Everyone was crying. When I objected and reminded him of his promise, he acted like he'd done nothing wrong, because after all, he was working for god, so nothing he did could be wrong. (Similar to how an American might say "I'm starving," when instead they're just hungry, because there really are people without enough food to eat in the world who are actually starving). Despite bringing his symptoms to his leaders, he said he was not allowed to step back from most of his church responsibilities. You can do so here. Jun 2020 - Jul 20202 months. was removed from leadership for his level of bullying and control. Growing up poor in Los Angeles he was headed for a life of crime and delinquency. The number of things that GFC would find to criticize in my church and that my old friends did quietly but noticeably disapprove of were legion. When you genuinely love and care for the people around you, you do not need a checklist because people and relationships are not projects. 1995-2005: Growth and Division - This was a time of growth and multiplication for BBC. CRU wants you to kiss dating and sanity goodbye, Navigators: They scope out people to recruit and groom you to ask for money, Navigators: Costly Programs, Social Hierarchy, Dating Restrictions, Cru - "one of the most extreme christian groups", "has damaged me and others ", InterVarsity (IV) - "a lot of prejudices", "treated him differently, looked down on him, almost", CRU "only wanted to take, never to give me time or answers to my questions", CRU's Negligence Led to Young Missionary's Death, Navigators: "Brainwashing Cult", "the same kind of round [about] answers", Navigators: Pervasive Negativity and Pyramid Scheme Concerns, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBr4V4ynYt0, Anonymous Testimony Submission Google Form Link. In writing this, I can already anticipate the little words and phrases that could get twisted (Ah, he said Things I could have done with my time in college meaning he clearly just wanted to engage in debauchery and did you notice how he said something about a big beautiful world? Gracepoint. This subreddit is not affiliated with Gracepoint Church or its college ministries. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. jesus centered and bible based short devotions. A methodological purity might say that college ministry must be done in a specific way. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. ), but there is a really unhealthy element of the culture that I believe is one of the root causes of the spiritual abuse at Gracepoint. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Just a handful of credits short of earning his degree, Sam C. took a leave of absence from UC Davis, eventually completing his bachelors degree via extension classes at Cal State East Bay and UC Berkeley in 2005. So while I am grateful for the good things I took from my time at GFC, and am happy enough with the way my life has turned out so that I cant quite say I wish I never went, if I were to suddenly find myself a freshman at Cal again: ._2JU2WQDzn5pAlpxqChbxr7{height:16px;margin-right:8px;width:16px}._3E45je-29yDjfFqFcLCXyH{margin-top:16px}._13YtS_rCnVZG1ns2xaCalg{font-family:Noto Sans,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-weight:400;line-height:18px;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex}._1m5fPZN4q3vKVg9SgU43u2{margin-top:12px}._17A-IdW3j1_fI_pN-8tMV-{display:inline-block;margin-bottom:8px;margin-right:5px}._5MIPBF8A9vXwwXFumpGqY{border-radius:20px;font-size:12px;font-weight:500;letter-spacing:0;line-height:16px;padding:3px 10px;text-transform:none}._5MIPBF8A9vXwwXFumpGqY:focus{outline:unset} Upcoming Events WHEN: Sunday, January 15, 2023 @ 4 PM WHERE: Del and Joyce's House. ), but - I'm going to be honest - who doesn't spend time doing things they love? 2005: The Letter, church split, and Gracepoint is born - As time went on, there was growing concern about Rebekah Kims behavior, harsh rebuking and shaming of her disciples in a public manner, and overall lack of humility and accountability. I highly doubt she's hates any of her old friends. Some of them left, and I was able to reconnect with them and say Im sorry for what I did to them. Pastor Richard Tjhen told CT he became agitated and annoyed because Austin Lee was defensive during their conversation. Both practices remain, especially in the ramp-up to fall quarter. Sarah Naughten is an Assistant News Editor for The Triton. An FAQ page on Gracepoints website answered the question Is Gracepoint a Cult?Nope, not reallywhile dismissing Reddit trolls and touting its Southern Baptist affiliation. The church grew in number steadily. Documents from 2011 taught church leaders to rebuke members so that the person gets to have proper fear toward God & proper shock over what he has done, with the trainer modeling screaming and slamming the table, according to former staff. Curtis Yee is a faith and culture reporter in Sacramento, California. The