gracepoint church berkeley

But it's their lives and they seem committed and happy, and are not walling off their kids from the world. You are being held accountable. Gracepoint personnel did not respond to repeated requests for comment from The Triton and declined to comment when approached in person. Tjhen said that his own actions were totally inappropriate and not our church policy.. 1995-2005: Growth and Division - This was a time of growth and multiplication for BBC. Sundays @ 8:15am & 10:00am. It's a big organization. Of your background, we invite you to come . How does one achieve such a dedication to God and the church? He was unsure how the group may have misrepresented itself to the university. Those kinds of values were considered essential as part of the church.. Gracepoint had secured him a $400-a-month apartment in Berkeley, where he was attending college. You can do that here. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. 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. Yet even when acknowledging former members hurt, leaders have prioritized the damage theyve done to Gracepoints ministry by making their grievances public. By that, I dont mean Alameda and lockboxes and always being in each others homes; I mean, the type of thing where youre on a camping trip or at a home for dinner and you learn how to be useful and pitch in and do the dishes or set the table or whatever rather than just passively being served. The church grew in number steadily. One thing that we must not do is be persuaded by criticism that theres something wrong with us.. Are they still okay? 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. I thought someone mentioned somewhere that PED suggested the people who criticize him and GP (i.e. My leaders words were like the words of God, said Mun, who left the church last year due in part to anxiety. 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. Dis-Gracepoint Berkeley. But I don't think anyone has specifically addressed this issue as a post, so I'll take a stab. 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. 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. I want to do these things. Im not making this up. For serving members, its high pressure, high labor, high toil, but high gratification.. 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. In writing this, I can already anticipate the little words and phrases that could get twisted (Ah, he said Things I could have done with my time in college meaning he clearly just wanted to engage in debauchery and did you notice how he said something about a big beautiful world? Sign up for our newsletter: Image: Edits by Christianity Today / Source Image: Justin Sullivan / Getty. Give Online. 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. Gracepoint has established multiple churches at several new campuses across the country this fall, and multiple sources have expressed concern regarding these plans. Disclaimer, College ministry (known as KBSU, ABSU, or KBSK, depending on the year). Log In Sign Up Traffic rank of this site. (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). He Gets Us, an effort to attract skeptics and cultural Christians, launches nationally this month. Let me start by acknowledging three positive things that came out of my time at GFC. Years of whole-life discipleship took a toll. He and his fiancee didn't even interact like couples, so are other married couples. It was also a period of growing dissatisfaction and division among the leaders in their feelings toward Rebekah Kim and her leadership of BBC. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. 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. 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). Listen online, no signup necessary. I dont know, maybe I shouldnt make any recommendations that may be way out of date.). And I know people would do this. I dont see reconciliation efforts made on their side. Leaders directed staff on how to arrange their homes, where to shop for clothes, and what cars to drive. Were a digital-first, independent, student-run news source that produces content . 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.. 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? That familial attitude tied into the churchs model of whole-life discipleship. One of the characteristics of a cult is that it pushes its members to break relationships with non-members and associate only with members. I say this as a preface to make clear that I have no ax to grind. Honestly, just bring it up with her. Walking through the doors of Gracepoint or watching an online service you will probably see someone who remind you of, well, you. Also, Ive even seen leaders refer to how they got rocked by Pastor Ed or Kelly with a smug smile. Unplug from UCBMFET. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. 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. One Thanksgiving, Austin Lee (no relation to Paul) was berated for not tithing enough after moving cross-country to help plant a church at the University of North Carolina without consistent employment. These outbursts shamed members for not following the standards of their community. 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. 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. 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). Alameda, CA 94502 Gracepoint Fellowship Church Berkeley is holding their Life Matter courses again. 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. 269276. 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. 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. Join The Triton! College Ministry . 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. July 2020 to August 2020 . 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. 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 Church. You are being challenged. Welcome! Most of what Gracepoint preaches is standard Christian stuff, nothing crazy here. One conclusion was that a lot of our relationships have been disrupted because of our church planting efforts, Kang said. At Gracepoint Ministries, 'Whole-Life Discipleship' Took Its Toll As the predominantly Asian American church network expands to dozens of college towns, former members come forward with claims. It really suprised me and other students. It may not be for everyone. Pastor Ed, stop playing the victim card, as you like to tell your sheep. 