New details have emerged regarding Josiah Anthony’s sudden resignation as lead pastor at Cross Timbers Church, following church officials’ concerns about a “concerning pattern of behavior and inappropriate communication with women.”
In late July, the Argyle church announced that Anthony stepped down due to “inappropriate and hurtful actions.” They clarified that these actions did not involve children, physical or sexual interaction, or any illegal activity.
In early August, the church released another letter to its members, providing more insight into the decision to accept Anthony’s resignation. According to the church, Anthony, who became senior pastor in 2022, had openly discussed his mental health issues, suggesting his actions were linked to these struggles. However, church officials later discovered that Anthony had not been fully transparent.
On July 2, the church received a report about inappropriate communication between Anthony and a former staff member. While not sexual, the communication was described as “excessively personal and overly familiar,” which was deemed inappropriate given Anthony’s position of authority. He was subsequently asked to resign and agreed to do so.
Following the resignation announcement, the church learned about additional instances of inappropriate, sexually explicit comments made by Anthony in text messages and on social media involving more women.
“We want to be very clear: We do not consider any of these instances to be emotional affairs,” the church stated in the letter. “Because the power dynamics of these interactions were never equal, we do not consider these to be consensual. This behavior will not be tolerated at our church. Thank you to the women who were courageous coming forward. We believe you, are grateful for your willingness to share your experiences, and we are deeply sorry that your trust was violated.”
The church expressed its commitment to taking further action if necessary as more information comes to light. Meanwhile, founder Toby Slough will serve as interim lead pastor while the church searches for a permanent replacement.
