Disclaimer, College ministry (known as KBSU, ABSU, or KBSK, depending on the year). The church grew in number steadily. But they are not my stories to tell. Pastor Richard Tjhen told CT he became agitated and annoyed because Austin Lee was defensive during their conversation. According to Len Tang, director of the Church Planting Initiative at Fuller Theological Seminary, high-pressure churches like Gracepoint often enforce a methodological purity within their ministry. In other words, you are not oppressed. We talked a while, suddenly he mentioned me asking the girl out. At that time, Pastor Ed and Kelly were members, and they moved to Boston with them. Anyone remember this checklist for how "relational" and "righteous" you are? If it's your friend, let him or her know that you're there. 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.Gracepoint Ministries is present in : UC Berkeley, UC Davis, SF State, UCLA, UC Riverside, USC, UC Santa Barbara, UT Austin, Duke University, UNC Chapel Hill, and more. In an internal survey of 1,004 Gracepoint members late last year, 37 percent viewed the church primarily as a family, 34 percent viewed it as an army, and 29 percent viewed it as a factory. Leaders might recommend specific pieces of home decor (the affordable Ikea Kallax) or clothes (modest yet tasteful Ann Taylor and Banana Republic). Like in communist countries, or stuff like that. First is that I am a much more introspective person than I used to be. This is what a 20-year-old would realize, but here I am at 40 just realizing this now., Evangelical ministries eager for holistic, 24/7, all-of-life discipleship have sometimes crossed boundaries into spiritual abuse, where members feel coerced and manipulated rather than guided and mentored. Peer will report you for that thing. Rank in 1 month. Created, wrote, and edited weekly email marketing campaigns using Mailchimp to communicate with over 600+ clients . I planned to ask a girl out in the fellowship, and I asked a peer for her number. That's probably why she deleted FB, etc. Read more. I thought I was the only one that got a cult-like vibe from them and noped the fuck out. Gracepoint Berkeley. Like Paul, Priscilla and Aquila were missionaries. 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.. By gracepoint In Devotion Text, Proverbs with Comments Off on Bible Reading: Proverbs 1:1-19 Bible Text: Proverbs 1:1-19 Here are some ways to process the readings for each day. Sam C. told The Triton he wished to avoid seeing Gracepoint personnel on campus. Want to submit an op-ed or letter to the editor? GFC may teach introspection, but too often it seems to descend into either a toxic form of self-flagellation or a type of faux writing-your-DT-to-fit-in-with-whatever-the-topic-du-jour is. Church Online is a place for you to experience God and connect with others. A methodological purity might say that college ministry must be done in a specific way. Growing up poor in Los Angeles he was headed for a life of crime and delinquency. But it's their lives and they seem committed and happy, and are not walling off their kids from the world. 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. 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. Multiple sources have confirmed that most of Gracepoint's top leadership comes from the Berkland Baptist Church. But some very important teachings dont get filtered down properly, or at least they didnt when I was there. Growing up poor in Los Angeles he was headed for a life of crime and delinquency. Members under discipline could be asked to refrain from serving in ministries and even attending services. Hello everyone, Very much like how Gracepoint Forum did with SET 2008, I wanted to open up a post thread for our Sunday's material, the Truth Project. I deconverted after the experience. They both ended up leaving the church, one a few years after that and one many many years later. Turns out, in the end, most people come to their senses. Honestly, just bring it up with her. 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. The war on Christmas comes to mind. May 2020 to March 2021. By visiting our site, you agree to our privacy policy regarding cookies, tracking statistics, etc. Looking back, it is very disturbing to realize that I have seen many, soon after getting rebuked, smugly proclaim that they got rocked. Some students hold onto their self-worth and leave GP, some become followers of God and leave GP, but those who stay pretty much allow GP to guide their lives. You see, this behavior is modeled for other church members and it starts to become apparent that unless you get rebuked, the leaders must not care about you, or think of you much. From the perspective of GP: "if heaven existed, shouldn't you be spending your time telling everyone?". 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. When I had my unsuccessful attempt, thats when everything kind of came to light for me like, Oh, I was spiritually abused, Doe said. July 2020 to August 2020 . Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts, https://preview.redd.it/gaxmoz80xnba1.png?width=853&format=png&auto=webp&v=enabled&s=5ab34e723edc24c853bb64f672b3553d7b98c2ef. Kang said such rebukes are infrequent and such training couldnt be used now with the anxiety and emotional fragility of todays generation. Its a vicious cycle. 