.wp-caption-text { 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. } CFC separated from Chung on May 27 and has contracted a third-party investigation into his conduct. 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 margin-top: 18px 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. The motion failed to pass, allowing Chung to remain an ordained minister in good standing with the PCA. We grieve the subtle undertones of misogyny that have been present in our churches and have contributed to unbiblical hierarchies and unhealthy power structures. top: 0; figcaption.wp-caption-text { While this was happening, the report states, Chung was exercising nearly Godlike authority to pressure his victim and various others whod learned about the incident to stay silent. Nov. 22, 2018. [They] are literally re-traumatizing [themselves] by speaking to us, so the least the other side could do would be to hear those pieces of information, Dunn said, adding that current church leaders, including KJ Kim, were the only remaining people GRACE had left to interview. Theres such a pressure put on women to be pure going into marriage, but then we create this environment in the church where its kind of ripe for abuse, and for women to stay silent when there is some kind of assault, Pinyo said. 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 Follow her on Twitter @estheryjkang. He is the ultimate judge who will make right all wrongs and the one who will both save and destroy. Min Chung is the founding and senior pastor of Covenant Fellowship Church Rev. In this case, Id say this is the logical result of Korean Cultures Confucian-infused hierarchy: father-son, king-subject, husband-wife, elder-younger, friend-friend (where one is above the other in rank). Toward that end, the site requires that people use their full name when commenting. .mytheme-mejs-container .mejs-controls .mejs-horizontal-volume-slider .mejs-horizontal-volume-current, Its a moment of reckoning for the Korean American church, former CFC member June Pinyo 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. Former members of Covenant Fellowship Church (CFC) of Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, where Chung pastored, say the whole church system breeds abuse. height: 3px; In May, CFC severed ties with Chung and hired Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment (G.R.A.C.E.) Many other ministries have removed Chung from their boards and speaking schedules. Some people are just too far gone and need a wake-up call.. Heartland Greenway LLC refiled its application with the Illinois. While the perfect judgment of God awaits us all, human judgments must be made to reflect His. Another woman reported to Chung that she had been raped repeatedly. However, CFC has made some changes. Anne Rhee (not her real name) recalled when she began to kiss a male friend from church. /* Player background */ 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. into silence those who knew of the incident, the report states. We see this is the third article this month youve found worth reading. } To donate, click here. What Happened To Marco From Next In Fashion? We continue to seek the Lord for His leading in this season of ministry.. CFC would not be given much specific information prior to the release of the final executive summary, CFC reported in September. 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). Opinion: What is Revivaland is it Happening at Asbury? The group said that though the was guilty, what he did was already enough for his reinstatement and that his hiatus from preaching was also enough to discipline him for the sin. Join with thousands of others to keep this important public media-based resource available to all. I would be interested to know how much of the loss of members comes from the PCA and how much comes from the-once much larger-PCUSA(not PSUSA). Toward that end, the site requires that people use their full name when commenting. They were also concerned that other victims may exist, she said. But TRR said that the ruling may still be appealed to the Standing Judicial Commission of the PCA's General Assembly. In a situation like this, we believe real accountability, discipline, and repentance are required. The congregation also sought to evaluate the health of the church through The Center Consulting Group (CCG). AsAmNews is a community of users interested in reading, learning and commenting on news, events, people & issues in the Asian Americans and Pacific Islander communities. 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. CFC came under fire last summer for its alleged mishandling of sexual misconduct by church founder and former head pastor Min Joshua Chung. 500K PCA and other conservative denominations. You have entered an incorrect email address! The council also encouraged a member in the Presbyterian Church of America (PCA) to inform the denomination of the information SOLA had received regarding Min, who is a member of the PCA. As the leaders of CFC, we repent and acknowledge our failings and the many ways that we need to change.. Chung was also an adjunct professor at Urbana Theological Seminary from 2005 to 2018. I would guess the numbers will continue to collapse keep up the good work PCA. 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). Even the pastors, I would say, do a good job at that. 