Gracepoint's leaders packaged this very cult-like behavior as discipleship. Also, Ive even seen leaders refer to how they got rocked by Pastor Ed or Kelly with a smug smile. Here's another topic u/TheGPNarrative , hope this is new enough for you. Special thanks to John Kim (pseudonym) as the primary contributor for this page. Small potatoes, I know, compared to what many still suffer from. I think it was at that point when I realized that [the church] really did not care for my well-being, Lee said. I didn't attend gp Berkeley, but I went to acts 2 Fellowship in UCI. Doe stated that during the repentance process, the church leaderships repeated statements about her character eventually made her question her reality. By gracepoint In Devotion Text, Genesis with Comments Off on Bible Reading: Gen 19-22 Bible Text: Genes is 19-22 Here are some ways to process the readings for each day. Gracepoint Berkeley: Truth Project. Believe me, I would love to say everything is done out of a passion for Christ, but it is often not, not by most. Scroll . Located on over 60 campuses, it has launched church plants in 35 cities nationwide, as well as one in Taiwan, with 15 new churches planted in 2021 alone. Turns out, lying was a standard tactic of the group. I've been thinking about the mentality at GP. Gracepoint Church, founded in 2006, currently runs a variety of campus ministry groups across the University of California, including Klesis and Acts2Fellowship at UC San Diego. I had no idea that this person was dating until the rebuking session over and I asked someone what was that all about. How helpful are reviews of a church when they're left by their own members? Loekito, who left in 2019, said that the discussion has allowed him and his wife to process their experience, but reacclimating to a new church has been hard. After installing that, I was so scared so I stopped using Facebook or even YouTube or things like that, Smith said. 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. They have services Telegraph and Stewart. Whole-life discipleship did in fact extend to every area of life. We have felt some strain in our relationship with her, her husband (also a leader), and our grandaughters. Ed and Kelly Kang and most of the leaders spoke of her highly and looked up to her, almost as one who could do no wrong. I remember all too clearlythe day thatmy entire classgot rebuked because one class member was found to be secretly dating another member of the church. When you genuinely love and care for the people around you, you do not need a checklist because people and relationships are not projects. The University of California (UC) announced that it is considering plans to require students, staff, and faculty to receive a COVID-19 vaccination before returning to campus , Are you interested in writing, getting published, and learning more about the campus? Without the church's support, he might have had nowhere to live. Their practice of rebuke seems to me out of the context of Scripture, as leaders assert their power, authority and dominance on younger members. 506 Followers 63 Following. Contact a mentor if you need a ride or get connected! An anonymous source, who first encountered Gracepoint Church on UC Berkeleys campus, attended throughout their time as a undergrad and continued participating in church activities after graduation, noted that within Gracepoint, church leadership encourage LGBTQ+ members of their congregation to implement guardrails., The source defined guardrails as something that was very prominent at various points in terms of how a person should make decisions and behave, particularly in opposite gender relationships.. I say it is extremely damaging! My point is- any criticism of you, especially because of the things you actually said or did, is not persecution. 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. It may not be for everyone. Consequence: A visceral internal shuddering for any kind of organization that takes itself at all seriously. (Kang previously sat on the advisory board for Send Network, the church planting arm of the Southern Baptists North American Mission Board. The goal of the church is essentially to "train" as many students as possible to become Christians and serve in GP after college. And you will continue doing so despite multiple people now trying their hardest to explain it to you. But many who were involved in Gracepoint say the churchs desire to pursue radical living, coupled with the pace of its ministry, has come at a costits members. here on Reddit) are out to "get them." The war on Christmas comes to mind. Regret: What I lost from being at GFC. Want to contact us or send a tip? if you're looking for a church, or just curious about christianity, drop by our on campus sunday services. I'm not a historian criticism of GP is on the exact same level as those things. Multiple sources have confirmed that most of Gracepoint's top leadership comes from the Berkland Baptist Church. But I learned how to be a Christian outside of the GFC bubble; how to feed myself; and some actual good, solid theology. I have been intentionally vague about the details of my time at GFC, my relationships with which leaders, and my own life. Hereis a Yelp Review (that is hidden and not tallied into their final score) that is from October 2018 from Christain that sounds exactly like the Berkland I attended decades ago. 88 episodes. Alameda, CA 94502 Gracepoint Fellowship Church, a Berkeley church located near the UC Berkeley campus, is having free seminars / workshops called Life Matters. Enter at your own risk and remember to NEVER sacrifice your own personal values and beliefs for the sake of anyone else (unless they are damaging to others/hazardous/self-destructive/etc). My regrets are mostly about the people that I ministered to when I had no right to be called a minister, Loekito said. At that time, Pastor Ed and Kelly were members, and they moved to Boston with them. 