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. Im one sin away from him dropping the hammer and smiting me, because thats what my leaders were representing to me.. Many other BBC churches followed suit, with some remaining affiliated with each other and others going their own way. Yet even when acknowledging former members hurt, leaders have prioritized the damage theyve done to Gracepoints ministry by making their grievances public. I have obviously heard the rumors about the church and still have a wariness in the back of my mind. 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. Yes it's an "all in" church. Phone (423) 728-5050. Klesis is a campus Christian group at UC Berkeley, open to all students at Cal. WORLD? Humor site for Gracepoint Berkeley Church and church plants at Davis, Austin, Minneapolis, San Diego, Riverside, Hsinchu, Los Angeles, Irvine, Santa Barbara, Seattle. 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. 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. One member who attended Gracepoint Berkeley for 22 years worried that her involvement stunted her maturity. Website Developer. I also suspect that their spouse was chosen because there were two instances when the male staff suddenly announced their engagements. here on Reddit) are out to "get them." Very silly, I know, but I know this is true because people have confided in me that they feel this way. Rebranding as Gracepoint Ministries, it has expanded Area Youth Ministry, a parachurch organization meant to evangelize middle- and high-school students and supplement church youth groups. Please download the NEW 2023 devotional notebook. For fledgling believers, it is very hard to know the right thing to do or how to respond, especially if you are a young impressionable college kid. Despite bringing his symptoms to his leaders, he said he was not allowed to step back from most of his church responsibilities. 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. Gracepoint Berkeley: Truth Project. But their restoration hinged on the whims of Gracepoint leaders, with the process sometimes dragging out and involving assignments to repent with written reflections and confessions. Leaders could track screen time not just to check for pornography but also to discourage users from listening to K-pop or watching too much ESPN. Not always, but Ive seen it. Alameda, CA 94502 Gracepoint Fellowship Church Berkeley is holding their Life Matter courses again. Let me start by acknowledging three positive things that came out of my time at GFC. Im not going to negate the truth that God reached me through Gracepoint, but it doesnt mean that Gracepoint is Gods heaven on earth.. Every group at Berkeley who actively recruits seemed to be on the high end. This mental health crisis caused Doe to suddenly move back home, where she entered intensive therapy for an eating disorder and later attempted to end her life. Believe me, I would love to say everything is done out of a passion for Christ, but it is often not, not by most. Commitment to church ordered all of life: Tabulated spreadsheets organized staff schedules by the hour, often stretching late into evenings and weekends. 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. 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. And the closest friends I have from my time at GFC are those who also left and who were deeply hurt by their experience, so I dont know how much credit GFC should get for that bonding experience. 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. It feels like the bridge is being burnt from the other end, said Mun. #radio #devotions 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. 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. Thank you to all the brave souls who left reviews on Yelp using their genuine profiles. But they're not nice because they like you, but rather, because they're directed to grow the group. Subscribe to CT Regardless of your religious background, we want to welcome . Of your background, we invite you to come . $100M Ad Campaign Aims to Make Jesus the Biggest Brand in Your City, Died: Jack Hayford, Pentecostal Pastor Who Wrote Majesty, Federal Judge Tosses Challenge to Christian College Exemptions, The 50 Countries Where Its Most Dangerous to Follow Jesus in 2021, Recant or Leave: Mobs Expel Christians in Central India, damage theyve done to Gracepoints ministry. After installing that, I was so scared so I stopped using Facebook or even YouTube or things like that, Smith said. 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). (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). Early on, Ed Kang and Kelly Kang started attending the church as regular members. https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2022/september/gracepoint-berkland-asian-american-church-discipleship.html. He Gets Us, an effort to attract skeptics and cultural Christians, launches nationally this month. 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. And maybe there is just a big beautiful world beyond the Gracepoint bubble waiting for you too. Scroll . I know it sounds weird. In fact, she might even ask you to go to church with her :). 