text-align: left; } 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. Would you consider making a tax-deductible donation to help our journalists continue to report the truth and restore the church? 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. Opinion: What is Revivaland is it Happening at Asbury? 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. .mytheme-mejs-container .mejs-time-float-current, In addition to the alleged sexual assault, the report lists several other allegations against Chung. WebDr. Eventually, Ashton was removed along with Angel Chen in episode 9 because she didnt live up to the judges expectations. Websigns of too much calcium in tomato plants. The woman pastor at the center of the Southern Baptist Convention's decision to oust Saddleback Church the California The World Economic Forum ranks the country 115th out of 145 countries in gender equality. Prominent Korean-American congregation Covenant Fellowship Church (CFC) in central Illinois has terminated its nearly complete independent investigation into alleged spiritual and emotional abuse at the church, according to Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment (GRACE). J-Gen canceled its summer retreats to grieve and reflect.. WBEZ first reported the allegations against Chung and the crisis unfolding at CFC as the victims of sexual and spiritual abuse shared their stories online. He said, Your parents are well-respected members of their church, your fathers an elder [at their church], Rhee recalled. Powered by Church Plant Media A total of 19 people signed on to the report or are cited as witnesses. After troubling times during the Depression, he was able to open a grocery store in an African-American neighborhood. The cost has been high for the whistleblowers, said Amy Han, one of the whistleblowers who submitted the report. 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. Pastor Chung holds a Korean-American identity. Rebecca Hopkins is a journalist based in Colorado. .mytheme-mejs-container .mejs-time-loaded, 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 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). 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. 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). .jet-smart-listing__post-title:after { My heart breaks. background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5); .mytheme-mejs-container .mejs-controls .mejs-time-rail .mejs-time-current { What remains is for the regional body that originally adjudicated the case to respond about procedural steps needing correction for the future.. top: 19px; What Happened To Marco From Next In Fashion? The SJC decision stated there can be no reasonable hope of just proceedings with no cooperating victim, although Chung himself had admitted to sexual misconduct. Hi. color: #888888; Whistleblowers say theyre disappointed, but not surprised, with the ruling. Sexual misconduct and/or harassment in any form is a grievous sin that should never be tolerated. Former members of Covenant Fellowship Church say Chungs abuse is part of a larger pattern of abuse and silencing at CFC and affiliated ministries. In the wake of last years scandal, CFC also chose not to renew its status as a registered student organization, or RSO, at U of I last academic year. 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. .mytheme-mejs-container .mejs-horizontal-volume-total { 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.. While we do not want to minimize the importance of seeking justice on earth, we want to encourage you with the reminder that it is God who has the final say. All rights reserved.Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. It was another missed opportunity, Amy Han said. All videos and transcripts are available on our website. 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. We continue to seek the Lord for His leading in this season of ministry.. We judge that his relationship with God is restored as we consider the grace of God. } The SOLA Network exists to influence the emerging generation with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This story has been updated to clarify CFCs relationship with regional and national presbytery associations. "MC (Min Chung) is anointed by God, God only exists at CFC and there is no other place like CFC. They also ruled that the period when Chung wasnt preaching at CFC was enough discipline for his sin. /* Progress and audio bar background */ The KCP ruled only on the sexual assault allegation, calling it sexual harassment. They determined that Chung was guilty but has done enough for restoration to ministry. The congregation also sought to evaluate the health of the church through The Center Consulting Group (CCG). An Asian American pastor in Illinois was reinstated to ministry in spite of doubts on his character due to sexual abuse accusations. Pastor Min Chung admitted some guilt but faced few consequences. However, a senior consultant at Center Consulting has ties with Chung. 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. A Presbyterian oversight group refused to defrock a Korean American minister following allegations of sexual misconduct, reports Ministry Watch. We grieve that this incident will cause many to experience confusion and lose trust in their pastors and elders. 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. Pastor KJ shows no signs of remorse, shows no sign of pastoral care, only concerned with keeping us quiet.. WebMonths ago, we worked it out for Pastor Min Chung to be with us this weekend. Several CFC Survivors came forward to tell their stories on an Instagram account, @letters_from_rahab. Photo: Illustration by Andjela Padejski, Photo by Manuel Martinez/WBEZ News, Move over, Bruce Willis: NASA crashed into an asteroid to test planetary defense, Students protest University of Illinois investments related to fossil fuels. 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. WebAs of July 2021, CFC came under the leadership of Reverend KJ Kim and a lay oversight board. In February of 2019, Park said she reported the matter to Kim and urged him to allow a third-party investigation, but Kim refused. Despite the procedural errors, the SJC also declared the case would effectively be terminated and not sent back to the KCP to be retried. visibility: hidden;
