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. Wade Morris, Popular Baptist Youth Speaker, Dies After COVID-19 Hospitalization. I have the privilege of living near a large population of Korean Americans, both Christian and otherwise. CFC separated from Chung on May 27 and has contracted a third-party investigation into his conduct. 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. To donate, click here. Front-runner for Oscar. Min committed sexual misconduct against a female young adult whom he was pastoring. This is so disheartening. 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. 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. But theres, of course, a lot under the surface as well, he added. 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. But after receiving the findings and recommendations from its investigation team, the KCP decided to restore Chung to his post. And I say that as someone who believes the Bible clearly uses language from both spectra, not just one or the other. 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. We know this may cause pain for many people, and we deeply regret that CFC has chosen this path.. For the sake of the churchs purity and healing, we desire for there to be a thorough, fair, and independent investigation completed regarding the incident and the aftermath. Your tax-deductible gift helps our journalists report the truth and hold Christian leaders and organizations accountable. Several CFC Survivors came forward to tell their stories on an Instagram account. 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. } Go to our Twitter feed and Facebook page for more content. Yet this generations aggrieved version of sexism has taken on a different character from their fathers more traditional version of sexism featuring machoism and strict gender roles., https://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/13/opinion/south-koreas-misogyny.html, https://foreignpolicy.com/2021/06/23/young-south-korean-men-hate-liberals-feminists/. .mytheme-mejs-container .mejs-time-total { How Can the Church Support Asian American Women? top: 19px; That is the message of Esther Lius book Shame: Being Known and Loved. We are accountable to our congregation and the denomination that has charge over its leaders and we believe that this is best for our church and its future. In October, the church board released a nine-page report from the CCG. 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. /* Current track progress and active audio volume level bar */ Get Your Domain Names Here! margin-top: 18px Anne Rhee (not her real name) recalled when she began to kiss a male friend from church. 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.. On January 17, 1990, the couple welcomed their first child, Tucker Stephenson. Web[130609] On the knowledge of God. 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. height: 90px; . /* .jet-smart-listing__featured-box-link:before { 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. 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). Even though many doubt that enough change has happened, some are finding healing beyond CFC. In February of 2019, Park said she reported the matter to Kim and urged him to allow a third-party investigation, but Kim refused. The report also recommended that the church hire a third-party auditor to address some members financial concerns, though the Center didnt think there were financial irregularities.. position: absolute; Your tax-deductible gift helps our journalists report the truth and hold Christian leaders and organizations accountable. 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. transform: translateY(445%); As of May 27, 2021, Covenant Fellowship Church (CFC) has terminated its formal relationship with Min Chung. "MC (Min Chung) is anointed by God, God only exists at CFC and there is no other place like CFC. .grecaptcha-badge { Influencing the emerging generation with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. border: 0 none; WebDr. Korean Church Stops Independent Investigation into Sexual Chung turned over leadership of the church he founded in 2019 to a team of associate pastors, according to Ministry Watch. 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. 6 min read. } 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.. 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. 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. How Tragic. His influence extends beyond the church walls. 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. 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 church brought in a trauma expert to meet with congregants, added elders to its leadership model, and offered congregants ongoing ways to express concerns. 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. Check out our new Instagram account. }. Zimmerman didnt answer calls or emails to comment on his relationship with Chung. Leaving the case to be resolved by a higher jurisdiction. You have entered an incorrect email address! 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.. Theres a picnic. to conduct a third-party investigation. We grieve that this incident will cause many to experience confusion and lose trust in their pastors and elders. Chung didnt respond when The Roys Report tried to reach him for comment. Though the assessment is nearly complete, the termination by CFC effectively halts our work at this time. What remains is for the regional body that originally adjudicated the case to respond about procedural steps needing correction for the future.. .mytheme-mejs-container .mejs-embed body { 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. Toward that end, the site requires that people use their full name when commenting. But Chung is subject to the PCAs Book of Church Order because of his PCA ordination, KJ Kim told TRR. It is interesting the there were 5-6 million Presbyterians in the 1960s the number now is down to paltry 1.5 Presbyterians in the U.S. 1 Million Liberal (PSUSA) He also spoke at youth and college-aged events, counseled university students, and preached in several countries. There are 300+ professionals named "Min Chung", who use LinkedIn to exchange information, ideas, and opportunities. .mytheme-mejs-container .mejs-time-buffering, font-size: 10px } /*Custom svg icon height fix*/ Pastor Kim confirmed the churchs decision with TRR but did not give a reason. .mytheme-mejs-container .mejs-time { .mytheme-mejs-container .mejs-controls .mejs-horizontal-volume-slider .mejs-horizontal-volume-current, Serving with a denomination as a District Leader I saw leaders shuffled to different churches who were related to significant people in the denomination who continued to act our inappropiately on women and it was imply ignored or excused. Ministry Watch 2022 All rights reserved. URBANA For Janet Park, the events of last year feel like a waste of time and energy. /* Player controls */ Keep in touch with Julie and get updates in your inbox! "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. 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. fostered a misogynistic environment that included sexual mistreatment and I really did not see this coming, she 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. 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. Chung had no interest in moving back to the weekend and attempted to get CBS to buy her out of the rest of her contract, valued around $2 million with less than a He said, Your parents are well-respected members of their church, your fathers an elder [at their church], Rhee recalled. The victim was suicidal and traumatized by her initial and continuous interaction with Pastor Min, the friend stated in testimony included in the report. It requires public forms of accountability and repentance. 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. 6 min read. But lay leaders and congregants began leaving the church in recent years, which was also a registered student organization at UICU. The treatment and reception of Asians in the broader American society has shaped the theological tendencies of Asian American Christians, ranging from very radical to very conservative theologies and all of these tendencies, even though often at odds with []. Follow her on Twitter @estheryjkang. It was very much like, Why do you think you got into this relationship? background-color: #fff; On July 9, 1988, Whelchel tied the knot with Steven Cauble, her first husband and associate pastor at The Church on the Way. 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. } We see this is the third article this month youve found worth reading. Also, any comments with profanity, name-calling, and/or a nasty tone will be deleted. Pastoral leadership is an immense privilege, not a right. 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. But TRR said that the ruling may still be appealed to the Standing Judicial Commission of the PCA's General Assembly. We see this is the third article this month youve found worth reading. Women in many Korean churches are told to be submissive, former CFC members said. In August 2019, Chung stopped preaching at CFC, but said it was to facilitate a transition to a team leadership model. There are Walmart runs. Some people are just too far gone and need a wake-up call.. 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. Great! They gave a couple of examples [of bias], which were tenuous at best, Singer said. We judge that his relationship with God is restored as we consider the grace of God. The Roys Report seeks to foster thoughtful and respectful dialogue. 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.. 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. The World Economic Forum ranks the country 115th out of 145 countries in gender equality. Opinion: What is Revivaland is it Happening at Asbury? Learn how your comment data is processed. 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. 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. 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