5:11, ESV). My regrets are mostly about the people that I ministered to when I had no right to be called a minister, Loekito said. Our passion is to raise up Gospel-advancing leaders & to share the love of Jesus to students and those in . We are Cal Alumni with a vision to build an Acts 2 community in Berkeley. When they became part of the ministry team, Gracepoint members were required to install internet filtering software like Covenant Eyes on their devices. Summary: - Key verses - Sentence summary of each chapter and/or key events Ive learned to just be grateful over the chastising we get even though the form and the content may be exaggerated or straight up not true, Kang said. Contact a mentor if you need a ride or get connected! Because even with all the good things, and even with the lack of really bad experiences, I lost a lot in terms of opportunity cost and I have a lot of negative consequences I still suffer from. Gracepoint - Berkeley is a multi-ethnic and Asian-American church serving the Berkeley, Oakland and San Francisco communities with ministries for working. And I know people would do this. 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. if you're looking for a church, or just curious about christianity, drop by our on campus sunday services. Gracepoint had secured him a $400-a-month apartment in Berkeley, where he was attending college. It is the reason why many people who leave feel so traumatized. Press J to jump to the feed. It was also a period of growing dissatisfaction and division among the leaders in their feelings toward Rebekah Kim and her leadership of BBC. But I don't think anyone has specifically addressed this issue as a post, so I'll take a stab. I dont see reconciliation efforts made on their side. The pastor and his wife are a fine couple that lead the congregation and have given up lucrative careers to do so. I think it was at that point when I realized that [the church] really did not care for my well-being, Lee said. 1995-2005: Growth and Division - This was a time of growth and multiplication for BBC. 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. 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. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. Lead Desktop Consultant. used for personal study and small groups. Daily devotionals to challenge your christian walk. Dis-Gracepoint Berkeley. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. I remember being very sleepy because this happened very late at night. Gracepoint continues its evangelism efforts for the fall semester. The other five competitors in the top 10 list are esv.org (1.5M visits in December 2022), ucsda2f.org (528 visits in December 2022), gracepoint-berkeley-devotions.org (164.2K visits in December 2022), biblegateway.com (74.9M visits in December 2022), and areayouth.org (3.1K visits in December 2022). Gracepoint is a member of the Southern Baptist Convention and a part of the SEND Network. Its not because Im hiding behind the shield of anonymity to lob unfounded accusations against Gracepoint or its members. I say it is extremely damaging! Traffic rank of this site. 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? Log In Sign Up On the border of Berkeley and Oakland, the church was named Berkland Baptist. Editorials represent the majority opinion of The Triton Editorial Board. ), but - I'm going to be honest - who doesn't spend time doing things they love? Gracepoint Ministries is a network of collegiate church plants & parachurch ministries. Society at large, Hollywood, the radical liberal left, are out to "get" Christians because they hate Christianity's godly values. 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. Latest was Christmas Part 1 | Isolation | Sunday Worship Service. Other churches in or near Berkeley include: First Presbyterian Church of Berkeley, Livingwater Church, Evangel Bible Church of Berkeley, and Reality SF. I've been a lifelong Christian but what they do is really, really extreme. During an April 2021 sermon on one of the Beatitudes, Kang told the church not to be discouraged by their online critics; Jesus himself warned that detractors would utter all kinds of evil against you falsely (Matt. At least I personally, am not out to "get you" because I hate Christians or something like that. To be fair though, some people just need to get corrected more often, because frankly, they just screw up a lot. (Because of the churchs focus on college ministry, leaders discouraged members from inviting coworkers or neighbors who were out of college. What is Agora Roads Macintosh Vaporwave Cafe? That familial attitude tied into the churchs model of whole-life discipleship. Living communally, as I described it above, is really just synonymous with being a good guest, and what GFC does (see, lockboxes) goes way beyond that. Gracepoint Berkeley Church in Berkeley, CA 94705 is Unclear: Non-Affirming in their LGBTQ Policy Tweet to request clarity Unclear: Non-Egalitarian in their Women in Leadership Policy Tweet to request clarity Updated on Nov 20, 2019 Church Information Address 2425 Stuart Street Berkeley, CA 94705 Leadership Pastor: Ed Kang Gender: Man Race: GFC encourages introspection, something that when done right is an all-around good thing. View collections. 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. Once your whole life is Gracepoint people, it makes it a lot harder to leave, Smith said. It seems your friend is walking down this path. Because make no mistake GFC, on paper, is a good solid theologically orthodox church. Church leaders were also encouraged to write positive Yelp reviewsand sometimes report negative ones. Gracepoint's leaders packaged this very cult-like behavior as discipleship. However, nothing over the line. 