what happened to pastor min chung

The woman pastor at the center of the Southern Baptist Convention's decision to oust Saddleback Church the California Its a moment of reckoning for the Korean American church, former CFC member June Pinyo said. 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.. 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). Min Chung is the founding and senior pastor of Covenant Fellowship Church Rev. But lay leaders and congregants began leaving the church in recent years, which was also a registered student organization at UICU. 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. 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. On December 4, 2022, CFC became a particular church within the Presbytery of [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. 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. 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. 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. In addition, CFC vowed to be clear and transparent with members by providing regular updates on the probe on its website. Despite the procedural errors, the SJC also declared the case would effectively be terminated and not sent back to the KCP to be retried. 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 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. 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. Gave $3 Million Grant for Reconstruction of Historic First Baptist Church in Williamsburg. 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. In February of 2019, Park said she reported the matter to Kim and urged him to allow a third-party investigation, but Kim refused. Brea, CA 92821 | 562.694.2100 2022 Living Hope Community Church. I personally do it for the survivors. 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. 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. 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. 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. My heart breaks. Many CFC members are students there who hail from the Chicago area. 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. The victim was suicidal and traumatized by her initial and continuous interaction with Pastor Min, the friend stated in testimony included in the report. Former church members expressed dismay over CFCs apparent about-face. Growing up in San Francisco, Yep felt alienated. However, a senior consultant at Center Consulting has ties with Chung. 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!!! SEOUL, South Korea A prominent church pastor whose behavior came under scrutiny when the #MeToo movement took hold in South Korea was Pastor Min Chung admitted some guilt but faced few consequences. Chung began private counseling sessions with the victim, using that time to urge her to keep silent about the assault, the report states. In much of Asian culture, you never want to look bad in front of the community and you never want to be the cause of someone else being shamed, said Frank Mesina, a former CFC member. But now were not really given that chance.. 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. .mytheme-mejs-container .mejs-time-current, Pastor KJ shows no signs of remorse, shows no sign of pastoral care, only concerned with keeping us quiet.. .mytheme-mejs-container .mejs-button > button { 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. .mytheme-mejs-container .mejs-time-float-corner, In light of this information, on August 15, 2020, the SOLA Council asked Min to resign his position and removed all of Mins content from the SOLA website. Several CFC Survivors came forward to tell their stories on an Instagram account, @letters_from_rahab. After that, he was Get new articles and breaking news delivered to your inbox. Pete Singer, GRACEs executive director, called the cancellation very rare, adding he is aware of just one other organization that has done the same. 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 Bryan Chapell, the PCAs stated clerk, confirmed to WBEZ in a statement that the discipline matter has been concluded by the SJC. The sermon was maligned by many Protestants and praised by many Catholics, 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. Keep in touch with Julie and get updates in your inbox! To donate, click here. 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. 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. .mytheme-mejs-container .mejs-time-float-current, We remind him to abide by the BCO (Book of Church Order), and we believe that he should return to ministry.. right: 0; Kim also alluded to the KCP investigation. Nine teaching elders protested the KCPs ruling, saying they didnt think Chung was truly repentant, and called for indefinite suspension. Susie An covers education for WBEZ. It And in August, CFC hired GRACE. We grieve the subtle undertones of misogyny that have been present in our churches and have contributed to unbiblical hierarchies and unhealthy power structures. Pastor Kim confirmed the churchs decision with TRR but did not give a reason. Chung was also an adjunct professor at Urbana Theological Seminary from 2005 to 2018. We continue to seek the Lord for His leading in this season of ministry.. } Conversations about sex, including consent, are taboo. Copyright 2023 Christianity Daily. Ministry Watch 2022 All rights reserved. Sungwoo Nam, KCP clerk, said in a statement. While the perfect judgment of God awaits us all, human judgments must be made to reflect His. We here at SOLA Network affirm these words: SOLA Network exists to influence the emerging generation with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. According to the report, Kim was initially more interested in stopping the spread of gossip and keeping Chungs sexual misconduct private than holding Chung accountable or protecting victims. Chung didnt respond when The Roys Report tried to reach him for comment. In April, the Korean Central Presbytery received an eight-page report summarizing its investigative teams findings and recommendations. 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. 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. Its time to move on.. top: 0; And calls for reform are spreading through the Korean-American community, even as whistleblowers fear retaliation. All rights reserved.Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. 