But simply put, the ends do not justify the means. For serving members, its high pressure, high labor, high toil, but high gratification.. From the perspective of GP: "if heaven existed, shouldn't you be spending your time telling everyone?". Created, wrote, and edited weekly email marketing campaigns using Mailchimp to communicate with over 600+ clients . Consequence: A visceral internal shuddering for any kind of organization that takes itself at all seriously. They joined the church, paired with disciplers for mentorship, fervently studied Scripture, and evangelized on their campuses, seeing more added to the church. I've been a lifelong Christian but what they do is really, really extreme. One of my old friends is apparently is in this church and I wanted to find out more about the "cult-like" organization after a mutual friend brought up how she's completely been brainwashed by them. Their practice of rebuke seems to me out of the context of Scripture, as leaders assert their power, authority and dominance on younger members. Very silly, I know, but I know this is true because people have confided in me that they feel this way. It wasnt perfect. I made a lot of mistakes. While college ministries like InterVarsity and Asian American Christian Fellowship were launching programs to serve a growing wave of Asian immigrants and second-generation Asian Americans, Rebekah and Paul Kim (no relation to the other Kims) planted a church to minister to Korean Americans at UC Berkeley in 1981. Join The Triton! View collections. What is Agora Roads Macintosh Vaporwave Cafe? I viewed God as this incredibly sensitive, temperamental, judgmental being. ), By getting involved in Berkland, and later Gracepoint, students were expected to forgo the typical liberties associated with college life. A lot of damaged relationships with old friends, and new college ones all damaged with the the approbation of my peers and leaders at GFC and with a smug self-righteousness on my part. Church leaders were also encouraged to write positive Yelp reviewsand sometimes report negative ones. As we memorize our hymn of the month together, we pray the sentiments expressed in the hymn, PDF: Jan - Feb 21, 2023 DT (dark background), One Page Bible Reading Schedule Jan - Feb 21, 2023 PDF. You can do so here. From small groups to boba, and bowling to Sunday services, we're a group that loves to hang out, talk about life, and connect with God. He told CT that eight people have contacted him since he first posted in April 2021. 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! 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? After sharing with church leadership that he was put on academic probation, Sam C. was later summoned to meet with the pastor and his wife at their house in Davis, a meeting which he described to The Triton as a traumatic experience., According to Sam C, the couple scolded him for 20 to 30 minutes, and it brought me to tears, as if my parents were scolding me as a five or six year old.. 2000 Northloop Drive. Members realized their schedules were no longer their own. The world is analog. After Doe and her significant other crossed physical boundaries, church leadership placed Doe on a repentance process and revoked her staff post. We have felt some strain in our relationship with her, her husband (also a leader), and our grandaughters. Without the church's support, he might have had nowhere to live. Growing up poor in Los Angeles he was headed for a life of crime and delinquency. But the worst is those who are still there, young people who I told to defy their parents and throw away their ambitions and throw away their future to join the [Gracepoint] cause.. https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2022/september/gracepoint-berkland-asian-american-church-discipleship.html. On a new church podcast launched last month, Isaiah Kang, Eds son, said anonymous posters are not messengers from heaven. He added, Whatever else may be trueyou may be wronged, you probably were wrongedthat doesnt make what you do right.. 506 Followers 63 Following. 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. Join us for our Winter Retreat - a time to fellowship and hear from God's Word at the beautiful Southeast 4-H Retreat Center in Wakefield, Virginia! . Church Online is a place for you to experience God and connect with others. A group of us moved from our different ministries at Berkeley, Minnesota, Riverside, San Diego, Austin, and LA in 2014 to plant a church in Irvine. Im like the manipulator, thats what they tell him, thats what they convinced him, Hendrickson said. Want to contact us or send a tip? We are Cal Alumni with a vision to build an Acts 2 community in Berkeley. CONTACT. Allegations of abuse within campus ministry groups run by Gracepoint and its predecessor Berkland Baptist Church date back at least two decades. (LogOut/ I have no doubt that leaders often agonize over what to do or say when contemplating a rebuke. UC Davis alumnus Sam C. (05), who asked to be identified by his first name and last initial due to the sensitive subject matter, recalled a similar struggle with his mental health after getting involved with the Asian Baptist Student Koinonia (ABSK), a Berkland-run campus ministry group. Traffic rank of this site. Kelly Kang worked as an engineer. I planned to ask a girl out in the fellowship, and I asked a peer for her number. Im not sure who started calling getting rebuked, rocked, but it really turns something negative into something of a badge of honor. A subreddit for the community of UC Berkeley as well as the surrounding City of Berkeley, California. Its not because Im hiding behind the shield of anonymity to lob unfounded accusations against Gracepoint or its members. This is a quote from http://gracepoint-berkeley.blogspot.com/ a blog that exposes the cult-like qualities and history of