According to the letter obtained by religious watchdog website Watchkeep, church elders noted that McKinzie “confessed to sexual sin and moral failure,” leading to his resignation.
“No one on staff had knowledge of this moral failure before John’s confession,” the letter reads. “And aside from John’s resignation, there will not be any other staff changes at this time.”
This is the second major departure Hope Fellowship in Frisco, which reportedly has an average attendance of over 5,000, has endured this year. In January, youth pastor Jerry Nickerson, of the church's Frisco West location, was fired over “inappropriate contact with a minor,” according to the church. These developments are some of the latest examples of a widespread, recent trend in North Texas where pastors of large congregations have either been fired or have stepped down following sexual misconduct allegations and criminal investigations.
North Texas Pastors in Trouble
Few such cases have grabbed more attention, not only throughout North Texas but nationally, than that of Robert Morris, the former lead pastor of Southlake’s Gateway Church. In June of 2024, Cindy Clemishire went public with her story, accusing Morris of sexually assaulting her as a child in the 1980s when Morris was a newly married, young pastor. Morris stepped down from his powerful position and was later indicted in Oklahoma, where the crimes allegedly occurred. The letter to Hope Fellowship congregants obtained by Watchkeep included a list of frequently asked questions that provided more specifics on McKinzie's resignation.
The third question on the list asks, “What does ‘moral failure’ mean?” The answer provided stated, “We recognize that this phrase may feel vague. Out of respect for the privacy of those involved, we will not share specific details. We can say that John [McKinzie] admitted to sexual sin and to a pattern of consensual behavior that made him unfit to continue in his role as lead pastor.”
