A North Texas pastor who recently resigned from Cross Timbers Church in Argyle made “inappropriate comments” in texts and through social media that were sexual in nature, according to an email signed by the church elders and sent to its congregation on Aug. 1.
The email, which the Denton County church shared with The Dallas Morning News, said Cross Timbers had received new information about the behavior of its former lead pastor, Josiah Anthony, since his resignation was announced during a service on July 28.
“After announcing Josiah’s resignation to our congregation, we then learned about additional inappropriate comments he made in text messages and through social media that were sexual in nature,” the email read. The email did not specify how the church learned of these additional comments.
Anthony did not respond to email and phone requests for comment on Monday.
Last week, Byron Copeland, the church’s then interim lead pastor, told The News that Anthony had “emotional affairs” with female staff members at the church. After learning additional information about Anthony’s comments, church elders clarified in their Aug. 1 email that they do not consider any of these instances to be “emotional affairs.”
“Because the power dynamic of these interactions were never equal, we do not consider these to be consensual,” they wrote.
In response to a request for additional comment from The News, a representative for the church sent a link to a video recording of a service on Sunday, Aug. 4, and pointed toward a message from church elder Jon Sullivan.
“On Monday of this week, we learned about additional inappropriate comments Josiah made in a text message through social media that were sexual in nature,” Sullivan said at the service. “We were not aware of those interactions when we asked him to resign, or when we announced his resignation to you last Sunday.”
“The women that came forward made a very difficult decision, and we’re honored that they trusted us,” he added.
He later said “we are deeply sorry” to those affected by Anthony’s behavior and that that behavior will not be tolerated at the church.
Anthony joined Cross Timbers’ staff in 2014, according to his LinkedIn page, and became the church’s lead pastor in 2022.
In the Aug. 1 email, the church elders said the position of interim lead pastor has now been given to Toby Slough, the church’s founder and longtime lead pastor. “Until a permanent replacement is found, Toby will now carry the title of Interim Lead Pastor, relieving Byron Copeland of those responsibilities,” the elders wrote.
“The elevation of Toby to this position is not due to the lapse of Byron’s service to Cross Timbers. Rather, it is Bryon’s gracious deference to the most trusted and qualified person to tend to the hearts of Cross Timbers, and lead our church family forward during this time.”
In a phone conversation with The News on Monday, Copeland said he felt Slough was a better option to serve as interim lead pastor during what he called a “very difficult time” for the church.
“He can lead in ways that I can’t lead, just because there’s so much trust there over many, many years,” Copeland added. Copeland joined Cross Timbers in 2023, and the church was founded in 2000, according to its LinkedIn page.
Adrian Ashford covers faith and religion in North Texas for The Dallas Morning News through a partnership with Report for America.