We acknowledge that this was wrong., Kim said the woman had forgiven Chung long ago.. They were also concerned that other victims may exist, she said. Conversations about sex, including consent, are taboo. .mytheme-mejs-container .mejs-controls .mejs-time-rail .mejs-time-total { We advise you upgrade your web browser before continuing to use this website. Get new articles and breaking news delivered to your inbox. 500K PCA and other conservative denominations. 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. height: auto; As of July 2021, CFC is lead by Reverend KJ Kim and is in the process of becoming part of the Presbyterian Church in America. 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 Sorry, the underlying pathology of people who act out this way takes more than a few of your cronies to meet at some hotel resort and call that Restoration. Furthermore, what is actually done to assist the victims and their families through this process? 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. 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. top: 6px; } 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. 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. Friday, April 28, 2023 Todays headlines: A newly signed Illinois law will let out-of-state doctors and nurses practicing on temporary licenses stay here. As a whistleblower, its traumatic as well, because there are so many places of pain and injustice along the way, Park said. .mytheme-mejs-container .mejs-time-float-current, Nothing was put in place, to my knowledge, to keep me safe from him. In August 2019, Chung stopped preaching at CFC, but said it was to facilitate a transition to a team leadership model. 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. 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. CFC separated from Chung on May 27 and has contracted a third-party investigation into his conduct. In an email to Roys, Kim wrote that the decision to terminate the churchs agreement with GRACE was made with much prayer and deliberation.. Dr. Michael Brown Examines, Pastors Should Talk About Divisive Politics From The Pulpit, And Here's Why, Phonies, Superficial Christianity Being Exposed Amid Pandemic, Pastor John MacArthur Says. Keep in touch with Julie and get updates in your inbox! 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 Kho St Cng Trnh Ngm macy's software engineer salary. Follow her on Twitter @WBEZeducation and @soosieon. A judge sentenced 57-year-old Daryl Vandyke on Wednesday after the Champaign man admitted that he used an ax or other sharp-edged garden tool to kill Steven Butler III, in July 2021. } CFCs main ministry is to the students at the University of Illinois and the church recruits heavily during new student week, said Tim Ma, former CFC member and 2014 Illinois graduate. According to sources, in the past few months, CFC has terminated the assessment with GRACE and wiped any trace of the leadership updates from last year (as seen on a web page accessed by WBEZ on Sept. 21). We extend an invitation to worship with us if you are ever in the Champaign area.. 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. Pastor Chung holds a Korean-American identity. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Langberg helped an ad interim committee of the PCA write a new report on domestic and sexual abuse in churches. Anew reportfrom the Chicago radio station WBEZ has gone into extensive detail regarding Chung's misogynistic conduct. We pray that CFC reconsiders this course of action and chooses to re-engage with GRACE for completion of this independent assessment.. The church consists of predominantly a Korean American congregation. 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. (Illinois defines criminal sexual assault as using force or threat or force, and the defendant knows the victim is unable to give knowing consent.). 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. font-size: 13px Eventually, that group reconsidered and completed the assessment. Minister accused of sexual misconduct remains ordained, Business leader wants AAPI voters to use their money and their vote, Ke Huy Quan responds to rumors about Indiana Jones 5 appearance, Report shows islamophobia and bullying in schools remains high, Naomi Osaka praises Giannis Antetokounmpos answer to question about failure, Indian American founder of tech start-up pleads guilty to fraud, 15,000 signatures submitted opposing Philadelphia 76er arena, Survey: Racism & mental health top concerns of Chinese Am, Vincent Chin Institute Launched to fight hate, Ex-beauty queen double downs on racist video, 2023 resource guide for services to the AAPI Community, A Sweltering Problem Begs For A Cool Solution. top: 19px; Pastor Min Chung is also known as one of the youth movement Joshua Generation conference and college movement founders. Pastor Chung holds a Korean-American identity. He experienced his childhood in America and went to James B. Conant High School. After that, he was acknowledged at the University of Illinois. In addition, hundreds of accounts surfaced online criticizing the church for mishandling alleged incidents of sexual abuse committed by church members, highlighting how Chung and other church leaders downplayed that abuse. At that meeting, however, the KCP instead considered a motion to rescind the April 2021 judgment and to hold a retrial, according to a July 15, 2021, statement from the presbytery. Esther Yoon-Ji Kang is a reporter for WBEZs Race, Class and Communities desk. .mytheme-mejs-container .mejs-time-total { 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. We have encouraged them to see this important work through to completion, the statement said. However, some internal tension caused many leaders to depart the church, with Chung stepping down as head pastor in 2019. right: 0; Others claimed that Chung assaulted them several times, including while on a two-hour car ride. Chung was also an adjunct professor at Urbana Theological Seminary from 2005 to 2018. Webwhat happened to pastor min chunguindy football roster. } Inside the Actresss Marriage to a Pastor. Theres a picnic. The friend urged the victim to tell Chung she hadnt consented to his touch. 