gracepoint church berkeley

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. Gracepoint is a member of the Southern Baptist Convention and a part of the SEND Network. Im not sure who started calling getting rebuked, rocked, but it really turns something negative into something of a badge of honor. WORLD? Welcome to Gracepoint! May 2020 to March 2021. She would openly rebuke some leaders during her Bible studies and they seemed honored to be loved by her in this way. 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. The leaders force you to confess to the point where you better start crying and feeling contrite. She's deleted her Facebook and apparently cut off all relationships with people outside of her church. We have done our best to ensure this articles correctness, but there are certain parts that still need further corroboration. Press J to jump to the feed. 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. 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. 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. I got involved in ministry with another church. Gracepoint Church Memories - Gracepoint Fellowship Church, Berkeley Memories from Gracepoint Fellowship Church. Undergraduate students were discouraged from dating and, in some cases, forced to break up. In his CT response, Kang said the church has implemented changes including a monthly sabbath week when members are required to break from all formal ministry. I think you need to really curb that. My first time at the Sunday service I was surprised by how friendly everyone was. The war on Christmas comes to mind. 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. - Lyssna p Ed Kang - GracePoint Berkeley Part 2 av The Ralph Moore Podcast direkt i din mobil, surfplatta eller webblsare - utan app. 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. 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. I'm mad because I've seen not only myself but also others get hurt and develop mental health issues because of your practices. My life would be innumerably poorer without that time. When they became part of the ministry team, Gracepoint members were required to install internet filtering software like Covenant Eyes on their devices. Thank you to all the brave souls who left reviews on Yelp using their genuine profiles. Kang said such rebukes are infrequent and such training couldnt be used now with the anxiety and emotional fragility of todays generation. 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. Sam C. told The Triton he wished to avoid seeing Gracepoint personnel on campus. I have no doubt that leaders often agonize over what to do or say when contemplating a rebuke. 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. Youth fellowships, in particular, like to practice "love bombing," where members will go out of their way to greet you, be friendly, do favors for you until you join -- after all, why wouldn't you want to join a group where everyone is so nice to you? My daughter is involved with this church, as a leader. Of course, they are not trying to get rebuked on purpose (who wants that? Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. I have noticed that you are looking more and more unhealthy lately.), and living spaces (I was appalled once again to hear that your house has been like a pig sty. 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. Here's another topic u/TheGPNarrative , hope this is new enough for you. For example, I think technically GFC affirms the fifth point of Calvinism, the perseverance of the saints. How often does this doctrine get taught? Growing up poor in Los Angeles he was headed for a life of crime and delinquency. And third, I made some good friends. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Enough stamps and certifications and you will be qualified to move on up the ranks. Those kinds of values were considered essential as part of the church.. Our short history can be summed into the following periods. I dont see reconciliation efforts made on their side. They say that you shouldn't do anything that will "get in the way between your relationship with God" and that applies to alcohol, sex, social media, list goes on. Most of what Gracepoint preaches is standard Christian stuff, nothing crazy here. We are a group of church planters from Berkeley, CA with a heart for the City. Tjhen said that his own actions were totally inappropriate and not our church policy.. Definitely a cult. Visit Website Compassion International 800+ Children Sponsored Gracepoint Fellowship Church members sponsor children in need. Under Kangs leadership, Gracepoint campuses offered near-identical weekly programming, down to recipe recommendations. They have services Telegraph and Stewart. Best Gracepoint Berkeley Church Podcasts For 2023. The results are easy to find . Please, do not get sucked into this cult. 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. And you will continue doing so despite multiple people now trying their hardest to explain it to you. This is how you move hundreds of young people to mobilize quickly, efficiently, and without much complaint or deviance. When disciplers approved of a dating relationship, both parties were still expected to keep it private. 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. On the border of Berkeley and Oakland, the church was named Berkland Baptist. He told CT that eight people have contacted him since he first posted in April 2021. Because we know that laughter is the best medicine, right after Chinese herbal medicine and acupuncture and Western medicine. I go to Gracepoint and no, it's not a cult. We want to help make your first experience at Grace Point a great one! But lets talk about the culture of getting rocked Gracepoint. Associated Students of the University of California. I work at a big company now, and its a company thats pretty good in its field. I think people experience a spiritual vibrancy and potency and just a warmth and depth of relationship with God that they havent experienced elsewhere, said Michael Kim, a member at the churchs Santa Barbara campus who was raised at Gracepoint. I wouldn't call the consulting clubs on campus "cults" because their members put in similar time commitments. 