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. In your pain and in your healing, may you be comforted and strengthened by the presence of Christ, your advocate, your protector, and your savior. And calls for reform are spreading through the Korean-American community, even as whistleblowers fear retaliation. The report doesnt offer explicit details of the incident, but states that the touching was in a way that could be constituted as sexual assault under Illinois law. As James 3 warns us, teachers will be judged more strictly. 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. In April 2021, Chungs denomination, the Korean Central Presbytery, an arm of the Presbyterian Church in America, ruled that Chung was guilty of sexual harassment, but allowed Chung to return to ministry. The victim did. 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. 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. 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? 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. In April, the Korean Central Presbytery received an eight-page report summarizing its investigative teams findings and recommendations. He cited an example in the Bible, in the book of Luke, where Jesus tells the story of a woman and an unjust judge. .mytheme-mejs-container .mejs-embed, The woman, a former CFC member, said she was sexually assaulted by a leader in the churchnot Chungand reported the incident to a pastor. We apologize for the ways we may have contributed to an unhealthy culture if we have been silent. A July 13 vote narrowly missed that threshold, with 22 in favor of rescinding the decision, 12 against, and one abstaining. Under the previous structure, CFC was an independent church, with just Chung and the associate pastors, as individuals, belonging to the Korean Central Presbytery (KCP), one of the regional bodies within the PCA. Bryan Chapell, the PCAs stated clerk, confirmed to WBEZ in a statement that the discipline matter has been concluded by the SJC. The lawsuit alleges that the property at 19150 Woodward Ave. is dilapidated and a public nuisance, and orders Pastor Marvin Pastor Kim also promised that church leadership would add more layers of accountability and would humbly listen, learn, and grow so we can be a healthier church moving forward.. 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 Eventually, that group reconsidered and completed the assessment. Over the years, Chung rebuked whistleblowers who tried to confront him for causing dissension in the church. They either left or were forced to leave by the leadership they loved, the report states. Go to our Twitter feed and Facebook page for more content. Langberg helped an ad interim committee of the PCA write a new report on domestic and sexual abuse in churches. Pastor KJ shows no signs of remorse, shows no sign of pastoral care, only concerned with keeping us quiet.. 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.. However, we hope you will support our work with your prayers and financial gifts. A vote by the Presbyterian oversight group on July 13 to remove Chung as a minister failed to get the necessary 2/3 vote. Your tax-deductible gift helps our journalists report the truth and hold Christian leaders and organizations accountable. } Notify me of follow-up comments by email. The city of Detroit is suing a pastor and his church over the stalled development of a new mega-church at 7 Mile and Woodward Avenue, saying blight has emerged as a result, according to court documents. Many times, I thought I lost my own understanding in God. And I say that as someone who believes the Bible clearly uses language from both spectra, not just one or the other. WebDr. .grecaptcha-badge { visibility: hidden; } WBEZ confirmed with Justin Coverstone, the stated clerk of the Presbytery of Northern Illinois, that CFC was in the process of joining that regional body as of early September. background: #db4e88; However, the gospel also demonstrates that mercy is not given at the expense of justice and vice versa. . Some former CFC members told TRR they believe CFC leaders have lost their way. Unfortunately, GRACE has been informed by CFC that they are terminating the assessment, an update linked on GRACEs website stated. Whistleblowers are making their accusations public after several years of attempts to confront the influential pastor within a reportedly tight-knit, shame-based community. (The version of the report released to TRR referenced and summarized the texts instead in the interest of the victims privacy.) .mytheme-mejs-container .mejs-time-buffering, According to sources, in the past few months, CFC has terminated the assessment with GRACE and wiped any trace of the leadership updates from last year (as seen on a web page accessed by WBEZ on Sept. 21). 6 min read. He received disciplinary measures that included temporary leave from the pulpit and acknowledgment of previous personal acts of piety as self-imposed discipline. 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 presbytery also determined no additional disciplinary steps were needed for Chung other than what the church had already instituted. Has been concluded by the leadership they loved, the Korean American church former... 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