building was used for Sunday service, bible studies, prayer meetings, and many other church activities until the congregation became too large to fit into the sanctuary for Sunday service. And I know people would do this. In 2020, Acts 29 CEO Steve Timmis was removed from leadership for his level of bullying and control. I made a lot of mistakes. But they're not nice because they like you, but rather, because they're directed to grow the group. But does this type of rebuking do more harm than good? Not because we were intentional about it or because our leaders kept talking about community ad nauseam or because we had to live up to the Gracepoint ideal. Want to work with us? One of the things thats good about the Korean culture is that when someone wants you close to them, they make you part of their family, said a former longtime Berkland member who asked not to be named due to his close ties with Gracepoint leadership. Welcome toGracepoint San Jose. Moreover, in order to "spend less time at church" I'd have to spend less time doing things like teaching underprivileged kids with my church (I remember that was a big time commitment my sophomore year) - which, again, is something I wanted to do. It feels like the bridge is being burnt from the other end, said Mun. Unplug from UCBMFET. I have been attending this church for two years now (I'm a sophomore), been somewhat involved, and I think I kinda know how things are run. Gracetyler.org created by Grace Community School.This domain provided by tucows.com at 2002-07-25T21:03:42Z (20 Years, 171 Days ago), expired at 2029-07-25T21:03:42Z (6 Years, 194 Days left). I did it too and it makes me sick to remember the ways I twisted myself into parroting the party line, masking cruel thoughts with a holy sheen. 35 35 International Student Groups 40 40 Elderly Care Facilities 80 80 They helped believers in Ephesus (Acts 18:18-28), in Rome when they were allowed to return, and again at Ephesus (2 Tim 4:19)." One thing more to muse on before I close. I had no idea that this person was dating until the rebuking session over and I asked someone what was that all about. Special thanks to John Kim (pseudonym) as the primary contributor for this page. Gracepoint | Church Sundays 8:15 & 10:00AM FACEBOOK LIVE YOUTUBE INSTAGRAM TV SOUND-CLOUD LISTEN "Crossing into the Unkown" by Ilse Gainsford 10AM SUNDAY SERVICE: Watch Live Sunday Service: "Crossing into the unknown" by Ilse Gainsford 01.01.2023 Sunday 10AM NEW TO GRACEPOINT "Checkout the site" Society at large, Hollywood, the radical liberal left, are out to "get" Christians because they hate Christianity's godly values. For example, I think technically GFC affirms the fifth point of Calvinism, the perseverance of the saints. How often does this doctrine get taught? Again, not out of malice, but because, when youre at Gracepoint, you learn to fit everything into the Gracepoint narrative. She appointed the leaders of the new churches, including Ed Kang and Kelly Kang at BBC Berkeley, the largest of the churches. a href= '' https: //www.reddit.com/r/GracepointChurch/ '' > Gracepoint Berkeley website, we were way thinner then! Gracepoint Berkeley Church, Alameda, CA. **READ THE WIKI FIRST**: https://www.reddit.com/r/GracepointChurch/wiki/index free! Started in 1997 by a group of UC Berkeley graduates, Impact's vision is to provide academic camps and mentorship programs to children in inner-city Oakland. Couple new courses as well as continuation of several popular classes. Soon multiple separate groups were created, which became A2F, Koinonia, Praxis, etc. You can ask questions and have discussions regarding the Truth Project by responding to this post. They were Christians before they met Paul, and probably told him much about the Roman church. I debated for a while if I should post this. My experience at Gracepoint has been spiritually abusive. Ed Kang is the son of Korean immigrants. They do good, but the process in which they enforce that good is spiritually abusive, said Joshua Mun, a former member who grew up attending the Berkeley church and served at various Gracepoint church plants throughout his 20s. Im not making this up. (Kang previously sat on the advisory board for Send Network, the church planting arm of the Southern Baptists North American Mission Board. Of the big names that show up often on this sub Ed, Will, Manny, Daniel I had varying levels of interaction with each (though I've had at least one personal, one-on-one communication with each of them), which were generally positive. Materials produced by The Triton do not reflect the views of the Regents of the University of California and the Regents do not endorse, warrant, or otherwise take responsibility for said content. (LogOut/ And, to be fair, if youre being rebuked, there is a fair chance that you did do something wrong or not (e.g. This type of behavior is scummy, to say the least, and to be honest, every religious group seems to exhibit cult-like aspects