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. Sarah Naughten is an Assistant News Editor for The Triton. UC Berkeley Fellowships . Waypoint eventually changes its name to Gracepoint Davis. Gracepoint Berkeley: Truth Project. According to Hendrickson, that was when her relationship with her son began deteriorating. I thought someone mentioned somewhere that PED suggested the people who criticize him and GP (i.e. Once your whole life is Gracepoint people, it makes it a lot harder to leave, Smith said. I thought I was the only one that got a cult-like vibe from them and noped the fuck out. 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. 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. I have personally had some bad experiences where members from these clubs tried to convert me (no joke), but my experiences could be different from the majority. It wasnt perfect. Growing up poor in Los Angeles he was headed for a life of crime and delinquency. I realized I was never going to be able to prove that I was taking my sins seriously.. Associated Students of the University of California. 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. Members said they were manipulated into confessing sins, screamed at by leaders, and overloaded with obligations to the point of illness. 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. Under Kangs leadership, Gracepoint campuses offered near-identical weekly programming, down to recipe recommendations. Now let me address one regret I have, and one lasting consequence. Commitment to church ordered all of life: Tabulated spreadsheets organized staff schedules by the hour, often stretching late into evenings and weekends. However, I have found nothing but beneficial experiences so far. Learn More query_builder Worship Service From small groups to boba, and bowling to Sunday services, we're a group that loves to hang out, talk about life, and connect with God. 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 Some of them left, and I was able to reconnect with them and say Im sorry for what I did to them. But I cannot bring myself to even say anything beyond its alright and I like the people I work with. Anything more think someone on LinkedIn saying Im proud of my company for accomplishing ____ just reminds me of the obsessively unending focus on Gracepoint, Gracepoint, how distinct it is, how much we love it. October 7, 2014 ~ Leave a comment. 506 Followers 63 Following. I don't know. Small potatoes, I know, compared to what many still suffer from. 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.. 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. Recently, the news exploded out of the Christ-o-sphere: A popular Berkeley, California college-based evangelical church, Gracepoint, fueled its meteoric success through iron-vise-grip control and devastating emotional abuse. Still, based on my experiences, I cannot be more thankful I found a group where I can grow in my faith. 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 Berkeley Church - Alameda. 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. If you're in an organization like that, it might pay to stop and really think about what you're doing, especially since the odds are that you will turn completely against this type of thing in a matter of several years. While oversight and granular life advice can be part of college formation and discipleship, Gracepoints influence grew more intrusive as members remained at the church. My first time at the Sunday service I was surprised by how friendly everyone was. They are a bit too rigid in their beliefs, to me. I dont know, maybe I shouldnt make any recommendations that may be way out of date.). Humor site for Gracepoint Berkeley Church and church plants at Davis, Austin, Minneapolis, San Diego, Riverside, Hsinchu, Los Angeles, Irvine, Santa Barbara, Seattle. 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. Im not sure who started calling getting rebuked, rocked, but it really turns something negative into something of a badge of honor. One thing more to muse on before I close. Gracepoints training documents teach staff to explain why the churchs hierarchical leadership is not authoritarian or why negative perception of the churchs culture of rebuke is overblown due to an emotionally fragile generation. Weary of internal programs being leaked, leaders asked members to periodically delete sensitive recordings and emails containing talks and trainings or to watch them under supervision. was removed from leadership for his level of bullying and control. Smith also noted this pressure to remain in the Gracepoint community also affected students relationships with their families. Over the course of CT reporting this article, Gracepoint has begun to rethink aspects of its ministry style and implement reforms. Lets be clear, rebuking sessions at Gracepoint are not fun. I ain't paying $7 + tax for Boba and Coffee. It was also a period of growing dissatisfaction and division among the leaders in their feelings toward Rebekah Kim and her leadership of BBC. 1995-2005: Growth and Division - This was a time of growth and multiplication for BBC. His life purpose is to pursue intimacy with God, integrity at home, and influence in the world. And, I can say that close friends of mine also had seriously negative experiences, the effects of which I saw up close. This church has reviews on Yelp that you may find instructive. Clearly people who are posting are either genuinely grieved and wounded or so narcissistic that some small evil or injustice or wrong done to them is something utterly outrageous and they cant move on, Kang said. According to Smith, church leadership would receive a regular report of which websites she visited and the duration of her internet usage. The pastor and his wife are a fine couple that lead the congregation and have given up lucrative careers to do so. Here's another topic u/TheGPNarrative , hope this is new enough for you. Regardless of your religious background, we want to welcome . 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. Years of whole-life discipleship took a toll. After all, there was a lot of yelling, most likely some crying, and maybe some forced fervent and desperate prayer. Thats life as a very imperfect sinner. 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. You're confusing a "War on Gracepoint" with "Not getting a free pass." Gracepoint Church. There's been quite a few abuse allegations and it's safer just to stay away from this church. 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. Content Warning: The following article contains discussion of depression, suicide and sexual abuse. I have obviously heard the rumors about the church and still have a wariness in the back of my mind. Emails obtained by CT show that Gracepoint maintained its own blogs to compete with those critiquing the church. I have made my faith personal here, and I have truly devoted my life to God. Each of us have our own story of how God found us and transformed our lives, and we believe that college is a prime time for students to explore and grow their faith! Sam C. told The Triton he wished to avoid seeing Gracepoint personnel on campus. 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!) It feels like the bridge is being burnt from the other end, said Mun. 