Another pastor from a North Texas megachurch has been dismissed.
According to a letter sent to members, Stonebriar Community Church in Frisco terminated Tony Cammarota on Sunday following his confession to church leadership of a “moral failure.” The letter stated, “He is deeply remorseful, but his sin disqualifies him from serving on our staff as a pastor.”
The church also requested prayers and advised members to “guard against giving the devil any foothold for more damage to our church through unnecessary speech and speculation.” This letter was obtained by Southlake blogger and advocate Amy Smith.
Smith expressed surprise at the warning included in the statement, saying, “Had it just simply been a termination for moral failure, without a warning not to talk about it, I’m not sure it would’ve created such a public stir.”
The letter did not specify the nature of the “moral failure.” Cammarota, who had served as an associate pastor at Stonebriar for 17 years, did not respond to a request for comment.
Last month in Southlake, Gateway Church Pastor Robert Morris resigned, admitting to “moral failure” following allegations that he sexually abused a 12-year-old girl for several years in the 1980s.
Smith commented on the use of the term “moral failure” in light of recent events, saying, “That word, moral failure, in this climate in Dallas/Fort Worth with what just happened with Robert Morris at Gateway, that term moral failure is triggering and honestly, I think it’s quite tone-deaf.”
NBC 5 reached out to Stonebriar Community Church for further details about the “moral failure” and whether it involved a possible crime but has not received a response. Frisco police have confirmed that no report has been filed regarding the matter.
Smith criticized Stonebriar’s message to members, stating, “It’s an emotional and spiritual manipulation to tell people that if they do have questions about the moral failure, that would be giving the devil a foothold.”