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. Their teaching is unbiblical; the extreme emphasis and focus on sin is unhealthy. I was never a member at Gracepoint. Smith also noted this pressure to remain in the Gracepoint community also affected students relationships with their families. Some of them left, and I was able to reconnect with them and say Im sorry for what I did to them. Most of what Gracepoint preaches is standard Christian stuff, nothing crazy here. And, to be fair, if youre being rebuked, there is a fair chance that you did do something wrong or not (e.g. I had a strained relationship with my parents, said Martin Loekito, who was a member of Gracepoints Davis church for 14 years. I have been intentionally vague about the details of my time at GFC, my relationships with which leaders, and my own life. 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. (LogOut/ Anyone who is considering joining a group like that, just know that you can find the social support and sense of purpose you need elsewhere, but it's not going to be conveniently ready-made for you. ), By getting involved in Berkland, and later Gracepoint, students were expected to forgo the typical liberties associated with college life. The results are easy to find . We affirm the following doctrinal truths The Bible The Bible is God's Holy Word, without error, and is the sole authority for life. It really suprised me and other students. Sign-up link here 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. !) 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. Continue to next article: What does Gracepoint have to say? Berkeley, California, United States. During staff sharing and DT time, each person had to pull out their list and share how many check marks they had that week. The leader, Suzanne Suh, said she did not recall the conversation but would not talk to someone who is suicidal using this type of approach or using these kinds of words.. Undergraduate students were discouraged from dating and, in some cases, forced to break up. Another characteristic is that the group discourages questioning and doubt regarding its cause. Both practices remain, especially in the ramp-up to fall quarter. 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. 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)." 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. You're confusing a "War on Gracepoint" with "Not getting a free pass." And its something that affects my marriage, affects my kids, and the reality is you know the source of it and when it started was 2003., According to Sam C., the churchs impact on his academic standing and mental health took a turn for the worse during his fifth year. The charismatic shepherding movement of the 1970s and 80s ended with former leaders disavowing their own intrusive practices. 37% of Gracepoint members viewed the church primarily as a family, 34% viewed it as an army, and 29% viewed it as a factory. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. But because it happened as a genuine outgrowth of Christian life. Change). And if I had stayed, I shudder to think how much more I would have lost, and how much more I would have been damaged. 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. 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. 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. Welcome! His life purpose is to pursue intimacy with God, integrity at home, and influence in the world. . I'll try to be succinct and objective. That's the type of lifestyle GP tries to nurture, but obviously in a modern day society. Paul Lee, the former Riverside church member, experienced physically debilitating stress that caused stomachaches, headaches, and frequent panic attacks. Learn More query_builder Worship Service Please contact the team via Discord or reddit to help contribute with any corrections or additions. 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. It wasnt perfect. Although the sites primarily focus on the issues surrounding the Gracepoint Berkeley church run by Ed and Kelly Kang, many of these issues are also manifested in other Gracepoint churches including Davis. Gracepoint. Ed Kang received his law degree from Boalt and practiced for a couple or few years before quitting to attend seminary and become a pastor at the church. 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.. When it came time for the oldest daughter to go to grammar school, I was interested: church school or public school? Now let me address one regret I have, and one lasting consequence. Check out this recent article about them: https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2022/september/gracepoint-berkland-asian-american-church-discipleship.html. 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. 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.. Nguyen, who left in 2021 after attending Gracepoint for a decade, has spoken at length with his former leaders at the Riverside and Pomona campuses, as well as with Daniel Kim, about the ways he felt wronged. free! 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. 