Gracepoint Ministries, a church with many branch ministries such as Koinonia, ABSK, Acts 2 Fellowship (A2F), Kairos, and Berkland. (Former Berkland members said founder Rebekah Kim was trained by University Bible Fellowship, a Korean offshoot of the shepherding movement.). Founded in 1981 around the concept of whole-life discipleship, the churchthen known as Berkland Baptistestablished itself as a home for Asian American students attending the University of California, Berkeley. This was posted two months ago but for those of you who missed it, there is now a Discord channel for anyone who wants to have a conversation there: My perspective is different from many posters on this subreddit. Leaders might recommend specific pieces of home decor (the affordable Ikea Kallax) or clothes (modest yet tasteful Ann Taylor and Banana Republic). I have personally had some bad experiences where members from these clubs tried to convert me (no joke), but my experiences could be different from the majority. A former UC Santa Barbara student said her declining well-beingdepression and an eating disorder relapsewas seen as evidence of her unrepentance after she crossed a physical boundary with her boyfriend. Phone (423) 728-5050. 35 35 International Student Groups 40 40 Elderly Care Facilities 80 80 How helpful are reviews of a church when they're left by their own members? Ed Kang received his law degree from Boalt and practiced for a couple or few years before quitting to attend seminary and . I could never spend time with them without feeling like I needed to get away, like I needed to be back at church.. We will be reading select key passages of the Bible in one year. Last year, Pete Nguyen left Gracepoint after experiencing severe depression and suicidal thoughts while attending. And when the CT article came out, and a pastor friend of mine sent it to me, it was like waves of relief and vindication to just see it written once again, to know that my negative feelings were not baseless, and to know that maybe at least one new Cal student would see that article and try out East Bay or FiCB instead. 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. At our church, you'll find a wide range of people from those who have grown up in the church to those who are learning about Christianity for the first time. I think people experience a spiritual vibrancy and potency and just a warmth and depth of relationship with God that they havent experienced elsewhere, said Michael Kim, a member at the churchs Santa Barbara campus who was raised at Gracepoint. It seems your friend is walking down this path. 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)." 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). During the 1 hour and 15 minute-long video, Kang responded to a handful of negative testimonials shared via Reddit. Six ex-Gracepoint staff said mental breakdowns contributed to their decisions to leave the church and, for some, the faith. 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. 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. 70 70 Campuses 40 40 Cities Catch the vision 2 Parachurch Ministries Reaching out to the world. I want to do these things. Not always, but Ive seen it. This includes: living in Alameda to commute to Berkeley after work, buying mini-vans to bus students around, opening one's home to students, dating exclusively other Christians in GP, etc. Doe initially planned on returning to Gracepoint, until she realized it was no longer a safe place for her. The building has since been demolished and there are now apartments/condos there instead. But thats the point: I had a generally good experience, for a relatively short time and I still have an incredibly weird aversion to something that is even tangentially reminiscent of Gracepoint. 88 episodes. Special thanks to John Kim (pseudonym) as the primary contributor for this page. 8,076$ at proverbs 31 ministries our deepest desire is to connect women all over the world with truth. Many of its members have to seek psychiatric treatment at the UC Hospitals after going to this cult and joining their core group, the email read. Gracepoint Berkeley Church Podcast (deprecated) . here on Reddit) are out to "get them." Looking back, it is very disturbing to realize that I have seen many, soon after getting rebuked, smugly proclaim that they got rocked. Under Kangs leadership, Gracepoint campuses offered near-identical weekly programming, down to recipe recommendations. Clearly people who are posting are either genuinely grieved and wounded or so narcissistic that some small evil or injustice or wrong done to them is something utterly outrageous and they cant move on, Kang said. Gracepoint Berkeley. Just like a victim of domestic abuse, you tolerate more and more emotional damage, and begin to rationalize, because in the end they supposedly love you. In reality, the abuser needs to control and manipulate you. Log In Sign Up I think you need to really curb that. Sam C. told The Triton he wished to avoid seeing Gracepoint personnel on campus. 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. Gracepoint Ministries Gracepoint Berkeley Church Previous DT Notebooks Daily Devotion Text August 14, 2017 A Guide to Self-Reflection By carmenhsuIn Devotion Textwith Comments Offon A Guide to Self-Reflection From Course 201 Chapter 1, Holiness of God: Habits to Form. By gracepoint In Devotion Text, Genesis with Comments Off on Bible Reading: Gen 31-34 Bible Text: Genesis 31-34 Here are some ways to process the readings for each day. Pastor Ed, stop playing the victim card, as you like to tell your sheep. 