Web[130609] On the knowledge of God. WebWorked at Associate Pastor of New People Baptist Church (Sae Kook Min Baptist Church (1978-1987) and PoDowon Baptist Church (2006-2010) Lives in Gimpo Pastor Cyrus The political influence of the Senior Pastor in most independent churches is always a problem but in a denomination the hope is that people with oversight can minimize the political influence I guess not. Though the assessment is nearly complete, the termination by CFC effectively halts our work at this time. .mytheme-mejs-container .mejs-time-hovered, .mytheme-mejs-container .mejs-embed, Esther Yoon-Ji Kang is a reporter for WBEZs Race, Class and Communities desk. The investigation, which began last summer, came after multiple allegations that CFC had silenced and intimidated those who reported sexual misconduct by the churchs former well-known pastor, Min Joshua Chung. Sexual misconduct and/or harassment in any form is a grievous sin that should never be tolerated. 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. Commissioners for the Presbyterian Church in America approved a motion to leave the National Association of Evangelicals on Wednesday at the PCAs, The Presbyterian Church in Americas (PCA) highest ecclesiastical court is taking over a case allegedly mishandled by an Indiana presbytery, a letter, The Rev. He added: Theyre banging on the door, looking for justice, and I dont think leaders of the church should look down upon that because that is exactly what they should be doing if they havent found it where they should find it.. Photo: Illustration by Andjela Padejski, Photo by Manuel Martinez/WBEZ News, Move over, Bruce Willis: NASA crashed into an asteroid to test planetary defense, Students protest University of Illinois investments related to fossil fuels. In addition, CFC vowed to be clear and transparent with members by providing regular updates on the probe on its website. background-color: #efefef; Chung was also an adjunct professor at Urbana Theological Seminary from 2005 to 2018. Without its RSO status, the church was not able to reserve campus spaces and recruit attendees on Quad Day, an annual event held at the start of the fall semester where new students are introduced to organizations on campus. Covenant Fellowship Church is nondenominational, has no elders, and is not a PCA member. .mytheme-mejs-container .mejs-time-loaded, to conduct a third-party investigation. The motion requires two-thirds vote. CFC came under fire last summer for its alleged mishandling of sexual misconduct by church founder and former head pastor Min Joshua Chung. WebDr. They also ruled that the period when Chung wasnt preaching at CFC was enough discipline for his sin. In May, CFC severed ties with Chung and hired Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment (G.R.A.C.E.) But its especially disappointing because now theyve shown that they do have the tools and resources to make better decisions.. The KCP ruled only on the sexual assault allegation, calling it sexual harassment. They determined that Chung was guilty but has done enough for restoration to ministry. Conversations about sex, including consent, are taboo. } To Pergamum: Do Not Compromise | Revelation 2:12-17 (Pastor Min Chung) Join with thousands of others to keep this important public media-based resource available to all. WebMonths ago, we worked it out for Pastor Min Chung to be with us this weekend. Illinois Newsroom gets stories from public radio stations from across the state, including WBEZ-Chicago, WCBU-Peoria, WGLT-Normal, WVIK-Rock Island, WIUM-Macomb, WNIJ-DeKalb, WSIU-Carbondale, WUIS-Springfield, and St. Louis Public Radio. Gave $3 Million Grant for Reconstruction of Historic First Baptist Church in Williamsburg. We are personally reflecting on where we may fall short and how we can be proactive in preventing abuse and cover-up, instead of just reacting to it. .mytheme-mejs-container .mejs-time-marker, He also said that, for sexual harassment of a member of the congregation, the KCP should have dealt Chung a suspension of a period of years, and perhaps even defrocked him. Dozens of Illinois, CHAMPAIGN Plans have resumed for a carbon dioxide pipeline in Illinois after a brief delay. Zimmerman didnt answer calls or emails to comment on his relationship with Chung. Ministry Watch 2022 All rights reserved. z-index: 1; Opinion: What is Revivaland is it Happening at Asbury? In October, the church board released a nine-page report from the CCG. For almost 20 years, Chung kept the alleged sexual assault from church leaders and his wife, Park said. by National Public Radio station WBEZ in Chicago, Covenant Fellowship Church and its former head pastor Min Joshua Chung for years fostered a misogynistic environment that included sexual mistreatment and oppression of women. MC (Min Chung) is anointed by God, God only exists at CFC and there is no other place like CFC, Lee said, describing the church environment. 