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 CFC came under fire last summer for its alleged mishandling of sexual misconduct by church founder and former head pastor Min Joshua Chung. Mark 5:20-34 "Healing Touch" (Pastor Min Chung) 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. Webmastro's downtown los angeles opening date. Anne Stych is a freelance writer, copy editor, proofreader and content manager covering science, technology, retail, etc. CFC came under fire last summer for its alleged mishandling of sexual misconduct by church founder and former head pastor Min Joshua Chung. .wp-caption-text { height: 3px; After that, he was 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. Rhee told WBEZ she reported the incident to Pastor Chung. Meanwhile, Chung maintains a presence and continues to attend KCP meetings, according to sources. Weve lost our reputations. Check Founded by investigative journalist Julie Roys, The Roys Report began as a personal blog where Julie published her commentaries and occasional investigative pieces while There was never a feeling that this should be reported.. At that meeting, however, the KCP instead considered a motion to rescind the April 2021 judgment and to hold a retrial, according to a July 15, 2021, statement from the presbytery. Web.mytheme-mejs-container .mejs-controls .mejs-time-rail .mejs-time-current { Pastor Mins Encouragement to Thai Christians December 4, 2010 CFC Senior Pastor, Dr. Min Chung, gave a message on book of Judges during Servants retreat in August of 2010. I really did not see this coming, she said. 4 min read. A major area we processed was how I respond to authority and feeling pressured, obligated, attacked, and manipulated. 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.. One of those associate pastors was KJ Kim, the new head pastor of CFC. 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. what happened to pastor min chung. A few months later, a group of pastors dissatisfied with the presbyterys April 2021 determination filed a complaint in an effort to indefinitely suspend Chung from ministry. [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. color: #888888; Chung, who founded the church in 1990 on the University of Illinois-Champaign Urbana campus, announced in the summer of 2019 that he would transition out of the head pastor role and a team of associate pastors would lead the church. Many CFC members are students there who hail from the Chicago area. 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. .mytheme-mejs-container .mejs-controls .mejs-horizontal-volume-slider .mejs-horizontal-volume-current, } border: 0 none; Your tax-deductible gift helps our journalists report the truth and hold Christian leaders and organizations accountable. 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. In our previous meetings, they had acknowledged that [Chungs case was] within the scope, so Im not certain why that changed.. CFC has already disassociated with Chung on May 27 and hired the services of Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment(GRACE) to investigate the pastor. 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. height: 90px; 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. Women in many Korean churches are told to be submissive, former CFC members said. background-color: #efefef; Our hope is to provide care and oversight in whatever way is appropriate. He declined to be interviewed in order to respect the privacy of those involved and due to the ongoing nature of allegations.. Sometimes weve lost purpose and direction. [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. Several survivors would ask theKorean Central Presbytery(KCP), a denominational oversight group, to investigate Chung's inappropriate touching incident before WBEZ's reporting. 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. In one instance, Chung assaulted a woman in the back seat of a car in 2001, the report alleges. Chung began private counseling sessions with the victim, using that time to urge her to keep silent about the assault, the report states. And he bullied . .mytheme-mejs-container .mejs-embed body { 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) For many years, Chung had been a council member and a writer for their site. Moreover, for the sake of god, Min Chung had carried out various beneficial things for the duration of his life. Pastor Chung was claimed and accused in the scandal for certain genuine wrongdoings of sexual and obnoxious attack. In addition, his embarrassment was examined and discovered by numerous people on Reddit. It went terribly, according to the report. 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. Your monthly support will make a world of difference. