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. Theyre a very inclusive, very inviting community. Singer said any organizations that back out do so because they dont understand the nature of an independent assessment or investigation. The victim did. .mytheme-mejs-container .mejs-time-buffering, We see this is the third article this month youve found worth reading. SOLA Network, a digital platform and conference including Asian American pastors from all over the country, recently broke ties with Chung. During that time, he pastored the church, served on several ministry boards, and taught at the seminary. visibility: hidden; The lawsuit alleges that the property at 19150 Woodward Ave. is dilapidated and a public nuisance, and orders Pastor Marvin Covenant Fellowship Church is nondenominational, has no elders, and is not a PCA member. /* Current track progress and active audio volume level bar */ WBEZ emailed CFC lead pastor KJ Kim and the churchs Oversight Board with questions about why the church terminated its contract with GRACE, as well as CFCs plan for any long-term changes in the wake of last years events. Ultimately my hope is to discover who God truly is, beyond the God that CFC represented.. .mytheme-mejs-container .mejs-time-float-current, According to U of I spokeswoman Robin Kaler, Covenant Fellowship is once again a registered student organization with the university this school year giving the 32-year-old congregation access to the schools facilities and a new crop of potential members. In a situation like this, we believe real accountability, discipline, and repentance are required. I talked to him about it. And I say that as someone who believes the Bible clearly uses language from both spectra, not just one or the other. I really did not see this coming, she said. Joshua Generation, commonly called J-Gen, a ministry for high schoolers that Chung founded, also severed ties with Chung. 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. Min committed sexual misconduct against a female young adult whom he was pastoring. .mytheme-mejs-container .mejs-time-loaded, Find more resources and videos here. font-size: 13px However, the gospel also demonstrates that mercy is not given at the expense of justice and vice versa. .mytheme-mejs-container .mejs-time-total { Chung founded the church in 1990 on the University of Illinois-Champaign Urbana (UICU) campus and welcomed students to join. Im tired, said Tim Ma, who previously served on the CFC worship team. However, nine elders objected to the decision and asked for Chung's suspension. The SOLA Network exists to influence the emerging generation with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Get Your Domain Names Here! While the perfect judgment of God awaits us all, human judgments must be made to reflect His. Rhee told WBEZ she reported the incident to Pastor Chung. .mytheme-mejs-container .mejs-horizontal-volume-total, top: 19px; margin-top: 9px; Shame is worse than embarrassment. But TRR disclosed that CCG's senior consultant, Charles Zimmerman, has ties with Chung. 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. They called for the rescission of the ruling in July but fell short of votes when only 22 individuals sided with the move, out of 35, with 12 who went against it and one abstention. But after receiving the findings and recommendations from its investigation team, the KCP decided to restore Chung to his post. 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. Frank Barker, whose 4,000-member Briarwood Presbyterian Church grew from a Birmingham, Alabama, storefront before he helped found the conservative Presbyterian. 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. I personally do it for the survivors. 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 According to The Roys Report(TRR), a group of whistleblowers submitted a report to the KCP in November 2020, accusing Chung with various incidents of sexual assaults. CFC came under fire last summer for its alleged mishandling of sexual misconduct by church founder and former head pastor Min Joshua Chung. Conversations about sex, including consent, are taboo. 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). Your tax-deductible gift helps our journalists report the truth and hold Christian leaders and organizations accountable. left: 0; 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. To Thyatira: Hold Fast What You Have Until I Come | Revelation 2:18-29 (Pastor Min Chung) joe 2019.02.19 43. text-align: left; } Join with thousands of others to keep this important public media-based resource available to all. The church that Min pastored operated without a board of elders or denominational oversight, which allowed him to create a system with few checks or balances. He still preaches as a member in good standing. Your tax-deductible gift helps our journalists report the truth and hold Christian leaders and organizations accountable. Zimmerman didnt answer calls or emails to comment on his relationship with Chung. We, as a collective voice of Asian American leaders, implore Min Chung to cease all public ministry at least until a new investigation is conducted and proper disciplinary measures are followed. 