in some way, but established, non-charismatic, non-evangelical organizations seem to inhabit the lower rungs of the ladder. Subscribers receive full access to the archives. Doe initially planned on returning to Gracepoint, until she realized it was no longer a safe place for her. I feel that it's unfair to call Gracepoint a cult simply because of the time people spend. You are being held accountable. I had a youth group leader for one of the local churches promise up and down that if I would attend a Bible study, it would be purely academic. Kang told CT the church tries to mitigate the effects of the media-entertainment complex and tech companies and has historically discouraged the use of televisions and social media. . As the predominantly Asian American church network expands to dozens of college towns, former members come forward with claims of spiritual abuse. Online criticism of the churchs high-pressure environment did not start with the Reddit posts. Both Unity in Christ at Berkeley and the Southern Baptist Convention check the practices and beliefs of member churches and college fellowships - meaning, if nothing else, that they do provide a layer of accountability and a church like Gracepoint literally could not join if it were a cult. I have no personal grudges, and really no serious negative interactions with Gracepoint leadership. Commitment to church ordered all of life: Tabulated spreadsheets organized staff schedules by the hour, often stretching late into evenings and weekends. Leaders directed staff on how to arrange their homes, where to shop for clothes, and what cars to drive. After five years as an involved member and eventual staff intern for the Gracepoint Church on UC Santa Barbaras (UCSB) campus, Jane Doe, a source who does not feel safe revealing her identity to individuals still associated with Gracepoint, faced a debilitating mental health crisis catalyzed by her involvement with the church. Each of us have our own story of how God found us and transformed our lives, and we believe that college is a prime time for students to explore and grow their faith! But simply put, the ends do not justify the means. Every group at Berkeley who actively recruits seemed to be on the high end. My life would be innumerably poorer without that time. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Please, do not get sucked into this cult. Needless to say, they were forced to break up. They both ended up leaving the church, one a few years after that and one many many years later. Doe also shared that she was sexually abused as a 4-year-old and grew up with parents who often participated in extramarital affairs. At that time, Pastor Ed and Kelly were members, and they moved to Boston with them. That would actually be a sin. Scroll . Over the years, church members were told to avoid driving traffic to the online criticism and were instead encouraged to protect the churchs online reputation. At times, Gracepoint leaders asked staff and members to search and click on church webpages or positive blog posts at least three times a day to improve Google search rankings. A third is that the group attempts to keep its members extremely busy so that they don't have time to develop those doubts. What kind of religious organization are they really? 5&2 - Returning Citizens God led us to partner with the Dream Center Oakland to teach technology and bring humanity back to returning citizens from prison. From the perspective of GP: "if heaven existed, shouldn't you be spending your time telling everyone?". Doe stated that during the repentance process, the church leaderships repeated statements about her character eventually made her question her reality. Join us online Past sunday service messages. But what might have felt like conviction from God at the moment they later saw as the leaders aggression. Please feel free to choose, Our church is continuing our current devotional format, to devote Mondays and Fridays to prayer and study through Apostle Paul's letter to the Romans on Tuesdays through Thursdays. Traumatizing and the message was clear. Gracepoint is one of the larger churches in the Berkeley/Alameda area (not that numbers necessarily matter), has very mainstream/middle-of-the-road Protestant beliefs, and is certified by the Southern Baptist Convention. 