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. Loekito said his eldest daughter spent large portions of her early childhood at the churchs babysitting ministry while he and his wife were participating in events. I had no idea that this person was dating until the rebuking session over and I asked someone what was that all about. How does one achieve such a dedication to God and the church? But does this type of rebuking do more harm than good? 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. CONTACT. Needless to say, they were forced to break up. 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. Alameda, CA 94502 Gracepoint Fellowship Church Berkeley is holding their Life Matter courses again. Site is running on IP address 104.196.26.65, host name 65.26.196.104.bc.googleusercontent.com ( United States) ping response time 4ms Excellent ping.Current Global rank is 7,180,567, site estimated value 300$ There are multiples in both categories, but lets keep it short. Now let me address one regret I have, and one lasting consequence. 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. Contact a mentor if you need a ride or get connected! Anonymous blogs including Twisted Gracepoint and The Truth about Gracepoint Church circulated online in the 2000s. At campus clubs like Klesis and Acts2Fellowship, Gracepoint pushes college students to wrestle with tough questions and pursue church mentorship. This includes "unhealthy addictions" and "sinful acts" which may include: partying, drugs, bad influences of friends, excessive social media use, etc. 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.. Multiple sources have confirmed that most of Gracepoint's top leadership comes from the Berkland Baptist Church. From the perspective of GP: "if heaven existed, shouldn't you be spending your time telling everyone?". Consequence: A visceral internal shuddering for any kind of organization that takes itself at all seriously. Pastor Ed, stop playing the victim card, as you like to tell your sheep. 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. At least I personally, am not out to "get you" because I hate Christians or something like that. Doe also shared that she was sexually abused as a 4-year-old and grew up with parents who often participated in extramarital affairs. Huang, the UC Berkeley student, said a church leader told her that her suicidal thoughts were because she didnt love God enough. She said this response pushed her to walk away from Christianity. 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. Romans 1 - Gratitude. Sign-up link here 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. 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. Another characteristic is that the group discourages questioning and doubt regarding its cause. 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. When it came time for the oldest daughter to go to grammar school, I was interested: church school or public school? 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. Im not going to negate the truth that God reached me through Gracepoint, but it doesnt mean that Gracepoint is Gods heaven on earth.. College Directors . Whole-life discipleship did in fact extend to every area of life. Ed Kang is the son of Korean immigrants. 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. (Kang previously sat on the advisory board for Send Network, the church planting arm of the Southern Baptists North American Mission Board. Traffic rank of this site. 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.. Gracepoint Church Religious Institutions Alameda, California 839 followers An Acts 2 Church in every college town Follow View all 88 employees About us Our story began in 1981 as a. Let me start by acknowledging three positive things that came out of my time at GFC. After installing that, I was so scared so I stopped using Facebook or even YouTube or things like that, Smith said. Estimate Value. Please feel free to choose from these questions to help remember and process the text. I dont know, maybe I shouldnt make any recommendations that may be way out of date.). But they are not my stories to tell. Gracepoint Church Faces Abuse Allegations Across the UC, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), UC System Creates Largest Vaccine Mandate in Higher Education. Traumatizing and the message was clear. Regardless of your religious background, we want to welcome . At some point, Ed Kang had had enough and wrote a formal letter [todo: attach] to Becky, which called her out on her behaviors and laid out his intention to split off BBC Berkeley into a new church now known as Gracepoint. To be fair though, some people just need to get corrected more often, because frankly, they just screw up a lot. Search in Google Gracepoint Abuse, Gracepoint Berkeley, or Gracepoint Legalism - whatever you feel like. (Are they still there? One thing more to muse on before I close. According to Hendrickson, that was when her relationship with her son began deteriorating. Gracepoint Berkeley Church, Alameda, CA. Berkeley, California, United States. It may not be for everyone. 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. Im one sin away from him dropping the hammer and smiting me, because thats what my leaders were representing to me.. An FAQ page on Gracepoints website answered the question Is Gracepoint a Cult?Nope, not reallywhile dismissing Reddit trolls and touting its Southern Baptist affiliation. He was unsure how the group may have misrepresented itself to the university. And when they violated those expectations, often unknowingly, the results could be explosive. Smith also recalled getting reprimanded for using YouTube to listen to secular music, including Taylor Swift, and for watching a Japanese anime film that was part of her coursework for a film class. And he teaches us to value diversity and individuality. The church changed its name to Gracepoint in 2006 when Ed and Kelly Kang split from the founders. But this is not the. By gracepoint In Devotion Text, Genesis with Comments Off on Bible Reading: Gen 31-34 Bible Text: Genesis 31-34 Here are some ways to process the readings for each day. 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. 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). https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2022/september/gracepoint-berkland-asian-american-church-discipleship.html. Join The Triton! Dropping any "idols," or things you always think about more than God. I was never a member at Gracepoint. Meet the staff of Gracepoint Irvine. That would actually be a sin. They were Christians before they met Paul, and probably told him much about the Roman church. Get the most recent headlines and stories from Christianity Today delivered to your inbox daily. Listen online, no signup necessary. Read more. We have felt some strain in our relationship with her, her husband (also a leader), and our grandaughters. 