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. .mytheme-mejs-container.mejs-container, Over the course of the past few years, the leadership of Covenant Fellowship Church has sought to investigate claims of abuse regarding our founding pastor, Kim wrote in a statement to TRR. I actually had gotten to the point where I was naively thinking that [the GRACE assessment] was the one thing that was finally going to [lead] CFC to take a true, humble look at themselves.. .mytheme-mejs-container .mejs-time-total { The presbytery is a ruling body of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), the denomination that ordained Chung. Whistleblowers are making their accusations public after several years of attempts to confront the influential pastor within a reportedly tight-knit, shame-based community. In 2020, the SOLA Council was notified about a past incident involving council member Min Chung, in which he acted inappropriately with a female young adult whom he was pastoring. That same year, the actress retired from acting to start a family with her new husband. It was another missed opportunity, Amy Han said. Another promised change was to bring the church under a regional body within the Presbyterian Church of America (PCA), to seek more oversight and accountability for its leaders and members. And calls for reform are spreading through the Korean-American community, even as whistleblowers fear retaliation. 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. The friend urged the victim to tell Chung she hadnt consented to his touch. 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. } font-size: 11px; They may get along with that for a long time but somewhere along the way, the rot will show, and it will end up destroying them.. Former CFC member Janet Park said that when she confronted Chung in 2009, he told her that he kept the matter a secret because the victim had insisted on doing so. What Happened To Marco From Next In Fashion? 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. There was never a feeling that this should be reported.. On January 17, 1990, the couple welcomed their first child, Tucker Stephenson. Sorry, the underlying pathology of people who act out this way takes more than a few of your cronies to meet at some hotel resort and call that Restoration. Furthermore, what is actually done to assist the victims and their families through this process? Another day, theres basketball. right: 0; Pete Singer, GRACEs executive director, called the cancellation very rare, adding he is aware of just one other organization that has done the same. But TRR said that the ruling may still be appealed to the Standing Judicial Commission of the PCA's General Assembly. 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. } Several CFC Survivors came forward to tell their stories on an Instagram account, @letters_from_rahab. These include the SOLA Network, a group of Asian American pastors, and the Joshua Generation, a high school ministry that the minister also founded. Get Your Domain Names Here! All videos and transcripts are available on our website. . Even the friend in whom the victim confided feared she would be cursed by God if she spoke against Chung. People close to the woman said she didnt wish to speak to TRR. Through the Presbyterian Church in America's ruling body, Korean Central Presbytery (KCP), Min Joshua Chung, the founder of the Covenant Fellowship Church (CFC) in Champaign-Urbana, was restored to his post as a minister in April this year. CFC also hired The Center Consulting Group to conduct surveys and evaluate the health of the church. Marco Morante was eliminated in episode 8, Military, since the judges werent impressed by his outfit with a military motif. During that time, he pastored the church, served on several ministry boards, and taught at the seminary. .mytheme-mejs-container .mejs-button > button { In April, the Korean Central Presbytery received an eight-page report summarizing its investigative teams findings and recommendations. (The version of the report released to TRR referenced and summarized the texts instead in the interest of the victims privacy.) The cost has been high for the whistleblowers, said Amy Han, one of the whistleblowers who submitted the report. A new report appears to implicate Covenant Fellowship Church's former head pastor, Min Joshua Chung, in fostering and creating a misogynistic church environment. 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 The congregation also sought to evaluate the health of the church through The Center Consulting Group (CCG). Especially in the Korean community, to call out a pastor, youre going against God-given authority.. We also introduced two new members of the [], Editors Note: This panel discussion is from SOLA Conference 2021. Some former CFC members told TRR they believe CFC leaders have lost their way. In May 2021, CFC cut ties with Chung. I am probably going to get myself in trouble making this next statement but the context was always a sense of Hyper-Complimentarianism or some hybrid form of it because the Denomination that I refereed of believed in women Pastors but the culture was steeped with this type of theological thinking. In addition to the alleged sexual assault, the report lists several other allegations against Chung. According to a lengthy investigation by National Public Radio station WBEZ in Chicago, Covenant Fellowship Church and its former head pastor Min Joshua Chung for years fostered a misogynistic environment that included sexual mistreatment and oppression of women. left: 0; UIUC officials told WBEZ that CFC has chosen not to renew its status as a registered student organization for the coming year, meaning it cannot recruit new students at a back-to-school event or reserve space on the campus for meetings. 