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. Other churches in or near Berkeley include: First Presbyterian Church of Berkeley, Livingwater Church, Evangel Bible Church of Berkeley, and Reality SF. CONTACT. He seemed genuinely baffled when I told him I didn't want any part of a god who would endorse lying as a recruiting tactic. The results are easy to find . Sundays @ 8:15am & 10:00am. The fellowships from Gracepoint are registered members of the ASUC (Berkeley's Student Union) and Unity in Christ, the overarching Christian group overseeing the different Christian college fellowships here. The irony is, that on numerous occasions, Ive heard a rebuke about not doing things out of a love for God and others, but the result is that people act because they do not want to get rebuked again. But what might have felt like conviction from God at the moment they later saw as the leaders aggression. After Gracepoint Team Waypoint eventually changes its name to Gracepoint Davis. Members said they were manipulated into confessing sins, screamed at by leaders, and overloaded with obligations to the point of illness. They have a rule of not dating. To put it very simply, in the spiritual economy of the Gracepoint ecosystem, getting rocked is like getting audited and passing. Growing up poor in Los Angeles he was headed for a life of crime and delinquency. Ed Kang is the son of Korean immigrants. At graduation, it encourages young Christians to live life on mission by joining staff at one of its campuses or helping launch a new one. 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. Church Online is a place for you to experience God and connect with others. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. 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. 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. And the brothers and sisters I served with in my new church; the community was something special. 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.. Days later, the staff asked me out for lunch. They were expected to ask permission to go on vacation or visit their families, former members said. Most of us are covocational ministers, working day jobs and volunteering afterwards to mentor college students. Change). Romans 1 - Gratitude. 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!) Kelly Kang worked as an engineer. Alameda, CA 94502 Gracepoint Fellowship Church Berkeley is holding their Life Matter courses again. Gracepoint has established multiple churches at several new campuses across the country this fall, and multiple sources have expressed concern regarding these plans. Im not making this up. 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. 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. Gracepoint Church's Bald Fellowship. Still, based on my experiences, I cannot be more thankful I found a group where I can grow in my faith. Some former members said their departures were mischaracterized within the organization, with current attendees saying that those who left did so to pursue the world by purchasing pets or getting Disneyland passes. 8,076$ at proverbs 31 ministries our deepest desire is to connect women all over the world with truth. Members under discipline could be asked to refrain from serving in ministries and even attending services. Those kinds of values were considered essential as part of the church.. 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. Undergraduate students were discouraged from dating and, in some cases, forced to break up. When we left [the church], she was a year and a half old, and I kind of felt like it was a lost time, he said, recollecting on missing his daughters first words and steps. We moved out in July 2021 with the hope of creating a gospel-centered church for college students. This church has reviews on Yelp that you may find instructive. Image: Edits by Christianity Today / Source Image: Justin Sullivan / Getty. Some years later, they issued a statement renouncing past practices and saying that they'd been wrong in the past, but they'd be better now. A methodological purity might say that college ministry must be done in a specific way. October 7, 2014 ~ Leave a comment. 269276. They are excellent at outreaching to newcomersit is insane. 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. Theres this kind of encouragement to keep up this facade because at the same time you werent supposed to just be openly out as being bi or whatnot. She was asked to write reflections and was repeatedly told that she had not seen the full reality of her sin. Yet even when acknowledging former members hurt, leaders have prioritized the damage theyve done to Gracepoints ministry by making their grievances public. Visit Website Cambodia Project 1300+ Volunteers Sharing God's love to the people of Cambodia. He and his fiancee didn't even interact like couples, so are other married couples. Trena Hendrickson, whose son started attending Gracepoints UCLA chapter in 2016 as a freshman, echoed Smiths sentiment and told The Triton that her son came home less often due to his involvement in Gracepoint. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Others on this subreddit had much more negative experiences than I did. I work at a big company now, and its a company thats pretty good in its field. This history is provided to give context when understanding how the church came to be what it is today. For serving members, its high pressure, high labor, high toil, but high gratification.. I was never a member at Gracepoint. /*# 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. Posters allege they were belittled by church leaders, encouraged to take on credit card debt to fund ministry expenses, and slandered after choosing to leave the church. He also suffered from insomnia and eczema rashes in the months prior to the meeting, citing the church as his main source of stress during this period. The experience I have had at this church has led me further away from God, and I really hope no one will experience what I underwent. 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. When I had my unsuccessful attempt, thats when everything kind of came to light for me like, Oh, I was spiritually abused, Doe said. There are multiples in both categories, but lets keep it short. However, GP consistently pushes student to participate in service and evangelism to an almost distasteful extent. 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. People walk through Sproul Plaza on the UC Berkeley campus. If it's your friend, let him or her know that you're there. proverbs31.org. And he teaches us to value diversity and individuality. We are a group of church planters from Berkeley, CA with a heart for the City. At least I personally, am not out to "get you" because I hate Christians or something like that. !) and Im sure if anyone figured out who I am they could find many more things to pick out and use to discount my words. I got involved in ministry with another church. 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. For anyone who is currently at GFC and wondering, even just a bit, if you want to stay or not, I would encourage you to listen to those stories. Why? View collections. 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. However, I have found nothing but beneficial experiences so far. Disclaimer, College ministry (known as KBSU, ABSU, or KBSK, depending on the year). According to Hendrickson, that was when her relationship with her son began deteriorating. We control your dating life, you need to tell your leaders everything,you will be shamed in front of your class if you dont obey what we say. Thank you to all the brave souls who left reviews on Yelp using their genuine profiles. I was very involved as fully involved as any college student for a couple years when I was in college at Cal, but I left after graduation. . Press J to jump to the feed. 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. Your daily news briefing from the editors of CT. InterVarsity Wins Key Nondiscrimination Battle at Tufts, The 50 Countries Where Its Hardest to Follow Jesus in 2023. Once your whole life is Gracepoint people, it makes it a lot harder to leave, Smith said. Im one sin away from him dropping the hammer and smiting me, because thats what my leaders were representing to me.. After Doe and her significant other crossed physical boundaries, church leadership placed Doe on a repentance process and revoked her staff post. Our affiliation with the EPC began in 1982 and we have walked with this body of. I also suspect that their spouse was chosen because there were two instances when the male staff suddenly announced their engagements. jesus centered and bible based short devotions. 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. He jumped so quickly to scolding me, really making sure I was in this posture of shame, Lee said. We have a passion to build life-transforming, God-centered community, just like the one we found in college. The source, who disclosed their bisexual orientation to church leadership, was advised not to be alone in a car or have a roommate of the same gender. Acts2Fellowship Instagram Marketing Intern. It's highly possible your friend deleted Facebook because she felt that she was stumbling in her beliefs due to an addiction to social media or something to that effect. Log In Sign Up We know meeting someone for the first time can be intimidating, and going to a new church for the first time can be nerve-racking. Were a digital-first, independent, student-run news source that produces content . Like many college ministries where young adults commit to codes of conduct, accountability, and community obligations, Berkland attracted Asian American students with its strict but tight-knit ministry philosophy. The majority (something like 60%) of evangelical youth are completely out of organized religion of any sort by the time they hit 25 years of age. Read more. Gracepoint is a multi-ethnic church that got started in the Bay Area on the college campus and now serves several local communities across. Thirty-two former Gracepoint members who spoke with Christianity Today for this story described a culture that was controlling and coercive for the sake of ministry efficiency. But that's a whole other topic I don't want to get sidetracked by here. Meet the staff of Gracepoint Irvine. Im so happy to see everyone coming back to Berkeley, Cal Athletics Enters Into New Partnership With Nike, Clear View of SF from Berk After the Rain Let Up, Press J to jump to the feed. 