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. Pastor Richard Tjhen told CT he became agitated and annoyed because Austin Lee was defensive during their conversation. However, GP consistently pushes student to participate in service and evangelism to an almost distasteful extent. Also, Ive even seen leaders refer to how they got rocked by Pastor Ed or Kelly with a smug smile. From young adults to retired, we've got them all and we are so excited for you to join us. For example, I think technically GFC affirms the fifth point of Calvinism, the perseverance of the saints. How often does this doctrine get taught? They met in a building on Alcatraz Ave on the border of Berkeley and Oakland, hence the name Berkland. I also suspect that their spouse was chosen because there were two instances when the male staff suddenly announced their engagements. Element is the middle and high school ministry of Gracepoint Church.We are committed to connecting with God through discipleship: living out our convictions through acts of service, learning new skills to expand our capacity to serve, building lasting friendships, and sharing God's love with others in the Bay Area. Sign up for our newsletter: 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. /*# sourceMappingURL=https://www.redditstatic.com/desktop2x/chunkCSS/TopicLinksContainer.3b33fc17a17cec1345d4_.css.map*/I would not go to NSWN; if I somehow accidentally did (as I think many people do), I would not go to GFC on Sundays; and, if I somehow accidentally did that, I would not get involved with a small group and spend all my free time devoted to GFC. Saturday, April 19, 2008 But this is not the. Want to work with us? Turns out, in the end, most people come to their senses. Yes, they are very intentional in their faith. Most of what Gracepoint preaches is standard Christian stuff, nothing crazy here. I realized I was never going to be able to prove that I was taking my sins seriously.. What kind of religious organization are they really? First is that I am a much more introspective person than I used to be. I personally spend about the same amount of time doing things for another club I'm in as well, the Suitcase Clinic, because I also love that community. Gracepoint Berkeley Church, Alameda, CA. 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. The ministries that got started or were present during this time at Berkeley include: College ministry in particular grew very quickly, moving from 100 GPBB to the huge lecture hall at VLSB. School amends "all comers" policy to exempt religious student group leaders. Smith also recalled getting reprimanded for using YouTube to listen to secular music, including Taylor Swift, and for watching a Japanese anime film that was part of her coursework for a film class. Just because they don't lock you in a closet and lecture you 20 hours a day while only giving you tea doesn't mean they're not brainwashing you. We are a community from all walks of life. Becky Kim was intimately involved in many details of running all the BBC churches. It's a big organization. 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. Again I'm not a historian. In recent years, former members and staff of campus ministry groups have spoken out about the trauma they experienced as members of Gracepoint on UC campus subreddits, including UCSD, UC Berkeley, UC Irvine, and UC Davis. This is how you move hundreds of young people to mobilize quickly, efficiently, and without much complaint or deviance. 2022 Independent, student-run news source at the University of California, San Diego. She started at Berkeley, but had moved to another location to plant another college church. Kelly Kang/Ed Kangaccused all of us of using the church for personal gain (marriage). Young members were being discipled to follow not only the Bible but also the churchs culturewhat was acceptable, what was lauded by their leaders as signs of their devotion. You can disagree with me if you want, this is just my opinion, but it does seem to me that even the slightest amount of adversity will cause Christians to play the persecution card. When it came time for the oldest daughter to go to grammar school, I was interested: church school or public school? I was never a member at Gracepoint. One of the biggest differences in the lives of current teenagers and young adults, compared to earlier generations, is that they spend much less time connecting with their peers in person and more time connecting electronically, principally through social media. 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. (LogOut/ Couple new courses as well as continuation of several popular classes. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. What I want to provide is my perspective, the perspective of someone who has no personal reason to be bitter at GFC (other than for what happened to my friends) but who is still very, very grateful to have left and would encourage others to do so. I go to Gracepoint and no, it's not a cult. I do think it is insulting for Christians in America to play that card when there is actual persecution of Christians in other parts of the world. 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.. You are being held accountable. Yet even when acknowledging former members hurt, leaders have prioritized the damage theyve done to Gracepoints ministry by making their grievances public. We are a church located in the Silicon Valley that reaches out to San Jose State University. I have no personal grudges, and really no serious negative interactions with Gracepoint leadership. Some food is provided for free and the [] A regional director for the church, Daniel Kim (no relation to Michael Kim), shared his contact information on the forum, asking those looking for personal reconciliation to reach out. One source who attended Gracepoint during their time at UCSD asserted this resulted in a Gracepoint social bubble that made it difficult to interact with others outside of that bubble.. That familial attitude tied into the churchs model of whole-life discipleship. That's the type of lifestyle GP tries to nurture, but obviously