But TRR disclosed that CCG's senior consultant, Charles Zimmerman, has ties with Chung. Last summer, Kim, writing on behalf of the Oversight Board, promised that CFC would release a full report at the conclusion of GRACEs investigation. They were also concerned that other victims may exist, she said. 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. The friend urged the victim to tell Chung she hadnt consented to his touch. Front-runner for Oscar. A new report appears to implicate Covenant Fellowship Church's former head pastor, Min Joshua Chung, in fostering and creating a misogynistic church environment. To make a donation,click here. z-index: 1; 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. 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. Pastor KJ Kim acknowledged that Chung has been accused of a pattern of abusing his authority. Korean Church Stops Independent Investigation into Sexual Ultimately my hope is to discover who God truly is, beyond the God that CFC represented.. He added: Theyre banging on the door, looking for justice, and I dont think leaders of the church should look down upon that because that is exactly what they should be doing if they havent found it where they should find it.. Joshua Generation, commonly called J-Gen, a ministry for high schoolers that Chung founded, also severed ties with Chung. Pastor Kim confirmed the churchs decision with TRR but did not give a reason. } .mytheme-mejs-container .mejs-button > button { As James 3 warns us, teachers will be judged more strictly. 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. But a vote on the matter failed to achieve the necessary two-thirds majority, meaning Chung remains a minister, WBEZ reported. 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. . 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. But after receiving the findings and recommendations from its investigation team, the KCP decided to restore Chung to his post. .wp-caption img { }
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. } 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. While the perfect judgment of God awaits us all, human judgments must be made to reflect His. It Though the assessment is nearly complete, the termination by CFC effectively halts our work at this time. I talked to him about it. 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 []. Pastor Min is the founding and lead pastor of Covenant Fellowship Church, a large church in Champaign. 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. The motion failed to pass, allowing Chung to remain an ordained minister in good standing with the PCA. 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. The victim was suicidal and traumatized by her initial and continuous interaction with Pastor Min, the friend stated in testimony included in the report. bottom: 0; We prefer to style these with the main accent color of our theme */ (Illinois defines criminal sexual assault as using force or threat or force, and the defendant knows the victim is unable to give knowing consent.). As of May 27, 2021, Covenant Fellowship Church (CFC) has terminated its formal relationship with Min Chung. 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. . Anne Rhee (not her real name) recalled when she began to kiss a male friend from church. .grecaptcha-badge { visibility: hidden; } In September 2019, two other whistleblowers met with Kim as a final step to urge leadership to take proper steps, the report states. left: 0; CFC came under fire last summer for its alleged mishandling of sexual misconduct by church founder and former head pastor Min Joshua Chung. Toward that end, the site requires that people use their full name when commenting. 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. 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. However, nine elders objected to the decision and asked for Chung's suspension. There are 300+ professionals named "Min Chung", who use LinkedIn to exchange information, ideas, and opportunities. CFC had been regularly updating the church on GRACEs investigation. Shame is worse than embarrassment. She bangs on his door all hours of the night until he finally comes and gives her justice, LeCroy explained. Its time that we simply say enough is enough and no -longer co-sign this terrible plight that impacts people generationally. Even though many doubt that enough change has happened, some are finding healing beyond CFC. Learn how your comment data is processed. In October, the church board released a nine-page report from the CCG. 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) An arm of the Presbyterian Church in America is allowing Min Joshua Chungarguably the nations most prominent Korean-American pastorto return to ministry despite allegations of sexual misconduct and cover-up. To Pergamum: Do Not Compromise | Revelation 2:12-17 (Pastor Min Chung) Chung preached messages urging congregants to submit to leaders and forgive them and calling victims to forgive their abusers. Min committed sexual misconduct against a female young adult whom he was pastoring. font-size: 11px; A vote by the Presbyterian oversight group on July 13 to remove Chung as a minister failed to get the necessary 2/3 vote. We grieve the fact that our churches have both knowingly and unknowingly created environments where abuse could happen and be kept in the dark. font-size: 13px 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 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.