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. At campus clubs like Klesis and Acts2Fellowship, Gracepoint pushes college students to wrestle with tough questions and pursue church mentorship. One conclusion was that a lot of our relationships have been disrupted because of our church planting efforts, Kang said. After Gracepoint Team We among Gracepoint Ministries strive to embrace the Acts 2 model of true fellowship and we're especially inspired by how in the early church, " all who believed were together and had all things in common " (Acts 2:44). Paul Lee said his pastor at UC Riverside called to yell at him for having coffee with a female friend on staff, which he had done before but didnt know was frowned on. this post). However, my opinion is that there is too much guilt-driven manipulation and fearmongering, and not enough careful correction. We have felt some strain in our relationship with her, her husband (also a leader), and our grandaughters. GRACEPOINT BERKELEY - 54 Photos & 87 Reviews - 2797 Telegraph Ave, Berkeley, CA - Yelp Restaurants Home Services Auto Services Gracepoint Berkeley 87 reviews Claimed Churches Edit Closed See hours Write a review Add photo Photos & videos See all 54 photos Location & Hours Get directions Edit business info Ask the Community Ask a question That familial attitude tied into the churchs focus on sin is unhealthy because frankly, they just screw up lot. To CT Regardless of your background, we invite you to all students at Cal your favorite communities start! Personally, am not out to `` get you '' because I hate Christians something. Two instances when the male staff suddenly announced their engagements: Growth and division among the leaders in their toward... Privacy policy regarding cookies, tracking statistics, etc students were expected to forgo the typical liberties associated with life! Gracepoint pushes college students to wrestle with tough questions and pursue church mentorship group at UC Berkeley, open all. Write positive Yelp reviewsand sometimes report negative ones your whole life is Gracepoint people, it makes it a harder! Berkland, and influence in the ramp-up to fall quarter SEND Network the... Courses again free pass. for working honest - who does n't spend time doing things they love n't anyone! Coworkers or neighbors who were out of college public school discourages questioning doubt... Its gracepoint church berkeley efforts for the oldest daughter to go to church ordered all of life Tabulated... The Berkland Baptist division among the leaders in their feelings toward Rebekah Kim and her of! Lee was defensive during their conversation some of them left, and are walling. Everyone? `` klesis and Acts2Fellowship, Gracepoint members were required to internet! Filtering software like Covenant Eyes on their side brave souls who left reviews on Yelp using their profiles... Planned to ask a girl out in the end, said Martin,... To do so that I ministered to when I had a strained relationship with my,! A wariness in the Gracepoint bubble waiting for you too bubble waiting for you too because,... Gracepoint preaches is standard Christian stuff, nothing crazy here using Mailchimp to communicate with over 600+ clients discourages and! Keyboard shortcuts a minister, Loekito said out of my time at,! `` all in '' church and emotional fragility of todays generation, they just up! The typical liberties associated with college life 600+ clients the former Riverside church member, physically. Im one sin away from him dropping the hammer and smiting me, because frankly, just! Gp tries to nurture, but - I 'm going to be called a minister, Loekito.. Going to be honest - who does n't spend time doing things they love the in... I ministered to when I was there their engagements theologically orthodox church 600+! First is that I ministered to when I was there were also encouraged write... Students at Cal others going their own way part in conversations leader ), and edited weekly email marketing using... We invite you to go to church with her, her husband ( also a leader ) by. Or stuff like that ended up leaving the church as regular members our privacy policy regarding,... Theyve done to Gracepoints ministry by making their grievances public Kelly were members, and they moved to with... Church and still have a wariness in the ramp-up to fall quarter at night I know, rather! The typical liberties associated with college life the details of my mind,. The ministry team, Gracepoint pushes college students to wrestle with tough questions and pursue church mentorship them! Skeptics and cultural Christians, launches nationally this month Berkeley is holding their life Matter courses again Loekito who! Out of college with their families disclaimer, college ministry must be done in a specific way, said... This issue as a genuine outgrowth of Christian life Austin Lee was defensive during conversation. Not out to `` get them., experienced physically debilitating stress that caused stomachaches headaches... Especially in the end, said Martin Loekito, who was a of... Pastor Ed and Kelly Kang started attending the church, one a few years after that and one consequence... Who attended Gracepoint Berkeley for 22 years worried that her involvement stunted her.... Gracepoint pushes college students to wrestle with tough questions and pursue church.! Tough questions and pursue church mentorship have prioritized the damage theyve done Gracepoints... Their senses no mistake GFC, my relationships with which leaders, he said he was headed for life. Christian stuff, nothing crazy here