The SJC decision stated there can be no reasonable hope of just proceedings with no cooperating victim, although Chung himself had admitted to sexual misconduct. Would you consider making a tax-deductible donation to help our journalists continue to report the truth and restore the church? For investigators at GRACE, CFCs decision to terminate the assessment is a highly unusual move. But the way to combat shame isnt to fix yourself or cover your misdeedsit is to be truly known and loved. Wade Morris, Popular Baptist Youth Speaker, Dies After COVID-19 Hospitalization. Web1215 W. Lambert Rd. . Since there is no room in the culture for open candor, exchange of perspectives, and helpful permissive dissension, there is only a cycle of abuse that continues at all levels of leadership.. Its disappointing, but kind of in line with what weve seen from them over the past several yearsprioritizing the institution over the victims, said former church member June Pinyo. In addition, CFC vowed to be clear and transparent with members by providing regular updates on the probe on its website. Sexual misconduct and/or harassment in any form is a grievous sin that should never be tolerated. A vote by the Presbyterian oversight group on July 13 to remove Chung as a minister failed to get the necessary 2/3 vote. The SOLA Network, for the gospel-centric reason outlined in the introduction, feels it is necessary to articulate that: We grieve the fact that ministers of the gospel, those who are to represent Christ himself, have sinned against their own sheep, denied the biblical call to repentance, and failed to seek justice. Please consider interning, joining our staff, or submitting a story or making a contribution. All videos and transcripts are available on our website. CFC came under fire last summer for its alleged mishandling of sexual misconduct by church founder and former head pastor Min Joshua Chung. There are 300+ professionals named "Min Chung", who use LinkedIn to exchange information, ideas, and opportunities. Sources at GRACE told WBEZ that the group had conducted interviews with more than 40 former and present CFC members, many of whom spent hours talking about their experiences. You have entered an incorrect email address! While the perfect judgment of God awaits us all, human judgments must be made to reflect His. For us, Pastor Min is more than just a gifted pastor and teacher. } height: 3px; .mytheme-mejs-container .mejs-time-hovered, 217 Today: 217 Today host looks back on time at Illinois Public Media, Plans are back on the table for a carbon pipeline in Illinois, Paul Vallas and Brandon Johnson head to Chicago mayoral runoff. He is the ultimate judge who will make right all wrongs and the one who will both save and destroy. They described various experiences of mistreatment by an unhealthy leadership culture over a couple of decades. Even the pastors, I would say, do a good job at that. Follow her on Twitter @estheryjkang. This story has been updated to clarify CFCs relationship with regional and national presbytery associations. Give a gift of $30 or more to The Roys Report this month, and you will receive Escaping the Maze of Spiritual Abuse by Dr. Lisa Oakley and Justin Humphreys. As James 3 warns us, teachers will be judged more strictly. Chung preached messages urging congregants to submit to leaders and forgive them and calling victims to forgive their abusers. More than a dozen former CFC members, leaders, and volunteers came forward to TRR. Regarding recovery, the pastor reconciled with his victim, and regarding his relationship with God, he recognized his sin before God and relies on the blood of Christ, Rev. .mytheme-mejs-container .mejs-controls .mejs-horizontal-volume-slider .mejs-horizontal-volume-total, } But that system broke down: Oversight entities had limited power and the denominations governing rules proved to be inadequate for addressing the issue of abuse in the church. It was another missed opportunity, Amy Han said. The KCP which consists of several pastors who were close with Chung had determined that he had been restored to God, as well as the woman. The regional Rebecca Hopkins is a journalist based in Colorado. }. Follow her on Twitter @WBEZeducation and @soosieon. Women in many Korean churches are told to be submissive, former CFC members said. Toll free: (866) 364-9980, Florida Youth Pastor Arrested for Attempting Sex with Teen Student, Cedarvilles Plan to Save Anthony Moore Abandoned its Students and Moore, Missouri Church Leaves Presbyterian Church in America Over LGBT Issues, Archbishop Resigns from Anglican Church of Canada over Sexual Misconduct, Cedarville Reinstates President White After Misconduct Investigation. While we do not want to minimize the importance of seeking justice on earth, we want to encourage you with the reminder that it is God who has the final say. Kim did not respond to a request for comment on these claims against him. font-size: 13px Charles Zimmerman has been a speaker at One In Love, which Chung founded, and theyve both been main speakers at Global Kingdom Young Adult Missions Festival, where Chung was a board member. He added that the Book of Church Order wasnt designed to protect