindset of giving to receive.
4. Emphasizing Personal Experiences and Anecdotes Over the Clear Teachings of Scripture
Robert Morris frequently uses personal stories, testimonies, and anecdotes to support his teachings, often presenting his experiences as evidence of biblical principles. While sharing personal experiences can be valuable, Morris tends to elevate his experiences as authoritative or normative, sometimes even more than Scripture itself. This approach can lead people to rely on subjective experiences rather than the objective truth of God’s Word.
The Bible warns against relying on personal experiences as the basis for truth. Peter emphasized that Scripture is "a more sure word of prophecy," even more trustworthy than eyewitness experiences (2 Peter 1:19). Believers are called to test everything against the Word of God (1 Thessalonians 5:21) and to ensure that their beliefs and practices are rooted in Scripture, not personal stories or experiences.
5. Associating with and Endorsing Other False Teachers
Robert Morris has frequently partnered with or endorsed teachers who are known for promoting the Prosperity Gospel and Word of Faith theology, such as Kenneth Copeland, T.D. Jakes, and Joel Osteen. These individuals are well-known for teaching doctrines that emphasize financial gain, positive confession, and self-empowerment over the core biblical truths of repentance, humility, and the sufficiency of Christ’s work on the cross. By associating with these teachers and inviting them to speak at his church, Morris lends credibility to their teachings and contributes to spreading unbiblical doctrines.
The Bible warns against partnering with false teachers or giving them a platform. Paul wrote, "Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness?" (2 Corinthians 6:14). By consistently aligning himself with teachers who promote false doctrines, Morris demonstrates a lack of discernment and commitment to sound biblical teaching.
Conclusion from Scripture
The Bible consistently warns believers to be vigilant against false teachers who distort the truth, lead others astray, and promote teachings that are contrary to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The apostle Paul wrote, "For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ" (2 Corinthians 11:13). Robert Morris’s emphasis on tithing as a means to gain God’s favor, his works-based approach to the Christian life, his misuse of Scripture, and his associations with other false teachers align with teachings that deviate from the true Gospel.
Jesus Himself warned against false prophets, saying, "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves" (Matthew 7:15). True teachers of God’s Word point people to Christ, call them to repentance, and emphasize the grace and sufficiency of His finished work. In contrast, Morris’s teachings often direct people toward themselves, their financial giving, and their ability to control their destiny.
For these reasons, based on the authority of Scripture, Robert Morris should be regarded as a false teacher, and his teachings should be approached with great caution or avoided altogether. Christians are called to "test everything; hold fast what is good" (1 Thessalonians 5:21) and to remain grounded in the truth of God’s Word, which is "living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword" (Hebrews 4:12).
The true Gospel is about repentance, faith in Jesus Christ, and the transforming power of God’s grace. It calls us to live lives of holiness, obedience, and submission to Christ's Lordship, not to pursue material wealth, success, or financial gain. Therefore, believers should reject Robert Morris’s teachings and remain faithful to the unchanging truth of God’s Word, which offers the way to eternal life and true spiritual growth in Christ.