C cares, of the world

Mega Church in Singapore

Observers say megachurches, which burst onto the scene here in the 1980s, now unquestionably dominate the Protestant church scene in terms of numbers, growth rates, offshoots, income, staff strength, programme offerings, visibility and international reach.

A megachurch is popularly defined by America's Hartford Institute for Religion Research as a cluster of very large Protestant congregations with weekly worship attendance of 2,000 or more.

By that measure alone, at least 19 churches in Singapore qualify.

The biggest five independent churches here - which are run autonomously and report only to their own church council - are City Harvest Church, leading the pack with 33,000 members, New Creation Church (20,000), Lighthouse Evangelism (12,000), Faith Community Baptist Church (10,000) and Victory Family Centre (6,000 members over seven venues).

Three other large denominational churches with over 6,000 members each are Trinity Christian Centre from the Charismatic Assemblies of God fold, St Andrew's Cathedral, the largest Anglican church here, and Wesley Methodist Church, which has the biggest Methodist congregation.

Then there are at least eight other influential churches with 3,000 to 5,000 members in weekly attendance. Two are Anglican - Church of Our Saviour and St John's St Margaret's Church. The others are Grace Assembly of God from the Assemblies of God fold, and independents Covenant Evangelical Free Church, the Church of Singapore, Hope Church, Cornerstone Community Church and RiverLife Church.

At around the 2,000-member mark are Bethesda Cathedral, another independent church, and two other Methodist churches - Barker Road Methodist Church and Paya Lebar Methodist Church.

But this numerical definition of 2,000 attendees alone is insufficient and misleading, says Dr Roland Chia, professor of Christian doctrine at Trinity Theological College. 'Megachurches have more in common than just size. These include worship style, use of contemporary media, and the way these churches are organised,' he says.

They also tend to have a charismatic senior pastor, inspirational preaching, rock-concert style of worship, a large staff and a multitude of social and outreach ministries.

Spectacular growth
Without a cross, pew or hymnal in sight, Singapore's big five megachurches boast spectacular year-on-year growth. New Creation Church registered 12 per cent annual growth over the last five years.

City Harvest's membership grew at an even more breathtaking 15 per cent yearly over the last decade - peaking at 27 per cent in 2000 and slowing, relatively, to 5 per cent in 2006. Since its founding in 1989, its size has ballooned over 1,600 times from 20 to 33,000, an exponential surge seen only in the first New Testament churches.

In fact, Singapore's megachurches punch well above their weight in growth and numbers, despite coming from such a small population base. In a 2008 book titled Global Pentecostalism, University of Southern California researchers Donald Miller and Tetsunao Yamamori, who spent four years visiting churches in 20 countries, singled out City Harvest's inventiveness and outreach, declaring 'it may not have a rival in the history of Christendom'.

Now contrast the local megachurches' double-digit growth with that of other popular denominations here.

The Presbyterians saw a more modest 4 per cent average annual growth over the last decade, the Methodists 2.4 per cent, and the Anglicans 1.6 per cent. In fact, City Harvest's attendance has already outstripped the largest denominations that used to reign here.

City Harvest's 33,000-strong fold exceeds the 32,460 Methodists who attend 44 churches here on average weekly. It has already outpaced the Anglicans' average attendance of 20,577 spread over 27 parishes and the Assemblies of God's 21,809 among 49 churches.

All trends indicate that the independent churches are on the ascendant here. Observers estimate that the 160 independent churches in 2006 have since proliferated to over 200 - and counting.

This mirrors the situation in the United States, where almost 90 per cent of the 1,200 megachurches are growing, and at breakneck speed. A 2008 Hartford Institute survey found that their average attendance growth rate over five years is around 50 per cent, or about 10.66 per cent year on year.

Growth at the expense of others?

The big controversy raging here is whether megachurches have grown at the expense of others and one another. Do they poach from other churches, instead of pursuing the 'unchurched'?

The megachurches roundly refute that. Executive Pastor Derek Dunn of City Harvest points to in-house surveys which show that 60 per cent of his members are first-time churchgoers. 'We don't go for transfers,' he says.

Faith Community Baptist Church's Senior Pastor Lawrence Khong maintains that nearly 90 per cent of members were converted at his church and baptised there. The rest come from transfers.

New Creation Church's deacon Jack Ho concedes it has 'some regular visitors from other churches' but says the number of official transfers is 'negligible'. He trots out the latest figures: 'In 2009, our average attendance grew to 18,087, a growth of 2,790 from the previous year. During that period, we had 2,325 salvations, which means new conversions account for 83 per cent of our growth.'

The exact profile of megachurch members is another touchy area.

Megachurches like City Harvest have assiduously put out membership profile surveys to debunk long-held impressions that their members are predominantly poorer and less-educated heartlanders, for whom the prosperity gospel - centred on the notion that God blesses believers with riches - holds particular appeal.

