We here at SOLA Network affirm these words: SOLA Network exists to influence the emerging generation with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Dr. Min J. Chung is the founding and lead pastor of Covenant Fellowship Church, an Brea, CA 92821 | 562.694.2100 2022 Living Hope Community Church. My heart breaks. It was just like, Why, why did we do this all in vain? Park said. A July 13 vote narrowly missed that threshold, with 22 in favor of rescinding the decision, 12 against, and one abstaining. 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 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. What Happened To Marco From Next In Fashion? But now were not really given that chance.. 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. But TRR disclosed that CCG's senior consultant, Charles Zimmerman, has ties with Chung. 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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. To Pergamum: Do Not Compromise | Revelation 2:12-17 (Pastor Min Chung) Nov. 22, 2018. Rhee told WBEZ she reported the incident to Pastor Chung. font-size: 11px; WebView the profiles of professionals named "Min Chung" on LinkedIn. Keep in touch with Julie and get updates in your inbox! Last summer, Kim, writing on behalf of the Oversight Board, promised that CFC would release a full report at the conclusion of GRACEs investigation. 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. 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. CFC came under fire last summer for its alleged mishandling of sexual misconduct by church founder and former head pastor Min Joshua Chung. to conduct a third-party investigation. Also, any comments with profanity, name-calling, and/or a nasty tone will be deleted. Esther Yoon-Ji Kang is a reporter for WBEZs Race, Class and Communities desk. 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). I talked to him about it. He still preaches as a member in good standing. (The version of the report released to TRR referenced and summarized the texts instead in the interest of the victims privacy.) During that time, he pastored the church, served on several ministry boards, and taught at the seminary. Especially in the Korean community, to call out a pastor, youre going against God-given authority.. The motion to rescind the KCP decision needed a two-thirds vote in favor. .mytheme-mejs-container .mejs-time-handle-content { Email:[emailprotected] background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5); The cost has been high for the whistleblowers, said Amy Han, one of the whistleblowers who submitted the report. .mytheme-mejs-container .mejs-controls .mejs-time-rail .mejs-time-current { CFCs current senior pastor, KJ Kim, was also accused of aiding in the cover-up of Min Chungs misconduct in a report compiled by a team of whistleblowers. People close to the woman said she didnt wish to speak to TRR. 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. The motion requires two-thirds vote. 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. 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. margin: 0; border: 0 none; margin-top: 9px; He received disciplinary measures that included temporary leave from the pulpit and acknowledgment of previous personal acts of piety as self-imposed discipline. As the leaders of CFC, we repent and acknowledge our failings and the many ways that we need to change.. Though the assessment is nearly complete, the termination by CFC effectively halts our work at this time. Chung showed Minari to his parents around Thanksgiving 2019, a couple of months before its Sundance premiere. The congregation also sought to evaluate the health of the church through The Center Consulting Group (CCG). visibility: hidden; Its a moment of reckoning for the Korean American church, former CFC member June Pinyo said. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. To Thyatira: Hold Fast What You Have Until I Come | Revelation 2:18-29 (Pastor Min Chung) joe 2019.02.19 43. Some people are just too far gone and need a wake-up call.. The lawsuit alleges that the property at 19150 Woodward Ave. is dilapidated and a public nuisance, and orders Pastor Marvin 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. She said, Its very important for churches to understand theyre killing themselves, and they dont look anything like the God they say they serve. 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. 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. 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. 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. Almost every day of the week, they try to recruit people, Ma said. 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. 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. WebAs of July 2021, CFC came under the leadership of Reverend KJ Kim and a lay oversight board. CFC would not be given much specific information prior to the release of the final executive summary, CFC reported in September. Although banned from preaching at CFC by the Korean Central Presbytery in which he was Nothing was ever followed up on with me. .elementor-widget .elementor-icon-list-icon svg { To Thyatira: Hold Fast What You Have Until I Come | Revelation 2:18-29 (Pastor Min Chung) joe 2019.02.19 43. One was a claim from many years ago of inappropriate touch with an adult woman. Influencing the emerging generation with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 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. But the way to combat shame isnt to fix yourself or cover your misdeedsit is to be truly known and loved. This story has been updated to clarify CFCs relationship with regional and national presbytery associations. .mytheme-mejs-container .mejs-button > button { We see this is the third article this month youve found worth reading. All videos and transcripts are available on our website. A sexual assault victim who wished to remain anonymous, but whose identity TRR confirmed, said that CFCs culture discouraged reporting sexual assault to police. Many people were waiting to see what came out of this and then what their response would be to that, Pinyo said. Your tax-deductible gift helps our journalists report the truth and hold Christian leaders and organizations accountable. The Roys Report seeks to foster thoughtful and respectful dialogue. 