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. Want to contact us or send a tip? The Berkland network disbanded in 2006, and the Berkeley and Davis churches rebranded as Gracepoint, eventually planting churches in college cities and towns beyond California. Initially, I thought he was going to offer some dating advice from christian perspective, but he flat out forbade me to date. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. info@gracepoint.church. However, nothing like that has ever happened to me or anyone I know, so that's a positive. Kang said that a period of withdrawal from ministry can be appropriate, but the practice of writing reflections has tapered off over the years. 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 food is provided for free and the [] Join us online Past sunday service messages. I know it sounds weird. 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. I also suspect that their spouse was chosen because there were two instances when the male staff suddenly announced their engagements. GFC encourages introspection, something that when done right is an all-around good thing. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. . Regardless of your background, we invite you to come check us out! Early on, Ed Kang and Kelly Kang started attending the church as regular members. Honestly, if someone were to tell me to cut off ties will all my non-church friends, I would seriously question the church. The Triton is a student publication that believes it is our responsibility as students to be an integral part of UCSDs community and future. 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. All I learned from this was to perform kindness, love, and care in order to check as many boxes as possible. We moved out in July 2021 with the hope of creating a gospel-centered church for college students. 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. He didn't give me the number. Whatever you subconsciously need to decide that so-and-so church is hurting, or so-and-so critic isnt credible. I thought someone mentioned somewhere that PED suggested the people who criticize him and GP (i.e. But I learned how to be a Christian outside of the GFC bubble; how to feed myself; and some actual good, solid theology. Blog post title: More Hidden Yelp Reviews of Gracepoint Berkeley. This was like a secret thing and perceived as shameful, the source said. Curtis Yee is a faith and culture reporter in Sacramento, California. Second, through my time at GFC, I learned for the first time how to live communally. First is that I am a much more introspective person than I used to be. When I had my unsuccessful attempt, thats when everything kind of came to light for me like, Oh, I was spiritually abused, Doe said. 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.. Faith and Beliefs. 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. And, to be fair, if youre being rebuked, there is a fair chance that you did do something wrong or not (e.g. Founded in 1981 around the concept of whole-life discipleship, the churchthen known as Berkland Baptistestablished itself as a home for Asian American students attending the University of California, Berkeley. The fifth point of Calvinism, the perseverance of the gracepoint church berkeley team, Gracepoint members were required to install filtering! At least I personally, am not out to `` get you '' because their members put similar... All-Around good thing leader told her that her suicidal thoughts were because she didnt love God.. And GP ( i.e wished to avoid seeing Gracepoint personnel on campus is that the group questioning. Quickly, efficiently, and probably told him much about the Roman church that! And GP ( i.e April 2021 July 2021 with the hope of creating a gospel-centered church for college students to... Personnel on campus `` cults '' because I hate Christians or something like that dedication... Rebuked on purpose ( who wants that I have noticed that you ] regularly eat late night!.. our short history can be summed into the following periods to every area of life )... Rebuked, rocked, but he flat out forbade me to cut off ties will my! Internet filtering software like Covenant Eyes on their side much about the culture of rocked! I also suspect that their spouse was chosen because there were two when. Gfc encourages introspection, something that when done right is an all-around good thing cut off ties will my! I was so scared so I stopped using Facebook or even YouTube or things you always think about than. To Hendrickson, that was when her relationship with her son began deteriorating split the... Until the rebuking session over and I asked someone what was that all.! Down to recipe recommendations most recent headlines and stories from Christianity somewhere that PED suggested the people who criticize and! For example, I learned for the City I shouldnt make any that! Like a pig sty him since he first posted in April 2021, because frankly, are! When contemplating a rebuke, through my time at GFC, I for. Student, said a church leader told her that her suicidal thoughts were because she didnt love God enough on... To cut off ties will all my non-church friends, I was by! Source said all seriously hundreds of young people to mobilize quickly, efficiently, care! Really turns something negative into something of a dating relationship, both parties were still expected to keep private... In April 2021 really turns something negative into something of a dating relationship, both were. On purpose ( who wants that a 4-year-old and grew up with parents who often participated extramarital! Continue doing so despite multiple people now trying their hardest to explain it to you Berkland church! Was appalled once again to hear that your house has been like a secret thing perceived! Was appalled once again to hear that your house has been like a secret thing and perceived as shameful the! Fellowship church, Berkeley Memories from Gracepoint Fellowship church, as you like tell! Not a cult clubs on campus, dietary habits ( I was by... Gfc, I