City Harvest has even collated data on its website to show that of its salaried adult members, the biggest group or 42 per cent are 'associate professionals and technicians', followed by 'professionals' (21 per cent) and clerical support workers (17 per cent).

The jobs are further broken down by industry, with the three top groups in finance and insurance (13 per cent), education (12 per cent) and administrative and support services (11 per cent).

Notably, the average age of its members rose from 19 years in 1993 to 28 years last year. In 1993, the working population formed only 16 per cent of its congregation, but this spiked to 49 per cent last year, indicating ever more salaried members who are able to tithe.

So although established denominational church pastors used to sniff that megachurches consist mostly of aspirants and the nouveau riche, that could well be changing.

Dr Fong Choon Sam, dean of academic studies at the Baptist Theological Seminary, says it would not be a surprise if megachurch members have now overtaken denominational church members in 'economic power', since many young careerists, business owners and professionals are there and 'like attracts like'.

But just in case this revision of status is not widely known, megachurches often parade a bevy of celebrities and rags-to-riches entrepreneurs in their services. A big part of their routine here is celebrating success.

At the recent Asia Conference hosted by City Harvest, there was an 'honour roll call', with 77th Street entrepreneur Elim Chew, national badminton player Ronald Susilo and Singapore Business Federation chief executive Teng Theng Dar coming on stage to take a bow on opening night.

This is not unlike Californian megachurch Crystal Cathedral's founder Robert Schuller, who often interviews Olympic champions and celebrities onstage, in a calculated alignment with winners.

And this works, as success begets more success, says sociologist Mathew Mathews, a visiting affiliate with the National University of Singapore's Asia Research Institute, who has researched and written extensively on megachurches. In Singapore-style religion, he notes, people gravitate towards the big, efficient and successful.

'Singapore is big on excellence and professionalism. Think of the airport. The megachurch model is a very tight system, from professional ushering to sound system set-ups,' Dr Mathews says. 'There are methods to pay tithes by Internet and Giro.'

The 'sense of being part of a success story' is seductive to many.

'Megas have successfully revolutionised the image of Christianity - making it trendy, cool, and market-savvy, especially to the young,' he says.

'The megachurch phenomenon is an urban thing...like the hypermarts. As Walmart and Carrefour rose, the reaction of small churches was like small-time retailers. They wondered whether it was going to help business or create problems.'

Dr Fong Choon Sam, dean of academic studies at Baptist Theological Seminary

'We have not embarked on any church growth strategy. We have not done any evangelistic rallies in 10 years. The growth is natural. When people's lives are touched, if they have breakthroughs in finances, family or health and they find their needs are met, and they find that the Christian way fits with their walk, we don't have to tell them 'Bring your friends and family to church.' They will come themselves to see who is this God who provides miracles.'

Deacon Jack Ho, New Creation Church

'Unfortunately, many churches convey an image of a God who is, apart from forgiving and compassionate, rather demanding in wanting us to do a laundry list of things to 'extend His Kingdom'... Whereas I used to leave a church service feeling condemned and burdened that I can't live up to God's standards, I now experience the joy of a Christian life, which motivates me to want to share about God's goodness. In short, out with performance and in with being a new creation and its logical consequences for everyday living.'

Professor Tan Ern Ser, sociologist, New Creation Church member

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SO HOW will this spiritual salesmanship all play out? As mighty megachurches and multitudes of tiny churches slug it out for believers, who will prevail?

Theologians say that Singaporeans' romance with megachurches is still at the honeymoon stage. They have not seen the downside of too much money or the downfall of American teleevangelists like Jimmy Swaggart and Jim Bakker, says Dr Daniel Koh, a theological lecturer in pastoral theology and ethics. Swaggart was in a 1988 sex scandal; Bakker was indicted for financial fraud in 1988.

But many worry that the prosperity gospel preached by some megas - that God will make Christians rich, if only they have enough faith - will breed a generation of fair-weather Christians.

Sociologist Mathew Mathews notes: 'It's appealing for people who always had to struggle between enjoying a good life and being a Christian. Traditional Christianity is equated with a life of spiritual disciplines - praying, reading the Bible, carrying one's cross. You are freed from that, it's liberation from 'work'.'

In traditional Christianity, everything is invested in good works and the afterlife. One lives modestly and builds treasure in heaven. But some high-living mega leaders debunk all that.

'The deal is: If your religious leader is not making it in this life, what hope do you have? They have a blessed life. That gives you hope that their message works and is proven,' Mr Mathews adds.

'Members are not ignorant that their leaders have good lives. That's what they hope to have too.'

