wfn.org | Taiwanese Clergy Respond Case of Sex Abusing Pastor

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

Taiwan Church News 2628, July 14, 2002
Reported by Lin Yi-shin.
Translated & rewritten by David Alexander
    The Rev. Lin Chin-yu, director of a half-way house for
runaway teenagers in Taipei County, was recently convicted of
sexually abusing some girls under his care.  He has been
sentenced to serve four years in prison for his crimes.   His
admission of guilt and appeal for forgiveness were carried on
the front pages of several national newspapers during the first
week of July.
    Rev. Lin, a former gangster and drug addict, experienced a
dramatic conversion and renewal while in a Christian operated
drug rehabilitation center several years ago.  He entered
ordained ministry after several years of service in youth and
addict rehabilitation work in Miao-li County before establishing
his own center.
    Responses from clergy have varied.  Some have expressed
sympathy for him and have called for mercy, and others manifested

anger for the harm that they say he has caused  to the
ecclesiastical
world at large, and his defamation of the name of the Lord. The
Rev. Hwang Ming-chin, General Secretary of the Renewal
Fellowship (a prison ministry), admits that the case is a very
problematical one.  He said that Rev. Lin was launched into
ministry too soon.  "He had been a gangster for ten years, he
should have undergone ten years of rehabilitation and counseling
before becoming a minister."
    Hwang is very familiar with Lin's faith development, because
he worked in the Renewal Fellowship.  "He is a man of strong
independent spirit.  But without supervision, concern and care,
the errors he fell into are a natural fruit."  He calls for a
more
organized system of supervision among the churches for ministers
like Mr. Lin, so that such cases might not happen in the future.
"Though Lin has forfeited any claim he has on being an ordained
minister, he is not beyond the pale for churches to continue in
long term care, counsel and care."
    Mr. Chang Shi-chong, who has been acquainted with Lin
for four or five years, commented on his zealous and vigorous
personality.  But added that he was somewhat careless.  He
noted that Lin had not undergone formal training for the
ministry,
and thought this might have made him more vulnerable to
emotional failings.  Though he admits that even among  formally
trained clergy there are sex abusers, he still feels that the
training
makes one less vulnerable.  "Lin Chin-yu is not an evil man, but
what he did certainly was wrong!"  He asks that everyone pray
for ministers.
    The Rev. Tsai Shing-seng, pastor of Ta-Chin Presbyterian
Church, said, "After this affair hit the mass media,
non-Christians
must have gotten a very bad impression of all Christians and
ministers.  It may have blunted the progress of Christian
evangelistic work.  Ministers must first be able to control
themselves, being faithful in small things, before having great
responsibilities given to them. We must be God's good stewards."
For more information:
Hwang Ming-chin  FAX +886 2 2536 8846
Tsai Shing-seng <shtsai@m2.dj.net.tw>

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