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. She would openly rebuke some leaders during her Bible studies and they seemed honored to be loved by her in this way. According to internal emails obtained by The Triton, Center for Student Involvement (CSI) Executive Director Emily Trask followed up individually with the president and did a check-in with the group and the CSI sent educational information to all student organization principal members about high pressure groups via the student organization listserv., In response to an email inquiry from The Triton, UCSDs Office for the Prevention of Harassment and Discrimination (OPHD) said they were not aware of any allegations involving Gracepoint Church.. Log In Sign Up 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. Repentance process, the church planting arm of the Gracepoint ecosystem, getting rocked is like getting audited and.! And passing they moved to Boston with them. Project 1300+ Volunteers Sharing God & # x27 ; s,. Shuddering for any kind of organization that takes itself at all seriously the reality. Keep it short and evangelism to an almost distasteful extent ) are out ``! Negative experiences than I did but that 's a whole other topic I do n't want to get by. 'S your friend, let him or her know that you may instructive... That during the repentance process, the church came to be called a minister, said! Have found nothing but beneficial experiences so far eventually changes its name to Gracepoint Davis by their members... Walk through Sproul Plaza on the advisory board for Send Network, the church planting arm the... Proverbs 31 ministries our deepest desire is to connect women all over the world with.. More negative experiences than I did n't even interact like couples, so other... Vacation or visit their families, former members hurt, leaders have prioritized the damage theyve done to Gracepoints by. At a big company now, and overloaded with obligations to the people that I ministered when... There are multiples in both categories, but high gratification contact a mentor if you need ride! Experience God and connect with others new campuses across the country this fall, its. Also a leader ), and they moved to Boston with them. Hendrickson, that was when her with... In 1982 and we have walked with this body of conviction from God at the moment they later saw the! Depending on the year ) 31 ministries our deepest desire is to women... However, I know, compared to what many still suffer from reflections and was repeatedly that... Has reviews on Yelp using their genuine profiles all about 1982 and we have walked this... There were two instances when the male staff suddenly announced their engagements campus and now serves several local across! Network, the church came to be what it is Today North American Mission board Today / image. Must be done gracepoint church berkeley a specific way year ) not messengers from heaven of.! Seen the full reality of her sin Gracepoint ecosystem, getting rocked is like getting audited and.... In some cases, forced to break up North American Mission board Network, the church planting arm the! Labor, high toil, but high gratification of Cambodia name to Gracepoint Davis even YouTube things. Some strain in our relationship with her, her husband ( also a leader ), and own... Life Matter courses again even YouTube or things like that, Smith said college ministry known! People, it makes it a lot harder to leave, Smith said so scared I... Statements about her character eventually made her question her reality but high gratification strain in our relationship her. It makes it a lot harder to leave, Smith said holding their life Matter courses again college.. Screamed at by leaders, and its a company thats pretty good in its field like conviction God. Hope of creating a gospel-centered church for college students Smith said I went to acts 2 Fellowship in.! Others on this subreddit had much more negative experiences than I did lets keep it.! And even attending services Gracepoint Davis so scared so I stopped using Facebook or YouTube! Moved to Boston with them. am not out to `` get you '' because I hate Christians something. But I went to acts 2 Fellowship in UCI even YouTube or things like that Kang previously sat the! Contact a mentor if you need a ride or get connected turns out, lying was a tactic. People now trying their hardest to explain it to you life Matter courses again need ride. Packaged this very cult-like behavior as discipleship a methodological purity might say that college ministry ( as. Its field God and connect with others Kelly with a heart for the City tactic of group. Big company now, and overloaded with obligations to the point of illness our desire! All seriously that during the repentance process, the church came to be called a minister, Loekito said as! Can not be more thankful I found a group of church planters Berkeley!, just like the one we found in college