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. /* Reduce height of the progress and audio bars */ On December 4, 2022, CFC became a particular church within the Presbytery of 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. He cited an example in the Bible, in the book of Luke, where Jesus tells the story of a woman and an unjust judge. 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). 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 grieve that this incident will cause many to experience confusion and lose trust in their pastors and elders. Would you consider making a tax-deductible donation to help our journalists continue to report the truth and restore the church? Pete Singer, GRACEs executive director, called the cancellation very rare, adding he is aware of just one other organization that has done the same. But its especially disappointing because now theyve shown that they do have the tools and resources to make better decisions.. Wade Morris, Popular Baptist Youth Speaker, Dies After COVID-19 Hospitalization. Mayor Lori Lightfoot was handed a stunning defeat, the first time in 40 years a sitting mayor was not reelected. height: 3px; Nothing was put in place, to my knowledge, to keep me safe from him. 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 Many times, I thought I lost my own understanding in God. Whistleblowers say theyre disappointed, but not surprised, with the ruling. 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. We judge that his relationship with God is restored as we consider the grace of God. 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 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. text-align: left; } Get new articles and breaking news delivered to your inbox. height: 90px; 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. Find more resources and videos here. Hi. Your tax-deductible gift helps our journalists report the truth and hold Christian leaders and organizations accountable. 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). We lost our church family and community, she said. In August 2019, Chung stopped preaching at CFC, but said it was to facilitate a transition to a team leadership model. On January 17, 1990, the couple welcomed their first child, Tucker Stephenson. Why do you think youre staying for so long? . Chung turned over leadership of the church he founded in 2019 to a team of associate pastors, according to Ministry Watch. 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. The Austin-area congregation declared itself open to LGBTQ persons on staff and that the church building would be available to host same-sex wedding ceremonies. 2nd Peter 1 : 2 ~ 3, by pastor Minho Chung The former AG pastor led his congregation out of the 1.8 million member Pentecostal denomination and presided over the change of policy in his local church on same-sex practices. 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. [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. transform: translateY(445%); 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. It requires public forms of accountability and repentance. That is the message of Esther Lius book Shame: Being Known and Loved. Toward that end, the site requires that people use their full name when commenting. 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. height: 90px; document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. 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). into silence those who knew of the incident, the report states. top: 19px; 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. The audit report isnt linked to any of the online church leadership updates. Yet whistleblowers, who knew about the alleged assault, pressured Chung for a decade to confess to the church. 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. Korean Church Stops Independent Investigation into Sexual They called for the rescission of the ruling in July but fell short of votes when only 22 individuals sided with the move, out of 35, with 12 who went against it and one abstention. Even though many doubt that enough change has happened, some are finding healing beyond CFC. For many years, Chung had been a council member and a writer for their site. I really did not see this coming, she said. .mytheme-mejs-container.mejs-container, .mytheme-mejs-container .mejs-horizontal-volume-total, More than a dozen former CFC members, leaders, and volunteers came forward to TRR. } 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. Copyright 2023 Christianity Daily. Powered by Church Plant Media 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. They also ruled that the period when Chung wasnt preaching at CFC was enough discipline for his sin. Covenant Fellowship Church in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, whose previous pastor Min Joshua Chung (left) resigned last year following abuse allegations, has A vote by the Presbyterian oversight group on July 13 to remove Chung as a minister failed to get the necessary 2/3 vote. However, the KCP determined at an April meeting that looked only at the single incident that Chung had been restored to God, as well as the woman, and that that discipline instituted by CFC pastors was found to be sufficient.. } Dozens of Illinois, CHAMPAIGN Plans have resumed for a carbon dioxide pipeline in Illinois after a brief delay. Kim also alluded to the KCP investigation. While the perfect judgment of God awaits us all, human judgments must be made to reflect His. Join our weekly TGIF newsletter and receive recent articles and fresh resources from the web. "MC (Min Chung) is anointed by God, God only exists at CFC and there is no other place like CFC. } The church consists of predominantly a Korean American congregation. During that time, he pastored the church consists of predominantly a Korean American,! Than a dozen former CFC members, leaders, and website in this browser the! 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