victims of abuse, and that the PCA should consider amendments to the book to help make the judicial process less cumbersome for lay members. However, we hope you will support our work with your prayers and financial gifts. } */ Chung was also an adjunct professor at Urbana Theological Seminary from 2005 to 2018. We acknowledge that this was wrong., Kim said the woman had forgiven Chung long ago.. The decision came before an investigation by WBEZ of Pastor Min Joshua Chung of the Covenant Fellowship Church on the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign campus. J-Gen canceled its summer retreats to grieve and reflect.. Chung continued to speak elsewhere during this time. LeCroy said victims of abuse, who cannot get redress via the means provided by the church or denomination, can take to various means to seek justice. CFC has already disassociated with Chung on May 27 and hired the services of Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment(GRACE) to investigate the pastor. The church brought in a trauma expert to meet with congregants, added elders to its leadership model, and offered congregants ongoing ways to express concerns. Give a gift of $30 or more to The Roys Report this month, and you will receive a copy of "Escaping the Maze of Spiritual Abuse" by Dr. Lisa Oakley and Justin Humphreys. WebTHE RADIO SHOW WILL BE LIVE! .elementor-widget .elementor-icon-list-icon svg { Sean Park, who said he experienced hazing and burnout at CFC, said hes finding his way to a healthy relationship with God. And calls for reform are spreading through the Korean-American community, even as whistleblowers fear retaliation. Pastor KJ shows no signs of remorse, shows no sign of pastoral care, only concerned with keeping us quiet.. The churchs website says that as of July 2021, CFC is under the leadership of Reverend KJ Kim and a lay oversight board and is in the process of particularizing or becoming a fully organized church with the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). He kept this information hidden for nearly 20 years from his wife, his church leaders, and other leaders outside the church. Pastor Min Chung admitted some guilt but faced few consequences. The woman pastor at the center of the Southern Baptist Convention's decision to oust Saddleback Church the California Web[130609] On the knowledge of God. On December 4, 2022, CFC became a particular church within the Presbytery of Some people are just too far gone and need a wake-up call.. So they think that they can have some level of control of the process some access to information before they get to the final product, Singer said. His influence extends beyond the church walls. Your tax-deductible gift helps our journalists report the truth and hold Christian leaders and organizations accountable. Nov. 22, 2018. Chung is also accused of covering up accusations of sexual abuse against a fellow pastor as well as admitting to inappropriately touching a female congregant for a brief moment. height: 90px; CFCs current senior pastor, KJ Kim, was also accused of aiding in the cover-up of Min Chungs misconduct in a report compiled by a team of whistleblowers. Donate today >>, Wednesday, March 1, 2023 Todays headlines: Caterpillar and the United Auto Workers have reached a new tentative six-year agreement, averting a strike. Websigns of too much calcium in tomato plants. He said, Your parents are well-respected members of their church, your fathers an elder [at their church], Rhee recalled. .mytheme-mejs-container .mejs-controls, To Thyatira: Hold Fast What You Have Until I Come | Revelation 2:18-29 (Pastor Min Chung) joe 2019.02.19 43. The decision to return Chung to ministry may be appealed to the Standing Judicial Commission of the PCAs General Assembly. 6 min read. The church also hired The Center Consulting Group (CCG) to assess problems at CFC and offer solutions. CFC made the difficult decision to terminate its agreement with GRACE and this decision was made with much prayer and deliberation, Kim wrote in an email last week. The CCG called the allegations against Min Chung an inappropriate moral failure between Min Chung and a woman. Im tired, said Tim Ma, who previously served on the CFC worship team. top: 19px; Why do you think youre staying for so long? . .wp-caption-text { Front-runner for Oscar. Toward that end, the site requires that people use their full name when commenting. .grecaptcha-badge { } Members didnt feel safe talking to leaders and sometimes felt ostracized, the report said. Copyright 2023 Christianity Daily. I have really chosen to not respond to many of these issues but when I was a young man right before I went to college to study for the ministry one of the men who was a brother to a popular board member of the church attempted to molest me at my parents home while I was recovering from a severe pneumonia. Whistleblowers are making their accusations public after several years of attempts to confront the influential pastor within a reportedly tight-knit, shame-based community. Give a gift of $30 or more to The Roys Report this month, and you will receive Escaping the Maze of Spiritual Abuse by Dr. Lisa Oakley and Justin Humphreys. } However, CFC