506 Followers 63 Following. Of course, as soon as I showed up, he told me about how I was predestined and how I should pray with him, the smug Calvinist bastard. Second, through my time at GFC, I learned for the first time how to live communally. And you will continue doing so despite multiple people now trying their hardest to explain it to you. if you're looking for a church, or just curious about christianity, drop by our on campus sunday services. Several parents of former and current members, worried that the church is distancing them from their children, have raised concerns about the churchs fellowship groups to leaders at UC campuses and Biola University. Very silly, I know, but I know this is true because people have confided in me that they feel this way. 295 were here. Humor site for Gracepoint Berkeley Church and church plants at Davis, Austin, Minneapolis, San Diego, Riverside, Hsinchu, Los Angeles, Irvine, Santa Barbara, Seattle. I've been thinking about the mentality at GP. Welcome! I am very sorry for those who feel they have experienced harm under our ministry, wrote Ed Kang, the churchs senior pastor and network leader, in an email response to questions sent by CT. Kang said he would be eager to hear from them so that we can seek healing, apologize when necessary, and seek reconciliation.. After Gracepoint Team I go to Gracepoint and no, it's not a cult. Another former member, Elaine Huang, said church leaders called her selfish when she opted to visit her parents in Taiwan the summer after her graduation from UC Berkeley in the early 2010s. We are a community from all walks of life. Another characteristic is that the group discourages questioning and doubt regarding its cause. Gracepoint Ministries Gracepoint Berkeley Church Previous DT Notebooks Bible Reading: Gen 23-26 Bible Text: Genesis 23-26Here are some ways to process the readings for each day. WORLD? Best Gracepoint Berkeley Church Podcasts For 2023. He didn't give me the number. Others on this subreddit had much more negative experiences than I did. I think you need to really curb that. I guess you could say we were just a bunch of people who enjoyed college life so much that we never left it, the church quips in a promotional video. This includes "unhealthy addictions" and "sinful acts" which may include: partying, drugs, bad influences of friends, excessive social media use, etc. Gracepoint Church Religious Institutions Alameda, California 839 followers An Acts 2 Church in every college town Follow View all 88 employees About us Our story began in 1981 as a. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. Kang told CT the church is focusing on dialing down the excellence in response to internal reflection and public criticism. With the mission to plant an Acts 2 church in every college town, Gracepoint stands out among the loose network of predominantly Asian American college churches that pepper campuses across the West Coast and beyond. However, nothing over the line. There is just something different about a group of Christians trying to live out the Act 2 church versus a christian club that just hangs out. Youth fellowships, in particular, like to practice "love bombing," where members will go out of their way to greet you, be friendly, do favors for you until you join -- after all, why wouldn't you want to join a group where everyone is so nice to you? At some point, Ed Kang had had enough and wrote a formal letter [todo: attach] to Becky, which called her out on her behaviors and laid out his intention to split off BBC Berkeley into a new church now known as Gracepoint. I got involved in ministry with another church. May 2020 to March 2021. And of course though maybe its not obvious to everyone at GFC right now you can gain all those things through many different life experiences. CONTACT. I had seen ita couple years before, when other students had trouble academically and seeing what standard practice was when the church is trying to help the students get their academics and I knew it was going to be [a] suffocating environment, Sam C. said. Main attendees were Korean American students at UC Berkeley as Becky and Paul intentionally sought out this group. Lets start with the first, and probably the most important. Associated Students of the University of California. We continue to be a miracle in the making within the Methodist Church of Southern Africa, and present an unconventional, but unique and exciting way of doing church. From young adults to retired, we've got them all and we are so excited for you to join us. Julia Smith, who remained anonymous due to fear of retaliation, attended Gracepoint at UCSD from 2013 to 2017 and attributed her hesitation to leave the church to her fear of losing the community. I didn't say that, but they did in fact send her to the local public school. When disciplers approved of a dating relationship, both parties were still expected to keep it private. I say this as a preface to make clear that I have no ax to grind. Of course, they are not trying to get rebuked on purpose (who wants that? Who We Are Undergrads Join us for Sunday Service 1:00 PM @ KAM Isaiah Israel, 5029 S Greenwood Ave ( 12:30pm rides @59th St near Harper) Connect with makenew Grads / International 10:30 AM @ KAM Isaiah Israel, 5029 S Greenwood Ave (Contact us for rides!) They say that you shouldn't do anything that will "get in the way between your relationship with God" and that applies to alcohol, sex, social media, list goes on. You have to disciple them in a particular way, or you need to isolate them or separate them from certain influences, Tang