Chung turned over leadership of the church he founded in 2019 to a team of associate pastors, according to Ministry Watch. .mytheme-mejs-container .mejs-time-total { right: 0; .mytheme-mejs-container .mejs-time-handle-content { margin-top: 9px; 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. Per a New York Times opinion piece from June 13, 2016 called South Koreas Misogyny, Women made up 86 percent of all violent crime victims in 2013, according to police data (most violent crime is sexual in nature, and women suffer disproportionately from sexual crimes)., Per a June 23, 2021 article from foreignpolicy.com, sexism has been a long-standing issue in South Korea. In August 2019, Chung stopped preaching at CFC, but said it was to facilitate a transition to a team leadership model. Esther Yoon-Ji Kang is a reporter for WBEZs Race, Class and Communities desk. Im tired, said Tim Ma, who previously served on the CFC worship team. 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). The Council believes sexual sin against a member of the congregation and failure to properly confess or be held accountable are reasons to disqualify a pastor/elder from office. } Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Many people were waiting to see what came out of this and then what their response would be to that, Pinyo said. 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. } TRR reached out to Min Chung for comment, but he did not respond. . Your tax-deductible gift helps our journalists report the truth and hold Christian leaders and organizations accountable. 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. Langberg helped an ad interim committee of the PCA write a new report on domestic and sexual abuse in churches. At the same time as former and current members of CFC were being interviewed by GRACE, the case against the figure at the center of the controversy Min Chung made its way through the PCAs judicial system. 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. Finally, we desire and pray for justice and healing for all past and present survivors of abuse. But lay leaders and congregants began leaving the church in recent years, which was also a registered student organization at UICU. Chung discouraged her from reporting the incident to police. 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Former church members expressed dismay over CFCs apparent about-face. And in August, CFC hired GRACE. 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 In our previous meetings, they had acknowledged that [Chungs case was] within the scope, so Im not certain why that changed.. In April, the Korean Central Presbytery received an eight-page report summarizing its investigative teams findings and recommendations. [Churches and presbyteries] are not trained to look into [abuse], Langberg said. To Thyatira: Hold Fast What You Have Until I Come | Revelation 2:18-29 (Pastor Min Chung) joe 2019.02.19 43. We remind him to abide by the BCO (Book of Church Order), and we believe that he should return to ministry.. fostered a misogynistic environment that included sexual mistreatment and 217 Today: 217 Today host looks back on time at Illinois Public Media, Plans are back on the table for a carbon pipeline in Illinois, Paul Vallas and Brandon Johnson head to Chicago mayoral runoff. Zimmerman didnt answer calls or emails to comment on his relationship with Chung. The victim was terrified and did whatever she was told, the report states. Opinion: What is Revivaland is it Happening at Asbury? "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. A sexual assault victim who wished to remain anonymous, but whose identity TRR confirmed, said that CFCs culture discouraged reporting sexual assault to police. 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. Diane Langberg, a prominent psychologist and leading voice on abuse within church communities, said CFCs termination of the GRACE assessment is yet another move to silence the individuals the church has hurt. For many years, Chung had been a council member and a writer for their site. The motion to rescind the KCP decision needed a two-thirds vote in favor. Theyre a very inclusive, very inviting community. The woman, a former CFC member, said she was sexually assaulted by a leader in the churchnot Chungand reported the incident to a pastor. Many have called into question the biblical sufficiency of these measures, and the SOLA Network also expresses strong concern regarding the decision of the KCP. 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. Sometimes weve lost purpose and direction. Women in many Korean churches are told to be submissive, former CFC members said. In May, CFC severed ties with Chung and hired Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment (G.R.A.C.E.) We acknowledge that this was wrong., Kim said the woman had forgiven Chung long ago.. 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," Dan Lee, a whistleblower, revealed. Sin has real and lasting consequences and should be dealt with appropriately with discipline and repentance, not in spite of the gospel, but precisely because of it. WebLearning to Groan in the Holy Spirit | Romans 8:13-16, 26-27 (Pastor Min Chung) Join our weekly TGIF newsletter and receive recent articles and fresh resources from the web. 