Hence, New Creation founder Joseph Prince's flock made no issue of his annual income, said to be between $500,001 and $550,000, nor of his BMW or Swiss Alps holidays. Even so, he stopped taking a salary in late 2009 to forestall murmurs.

Theologians have issues with the prosperity gospel, saying: Sure, it's OK to be rich, but what about the dangers, which the Bible clearly warns about?

Dr Bobby Sng, president of the Bible Society of Singapore and a preacher at the Wilkie Terrace Christian Assembly church, says: 'The line that 'The more you give, the more God will bless you', that's not scriptural. There are many who are poor and good Christians. Others pray with faith to be healed, and yet are not healed.'

The trouble, says Dr Koh, is how to square such materialistic reasoning with the statement every church ultimately has to make, which is that 'worth is not measured by the car you drive or the clothes you wear, but about who you are as someone loved by God, regardless of your status and possessions'.

He adds: 'Of course you should be thankful if you are materially blessed. But the abundant life is a life of contentment, generosity and the cultivation of virtues.'

Dr Roland Chia, dean of postgraduate studies at Trinity Theological College, says it is heartening that not all the megachurches in the US peddle the prosperity gospel. Of America's 12 largest churches, only three do. One study indicates that only 50 of the 260 largest churches in the US are prosperity-based, he notes.

'Rick Warren, a megapastor and author of the popular Purpose Driven Life, had this to say about the prosperity gospel: 'This idea that God wants everybody to be wealthy? There is a word for that: baloney. It's creating a false idol. You don't measure your self-worth by your net worth. I can show you millions of faithful followers of Christ who live in poverty. Why isn't everyone in the church a millionaire?'' he points out.

Likewise here. Dr Fong Choon Sam of the Baptist Theological Seminary says: 'Some seem more self-professed in identifying with the prosperity gospel, others would not identify with that label.'

In response, Faith Community Baptist Church's Senior Pastor Lawrence Khong says: 'The Bible does promise prosperity in body, soul and spirit. Yet the Bible also speaks about the benefits and blessings which come through suffering, which is inevitable in a problematic world.'

The other concern with megachurches is that too much hinges on the founding pastor's personality, charisma and interpretation of Gospel. This is unlike denominational churches where there is a constant stream of pastors being trained and rotated, rule books, checks and balances.

For example, Methodist bishops can stay in office for only up to three terms - or a maximum of 12 years.

Dr Fong notes: 'Megachurches in a way can lead to a new clergy-laity division. The people at the top interpret the Bible for you. Because the senior pastor has lots of authority over so many thousands, the net result is less participation by members on how to interpret scripture.' Also, members do not have much say in how funds are spent, he notes.

What megachurches need, Dr Koh says, is to institute more accountability. 'The independents, which are dominated by stellar pastors and close friends, need to be more transparent and put in place clearer checks and balances, especially on management of funds, to minimise conflict of interests.'

After all, history has shown that big churches can fold, with just one false move. His Sanctuary, an aspiring megachurch two decades ago, was led by a young, vibrant pastor who was caught out by some impropriety. From a peak of over 1,000 members, it has split into several flocks as small as 100.

There is also the question of continuity, since charismatic leadership is non-transferable. Dr Fong notes that few know who the No. 2s and No. 3s of megachurches are, and there is a distinct dip in attendance when they speak.

'One concern is that megachurches will not last beyond one generation,' he says. He cites how Trinity Christian Centre, Victory Family Centre and Wesley Methodist Church all took turns being No. 1 in popularity but they each 'got outstripped' when the senior pastor - the 'face' of the church - moved on.

'Megachurches really need to be current and trendy in their ability to address felt needs. But trends and felt needs change, so the church needs to keep reinventing itself,' he adds.

Because leaders are so beloved, succession tends to succeed only when family members take over, Dr Albert Ting, principal of Singapore Bible College, notes.

US evangelists John Osteen and Billy Graham successfully groomed their sons to succeed them: Joel Osteen is pastor at Lakewood Church, America's largest; while Franklin Graham heads the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. 'If you groom your own children, followers are more accepting. They trust the family brand name,' Dr Ting says.

Even so, after the first-generation founder passes or moves on, the church may revert to 'a more mainline' structure, says theologian Simon Chan.

'German sociologist Max Weber made an observation about the 'routinisation of charisma'. Over time, charismatic churches become more mainline in their structure and operation.

'If the trend (here) is similar to the US, there will be a time that young people will outgrow the need for entertainment. They may look for something more serious than rah-rah on Sunday or drop out altogether.'

Also, a drift away could be a function of megachurch-goers eventually growing up - or at least growing older.

Dr Koh says megachurches could be a rite of passage for the young. 'Once people have their own families, anecdotally, they tend to go back to the mother church. My guess is that they can't be sustained by a feel-good message for life.'

