The family of Pastor Robert Morris is asking for prayers after he underwent urgent surgery for a herniated disc.
Morris, the senior pastor of the Gateway Church based in Southlake, Texas near Fort Worth, had the surgery after experiencing "excruciating back pain" while on vacation.
Morris's son, James, who serves as the associate pastor at the church, shared the news about his father on social media Tuesday, asking followers to pray.
"From Pastor James Morris: Here is a quick update about my dad. While he was on vacation last week, he experienced excruciating back pain. He had a herniated disc that was so large they had to do immediate surgery this morning because it was pressing against his sciatic nerve."
From Pastor James Morris: Here is a quick update about my dad. While he was on vacation last week, he experienced excruciating back pain. He had a herniated disc that was so large they had to do immediate surgery this morning because it was pressing against his sciatic nerve. pic.twitter.com/zrlyfF37kr
— Robert Morris (@PsRobertMorris) June 21, 2023
James followed up his initial post, writing: "The back surgery was completely successful, and he has no more sciatic nerve pain. He does have some pain from the surgery. The total recovery time will be 6-8 weeks, but he will be able to be back in the pulpit preaching in August as planned."
Later, James also asked for prayers for his father and included four prayer points.
"We would love for you to pray for him as he recovers over the next few weeks," he wrote.
"Prayer Points:
1. Quick and painless healing process.
2. To be able to sleep well.
3. Complete and total healing.
Thank you for all your prayers!" Morris concluded.
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Robert Morris founded the Gateway Church in 2000. The church reports on its website that more than 100,000 people attend worship services each weekend. His television program airs in over 190 countries, and his radio program, Worship & the Word with Pastor Robert, airs in more than 6,400 cities.
He also serves as the chancellor of The King's University and is the bestselling author of several books.
Near Death Experience
In 2018, Morris had a major health scare when he suffered from internal bleeding and was life-flighted to a local hospital in Dallas, in early April.
'He Was Steps From Heaven's Door': Robert Morris' Pulse Stopped but Wife Says Prayer Saved Him
"Robert, realizing he was in serious trouble, asked me to post on social media because he believes in the power of prayer," his wife, Debbie, wrote on Instagram at the time.
"The paramedics had just told us they could not find a pulse and his blood pressure was too low to read...We knew he was steps from heaven's door. Neither of us knew what to expect from social media," she continued. "God mobilized an army using social media. We knew our battle was bigger than we could fight on our own."
As CBN News reported at the time, more than 290,000 people joined in prayer for the pastor.
Morris underwent four surgeries in seven days but remained in critical condition. It was an uphill battle for the couple but many people continued to pray for him.
Then on April 12, Morris was finally released from ICU and by April 15, he was even able to head home.
After that ordeal, Morris posted a special message for the thousands of people who prayed for his recovery while he battled a life-threatening situation.
"I just wanted to say thank you so much for praying for me," he said. "I thank the Lord that I am still alive...but I also thank you because I know your prayers made a difference."
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