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. The lawsuit alleges that the property at 19150 Woodward Ave. is dilapidated and a public nuisance, and orders Pastor Marvin . left: 0; 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. In one instance, Chung assaulted a woman in the back seat of a car in 2001, the report alleges. Follow her on Twitter @estheryjkang. } 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. They were also concerned that other victims may exist, she said. You have entered an incorrect email address! The mainline Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) announced this week it will change the way it reports statistical information about the denominations membership to, The pastor of a Baptist church in Virginia is in jail on child sex abuse-related charges, the Washington County (Va.) Sheriffs Office, Steve Morgan, founder and president of a group of 26 evangelical-charismatic churches known as the Network, has been hiding a disqualifying sexual. Heartland Greenway LLC refiled its application with the Illinois. During that time, he pastored the church, served on several ministry boards, and taught at the seminary. Wade Morris, Popular Baptist Youth Speaker, Dies After COVID-19 Hospitalization. Many other ministries have removed Chung from their boards and speaking schedules. Former members of Covenant Fellowship Church say Chungs abuse is part of a larger pattern of abuse and silencing at CFC and affiliated ministries. } .mytheme-mejs-container .mejs-time-total, The SOLA Network, for the gospel-centric reason outlined in the introduction, feels it is necessary to articulate that: We grieve the fact that ministers of the gospel, those who are to represent Christ himself, have sinned against their own sheep, denied the biblical call to repentance, and failed to seek justice. People close to the woman said she didnt wish to speak to TRR. Email:[emailprotected] He is the ultimate judge who will make right all wrongs and the one who will both save and destroy. 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. In contrast, a team of whistleblowers have alleged that the incident was sexual assault. The Korean Central Presbytery called it sexual harassment.. On July 9, 1988, Whelchel tied the knot with Steven Cauble, her first husband and associate pastor at The Church on the Way. The SOLA Network exists to influence the emerging generation with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. margin: 0; This story has been updated to clarify CFCs relationship with regional and national presbytery associations. CFC came under fire last summer for its alleged mishandling of sexual misconduct by church founder and former head pastor Min Joshua Chung. Would you consider making a tax-deductible donation to help our journalists continue to report the truth and restore the church? For investigators at GRACE, CFCs decision to terminate the assessment is a highly unusual move. .jet-smart-listing__post-title:after { Later, the victim called a friend and told her what Chung had done. Learn how your comment data is processed. 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/. Chung preached messages urging congregants to submit to leaders and forgive them and calling victims to forgive their abusers. } Hi. 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. background: #db4e88; 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 But a vote on the matter failed to achieve the necessary two-thirds majority, meaning Chung remains a minister, WBEZ reported. In September 2019, two other whistleblowers met with Kim as a final step to urge leadership to take proper steps, the report states. The church consists of predominantly a Korean American congregation. Pastor Chung holds a Korean-American identity. Were an all-volunteer effort of dedicated staff and interns. .wp-caption p.wp-caption-text { 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. . background-color: #fff; } However, CFC has made some changes. 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. Another woman reported to Chung that she had been raped repeatedly. WebAs of July 2021, CFC came under the leadership of Reverend KJ Kim and a lay oversight board. height: 90px; They gave a couple of examples [of bias], which were tenuous at best, Singer said. To Thyatira: Hold Fast What You Have Until I Come | Revelation 2:18-29 (Pastor Min Chung) joe 2019.02.19 43. Websigns of too much calcium in tomato plants. In addition to the alleged sexual assault, the report lists several other allegations against Chung. But TRR said that the ruling may still be appealed to the Standing Judicial Commission of the PCA's General Assembly. As a whistleblower, its traumatic as well, because there are so many places of pain and injustice along the way, Park said. Hi. He also referred WBEZ to Tim LeCroy, a pastor who chaired the PCAs committee that wrote the domestic and sexual abuse report. 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). For many years, Chung had been a council member and a writer for their site. We extend an invitation to worship with us if you are ever in the Champaign area.. transform: translateY(445%); 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. What Happened To Marco From Next In Fashion? 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. font-size: 10px And he bullied . We recognize that some have suffered, often silently, because of our church, states CFCs letter. 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. Posted on: Feb 04, 2023 User login 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. Minister accused of sexual misconduct remains ordained, Meet Todd Gloria the first AAPI Mayor for San Diego, Arrest made in vandalism of Philadelphia mosque, Marvel unveils plans for AAPI Heritage Month stories, Woman accused of lying about her ethnicity resigns from diversity position, Govt. } There are Walmart runs. In May 2021, CFC cut ties with Chung. AsAmNews has Asian America in its heart. } Join with thousands of others to keep this important public media-based resource available to all. We at the SOLA Network respect and believe in the due processes of member denominations; we encourage the work that our PCA brothers are pursuing to bring the appropriate denominational actions for proper discipline. Check out our new Instagram account. .mytheme-mejs-container .mejs-time-total { 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. .elementor-widget .elementor-icon-list-icon svg { To donate, Presbyterian Church (USA) Will Gather Nonbinary/Genderqueer Membership Statistics, Virginia Pastor Accused of Sexually Abusing Girl During Church Sleepover, Whistleblowers Say Leader of Network of Churches Hid Sexual Crime for 36 Years, Former Pastor Accused of Rape Resigns from Churchome After TRR Investigation; Church Official Makes False Claims, Arkansas Youth Pastor Pleads Guilty to 13 Counts of Sexual Assault, Bishop Scott Jones Moves from Extreme Center of UMC to Global Methodist Church, A Christian Health Nonprofit Saddled Thousands With Debt as It Built a Family Empire Including A Pot Farm, Bank and Airline, 2 Megachurches Rocked by Allegations They Allowed Pastor Guilty of Clergy Sexual Abuse to Re-Offend, EXCLUSIVE: John MacArthur Shamed, Excommunicated Mother for Refusing to Take Back Child Abuser, Days-long Revival Sweeping Asbury University in Kentucky, EXCLUSIVE: John MacArthur Covered Up Pastors Sexual Abuse, Witnesses Say, EXCLUSIVE: John MacArthurs Church Supported Convicted Child Abuser & Pedophile, Records Show, Dante Bowe Posts, Then Removes, Apology for Behavior Causing Split with Maverick City Music, Matt Chandler Steps Aside After Admitting Inappropriate Online Relationship, John MacArthur Pulls Out of Ligonier Conference, Pastor Resigns From Houston Megachurch After Admitting Affair, Televangelist Creflo Dollar Renounces Past Teachings on Tithing, But Questions Persist. 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