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. padding: 1px; It affects your identity, making you want to hide parts or even all of yourself. The cost has been high for the whistleblowers, said Amy Han, one of the whistleblowers who submitted the report. .mytheme-mejs-container .mejs-controls .mejs-horizontal-volume-slider .mejs-horizontal-volume-current, Even the pastors, I would say, do a good job at that. } All rights reserved.Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. .elementor-widget .elementor-icon-list-icon svg { 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? bottom: 0; We remind him to abide by the BCO (Book of Church Order), and we believe that he should return to ministry.. 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.. .mytheme-mejs-container .mejs-time-float-corner, In 2018, Chung preached a sermon addressing the #MeToo movement in which he told victims to repent for your pain and reaction to your sin nature.. He is the ultimate judge who will make right all wrongs and the one who will both save and destroy. On January 17, 1990, the couple welcomed their first child, Tucker Stephenson. I have to believe that having an an honor/shame cultural background, rather than a right/wrong (or guilt) background, would bring quite a few challenges to conducting an independent leadership investigation. CFC also took steps to join the Presbytery of Northern Illinois and move its pastors credentials from the KCP to the Presbytery of Northern Illinois. Chung began private counseling sessions with the victim, using that time to urge her to keep silent about the assault, the report states. Chung founded CFC in 1990, and its now home to more than a thousand members hailing from more than 20 ethno-linguistic groups, according to its website. 6 min read. Despite the procedural errors, the SJC also declared the case would effectively be terminated and not sent back to the KCP to be retried. Anne Stych is a writer in Charlotte, North Carolina. 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. But TRR said that the ruling may still be appealed to the Standing Judicial Commission of the PCA's General Assembly. Members didnt feel safe talking to leaders and sometimes felt ostracized, the report said. /* Progress and audio bar background */ 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. A sexual assault victim who wished to remain anonymous, but whose identity TRR confirmed, said that CFCs culture discouraged reporting sexual assault to police. 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 AsAmNews has Asian America in its heart. J-Gen canceled its summer retreats to grieve and reflect.. In August 2019, Chung stopped preaching at CFC, but said it was to facilitate a transition to a team leadership model. 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. Were an all-volunteer effort of dedicated staff and interns. } Pastor Min Chung admitted some guilt but faced few consequences. } . Min Chung is the founding and senior pastor of Covenant Fellowship Church Rev. The timing of thisso close to the finish of the assessmenthas raised a lot of questions and suspicion among former members, said Pinyo. LeCroy said the procedures and laws of the PCAs Book of Church Order by which churches, presbyteries and pastors abide dictates that the lower court, [the presbyterys] decision is to be respected, and that the SJC often does decide things along procedural grounds, and not the merits of the original case. } Opinion: What is Revivaland is it Happening at Asbury? He has either founded or served in leadership for several youth and college ministries throughout the country, and was a board member for international missions organization SIM from 2006 to 2019. 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. Chung discouraged her from reporting the incident to police. The World Economic Forum ranks the country 115th out of 145 countries in gender equality. The report accuses Chung of orchestrating a cover-up of sexual abuse allegations against another Korean-American pastor of a church with close ties to CFC. Biblical discipline, especially of a pastor or elder in ordained office, cannot be conducted in solitude by the offender. content: ''; 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. But its especially disappointing because now theyve shown that they do have the tools and resources to make better decisions.. . Those who looked deeper discovered sexual misconduct and abuse of power by Chung, former long-term church members, pastors, and leaders state in a 67-page report released to The Roys Report (TRR). For us, Pastor Min is more than just a gifted pastor and teacher. As a whistleblower, its traumatic as well, because there are so many places of pain and injustice along the way, Park said. He kept this information hidden for nearly 20 years from his wife, his church leaders, and other leaders outside the church. Even though many doubt that enough change has happened, some are finding healing beyond CFC. There was never a feeling that this should be reported.. WebMonths ago, we worked it out for Pastor Min Chung to be with us this weekend. 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. We are sobered and shudder at the human propensity for sin; we seek Gods grace so that we can be committed to keeping the church protected and honored as the Bride of Christ. Growing up in San Francisco, Yep felt alienated. In October, the church board released a nine-page report from the CCG. Pastor Chung holds a Korean-American identity. margin: 0; I would guess the numbers will continue to collapse keep up the good work PCA. 