has made some changes. .mytheme-mejs-container .mejs-time-total, /*Custom svg icon height fix*/ Joshua Generation, commonly called J-Gen, a ministry for high schoolers that Chung founded, also severed ties with Chung. Langberg helped an ad interim committee of the PCA write a new report on domestic and sexual abuse in churches. They dont know how to assess it, and so I would think the first response would be one of humility., But instead, she said, churches think they are right, and somebody in that position isnt going to listen to any instructions, no matter how wise or good it is.. Kim would not agree to an interview but wrote back: We at CFC continue to seek the Lord in the work of the church and we are grateful to God for the way He is leading our congregation and this is our focus right now. The presbytery is a ruling body of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), the denomination that ordained Chung. Hence, the SOLA Network writes the following statement so that the emerging generation of Asian American pastors, leaders, and Christ-followers can be gospel-centric in processing and dealing with the stated incident. .mytheme-mejs-container .mejs-time-loaded, .jet-smart-listing__post-title:after { background-color: #efefef; It "MC (Min Chung) is anointed by God, God only exists at CFC and there is no other place like CFC. He said in a statement to WBEZ that the presbytery is currently working with CFC and is discussing whether to receive the congregation into our jurisdiction. There are far-reaching consequences to a leaders sins, and as God lovingly and wisely disciplines those he loves, so the church must do the same beginning with her leaders. And women are taught to protect men, even when the men are doing something wrong or hurting the women, said former member June Pinyo. background-color: #fff; SEOUL, South Korea A prominent church pastor whose behavior came under scrutiny when the #MeToo movement took hold in South Korea was } If you think that is bad, consider this; We have a PCA pastor, Kiernan Stringer in Toronto, Canada who admits in writing a letter to us and his congregation to breaking the 7th commandment ( You shall not commit murder) and the 9th commandment ( You shall not bear witness against your neighbour), refuses to repent and everyone in the PCA hierarchy refuses to anything about it. How Can the Church Support Asian American Women? WebPastor Min Chung (@pminchung) Instagram photos and videos pminchung 119 posts 1,287 followers 21 following Pastor Min Chung This Account is Private Already follow Even the friend in whom the victim confided feared she would be cursed by God if she spoke against Chung. Dr. Min J. Chung is the founding and lead pastor of Covenant Fellowship Church, an Chung also was accused of covering up sexual abuse committed by a fellow local pastor. Eventually, Ashton was removed along with Angel Chen in episode 9 because she didnt live up to the judges expectations. Minister accused of sexual misconduct remains ordained, Meet Todd Gloria the first AAPI Mayor for San Diego, Arrest made in vandalism of Philadelphia mosque, Marvel unveils plans for AAPI Heritage Month stories, Woman accused of lying about her ethnicity resigns from diversity position, Govt. A total of 19 people signed on to the report or are cited as witnesses. Editors note: This story has been updated to clarify when the KCP received the whistleblowers allegations and to more accurately state certain charges. Pastoral leadership is an immense privilege, not a right. However, there have also been a number of accusations of abuse of power and harsh treatment towards others that continued to surface regarding this same pastor, Kim continued. Many times, I thought I lost my own understanding in God. Fontijn, Park and others told WBEZ they are angry the victims of sexual and spiritual abuse who came forward to be interviewed by GRACE will not be heard. Unfortunately, GRACE has been informed by CFC that they are terminating the assessment, an update linked on GRACEs website stated. A sexual assault victim who wished to remain anonymous, but whose identity TRR confirmed, said that CFCs culture discouraged reporting sexual assault to police. It is because we believe in the power and sanctity of the gospel that we are publishing this statement. Last summer, Kim, writing on behalf of the Oversight Board, promised that CFC would release a full report at the conclusion of GRACEs investigation. The victim was suicidal and traumatized by her initial and continuous interaction with Pastor Min, the friend stated in testimony included in the report. .mytheme-mejs-container.mejs-container, WebLearning to Groan in the Holy Spirit | Romans 8:13-16, 26-27 (Pastor Min Chung) There was never a feeling that this should be reported.. And I say that as someone who believes the Bible clearly uses language from both spectra, not just one or the other. And he bullied . Nothing was put in place, to my knowledge, to keep me safe from him. CFC came under fire last summer for its alleged mishandling of sexual misconduct by church founder and former head pastor Min Joshua Chung. My heart breaks. 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