font-size: 11px; But he said the church had recently decided to hire an outside group to investigate in order to work towards rebuilding trust and create a healthier culture that better reflects Jesus.. 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. Whistleblowers say theyre disappointed, but not surprised, with the ruling. .jet-smart-listing__post-title:after { We prefer to style these with the main accent color of our theme */ And I say that as someone who believes the Bible clearly uses language from both spectra, not just one or the other. 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). Zimmerman didnt answer calls or emails to comment on his relationship with Chung. Growing up in San Francisco, Yep felt alienated. However, a document submitted by a group of former CFC members calling themselves the allegation group, asked the Korean Central Presbytery (KCP), a denominational oversight group, to investigate the incident, called it unwanted, non-consensual touch in her private area., Chung reportedly personally counseled the woman after the incident, and said they reached reconciliation.. .wp-caption-text { 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. 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. .mytheme-mejs-container .mejs-time-total, 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. The motion requires two-thirds vote. To donate, click here. Serving with a denomination as a District Leader I saw leaders shuffled to different churches who were related to significant people in the denomination who continued to act our inappropiately on women and it was imply ignored or excused. The gospel is good news for all sinners; in the blood of Christ, all can find forgiveness and redemption. The victim was suicidal and traumatized by her initial and continuous interaction with Pastor Min, the friend stated in testimony included in the report. .mytheme-mejs-container.mejs-container, Your tax-deductible gift helps our journalists report the truth and hold Christian leaders and organizations accountable. 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. 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? We extend an invitation to worship with us if you are ever in the Champaign area.. } .wp-caption p.wp-caption-text { In May 2021, CFC cut ties with Chung. .mytheme-mejs-container .mejs-controls .mejs-time-rail .mejs-time-current { 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. } 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. After troubling times during the Depression, he was able to open a grocery store in an African-American neighborhood. Chung also was accused of covering up sexual abuse committed by a fellow local pastor. } Illinois Newsroom gets stories from public radio stations from across the state, including WBEZ-Chicago, WCBU-Peoria, WGLT-Normal, WVIK-Rock Island, WIUM-Macomb, WNIJ-DeKalb, WSIU-Carbondale, WUIS-Springfield, and St. Louis Public Radio. background: #db4e88; 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. . Sources at GRACE told WBEZ that the group had conducted interviews with more than 40 former and present CFC members, many of whom spent hours talking about their experiences. }. The presbytery is a ruling body of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), the denomination that ordained Chung. Rhee told WBEZ she reported the incident to Pastor Chung. 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. Toll free: (866) 364-9980, Florida Youth Pastor Arrested for Attempting Sex with Teen Student, Cedarvilles Plan to Save Anthony Moore Abandoned its Students and Moore, Missouri Church Leaves Presbyterian Church in America Over LGBT Issues, Archbishop Resigns from Anglican Church of Canada over Sexual Misconduct, Cedarville Reinstates President White After Misconduct Investigation. Park is part of a group that last year brought to light allegations of sexual and spiritual abuse at Covenant Fellowship Church (CFC), a predominantly Asian American church near the campus of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Great! 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. 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. Posted on: Feb 04, 2023 User login The motion to rescind the KCP decision needed a two-thirds vote in favor. margin: 0; All rights reserved.Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. 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 disciplinary measures are followed. 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. 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. 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 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. Now, more than a year after WBEZ broke the story, former members and others familiar with the church say CFC is quietly reversing course. And women are taught to protect men, even when the men are doing something wrong or hurting the women, said former member June Pinyo. 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. to conduct a third-party investigation. Pastor Min is the founding and lead pastor of Covenant Fellowship Church, a large church in Champaign. Another promised change was to bring the church under a regional body within the Presbyterian Church of America (PCA), to seek more oversight and accountability for its leaders and members. WebTHE RADIO SHOW WILL BE LIVE! font-size: 10px They described various experiences of mistreatment by an unhealthy leadership culture over a couple of decades. 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. Editors note: This story has been updated to clarify when the KCP received the whistleblowers allegations and to more accurately state certain charges. He cited an example in the Bible, in the book of Luke, where Jesus tells the story of a woman and an unjust judge. 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. Shame is worse than embarrassment. Covenant Fellowship Church is nondenominational, has no elders, and is not a PCA member. One of those associate pastors was KJ Kim, the new head pastor of CFC. height: 90px; 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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 Roys Report seeks to foster thoughtful and respectful dialogue. Join with thousands of others to keep this important public media-based resource available to all. Access to MinistryWatch content is free. 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. Opinion: What is Revivaland is it Happening at Asbury? What Happened To Marco From Next In Fashion? 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 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 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). The victim was terrified and did whatever she was told, the report states. .mytheme-mejs-container .mejs-horizontal-volume-total { } 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). 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. Mayor Lori Lightfoot was handed a stunning defeat, the first time in 40 years a sitting mayor was not reelected. Your tax-deductible gift helps our journalists report the truth and hold Christian leaders and organizations accountable. 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 Chung is subject to the PCAs Book of Church Order because of his PCA ordination, KJ Kim told TRR. height: 3px; 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). 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. Though the assessment is nearly complete, the termination by CFC effectively halts our work at this time. Eventually, that group reconsidered and completed the assessment. /* Player controls */ Sometimes weve lost purpose and direction. CFC also hired The Center Consulting Group to conduct surveys and evaluate the health of the church. 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