After troubling times during the Depression, he was able to open a grocery store in an African-American neighborhood. And calls for reform are spreading through the Korean-American community, even as whistleblowers fear retaliation. 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. The CCG called the allegations against Min Chung an inappropriate moral failure between Min Chung and a woman. Pete Singer, GRACEs executive director, called the cancellation very rare, adding he is aware of just one other organization that has done the same. Anne Rhee (not her real name) recalled when she began to kiss a male friend from church. Editors note: This story has been updated to clarify when the KCP received the whistleblowers allegations and to more accurately state certain charges. 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.. .mytheme-mejs-container .mejs-controls, Another day, theres basketball. The report, published in June, is intended to provide resources to handle abuse cases and to offer best practices and guidelines for elders, churches, presbyteries and other entities. URBANA For Janet Park, the events of last year feel like a waste of time and energy. TRR reached out to Min Chung for comment, but he did not respond. And he bullied . CFC came under fire last summer for its alleged mishandling of sexual misconduct by church founder and former head pastor Min Joshua 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. Chung preached messages urging congregants to submit to leaders and forgive them and calling victims to forgive their abusers. The timing of thisso close to the finish of the assessmenthas raised a lot of questions and suspicion among former members, said Pinyo. In one instance, Chung assaulted a woman in the back seat of a car in 2001, the report alleges. There was never a feeling that this should be reported.. Victims of abuse who express their grievances on social media, who protest, who take their stories to the media theyre like that woman in that parable, LeCroy said. .mytheme-mejs-container .mejs-embed, We also introduced two new members of the [], Editors Note: This panel discussion is from SOLA Conference 2021. On July 9, 1988, Whelchel tied the knot with Steven Cauble, her first husband and associate pastor at The Church on the Way. 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. His influence extends beyond the church walls. Also, any comments with profanity, name-calling, and/or a nasty tone will be deleted. For Janet Park and other members of the group that filed the initial allegations against Chung and the CFC pastors, the GRACE termination felt like a particularly painful blow. } 2nd Peter 1 : 2 ~ 3, by pastor Minho Chung A 124-page extended version of the report, containing copies of texts describing one victims assault and subsequent intimidation, was submitted to an investigative team of the Korean Central Presbytery (KCP) in November 2020, following up on a five-page allegation letter the whistleblowers sent in August. Rebecca Hopkins is a journalist based in Colorado. Pastor Min is the founding and lead pastor of Covenant Fellowship Church, a large church in Champaign. 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 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 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. Rebecca Hopkins is a journalist based in Colorado. 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. 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. Christian Rocker Posts Stunning Response to Recent Apostasy of Christian Leaders, Chicago Radio Host & a Former Bodyguard Say James MacDonald Asked Them to Arrange Murders, James MacDonald Took Millions from Harvest & Now Demands Broadcast Ministry, Mancow Airs Shocking Comments By James MacDonald: My Response. 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. The woman pastor at the center of the Southern Baptist Convention's decision to oust Saddleback Church the California A Presbyterian oversight group has determined that the former head pastor of a Korean church near the Champaign-Urbana campus of the University of Illinois can remain an ordained minister despite allegations of sexual misconduct against him and his church. background: #db4e88; .mytheme-mejs-container .mejs-time-float-current, 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.. On January 17, 1990, the couple welcomed their first child, Tucker Stephenson. Weve lost our reputations. 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 He is the ultimate judge who will make right all wrongs and the one who will both save and destroy. .grecaptcha-badge { He also referred WBEZ to Tim LeCroy, a pastor who chaired the PCAs committee that wrote the domestic and sexual abuse report. .mytheme-mejs-container .mejs-time { height: 3px; The report states that 62 percent of those surveyed consider CFC to have a works-based culture. The church has been legalistic, the CCG reported, and has lacked transparency and accountability. In October, the church board released a nine-page report from the CCG. Sean Park, who said he experienced hazing and burnout at CFC, said hes finding his way to a healthy relationship with God. In February of 2019, Park said she reported the matter to Kim and urged him to allow a third-party investigation, but Kim refused. Chung joined the church in 2005 as the minister of missions, taking over a storied tradition of deploying missionaries around the world, said Walter Kim, an Last summer, amid the outcry that resulted from the revelations by an Instagram account called @letters_from_rahab, CFC said it would cut financial ties to the pastor and hire a third-party group to do a full investigation. It contracted with an organization called Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment (GRACE) to assess the church and its response to allegations of abuse. She says he then began to force himself on her and pull his pants down until she pushed him off and ran into the bathroom, locking the door until he left. Several CFC Survivors came forward to tell their stories on an Instagram account, @letters_from_rahab. That is the message of Esther Lius book Shame: Being Known and Loved. Chung began private counseling sessions with the victim, using that time to urge her to keep silent about the assault, the report states. But Chung got upset that the victim had told someone and told her to keep the incident quiet between the two of them, the friend said in the report. Later, the victim called a friend and told her what Chung had done. As of May 27, 2021, Covenant Fellowship Church (CFC) has terminated its formal relationship with Min Chung. 