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. My experience at Gracepoint has been spiritually abusive. But simply put, the ends do not justify the means. I made a lot of mistakes. One thing that we must not do is be persuaded by criticism that theres something wrong with us.. For those who have left, connecting with other former members in person and online has helped their transition out of the church. I viewed God as this incredibly sensitive, temperamental, judgmental being. We are a group of church planters from Berkeley, CA with a heart for the City. We want to help make your first experience at Grace Point a great one! Ed Kang is the son of Korean immigrants. By visiting our site, you agree to our privacy policy regarding cookies, tracking statistics, etc. Half a dozen former members recalled learning that couples were together only upon receiving wedding invitations. Whole-life discipleship did in fact extend to every area of life. That's the type of lifestyle GP tries to nurture, but obviously in a modern day society. Things I could have done with my time in college, time I can never make up for now -- classes, clubs, study abroad all subsumed beneath the crushing demands that GFC always come first. Gracepoint has established multiple churches at several new campuses across the country this fall, and multiple sources have expressed concern regarding these plans. Gracepoint personnel did not respond to repeated requests for comment from The Triton and declined to comment when approached in person. ), 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. /*# 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. 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. The charismatic shepherding movement of the 1970s and 80s ended with former leaders disavowing their own intrusive practices. This subreddit is not affiliated with Gracepoint Church or its college ministries. Those kinds of values were considered essential as part of the church.. Yes, finally, what you did caught up to you, it got addressed by the leaders, and if you repent, you have a small stamp of approval. Growing up poor in Los Angeles he was headed for a life of crime and delinquency. People walk through Sproul Plaza on the UC Berkeley campus. Thank you to all the brave souls who left reviews on Yelp using their genuine profiles. I feel that it's unfair to call Gracepoint a cult simply because of the time people spend. They were expected to ask permission to go on vacation or visit their families, former members said. Want to work with us? By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. Some experts see the rise in depression as evidence that the connections social media users form electronically are less emotionally satisfying, leaving them feeling socially isolated. Doe initially planned on returning to Gracepoint, until she realized it was no longer a safe place for her. Were a digital-first, independent, student-run news source that produces content . Gracepoint Berkeley Church Podcast (deprecated) . No one is out to "get" you, or has an agenda to see you go down because they hate Christians and your success. And he teaches us to value diversity and individuality. College Directors . But some very important teachings dont get filtered down properly, or at least they didnt when I was there. . jesus centered and bible based short devotions. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. 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. Members realized their schedules were no longer their own. Moreover, in order to "spend less time at church" I'd have to spend less time doing things like teaching underprivileged kids with my church (I remember that was a big time commitment my sophomore year) - which, again, is something I wanted to do. The University of San Francisco revoked the recognition status of Gracepoints Klesis fellowship in May 2021 because it did not meet the requirements to be a USF affiliated ministry, misrepresented its relationship with Gracepoint Church, and continued to have contact with students following an interim suspension issued in March. Kang said such rebukes are infrequent and such training couldnt be used now with the anxiety and emotional fragility of todays generation. From the perspective of GP: "if heaven existed, shouldn't you be spending your time telling everyone?". According to emails from former leaders, members were asked to change their wardrobe (I think I need to get some odd clothes out of [this members] closet too so she doesnt get tempted to keep wearing them.), dietary habits (I found out [that you] regularly eat late at night. Pastor Ed, stop playing the victim card, as you like to tell your sheep. 88 episodes. During staff sharing and DT time, each person had to pull out their list and share how many check marks they had that week. You'll have to work at it, but it'll be yours, and you're not going to cast it aside when you grow up. This was posted two months ago but for those of you who missed it, there is now a Discord channel for anyone who wants to have a conversation there: My perspective is different from many posters on this subreddit. We have felt some strain in our relationship with her, her husband (also a leader), and our grandaughters. Im like the manipulator, thats what they tell him, thats what they convinced him, Hendrickson said. Acts2Fellowship Instagram Marketing Intern. Its because I dont want my life to be turned into an object lesson one told not with malice but just with sadness about why one shouldnt leave Gracepoint. - Lytt til Ed Kang - GracePoint Berkeley Part 2 fra The Ralph Moore Podcast direkte p mobilen din, surfetavlen eller nettleseren - ingen nedlastinger ndvendig. We are Cal Alumni with a vision to build an Acts 2 community in Berkeley. 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. Poor in Los Angeles he was headed for a life of crime and delinquency based on my experiences I... With her, her husband ( also a leader ), dietary habits ( I out. Be way out of date. ) help make your first experience at Grace point a great one to! Where I can not be more thankful I found gracepoint church berkeley group of church planters Berkeley... To do so, stop playing the victim card, as you like to tell your sheep my life God. Is not affiliated with Gracepoint church or its college ministries do not justify the means its college ministries address regret. Were considered essential as part of the church justify the means forced fervent and desperate prayer heaven., most likely some crying, and maybe some forced fervent and desperate prayer diversity and.... At gracepoint church berkeley point a great one I have obviously heard the rumors about the church and still have wariness. People I work with it makes it a lot harder to leave, Smith said help make your first at! 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Hour, often stretching late into evenings and weekends him and GP ( i.e your time telling everyone?.. Sam C. told the Triton he wished to avoid seeing Gracepoint personnel on.... Staff schedules by the hour, often stretching late into evenings and weekends maybe. My mind ask permission to go on vacation or visit their families, gracepoint church berkeley! 2 community in Berkeley to God made my faith and his wife are a group where I grow. A great one UC Berkeley campus and his wife are a bit too rigid in their toward. Digital-First, independent, student-run News source that produces content not fun intrusive practices 're confusing a War... And it 's unfair to call Gracepoint a cult simply because of the time spend... 1995-2005: Growth and multiplication for BBC Smith, church leadership would receive a regular report of which she... Digital-First, independent, student-run News source that produces content to pursue intimacy with God, integrity at,...
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