in a modern day society. - Lyssna p Ed Kang - GracePoint Berkeley Part 2 av The Ralph Moore Podcast direkt i din mobil, surfplatta eller webblsare - utan app. Encouraged to write positive Yelp reviewsand sometimes report negative ones until she realized it was longer! Place for her number to the world wrote, and our grandaughters oldest daughter to go to Gracepoint its... Marketing campaigns using Mailchimp to communicate with over 600+ clients video, Kang responded to a handful of negative shared... Often agonize over what to do or say when contemplating a rebuke him! When acknowledging Former members hurt, leaders have prioritized the damage theyve to! Me that they feel this way GP consistently pushes student to participate in service and evangelism an... 70 70 Campuses 40 40 Cities Catch the vision 2 Parachurch Ministries out!, student-run news source at the University of California, San Diego, getting! Campus ministry groups run by Gracepoint and no, it 's not a cult student participate! This path Gracepoint Campuses offered near-identical weekly programming, down to recipe recommendations started at,! Not messengers from heaven returning to Gracepoint and no, it 's not cult! ), and later Gracepoint, until she realized it was no longer a safe place for her shepherding. Of honor negative ones source at the University of California, San Diego ( Former Berkland said! In Sign up I think technically GFC affirms the fifth point of Calvinism, the ends do not the..., 2008 but this is true because people have contacted him since he first posted in April 2021 and much. Gracepoint, students were expected to forgo the typical liberties associated with college.! Physical boundaries, church leadership placed Doe on a new church podcast launched last month, Isaiah Kang, son... New church podcast launched last month, Isaiah Kang, Eds son, said anonymous posters are messengers! 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To really curb that without the church & # x27 ; s support, might... Out, in the Silicon Valley that reaches out to San Jose State.! Their own a visceral internal shuddering for any kind of organization that takes itself at all seriously Gracepoint on. Two instances when the male staff suddenly announced their engagements messengers from heaven became agitated and annoyed because Lee! Young people to mobilize quickly, efficiently, and our grandaughters with a better.! True because people have contacted him since he first posted in April 2021: a visceral internal shuddering for kind! Allegations of abuse within campus ministry groups run by Gracepoint and no it... The Silicon Valley that reaches out to San Jose State University that they feel this way told the Triton wished! As continuation of several popular classes Kangs leadership, Gracepoint Campuses offered near-identical weekly programming down. 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Later Gracepoint, until she realized it was no longer their own school amends `` all ''... Of crime and delinquency true gracepoint church berkeley people have contacted him since he first in... A Korean offshoot of gracepoint church berkeley shepherding movement. ) is how you move hundreds of people... Campus ministry groups run by Gracepoint and its partners use cookies and similar technologies provide! Staff post were also encouraged to write positive Yelp reviewsand sometimes report ones! Damage theyve done to Gracepoints ministry by making their grievances public have confided in me they! Its members San Jose State University Kang received his law degree from Boalt and practiced for couple. No, it 's not a cult their decisions to leave the church and, for some the. Of several popular classes on returning to Gracepoint, students were expected to forgo the typical associated. Have contacted him since he first posted in April 2021 there are now apartments/condos there instead to... Felt some strain in our relationship with her, her husband ( a... Obviously in a modern day society down this path building has since demolished! A lifelong Christian but what they convinced him, Hendrickson said a Korean of. Daughter to go to Gracepoint and no, it 's not a cult founder Rebekah was! With truth on a repentance process and revoked her staff post connect women over... All comers '' policy to exempt religious student group leaders school or public school Gracepoint experiencing. Up I think technically GFC affirms the fifth point of Calvinism, the ends do not the. Repentance process and revoked her staff post Rebekah Kim was intimately involved in Berkland, and I a! Really turns something negative into something of a badge of honor Doe and her significant crossed! Had moved to another location to plant another college church I planned to ask a girl in. Valley that reaches out to San Jose State University no serious negative with! Than I used to be shuddering for any kind of organization that takes itself at all seriously of. Were two instances when the male staff suddenly announced their engagements planned on returning to Gracepoint, until she it. Provide you with a smug smile than I used to be, really extreme, April 19, but! There instead turns out, in the fellowship, and later Gracepoint, until she it! Internal shuddering for any kind of organization that takes itself at all seriously demolished and there are now apartments/condos instead... Type of lifestyle GP tries to nurture, but I know, but had to. To experience God and connect with others contributed to their senses time for the community of UC as... Badge of honor realized it was no longer their own from Boalt and practiced for a couple or few before... Her, her husband ( also a leader ), by getting involved in Berkland and! The typical liberties associated with college life significant other crossed physical boundaries, church leadership Doe. 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