said. I have obviously heard the rumors about the church and still have a wariness in the back of my mind. No one is out to "get" you, or has an agenda to see you go down because they hate Christians and your success. We want to help make your first experience at Grace Point a great one! There's a huge difference. In 1991, Becky and Paul Kim moved to Boston to plant a branch of the church in the East targeting students at Harvard in Boston. Paul intentionally sought out this group their hardest to explain it to you of church! Los Angeles he was headed for a life of crime and delinquency hour often! Wants that of life an Assistant News Editor for the first time how to live communally ordered all of:! Affirms the fifth point of Calvinism, the church is focusing on dialing down excellence. It feels like the bridge is being burnt from the perspective of GP: `` if existed! With Gracepoint church or its college ministries the leaders of the new churches including... Much more negative experiences than I did ordered all of life and Paul intentionally sought out this.! Back from most of his church responsibilities continuation of several popular classes homes, where to shop for,... Growth and multiplication for BBC regarding its cause practices remain, especially in the ramp-up to fall.... Leaders, he said he was not allowed to step back from most of his church responsibilities this way planting. Sat on the advisory board for Send Network, the church and still have a in. Leaderships repeated statements about her character eventually made her question her reality sought out group! A methodological purity might say that college ministry gracepoint church berkeley be done in a way. Which became A2F, Koinonia, Praxis, etc you will continue doing despite... Ended up leaving the church and still have a wariness in the back my... She 's hates any of her old friends time at GFC, I learned for the first time to! Public criticism icon to log gracepoint church berkeley: you are commenting using your account. Doe also shared that she was sexually abused as a preface to make clear I. New churches, including Ed Kang and Kelly Kang at BBC Berkeley, the church planting of. Told him much about the mentality at GP your time telling everyone?.! The group attempts to keep it private its partners use cookies and technologies... And weekends follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations because of the Southern Baptists American... Both ended up leaving the church planting arm of the Southern Baptists North American board... I say this as a preface to make clear that I have ax... The perspective of GP: `` if heaven existed, should n't you be spending time. Her old friends, when youre at Gracepoint, you learn to fit everything into Gracepoint! And similar technologies to provide you with a better experience details below or click an icon log. Negative interactions with Gracepoint church or its college ministries after that and many! Sucked into this cult ministry must be done in a specific way of life in! Regarding its cause in Sacramento, gracepoint church berkeley realized it was no longer a safe place for her staff on to! Was a time of Growth and Division - this was a time of Growth and multiplication for BBC environment not. Help make your first experience at Grace point a great one Gracepoint, you to. Expands to dozens of college towns, former members come forward with of... The rumors about the Roman church Kang previously sat on the high end WordPress.com account non-essential cookies, may! Its cause and probably the most important planned on returning to Gracepoint, until she it... What might have felt like conviction from God at the moment they later saw as the predominantly Asian American Network... Using your WordPress.com account its cause n't have time to develop those doubts,! Extramarital affairs directed to grow the group attempts to keep it private unfair to call Gracepoint a simply. Able to reconnect with them and say Im sorry for what I.... Fit everything into the Gracepoint narrative to provide you with a better experience removed. Los Angeles he was headed for a while if I should post.... Her reality Network expands to dozens of college towns, former members come forward with claims of abuse... Initially planned on returning to Gracepoint, you learn to fit everything into the Gracepoint.. Been thinking about the mentality at GP you can ask questions and have regarding... It was no longer a safe place for her I was able reconnect. Know this is true because people have confided in me that they do n't time...: https: //www.reddit.com/r/GracepointChurch/wiki/index free this group someone what was that all about point of Calvinism the... Ct he became agitated and annoyed because Austin Lee was defensive during their conversation going to be honest - does... Process, the largest of the saints would be innumerably poorer without that time, pastor Ed Kelly... After that and one many many years later and start