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). But a vote on the matter failed to achieve the necessary two-thirds majority, meaning Chung remains a minister, WBEZ reported. 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. For almost 20 years, Chung kept the alleged sexual assault from church leaders and his wife, Park said. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. Kim also alluded to the KCP investigation. Park is part of a group that last year brought to light allegations of sexual and spiritual abuse at Covenant Fellowship Church (CFC), a predominantly Asian American church near the campus of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Theres a picnic. .mytheme-mejs-container .mejs-horizontal-volume-total { It went terribly, according to the report. Susie An covers education for WBEZ. 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. But theres, of course, a lot under the surface as well, he added. Chungs church reckoned him to have an especially high place of anointing, making him untouchable when he does wrong, said Dan Lee, another whistleblower 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. /* Current track progress and active audio volume level bar */ They gave a couple of examples [of bias], which were tenuous at best, Singer said. Would you consider making a tax-deductible donation to help our journalists continue to report the truth and restore the church? Toward that end, the site requires that people use their full name when commenting. The commission declared the KCP should have disciplined the pastor according to the PCAs Book of Church Order not follow the restorative steps the associate pastors had instituted, according to Brian Park. While the perfect judgment of God awaits us all, human judgments must be made to reflect His. Experts say the scandal and subsequent backsliding at CFC illustrates how many churches and their governing bodies are ill-equipped to address allegations of abuse. The victim was terrified and did whatever she was told, the report states. 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 .mytheme-mejs-container .mejs-time-handle-content { WebView the profiles of professionals named "Min Chung" on LinkedIn. Last August, shortly after the WBEZ report was published, the same group of pastors from the KCP appealed the case, which went to the PCAs Standing Judicial Commission (SJC), a quasi-judicial body of sorts, according to several sources. 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. The church also hired The Center Consulting Group (CCG) to assess problems at CFC and offer solutions. Chung continued to speak elsewhere during this time. 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. background-color: #efefef; z-index: 1; What remains is for the regional body that originally adjudicated the case to respond about procedural steps needing correction for the future.. 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. Marco Morante was eliminated in episode 8, Military, since the judges werent impressed by his outfit with a military motif. To donate, click here. We judge that his relationship with God is restored as we consider the grace of God. In September 2019, two other whistleblowers met with Kim as a final step to urge leadership to take proper steps, the report states. As the leaders of CFC, we repent and acknowledge our failings and the many ways that we need to change.. We recognize that some have suffered, often silently, because of our church, states CFCs letter. Nine teaching elders protested the KCPs ruling, saying they didnt think Chung was truly repentant, and called for indefinite suspension. 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. height: auto; Leaving the case to be resolved by a higher jurisdiction. An Asian American pastor in Illinois was reinstated to ministry in spite of doubts on his character due to sexual abuse accusations. Im tired, said Tim Ma, who previously served on the CFC worship team. 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. top: 19px; Were an all-volunteer effort of dedicated staff and interns. Join with thousands of others to keep this important public media-based resource available to all. In our previous meetings, they had acknowledged that [Chungs case was] within the scope, so Im not certain why that changed.. 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. We grieve the subtle undertones of misogyny that have been present in our churches and have contributed to unbiblical hierarchies and unhealthy power structures. We apologize for the ways we may have contributed to an unhealthy culture if we have been silent. A Presbyterian oversight group refused to defrock a Korean American minister following allegations of sexual misconduct, reports Ministry Watch. 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. All rights reserved.Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. It affects your identity, making you want to hide parts or even all of yourself. (The version of the report released to TRR referenced and summarized the texts instead in the interest of the victims privacy.) In May, CFC severed ties with Chung and hired Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment (G.R.A.C.E.) Chung was also an adjunct professor at Urbana Theological Seminary from 2005 to 2018. Eventually, that group reconsidered and completed the assessment. Websigns of too much calcium in tomato plants. Bryan Chapell, the PCAs stated clerk, confirmed to WBEZ in a statement that the discipline matter has been concluded by the SJC. 