Pinyo told TRR that shes advising her current church leadership on how to be a safe and healthy church that doesnt turn a blind eye to problems. Finally, we desire and pray for justice and healing for all past and present survivors of abuse. Other whistleblowers said in the report that that isnt true. 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. 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. 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. He still preaches as a member in good standing. In addition, CFC vowed to be clear and transparent with members by providing regular updates on the probe on its website. 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. 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. Pastor KJ Kim acknowledged that Chung has been accused of a pattern of abusing his authority. Park said when she confronted Chung, he said had a dream in which God showed him that he was a lampstand for his generation, and that he should keep preaching as part of his healing. .mytheme-mejs-container .mejs-embed body { Even the pastors, I would say, do a good job at that. As the leaders of CFC, we repent and acknowledge our failings and the many ways that we need to change.. font-size: 11px; Keep in touch with Julie and get updates in your inbox! Powered by Church Plant Media Nov. 22, 2018. Anne Stych is a writer in Charlotte, North Carolina. 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. That is the message of Esther Lius book Shame: Being Known and Loved. 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. There are 300+ professionals named "Min Chung", who use LinkedIn to exchange information, ideas, and opportunities. Whistleblowers say theyre disappointed, but not surprised, with the ruling. We remind him to abide by the BCO (Book of Church Order), and we believe that he should return to ministry," Sungwoo Nam of KCP stated. 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. 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). Whistleblowers are making their accusations public after several years of attempts to confront the influential pastor within a reportedly tight-knit, shame-based community. After troubling times during the Depression, he was able to open a grocery store in an African-American neighborhood. 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. However, nine elders objected to the decision and asked for Chung's suspension. .mytheme-mejs-container .mejs-time-marker, It was just like, Why, why did we do this all in vain? Park said. Keep in touch with Julie and get updates in your inbox! 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. 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 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. Women in many Korean churches are told to be submissive, former CFC members said. Nothing was ever followed up on with me. During the subsequent year, the SOLA Council learned that: Furthermore, in recent weeks, it has become public knowledge that Min Chung was found guilty by the Korean Central Presbytery (KCP). We remind him to abide by the BCO (Book of Church Order), and we believe that he should return to ministry.. In 2019, Chung told two associate pastors in a vague and minimized confession that he had sexually touched a woman from his congregation, the whistleblower report states. 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. .wp-caption-text { CFC would not be given much specific information prior to the release of the final executive summary, CFC reported in September. We judge that his relationship with God is restored as we consider the grace of God. 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. But Chung is subject to the PCAs Book of Church Order because of his PCA ordination, KJ Kim told TRR. He also referred WBEZ to Tim LeCroy, a pastor who chaired the PCAs committee that wrote the domestic and sexual abuse report. 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We grieve the subtle undertones of misogyny that have been present in our churches and have contributed to unbiblical hierarchies and unhealthy power structures. background-image: url("images/mejs-controls-dark.svg"); They also ruled that the period when Chung wasnt preaching at CFC was enough discipline for his sin. } 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. How Can the Church Support Asian American Women? But a vote on the matter failed to achieve the necessary two-thirds majority, meaning Chung remains a minister, WBEZ reported. 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.. } Hi. 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Sources, including Singer, told WBEZ that CFC was concerned the information-gathering process was biased and that it dug too much into Chungs case, which the church deemed outside the scope of the assessment. Weve lost our reputations. right: 0; Ive been very hesitant for some while about getting really committed and really involved and back to serving with a church, but I feel like my appetite is coming back, he said. Influencing the emerging generation with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Hi. 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. Creating space for women to be actively involved and included has been so important and it gives me hope for the institution of the church in general, she said. position: absolute; Posted on: Feb 04, 2023 User login 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. Pastor Kim did not respond to a TRR inquiry about the audit. Editors note: This story has been updated to clarify when the KCP received the whistleblowers allegations and to more accurately state certain charges. 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. Follow her on Twitter @estheryjkang. 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. 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. Pastor KJ shows no signs of remorse, shows no sign of pastoral care, only concerned with keeping us quiet.. In addition to the alleged sexual assault, the report lists several other allegations against Chung. top: 6px; /* Track progress bar background (amount of track fully loaded) After that, he was It was another missed opportunity, Amy Han 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 In October, the church board released a nine-page report from the CCG. Toward that end, the site requires that people use their full name when commenting. 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. Opinion: What is Revivaland is it Happening at Asbury? Despite the procedural errors, the SJC also declared the case would effectively be terminated and not sent back to the KCP to be retried. } */ 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. 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 z-index: 1; WebView the profiles of professionals named "Min Chung" on LinkedIn. 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). .grecaptcha-badge { 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. 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!!! Some former CFC members told TRR they believe CFC leaders have lost their way. But TRR said that the ruling may still be appealed to the Standing Judicial Commission of the PCA's General Assembly. .mytheme-mejs-container .mejs-time-current, The commission ruled the KCP had made procedural errors during its initial look at the allegations against Chung, according to Brian Park, one of the pastors in that presbytery who filed the complaint to the SJC. Pastor Kim confirmed the churchs decision with TRR but did not give a reason. His influence extends beyond the church walls. What remains is for the regional body that originally adjudicated the case to respond about procedural steps needing correction for the future.. 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.. Biblical discipline, especially of a pastor or elder in ordained office, cannot be conducted in solitude by the offender. However, we hope you will support our work with your prayers and financial gifts. The church followed the report with a letter apologizing for several wrongs. 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. You have entered an incorrect email address! /* Reduce height of the progress and audio bars */ Eventually, that group reconsidered and completed the assessment. Opinion: What is Revivaland is it Happening at Asbury? She is convinced she would have been raped if he could. } In our previous meetings, they had acknowledged that [Chungs case was] within the scope, so Im not certain why that changed.. WebAs of July 2021, CFC came under the leadership of Reverend KJ Kim and a lay oversight board. .mytheme-mejs-container .mejs-time-handle-content { They gave a couple of examples [of bias], which were tenuous at best, Singer said. There was never a feeling that this should be reported.. into silence those who knew of the incident, the report states. As reported by The Roys Report (TRR) last year, Min Joshua Chungarguably the nations most prominent Korean-American pastorwas accused by multiple witnesses of sexual misconduct and decades of cover-up and intimidation. 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. Anne Rhee (not her real name) recalled when she began to kiss a male friend from church. 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. In May, CFC severed ties with Chung and hired Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment (G.R.A.C.E.) On July 9, 1988, Whelchel tied the knot with Steven Cauble, her first husband and associate pastor at The Church on the Way. 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. 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. People close to the woman said she didnt wish to speak to TRR. Chung discouraged her from reporting the incident to police. Access to MinistryWatch content is free. 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 Growing up in San Francisco, Yep felt alienated. to conduct a third-party investigation. background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5); 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. 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. Copyright 2023 Christianity Daily. We know this may cause pain for many people, and we deeply regret that CFC has chosen this path.. Frank Barker, whose 4,000-member Briarwood Presbyterian Church grew from a Birmingham, Alabama, storefront before he helped found the conservative Presbyterian. 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