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We grieve that this incident will cause many to experience confusion and lose trust in their pastors and elders. Susie An covers education for WBEZ. SEOUL, South Korea A prominent church pastor whose behavior came under scrutiny when the #MeToo movement took hold in South Korea was The victim was terrified and did whatever she was told, the report states. But now were not really given that chance.. margin-top: 18px Posted on: Feb 04, 2023 User login A year later, the group of 14 whistleblowers submitted their report to the PCAs Korean Central Presbytery and called for the KCP to investigate Chung, arguing CFC associate pastors had failed to discipline him, said Park. 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. .mytheme-mejs-container .mejs-time-total, 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. He was in his own words his neighborhood's "all-purpose Asian" and did not feel he had a culture of his own. Copyright 2023 Christianity Daily. Learn how your comment data is processed. Another woman reported to Chung that she had been raped repeatedly. For almost 20 years, Chung kept the alleged sexual assault from church leaders and his wife, Park said. font-size: 10px CFC would not be given much specific information prior to the release of the final executive summary, CFC reported in September. Our hope is to provide care and oversight in whatever way is appropriate. He declined to be interviewed in order to respect the privacy of those involved and due to the ongoing nature of allegations.. 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. We see this is the third article this month youve found worth reading. Websigns of too much calcium in tomato plants. Hi. 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. The gospel is good news for all sinners; in the blood of Christ, all can find forgiveness and redemption. Other whistleblowers said in the report that that isnt true. As WBEZ previously reported, those restorative steps had included meeting with the CFC pastoral staff regularly for mutual encouragement and care and preventing Chung from preaching at CFC for a limited time. In September 2019, two other whistleblowers met with Kim as a final step to urge leadership to take proper steps, the report states. .jet-smart-listing__post-title:after { However, a document submitted by a group of former CFC members calling themselves the allegation group, asked the Korean Central Presbytery (KCP), a denominational oversight group, to investigate the incident, called it unwanted, non-consensual touch in her private area., Chung reportedly personally counseled the woman after the incident, and said they reached reconciliation.. They described various experiences of mistreatment by an unhealthy leadership culture over a couple of decades. 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. Mayor Lori Lightfoot was handed a stunning defeat, the first time in 40 years a sitting mayor was not reelected. We apologize for the ways we may have contributed to an unhealthy culture if we have been silent. Nine teaching elders protested the KCPs ruling, saying they didnt think Chung was truly repentant, and called for indefinite suspension. Whistleblowers say theyre disappointed, but not surprised, with the ruling. At the time, the SOLA Council placed trust in the proper processes and authorities of his local church and denomination to conduct an investigation and hold Min Chung accountable. We extend an invitation to worship with us if you are ever in the Champaign area.. In our previous meetings, they had acknowledged that [Chungs case was] within the scope, so Im not certain why that changed.. For investigators at GRACE, CFCs decision to terminate the assessment is a highly unusual move. The victim was suicidal and traumatized by her initial and continuous interaction with Pastor Min, the friend stated in testimony included in the report. In May, CFC severed ties with Chung and hired Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment (G.R.A.C.E.) This story has been updated to clarify CFCs relationship with regional and national presbytery associations. Covenant Fellowship Church in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, whose previous pastor Min Joshua Chung (left) resigned last year following abuse allegations, has Join with thousands of others to keep this important public media-based resource available to all. .mytheme-mejs-container .mejs-button > button { Our King Jesus, in his incarnation, wept at the suffering of man and in his full glory he will wipe away every tear as he welcomes us into eternity. Follow her on Twitter @WBEZeducation and @soosieon. At Asbury any organizations that back out do so because they dont understand the of! A church with close ties to CFC reported to Chung that she had been raped repeatedly ties... Accountability, discipline, and called for indefinite suspension an all-volunteer effort of dedicated staff and interns }!, are taboo or investigation Chung admitted some guilt but faced few consequences. blood... 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