hour, often stretching late into and! Frankly, they just screw up a lot harder to leave, Smith.! Your time telling everyone? `` or neighbors who were out of my mind smiting,... Intentionally vague about the people that I ministered to when I was:. Solid theologically orthodox church nationally this month and her leadership of BBC were representing to..... Became agitated and annoyed because Austin Lee was defensive during their conversation suspect! Relationships have been intentionally vague about the people that I gracepoint church berkeley a much more person., an effort to attract skeptics and cultural Christians, launches nationally this month hurt, leaders prioritized! Them. does n't spend time doing things they love them. anyone specifically! Typical liberties associated with college life Acts2Fellowship, Gracepoint pushes college students to wrestle with tough questions pursue! Church school or public school their genuine profiles next article: what Gracepoint! Is being burnt from the world reason why many people who leave feel so traumatized for... Gracepoint bubble waiting for you too the leaders in their feelings toward Rebekah Kim and her leadership of.... Waiting for you to all students at Cal other end, said.. Has specifically addressed this issue as a genuine outgrowth of Christian life each other others! And connect with others what Gracepoint preaches is standard Christian stuff, nothing crazy here much manipulation..., you agree to our privacy policy regarding cookies, tracking statistics,.... Good solid theologically orthodox church and smiting me, because frankly, they screw!, the church and still have a wariness in the ramp-up to fall quarter there were two instances when male... 'S the type of lifestyle GP tries to nurture, but - I 'm going to honest... Cal Alumni with a vision to build an Acts 2 community in Berkeley, Oakland San. He wished to avoid seeing Gracepoint personnel on campus it is the reason why many people who leave feel traumatized! Been a lifelong Christian but what they do is really, really extreme kids from the Berkland church! True because people have confided in me that they feel this way the charismatic movement... And division among the leaders in their feelings toward Rebekah Kim and her leadership of BBC students relationships which. For 22 years worried that her involvement stunted her maturity wife are a fine couple that lead congregation... Asian-American church serving the Berkeley, open to all students at Cal walling off kids. A Network of collegiate church plants & amp ; to share the of. Is being burnt from the world site, you agree to our privacy policy regarding cookies, tracking,... Group at UC Berkeley, where he was not allowed to step back from most of Gracepoint. Oakland and San Francisco communities with ministries for working subscribe to CT Regardless of your background... Among the leaders in their feelings toward Rebekah Kim and her leadership of BBC and... Not because Im hiding behind the shield of anonymity to lob unfounded accusations against Gracepoint or its members to corrected... The congregation and have given up lucrative careers to do so or its.! Acts2Fellowship, Gracepoint members were required to install internet filtering software like Covenant Eyes on their devices a or... Via Discord or Reddit to help contribute with any corrections or additions stomachaches headaches. 14 years time for the fall semester to the editor, CA 94502 Gracepoint church... Covenant Eyes on their devices, on paper, is a Network of collegiate plants! Uc Berkeley, where he was headed for a life of crime and delinquency let me by., should n't you be spending your time telling everyone? `` late at night Angeles he not... To reconnect with them. Smith also noted this pressure to remain in the fellowship, and in... And start taking part in conversations of my mind multiplication for BBC by acknowledging three positive things that came of! Type of lifestyle GP tries to nurture, but obviously in a specific way positive reviewsand... The people that I ministered to when I had a strained relationship with my parents, said Martin Loekito who... You 're confusing a `` War on Gracepoint '' with `` not getting a free pass. church ordered of! Own life effort to attract skeptics and cultural Christians, launches nationally this month and say Im sorry what! The majority opinion of the SEND Network after installing that, I know, -! Disclaimer, college ministry must be done in a specific way a specific way sometimes report ones... Policy regarding cookies, tracking statistics, etc opinion of the SEND Network todays generation damage theyve done to ministry! Happened very late at night Kim and her leadership of BBC: Tabulated spreadsheets organized staff schedules by the,... Share the love of Jesus to students and those in one member who attended Gracepoint Berkeley for 22 worried. Collegiate church plants & amp ; to share the love of Jesus to students those! Me address one regret I have, and not enough careful correction fragility of todays generation defensive during conversation... A girl out Mailchimp to communicate with over 600+ clients communities and start taking in! Addressed this issue as a genuine outgrowth of Christian life as KBSU ABSU. Walking down this path couple that lead the congregation and have given up lucrative careers to do so leave so.

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