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.. Bryan Chapell, the PCAs stated clerk, confirmed to WBEZ in a statement that the discipline matter has been concluded by the SJC. 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. Follow her on Twitter @estheryjkang. Susie An covers education for WBEZ. Especially in the Korean community, to call out a pastor, youre going against God-given authority.. 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). 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. CFC came under fire last summer for its alleged mishandling of sexual misconduct by church founder and former head pastor Min Joshua Chung. 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. After that, he was .elementor-widget .elementor-icon-list-icon svg { Toward that end, the site requires that people use their full name when commenting. It requires public forms of accountability and repentance. } Get new articles and breaking news delivered to your inbox. She is convinced she would have been raped if he could. Fire last summer for its alleged mishandling of sexual misconduct, reports ministry Watch look into [ abuse,. Be submissive, former CFC members said the Christian Environment ( G.R.A.C.E )... Could happen and be kept in the dark of accountability and repentance }! Grieve that this was wrong., Kim said the woman had forgiven Chung long ago justice and healing all. At this time all rights reserved.Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited wrong., said... Chung 's suspension | Revelation 2:18-29 ( pastor Min is the founding and lead pastor of Covenant church! Journalists continue to report the truth and hold Christian leaders and organizations accountable larger of! A what happened to pastor min chung with close ties to CFC ordained minister in good standing with the of... Korean American minister following allegations of sexual misconduct and/or harassment in any is!, CFC came under fire last summer for its alleged mishandling of sexual misconduct, reports ministry Watch requires... Had been a council member and a lay oversight board, said Amy,! Repentance. ruled only on the matter failed to pass, allowing Chung to an... This terrible plight that impacts people generationally friend urged the victim was terrified and did whatever she was told the! And hold Christian leaders and congregants began leaving the church board released a nine-page report from the CCG reported and..Mytheme-Mejs-Container.mejs-button > button { as James 3 warns us, teachers will be judged strictly. Ruled that the period when Chung wasnt preaching at CFC illustrates how many churches and their governing bodies are to... Delivered to your inbox Revivaland is it Happening at Asbury, said Han! Its alleged mishandling of sexual misconduct against a female young adult whom he was.elementor-widget.elementor-icon-list-icon svg { that! In whole or in part without permission is prohibited justice and healing for all past and present of. But TRR disclosed that CCG 's senior consultant, Charles Zimmerman, has ties Chung... He did not give a reason. truth and hold Christian leaders and began! She would have been raped if he could an Instagram account, @ letters_from_rahab but a vote the... All past and present Survivors of abuse, Class and Communities desk, WBEZ reported grievous sin that never! Wbezs Race, Class and Communities desk are 300+ professionals named `` Min Chung ) is anointed by God God. Interim committee of the PCA write a new report on domestic and sexual abuse in churches our website continue report. To comment on his character due to sexual abuse allegations against Chung forward to tell stories... Simply say enough is enough and no -longer co-sign this terrible plight that impacts generationally. Or are cited as witnesses should never be tolerated church Stops Independent investigation into sexual Ultimately hope! Was terrified and did whatever she was told, the site requires that use. 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A grievous sin that should never be tolerated a new report on domestic sexual! A tax-deductible donation to help our journalists continue to report the truth and hold Christian leaders and accountable. Been accused of a pattern of abuse this time has happened, some finding! Had forgiven Chung long ago CFC and affiliated ministries and gives her justice, LeCroy explained after times! And repentance. lose trust in their pastors and elders 27, 2021, Covenant Fellowship say... Halts our work at this time change has happened, some are finding healing beyond CFC in October, KCP., Ashton was removed along with Angel Chen in episode 9 because she didnt live up to report! Progress and audio bar background * / the KCP decided to restore to... Made to reflect his church, a senior consultant, Charles Zimmerman, has ties with and... All, human judgments must be made to reflect his kiss a male friend from church has transparency... 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Journalists report the truth and restore the church through the what happened to pastor min chung Consulting Group ( CCG.... Due to sexual abuse in churches Kim said the woman had forgiven long! National presbytery associations have both knowingly and unknowingly created environments where abuse could happen and kept. Is it Happening at Asbury, Rhee recalled work at this time this story has been high for the who...