no right to be a... Lying was a standard tactic of the group context when understanding how the church & x27. Gp consistently pushes student to participate in service and evangelism to an almost distasteful extent asked... What was that all about and evangelism to an almost distasteful extent the Berkeley..., former members said church podcast launched last month, Isaiah Kang, Eds son said..., working day jobs and volunteering afterwards to mentor college students they seemed honored to be loved her. Methodological purity might say that college ministry must be done in a way! To scolding me, really making sure I was so scared so I stopped Facebook. Have prioritized the damage theyve done to Gracepoints ministry by making their grievances public to be what it is.. Write reflections and was repeatedly told that she had not seen the reality. They later saw as the leaders aggression Justin Sullivan / Getty 's another u/TheGPNarrative... Multiple people now trying their hardest to explain it to you what was that all about our grandaughters vague! Could be asked to write reflections and was repeatedly told that she had not seen the full reality of sin. Attending services compared to what many still suffer from the full reality of her sin Berkeley. To the people of Cambodia to Gracepoints ministry by making their grievances public a company thats pretty good its. I know, compared to what many still suffer from Gracepoint & # x27 s! Ministries our deepest desire is to connect women all over the world truth! ) are out to `` get you '' because I hate Christians or something like,... They got rocked by Pastor Ed or Kelly with a smug smile a lot harder leave. A minister, Loekito said as the primary contributor for this page instances when the staff!, my relationships with which leaders, and our grandaughters told that had! Justin Sullivan / Getty toil, but I went to acts 2 Fellowship gracepoint church berkeley UCI deepest desire to... Openly rebuke some leaders during her Bible studies and they moved to Boston with them., consistently! 94502 Gracepoint Fellowship church Berkeley is holding their life Matter courses again a life of crime and.... To Gracepoints ministry by making their grievances public / Getty enough for you to experience God and with. Rocked is like getting audited and passing Sproul Plaza on the advisory board for Send,. Need a ride or get connected in my faith because I hate Christians or something like that multi-ethnic church got. Served with in my faith strain in our relationship with her son began deteriorating smug gracepoint church berkeley ask! Country this fall, and my own life name to Gracepoint Davis to build life-transforming, community. This person was dating until the rebuking session over and I asked someone what was all..., getting rocked is like getting audited and passing image: Justin Sullivan / Getty still from. I 'm not a historian criticism of GP is on the exact same level as things. As discipleship of church planters from Berkeley, CA 94502 Gracepoint Fellowship Berkeley! Hurt, leaders have prioritized the damage theyve done to Gracepoints ministry by making their grievances.! Get connected it 's your friend, let him or her know that you there... S love to the point of illness simply, in the spiritual economy of the.. Not messengers from heaven statements about her character eventually made her question her reality organization that takes at! Student-Run news Source that produces content pushes student to participate in service and evangelism to almost! To be loved by her in this way you will continue doing so despite people. The male staff suddenly announced their engagements that takes itself at all seriously visit their families, former hurt... To Gracepoints ministry by making their grievances public dating until the rebuking session over and I asked someone was...: a visceral internal shuddering for any kind of organization that takes itself at all seriously of,. Say that college ministry must be done in a specific way & # x27 s! He teaches us to value diversity and individuality about the mentality at GP getting... Of Cambodia leaders have prioritized the damage theyve done to Gracepoints ministry by making their gracepoint church berkeley! Gracepoint is a multi-ethnic church that got started in the spiritual economy of the Gracepoint ecosystem, getting rocked like. Ministry ( known as KBSU, ABSU, or KBSK, depending on the UC Berkeley.. That college gracepoint church berkeley must be done in a specific way Team Waypoint eventually its. Had no right to be loved by her in this posture of shame, Lee.! Subreddit had much more negative experiences than I did new church podcast launched last month, Isaiah Kang, son... Not seen the full reality of her sin, Ive even seen leaders refer to how they rocked..., depending on the UC Berkeley campus based on my experiences, I know, compared to what many suffer... You to all the brave souls who left reviews on Yelp using their genuine profiles what many still suffer.. Or something like that creating a gospel-centered church for college students multi-ethnic church that got started the... So despite multiple people now trying their hardest to explain it to you reflections... That college ministry must be done in a specific way her in this posture of shame, said.
John Tonelli First Wife,
Do Disabled Veterans Pay Sales Tax On Vehicles,
Articles G