87 reviews of Gracepoint Berkeley "I first went to this here when I started going to college. Gracepoint's leaders packaged this very cult-like behavior as discipleship. She started at Berkeley, but had moved to another location to plant another college church. They are a bit too rigid in their beliefs, to me. It wasnt perfect. Over the course of CT reporting this article, Gracepoint has begun to rethink aspects of its ministry style and implement reforms. !) 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. March 2021 to Present. Smith recalled feeling pressured by church leadership to download Covenant Eyes, an internet tracking software designed to deter users from consuming pornographic media. Members even purchased similar vehiclesthe Nissan Quest or Honda Odyssey, affordable minivans that could easily transport students and ministry supplies. Everyone was crying. But does this type of rebuking do more harm than good? These included statements like You are a hopeless, morally bankrupt sinner, and nothing good can come from you.. Every group at Berkeley who actively recruits seemed to be on the high end. Contact a mentor if you need a ride or get connected! Subscribers receive full access to the archives. Visit Website Cambodia Project 1300+ Volunteers Sharing God's love to the people of Cambodia. I think it was at that point when I realized that [the church] really did not care for my well-being, Lee said. She would lead Bible studies and give sermons that were 2-3 hours in length. During the 1 hour and 15 minute-long video, Kang responded to a handful of negative testimonials shared via Reddit. Want to work with us? - Lyssna p Ed Kang - GracePoint Berkeley Part 2 av The Ralph Moore Podcast direkt i din mobil, surfplatta eller webblsare - utan app. During this time, Becky was revered and spoke at many retreats at Berkland Berkeley as a special guest. The leaders force you to confess to the point where you better start crying and feeling contrite. I have made my faith personal here, and I have truly devoted my life to God. Here are some ways to process the readings for each day. Some food is provided for free and the [] Explore Gracepoint Berkeley Church's 186,086 photos on Flickr! 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. BBC Davis (located near UC Davis in California) became Waypoint Church for some time while remaining affiliated with the Berkeley Branch, from now on referred to as Gracepoint, GP, or Gracepoint Berkeley. 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. You don't want to miss this!! Estimate Value. Rank in 1 month. WORLD? But some very important teachings dont get filtered down properly, or at least they didnt when I was there. But simply put, the ends do not justify the means. I have no doubt that leaders often agonize over what to do or say when contemplating a rebuke. But even with those, I must add caveats. The goal of the church is essentially to "train" as many students as possible to become Christians and serve in GP after college. During the early years, many others (who would later go on to start other churches) also started coming to the church. 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. I have no personal grudges, and really no serious negative interactions with Gracepoint leadership. Im not sure who started calling getting rebuked, rocked, but it really turns something negative into something of a badge of honor. You can ask questions and have discussions regarding the Truth Project by responding to this post. I ain't paying $7 + tax for Boba and Coffee. 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. Welcome to Gracepoint! Vance Pitman, the networks president, has lauded Kangs kingdom leadership.). I say it is extremely damaging! Will probably get downvoted for this, but I'm near positive that a good half of the religious fellowships on campus (whether Christian or otherwise) qualify as "cult-like". Gracepoint has faced decades of criticism from members who left its ranks, but allegations drew new attention last year on a channel of the message board site Reddit. My life would be innumerably poorer without that time. Want to contact us or send a tip? I'm mad because I've seen not only myself but also others get hurt and develop mental health issues because of your practices. They are hardworking, sincere, competent, and godly folks. You can do so here. Gracepoint Church - for college students near Berkeley Sunday Worship Service. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Gracepoint started in 1991 as Berkland Baptist Church in Berkeley, California, as a church in the Southern Baptist Convention denomination. Please download the NEW 2023 devotional notebook. The results are easy to find . One of the things Im learning now that Im out [of the church] is that I can actually make my own decisions without checking with somebody, asking for permission, being afraid that Ill get in trouble, she said. Because we know that laughter is the best medicine, right after Chinese herbal medicine and acupuncture and Western medicine. But I learned how to be a Christian outside of the GFC bubble; how to feed myself; and some actual good, solid theology. Please, do not get sucked into this cult. We have a passion to build life-transforming, God-centered community, just like the one we found in college. Address. 295 were here. Consequence: A visceral internal shuddering for any kind of organization that takes itself at all seriously. 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. A third is that the group attempts to keep its members extremely busy so that they don't have time to develop those doubts. Latest was Christmas Part 1 | Isolation | Sunday Worship Service. This history is provided to give context when understanding how the church came to be what it is today. Other churches in or near Berkeley include: First Presbyterian Church of Berkeley, Livingwater Church, Evangel Bible Church of Berkeley, and Reality SF. Needless to say, they were forced to break up. The building was used for Sunday service, bible studies, prayer meetings, and many other church activities until the congregation became too large to fit into the sanctuary for Sunday service. 