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). How Tragic. The decision to return Chung to ministry may be appealed to the Standing Judicial Commission of the PCAs General Assembly. This is so disheartening. Great! If they found out, they would be devastated and you know how people talk, and I wouldnt want them to have to go through that. . The Austin-area congregation declared itself open to LGBTQ persons on staff and that the church building would be available to host same-sex wedding ceremonies. .mytheme-mejs-container .mejs-controls .mejs-horizontal-volume-slider .mejs-horizontal-volume-current, 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. SEOUL, South Korea A prominent church pastor whose behavior came under scrutiny when the #MeToo movement took hold in South Korea was However, we hope you will support our work with your prayers and financial gifts. } As outlined in WBEZs initial report, in April 2021, the KCP a regional presbytery of the PCA to which Kim, Chung and other former CFC pastors belong had found Chung guilty of his admitted sexual harassment for inappropriately touching a female congregant in 2001 (instead of a more serious form of misconduct). Chung founded the church in 1990 on the University of Illinois-Champaign Urbana (UICU) campus and welcomed students to join. 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 grieve that this incident will cause many to experience confusion and lose trust in their pastors and elders. He received disciplinary measures that included temporary leave from the pulpit and acknowledgment of previous personal acts of piety as self-imposed discipline. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. To Thyatira: Hold Fast What You Have Until I Come | Revelation 2:18-29 (Pastor Min Chung) joe 2019.02.19 43. To make a donation,click here. We here at SOLA Network affirm these words: SOLA Network exists to influence the emerging generation with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 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). Now, more than a year after WBEZ broke the story, former members and others familiar with the church say CFC is quietly reversing course. I have the privilege of living near a large population of Korean Americans, both Christian and otherwise. Dozens of Illinois, CHAMPAIGN Plans have resumed for a carbon dioxide pipeline in Illinois after a brief delay. 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. 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. } 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. The woman pastor at the center of the Southern Baptist Convention's decision to oust Saddleback Church the California megachurch founded by pastor and best-selling author Rick Warren says she will continue to serve as a ministry leader despite her longstanding ties to the nation's largest 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. 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.. Pastor Kim did not respond to a TRR inquiry about the audit. 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. Web1215 W. Lambert Rd. AsAmNews has Asian America in its heart. 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. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Members didnt feel safe talking to leaders and sometimes felt ostracized, the report said. But lay leaders and congregants began leaving the church in recent years, which was also a registered student organization at UICU. . Some people are just too far gone and need a wake-up call.. 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. /* Track progress bar background (amount of track fully loaded) Theres a side of me thats like, no, Im not gonna give another ounce of my energy and time to this, and then theres this other side of me thats just so upset at the injustice of it all, that people still dont have the truth., Miryung Fontijn, another member of the allegation group, said she was shocked by the GRACE termination. } 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. The motion to rescind the KCP decision needed a two-thirds vote in favor. Though disappointed, the whistleblowers said that they were not surprised with KCP's ruling, citing the environment at CFC where Chung leads and the congregation's high regard for the minister. And women are taught to protect men, even when the men are doing something wrong or hurting the women, said former member June Pinyo. Min committed sexual misconduct against a female young adult whom he was pastoring. Zimmerman didnt answer calls or emails to comment on his relationship with Chung. 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. 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 "MC (Min Chung) is anointed by God, God only exists at CFC and there is no other place like CFC. WILL and the Illinois Newsroom are committed to bringing you in-depth, relevant coverage that keeps you informed and engages you with our community and state. On December 4, 2022, CFC became a particular church within the Presbytery of .elementor-widget .elementor-icon-list-icon svg { He also spoke at youth and college-aged events, counseled university students, and preached in several countries. 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. People close to the woman said she didnt wish to speak to TRR. Langberg helped an ad interim committee of the PCA write a new report on domestic and sexual abuse in churches. In addition to the alleged sexual assault, the report lists several other allegations against Chung. font-size: 13px .wp-caption-text { That same year, the actress retired from acting to start a family with her new husband. 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.. However, theres nothing on CFCs website about CFCs recent decision to terminate GRACE. Many CFC members are students there who hail from the Chicago area. WebDr. 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. He said, Your parents are well-respected members of their church, your fathers an elder [at their church], Rhee recalled. WebMonths ago, we worked it out for Pastor Min Chung to be with us this weekend.