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. Korean Christians have had such a tremendous and positive impact over the last few decades on local communities and believers, its difficult to overstate. Coverstone confirmed in a separate email to WBEZ that Kim, who had been accused by former church members of failing to respond properly to Chungs sexual misconduct, had been accepted into the Presbytery of Northern Illinois in January. Your tax-deductible gift helps our journalists report the truth and hold Christian leaders and organizations accountable. Some members of the allegation group also said they lacked confidence the KCP would handle any future cases differently, given the ties many of the pastors had to Chung. Keep in touch with Julie and get updates in your inbox! In 2019, Chung told two associate pastors in a vague and minimized confession that he had sexually touched a woman from his congregation, the whistleblower report states. 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. Not every religious leader is trained in handling the needs of sexual assault victims They should assist with reporting to the appropriate authorities and seek referrals to the victim services and professional counseling services!!! The motion to rescind the KCP decision needed a two-thirds vote in favor. In February of 2019, Park said she reported the matter to Kim and urged him to allow a third-party investigation, but Kim refused. She said, Its very important for churches to understand theyre killing themselves, and they dont look anything like the God they say they serve. One of those associate pastors was KJ Kim, the new head pastor of CFC. content: ''; The church followed the report with a letter apologizing for several wrongs. Your tax-deductible gift helps our journalists report the truth and hold Christian leaders and organizations accountable. Nine teaching elders protested the KCPs ruling, saying they didnt think Chung was truly repentant, and called for indefinite suspension. A Presbyterian oversight group refused to defrock a Korean American minister following allegations of sexual misconduct, reports Ministry Watch. Hi. There are Walmart runs. All rights reserved.Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. He also spoke at youth and college-aged events, counseled university students, and preached in several countries. Now, more than a year after WBEZ broke the story, former members and others familiar with the church say CFC is quietly reversing course. Attorney Laura Dunn, a contracted institutional response specialist with GRACE, said many of the people with whom she spoke struggled to get through their interviews, some of which took three to four hours. Almost every day of the week, they try to recruit people, Ma said. } 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. Many other ministries have removed Chung from their boards and speaking schedules. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. The Council believes sexual sin against a member of the congregation and failure to properly confess or be held accountable are reasons to disqualify a pastor/elder from office. It requires public forms of accountability and repentance. The victim was suicidal and traumatized by her initial and continuous interaction with Pastor Min, the friend stated in testimony included in the report. Because of the trust that had been damaged and the pain that had been caused, he said, the church board voted unanimously May 27 to separate from Chung. bottom: 0; Last summer, Kim, writing on behalf of the Oversight Board, promised that CFC would release a full report at the conclusion of GRACEs investigation. At the same time as former and current members of CFC were being interviewed by GRACE, the case against the figure at the center of the controversy Min Chung made its way through the PCAs judicial system. } Park said when she confronted Chung, he said had a dream in which God showed him that he was a lampstand for his generation, and that he should keep preaching as part of his healing. Last weekend a sermon by Evangelical pastor Francis Chan went viral, as in the sermon Chan shared about Communion and his discovery of the scriptural and historical basis for transubstantiation - that the bread and the wine become the literal Body and Blood of Christ. padding: 1px; Amid rumors of sexual misconduct, Chung announced in the summer of 2019 that he would transition out of the head pastor role and that a team of associate pastors would take over. CFC, located in Champaign-Urbana, hired GRACE to evaluate the churchs practices, policies and culture for risks relating to emotional and spiritual abuse, after many in the Asian American community called for reform. 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. Diane Langberg, a prominent psychologist and leading voice on abuse within church communities, said CFCs termination of the GRACE assessment is yet another move to silence the individuals the church has hurt. A few months later, a group of pastors dissatisfied with the presbyterys April 2021 determination filed a complaint in an effort to indefinitely suspend Chung from ministry. Sungwoo Nam, KCP clerk, said in a statement. margin-top: 9px; He is the ultimate judge who will make right all wrongs and the one who will both save and destroy. 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