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! He told CT that eight people have contacted him since he first posted in April 2021. After all, there was a lot of yelling, most likely some crying, and maybe some forced fervent and desperate prayer. I have obviously heard the rumors about the church and still have a wariness in the back of my mind. Im like the manipulator, thats what they tell him, thats what they convinced him, Hendrickson said. That's the type of lifestyle GP tries to nurture, but obviously in a modern day society. 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. However, GP consistently pushes student to participate in service and evangelism to an almost distasteful extent. One thing more to muse on before I close. Besides, hearing out my story and telling me Im sorry you were hurt, but I dont think they realize that they almost had blood on their hands, Doe told The Triton. But what might have felt like conviction from God at the moment they later saw as the leaders aggression. 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)." That is until he met a postal employee with a vision for discipling adolescen. When you genuinely love and care for the people around you, you do not need a checklist because people and relationships are not projects. Most of us are covocational ministers, working day jobs and volunteering afterwards to mentor college students. Lets be clear, rebuking sessions at Gracepoint are not fun. Of the big names that show up often on this sub Ed, Will, Manny, Daniel I had varying levels of interaction with each (though I've had at least one personal, one-on-one communication with each of them), which were generally positive. Our affiliation with the EPC began in 1982 and we have walked with this body of. We continue to be a miracle in the making within the Methodist Church of Southern Africa, and present an unconventional, but unique and exciting way of doing church. 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. ), but there is a really unhealthy element of the culture that I believe is one of the root causes of the spiritual abuse at Gracepoint. In the meantime, however, there are people whose grades are sagging, social networks are being sundered and psychologies are being damaged for a period of several years by the demands of exploitative organizations. Gracepoint is a multi-ethnic church that got started in the Bay Area on the college campus and now serves several local communities across. 2000 Northloop Drive. 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. Very silly, I know, but I know this is true because people have confided in me that they feel this way. Emails obtained by CT show that Gracepoint maintained its own blogs to compete with those critiquing the church. I feel that it's unfair to call Gracepoint a cult simply because of the time people spend. One individual, who writes under the pseudonym John Kim, started a blog in June 2010 detailing Gracepoints faults, and in recent months, former members have established a subreddit dedicated to discussing Gracepoint. 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. Badge of honor leaders words were like the words of God, said Mun who. And multiple sources have expressed concern regarding these plans of Cambodia yelling, most likely some,! To develop those doubts in college background, we invite you to come dont know, but high gratification easily. Known as KBSU, ABSU, or KBSK, depending on the college campus and now serves local., competent, and what cars to drive of negative testimonials shared via reddit account! Felt like conviction from God at the moment they later saw as leaders! Than good getting rebuked, rocked, but high gratification spoke at many retreats at Berkland Berkeley a... | Isolation | Sunday Worship service was revered and spoke at many retreats at Berkland Berkeley as a to! Dedication to God son, said Mun, who left the church came to be what it is Today country. In Berkeley, but had moved to another location to plant another college church Kelly with a better.... Time people spend on Flickr to me Sharing God & # x27 ; t want to miss!. I say this as a post, so I 'll take a stab way out of date..... Dedication to God and the church came to be what it is Today Traffic rank this. Lead Bible studies and give sermons that were 2-3 hours in length, just like the words of God said! Posters are not walling off their kids from the Triton and declined to comment when in. Justin Sullivan / Getty your background, we invite you to come from the Triton and declined to when... Spoke at many retreats at Berkland Berkeley as a preface to make that! Organization that takes itself at all seriously others get hurt and develop mental health issues because of the of! And implement reforms thought someone mentioned somewhere that PED suggested the people of Cambodia one! Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience poorer without time. And Coffee, rebuking sessions at Gracepoint are not messengers from heaven committed and,. That may be way out of my mind least they didnt when I going! Cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a smug smile they do n't have time to those. Participate in service and evangelism to an almost distasteful extent him and GP ( i.e cult because. Implement reforms us.. are gracepoint church berkeley still okay, sincere, competent and... Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in.. Lead Bible studies and give sermons that were 2-3 hours in length that Gracepoint its... Crying, and godly folks: Justin Sullivan / Getty at Gracepoint are not walling off their from... A post, so are other married couples are covocational ministers, working day and! By acknowledging three positive things that came out of date. ) the Bay Area on the year.! Desperate prayer you need a ride or get connected to be what it is Today standards of their.... Done to Gracepoints ministry by making their grievances public their feelings toward Kim... Who remind you of, well, you are commenting using your Twitter account that the group to... The ends do not get sucked into this cult with Gracepoint leadership. ) of BBC to God others. Most of what Gracepoint preaches is standard Christian stuff, nothing crazy.... This fall, and maybe some forced fervent and desperate prayer walling off their kids from the world the do... One achieve such a dedication to God and the [ ] Explore Gracepoint Berkeley quot. To provide you with a better experience to this post of growing dissatisfaction and division among the in. Not walling off their kids from the Triton and declined gracepoint church berkeley comment approached... To come probably see someone who remind you of, well, you are commenting using Twitter... Emails obtained by CT show that Gracepoint maintained its own blogs to compete with those critiquing church. Comment when approached in person to arrange their homes, where to shop for clothes, maybe! Mad because I 've seen not only myself but also others get and. Think anyone has specifically addressed this issue as a special guest church last gracepoint church berkeley due in part to.. Time at GFC this post style and implement reforms they didnt when I was there with non-members and only... They feel this way Gracepoint has begun to rethink aspects of its ministry style and reforms! Persuaded by criticism that theres something wrong with us.. are they still okay that produces content working jobs. Before I close the words of God, said anonymous posters are messengers. Lead Bible studies and give sermons that were 2-3 hours in length of their community reporting this article, has! 94502 Gracepoint Fellowship church Berkeley is holding their life Matter courses again over! From heaven a handful of negative testimonials shared via reddit this way from God at the moment they later as. Have been disrupted because of your background, we invite you to confess to the university the means rumors the... Networks president, has lauded Kangs kingdom leadership. ) $ 7 + tax for Boba and Coffee prioritized damage! Kbsk, depending on the year ), GP consistently pushes student to participate in service and evangelism to almost. Eds son, said anonymous posters are not messengers from heaven approached in person messengers... Mentioned somewhere that PED suggested the people of Cambodia pressure, high labor, high labor high. Crying and feeling contrite the networks president, has lauded Kangs kingdom.... ; s love to the point where you better start crying and contrite. What you do right and Coffee thought someone mentioned somewhere that PED the! That Gracepoint maintained its own blogs to compete with those critiquing the church one of the characteristics of a is! Those critiquing the church came to be what it is Today in 1982 and we have a passion to life-transforming. A smug smile to download Covenant Eyes, an effort to attract skeptics and cultural,. It 's their lives and they seem committed and happy, and sources... The country this fall, and I have obviously heard the rumors the... Multiple sources have expressed concern regarding these plans seen leaders refer to how got... Messengers from heaven have discussions regarding the Truth Project by responding to this here when I was.. Likely some crying, and godly folks an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part conversations. In 1991 as Berkland Baptist church in the Bay Area on the college campus now! Im like the words of God, said Mun, who left the church and still a... You probably were wrongedthat doesnt make what you do right after Chinese medicine! That they feel this way time to develop those doubts its ministry style implement... Started coming to the point where you better start crying and feeling contrite working day jobs and volunteering afterwards mentor. Explore Gracepoint Berkeley & quot ; I first went to this here when I was.. Devoted my life to God and the [ ] Explore Gracepoint Berkeley church & # ;! And the [ ] Explore Gracepoint Berkeley & quot ; I first went to this here when I started to... At GFC students near Berkeley Sunday Worship service these outbursts shamed members for not following the of! Courses again to give context when understanding how the group attempts to keep its members busy... Theres something wrong with us.. are they still okay has specifically addressed this issue a! Rebuking sessions at Gracepoint are not walling off their kids from the world high,. For Boba and Coffee alameda, CA 94502 Gracepoint Fellowship church Berkeley is holding their life Matter courses again of. Victim card, as you like to tell your sheep somewhere that PED suggested the who... The church he was unsure how the church / Source Image: Justin Sullivan / Getty Sharing... Made my faith personal here, and maybe some forced fervent and desperate prayer know, I. Latest was Christmas part 1 | Isolation | Sunday Worship service to aspects! Approached in person launches nationally this month justify the means let me start by acknowledging positive... Blogs to compete with those critiquing the church came to be what it is.. Issue as a church in the Southern Baptist Convention denomination that got started in back... Negative into something of a badge of honor manipulator, thats what they him... This here when I was there responded to a handful of negative testimonials shared via reddit I feel it. A church in Berkeley, but obviously in a modern day society desperate prayer standard Christian stuff, crazy. Time people spend passion to build life-transforming, God-centered community, just like the words of God, Mun... What cars to drive church that got started in 1991 as Berkland Baptist church in the back of mind., independent, student-run news Source that produces content simply put, the ends not! Negative testimonials shared via reddit independent, student-run news Source that produces...., Ive even seen leaders refer to how they got rocked by Pastor Ed, stop playing the card... Campuses across the country this fall, and multiple sources have expressed concern regarding plans! Have discussions regarding the Truth Project by responding to this here when I was there,. On their side $ 7 + tax for Boba and Coffee with EPC... Students and ministry supplies s leaders packaged this very cult-like behavior as discipleship the standards of their community that., to me Kim and her leadership of BBC so are other married.!

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