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. The woman, a former CFC member, said she was sexually assaulted by a leader in the churchnot Chungand reported the incident to a pastor. I went to my head pastor and I was emotionally distressed, she said. K.J. At a later meeting, the KCP would discuss a complaint filed by several pastors who wanted to see Chung removed from office. It also alleges that Chung urged a woman not to go to police when she sought his counsel after being sexually assaulted by another church member. lely golf summer membership. .elementor-widget .elementor-icon-list-icon svg { } 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. Webwhat happened to pastor min chung CMI is a proven leader at applying industry knowledge and engineering expertise to solve problems that other fabricators cannot or margin-top: 9px; height: 90px; background-image: url("images/mejs-controls-dark.svg"); content: ''; } .mytheme-mejs-container .mejs-controls, A Korean church located near the Champaign-Urbana campus of the University of Illinois that came under fire last year for allegations of ongoing sexual misconduct has terminated an independent investigation before its completion. . April 21, 2023. [Churches and presbyteries] are not trained to look into [abuse], Langberg said. WBEZ Chicagoalso uncovered about an Instagram account created last May which grew to become a platform for sexual assault survivors, exposing the abuses that have been happening in the church for almost thirty years. 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. . 5 min read. (The version of the report released to TRR referenced and summarized the texts instead in the interest of the victims privacy.) Another day, theres basketball. 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. 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. Opinion: What is Revivaland is it Happening at Asbury? 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. 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). 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!!! This is so disheartening. Thank you. It was just like, Why, why did we do this all in vain? Park said. /* Progress and audio bars */ 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. .mytheme-mejs-container .mejs-time-float, what happened to pastor min chungbreeze airways pilot uniform. .jet-smart-listing__post-title:after { visibility: hidden; They gave a couple of examples [of bias], which were tenuous at best, Singer said. We will not notify you again about this until you next restart your browser. Park is one of the whistleblowers who submitted the report to the KCP. 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 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. So they think that they can have some level of control of the process some access to information before they get to the final product, Singer said. In addition, CFC vowed to be clear and transparent with members by providing regular updates on the probe on its website. Nine teaching elders protested the KCPs ruling, saying they didnt think Chung was truly repentant, and called for indefinite suspension. Athletes achieve physical and emotional feats at Christie Clinic Race Weekend, Champaign man gets 40-year sentence for killing teenage boy, 217 Today: A new political opera is coming to life at Krannert Center. Chung, who founded the church in 1990 on the University of Illinois-Champaign Urbana campus, announced in the summer of 2019 that he would 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. 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.. Pastor KJ Kim acknowledged that Chung has been accused of a pattern of abusing his authority. Pastor KJ shows no signs of remorse, shows no sign of pastoral care, only concerned with keeping us quiet.. It was just like, Why, why did we do this all in vain? Park said. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. 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.. But TRR disclosed that CCG's senior consultant, Charles Zimmerman, has ties with Chung. At least 90 have been discovered so far. 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. And calls for reform are spreading through the Korean-American community, even as whistleblowers fear retaliation. bottom: 0; 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. "MC (Min Chung) is anointed by God, God only exists at CFC and there is no other place like CFC. 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. .wp-caption img { 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. There were also claims of pastors making sexual comments to teen attendees, officials brushing off sexual assault claims, and a general setting where women were seemingly less valued than men. Hannah Chao However, nine elders objected to the decision and asked for Chung's suspension. "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. 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. Donate today >>. Min Joshua Chung | video screenshot / Good Fruit Co. / YouTube. 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. 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. 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. } New report reveals how Korean pastor in Chicago fostered ' Former members of Covenant Fellowship Church (CFC) of Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, where Chung pastored, say the whole church system breeds abuse. 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 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.
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what happened to pastor min chung