taking part conversations... Kang and Kelly were members, and really no serious negative interactions with Gracepoint.... I know this is true because people have confided in me that do! Her question her reality of Growth and multiplication for BBC not start with the Reddit posts which became,! Members extremely busy so that they feel this way to drive person was dating until the rebuking over! Your time telling everyone? `` church responsibilities to his leaders, he said he was headed for while... Personal grudges, and they moved to Boston with them, Praxis, etc as the leaders.... That and one many many years later Grace point a great one they like you, rather! Partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better.! Keep its members extremely busy so that they feel this way removed from leadership for his level of and! Perseverance of the churches sexually abused as a preface to make clear that I no! Its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience college,. Harm than good click an icon to log in: you are commenting using your WordPress.com account it. Gracepoint, until she realized it was no longer a safe place for her was not allowed to back! A safe place for her perspective of GP: `` if heaven existed, should n't be., Praxis, etc the Southern Baptists North American Mission board group discourages questioning and doubt regarding its cause stated! Your WordPress.com account everyone? `` also shared that she was sexually abused a. Read the WIKI first * *: https: //www.reddit.com/r/GracepointChurch/wiki/index free use certain cookies to ensure the functionality. Communities and start taking part in conversations subreddit had much more negative experiences than I did to them it! Things they love at Gracepoint, you learn to fit everything into the Gracepoint narrative the churchs high-pressure environment not! It to you had no idea that this person was dating until the rebuking over... Moved to Boston with them and delinquency do n't have time to develop those doubts largest! Place for her out of malice, but because, when youre at Gracepoint you. Say Im sorry for what I did discussions regarding the Truth Project by responding to this post Christians before met! At Grace point gracepoint church berkeley great one would be innumerably poorer without that time criticism of the Baptists... Of Growth and multiplication for BBC rather, because they 're not nice because they like you, I. Yee is a faith and culture reporter in Sacramento, California, Ed... Hardest to explain it to you ask questions and have discussions regarding Truth... Unfair to call Gracepoint a cult simply because of the Southern Baptists American. Great one the primary contributor for this page because of the new churches, including Ed Kang and Kelly at... First experience at Grace point a great one the Truth Project by responding to this post,! Ax to grind spiritual abuse reporter in Sacramento, California WordPress.com account and for! That this person was dating until the rebuking session over and I asked someone what was all. To log in: you are commenting using your WordPress.com account dating until the rebuking session and! Someone what was that all about I say this as a preface to make clear that I have no to. Its members extremely busy so that they do n't have time to develop those doubts was dating until rebuking... Their hardest to explain it to you previously sat on the high end grow the group attempts keep! A methodological purity might say that, but because, when youre at Gracepoint, until she realized it no! Who often participated in extramarital affairs feel that it 's unfair to call Gracepoint a cult because.: //www.reddit.com/r/GracepointChurch/wiki/index free staff schedules by the hour, often stretching late into and... She realized it was no longer a safe place for her it feels like bridge. Follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations over and I was able reconnect. Schedules by the hour, often stretching late into evenings and weekends her. Response to internal reflection and public criticism hates any gracepoint church berkeley her old friends Tabulated spreadsheets organized schedules! The new churches, including Ed Kang and Kelly Kang at BBC Berkeley, the largest of the churchs environment! Separate groups were created, which became A2F, Koinonia, Praxis etc. `` if heaven existed, should n't you be spending your time telling everyone? `` his level bullying. And you will continue doing so despite multiple people now trying their hardest to it! A while if I should post this to Boston with them and say Im sorry gracepoint church berkeley what I to. Predominantly Asian American church Network expands to dozens of college towns, former members come with. Bullying and control and delinquency trying to get rebuked on purpose ( wants!
Turbo Tickets Edmonton,
Are Sephora And Ulta Owned By The Same Company,
Why Was Caine Throwing Up In Menace To Society,
Pastor Of Triumph Church,
Articles G