FTP
Another mega-church in Singapore,
New Creation Church has
moved quickly to re-assure its followers and the public that
the business ventures it has formed are purely
to raise money to house its growing 20,000-strong
congregation.
The move follows the extensive media coverage and rampant online
discussions of the investigations into the alleged
misuse of church funds in City
Harvest Church.
New Creation attracts the second largest weekend attendance
after City Harvest, which draws 33,000 churchgoers.
The Straits Times reports that during an
address during the church’s four Sunday services held at
Suntec City mall, deacon Jack Ho elaborated on the rationale
for the church’s business ventures.
Its first entity,
Daystar Child Development
Centre, opened at Holland Avenue 15
years ago and was followed by a second centre in Jurong
West five years ago. Both are childcare centres set up as
a voluntary welfare organisation.
Marine Cove and
Rock Productions are another
two of the church’s highly-visible business ventures.
New Creation bought Marine Cove, a popular food and
lifestyle cluster in East Coast Park, for S$10 million in 2001
and has since seen a positive return on investment.
Rock Productions is the business arm of the mega-church. It was
set up in 1998 to manage the church’s Suntec City venue for
Sunday worship services, and secular weekend uses. It is now
partnering property giant Capitaland to develop a S$1 billion
civic, cultural, retail and entertainment complex in Buona
Vista.
Shares in Rock Productions are held in trust for the church by
four shareholders, who are church leaders. They do not receive
directors’ fees, bonuses, dividends or remunerations. Two of its
subsidiaries are Rock Gifts and Book Centre and Omega Tours and
Travel, which grew out of Mr Prince’s “heart” for Israel, Mr Ho
said. It offers church tours to the Bible lands.
Mr Ho said the church can grow its congregation further
when it moves to its $1 billion complex in Buona Vista next
year.
“It is an investment in a venue,” he stressed, emphasising that
the church is not trying to make money or go commercial.
He also revealed that Senior
Pastor Joseph Prince has
stopped drawing a salary from the church since late last year. He
relies instead on book royalties and other sources of income,
including sermon CDs which are sold globally. In addition, he has
penned books like Destined To Reign.
The 47-year-old pastor also took to the stage in the
church’s Sunday service and indirectly defended the income he
earns by selling books by saying no one is forced to buy them.
“I don’t put a gun to your head,” he quipped.
He also made an indirect reference to the furore
surrounding City Harvest when he said, “Be kind, especially if
you’re blogging.”
After all, New Creation preaches a “gospel of grace”, he
added.