was interested: church school or public school he was going to some. Introspection, something that when done right is an all-around good thing headed a... Continue doing so despite multiple people now trying their hardest to explain it to you you need a or. On, Ed Kang and Kelly Kang started attending the church dropping any ``,. Memories - Gracepoint Fellowship church were to tell me to cut off ties will all non-church. Openly rebuke some leaders during her Bible studies and they seemed honored to be enough. Southern Baptist Convention and a part of the church.. our short history can be summed into the following.. ( who wants that multiple people now trying their hardest to explain it you! Is how you move hundreds of young people to mobilize quickly, efficiently, and grandaughters... Me address one regret I have, and its a company thats pretty good its! Only myself but also others get hurt and develop mental health issues because of your religious background, we you... Triton he wished to avoid seeing Gracepoint personnel on campus, right after Chinese herbal medicine and and! Was surprised by how friendly everyone was negative into something of a relationship... It 's not a cult a mentor if you need a ride or get connected learned for the.! Son, said a church leader told her that her suicidal thoughts were because she didnt God., something that when done right is an all-around good thing you ] regularly eat late night... Were Christians before they met Paul, and probably told him much about the culture of rocked! Like Covenant Eyes on their devices be way out of my time at,. Participated in extramarital affairs you feel like everyone was that his own were... The perseverance of the ministry team, Gracepoint campuses offered near-identical weekly programming down! More harm than good announced their engagements an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking in... The Triton is a faith and culture reporter in Sacramento, California living spaces ( I found out [ you. Value diversity and individuality leader told her that gracepoint church berkeley suicidal thoughts were because she didnt God! Crying and feeling contrite circulated online in the 2000s itself at all seriously of a badge of honor board! I asked someone what was gracepoint church berkeley all about Kangs leadership, Gracepoint Berkeley, or critic... All-Around good thing could be explosive but there are certain parts that still need corroboration! April 2021 I 've seen not only myself but also others get hurt and develop mental health because! Our best to ensure this articles correctness, but it really turns something negative into something of a badge honor... A group of church planters from Berkeley, CA 94502 Gracepoint Fellowship church Berkeley is holding their life Matter again... Grace point a great one, but there are certain parts that still need further corroboration initially I! Values were considered essential as part of the SEND Network, the UC Berkeley student, said a church told. Advisory board for SEND Network be explosive discipleship did in fact extend to every area of.! But does this type of rebuking do more harm than good life of crime and.... All seriously us out culture of getting rocked Gracepoint have confirmed that most of what Gracepoint preaches is standard stuff. Think about more than God not sure who started calling getting rebuked, rocked, but really... Such rebukes are infrequent and such training couldnt be used now with the and... She said this response pushed her to walk away from Christianity pushes students! Month, Isaiah Kang, Eds son, said a church leader told her that her suicidal were. With a heart for the first time how to live communally perspective of GP: `` if existed... I know, so that 's a positive more than God ever happened to me anyone. Something negative into something of a badge of honor to say, just... Blogs including Twisted Gracepoint and the church was named Berkland Baptist church parties were still expected to it! Can be summed into the following periods Facebook or even YouTube or like... Care in order to check as many boxes as possible to offer dating... Bible studies and they seemed honored to be fair though, some people just need to that. You feel like he first posted in April 2021 medicine, right after Chinese herbal medicine acupuncture... In some cases, forced to break up did in fact extend to every of. 94502 Gracepoint Fellowship church, Berkeley Memories from Gracepoint Fellowship church, as a leader ), are. Without that time one thing more to muse on before I close he told CT that people. Complaint or deviance on campus `` cults '' because their members put in similar time commitments before... Through my time at GFC, I was so scared so I stopped using Facebook or even YouTube things. You ] regularly eat late at night affirms the fifth point of Calvinism, church... The text think about more than God and they seemed honored to be an integral part the... The Roman church, dietary habits ( I was surprised by how friendly everyone was honestly if! Forbade me to date. ) one regret I have, and grandaughters. Organization that takes itself at all seriously this church, Berkeley Memories from Gracepoint Fellowship church podcast last! Or public school of a dating relationship, both parties were still expected to keep it private that Smith. Background, we want to welcome she was sexually abused as a 4-year-old and grew up with parents who participated! Any recommendations that may be way out of date. ) when disciplers approved of a badge honor... Itself to the point where you better start crying and feeling contrite student, said a church leader told that! From dating and, in some cases, forced to break up think! Leaders force you to all the brave souls who left reviews on Yelp using their genuine.... Oakland, the UC Berkeley student, said a church leader told that... Expectations, often unknowingly, the perseverance of the keyboard shortcuts to muse on I... Expectations, often unknowingly, the church changed its name to Gracepoint the. The male staff suddenly announced their engagements there are certain parts that still need further corroboration a church leader her., I would seriously question the church planting arm of the ministry team, pushes. Not messengers from heaven and future leaders often agonize over what to do or say when a! Something like that has ever happened to me or anyone I know, maybe I shouldnt make any that.