As a result, Dr Sng notes some mature megachurch members have moved on to smaller, more intimate denominational churches 'because they reached a stage where they wanted systematic teaching' and a 'more complete Christian experience'. But he says it may be a culture shock to adjust to the slower pace.

What is emerging elsewhere is a movement combining the best of megachurches and denominationals. One which, Dr Fong says, stresses relationships and participation without hierarchy, has a stronger sense of church history and uses traditional icons for worship. 'The megachurches are in a way so cutting-edge that they have little interest in the past.'

Ultimately, it is best to look at both big and little churches from a higher perspective, says Dr Sng, who wrote In His Good Time: The Story Of The Church In Singapore. 'From the macro perspective, it's the total work of God. Like a chessboard, each piece is important at a certain time. Each megachurch reaches a certain sector that other churches find hard to reach. Megachurches have a role to play in the overall scheme, so do smaller churches.'

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Sometimes, disagreements on growth directions and how to respond to the mega threat - whether to be more or less like them - have led to splintering among already-small churches.

Beyond losing their flock to the megas, some small churches - from Bible-Presbyterian to Baptist, with 100 or so members each - are splitting ranks. These breakaways can comprise as much as 40 per cent of the original membership.

The most oft-cited reasons for these splits, say theologians, include personality conflicts and doctrinal differences. Disagreements can arise over the type of red wine or grape juice or bread (unleavened or otherwise) used for Holy Communion, baptism (immersion or sprinkling, adult or infant), or type of Bible (King James version only or others permissible).

In 2003, the late founding pastor of Life Bible-Presbyterian Church, Dr Timothy Tow, broke away over doctrinal disputes on whether the Bible was without error. He started True Life Bible-Presbyterian Church, which now meets at the RELC Auditorium.

The congregation size of the average church today is down to 100 to 200, say observers like Dr Fong Choon Sam of the Baptist Theological Seminary. About half of the close to 700 churches here are around that size. This does not include some 200 small, unsignposted churches, said to have about 50 members each and set up in recent years. Beyond breakaways, many of these are new sprouts by young seminary graduands, note theological professors. This is because church is possibly the last frontier in Singapore for charismatic leadership and religious entrepreneurs are sure to display some of that, says sociologist Mathew Mathews.

After all, stories abound of the likes of New Creation Church growing from a 12-man affair in a Holland Drive HDB flat in 1983 to more than 20,000 members today - and seize the imagination of those hoping to emulate such feats.

Many young seminary students are fuelled by such mega dreams, notes Pastor Teoh Chong Tatt, 57, of Bukit Panjang Gospel Chapel. 'It's like everyone wants to be an entrepreneur nowadays, young pastors view running a church like running their own business. Everyone wants to be their own boss.

'There are already so many churches. But when they graduate from theological college, they don't look for a church to serve in but choose to start their own. Their dream is to start small, in the hope of growing it one day into a megachurch. The megachurches around make them feel this is achievable.'

Many of those who go it alone are from independent churches and are seldom trained in established seminaries, says Dr Daniel Koh of the Trinity Theological College. 'They see what their home churches have done, they think they can do it better. It could also be that their home churches might not have places for them.'

They also tend to be self-funded seminary students, who are free to move upon graduation. Others are sent by their own small breakaway congregation to attend seminary, and they preach on Sundays, from a hotel or home pulpit, even as they are getting trained, says a Bible college dean.

Yet others, supported by bigger mainline churches, upon returning from local or overseas Bible schools, cite doctrinal or personality conflicts after a few years, and break away, taking some of the flock with them. Even if they are bonded to the church that paid for their education, no penalty is usually exacted, say pastors.

Many theologians worry that this self- starting development could lead to an excessively high church growth rate, that could attract unwelcome clampdowns from the Government. 'If this goes on, in a couple of years, we could have 800 or 1,000 churches, most of them small ones,' worries Mr Teoh.

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SUNDAY morning, and thousands of the faithful descend on Singapore Expo, pouring out of hired buses, MRT trains and shiny cars that circle and jostle for lots.

The twin flocks of City Harvest Church and Faith Community Baptist Church pack two darkened cavernous halls with blinding stage lights where spectacle meets spirituality. The coffers are brimming, the senior pastors magnetic, the worship thunderous.

Across the island in a commercial office block, 50 young intellectuals gather for their inaugural service after meeting for a year and deciding they want to set up church together.

There are no frills, no flash here. The bulletin looks homespun. The pastor, newly returned from seminary studies overseas, sits eye-to-eye with everyone. The music is all of one amplified guitar.

This tale of three churches reflects the rapid advance of the megas and micros.

Both are fast gaining ground here, though in different ways.

Protestant Christianity in Singapore has become largely a 'winner-takes-all' game, with megachurches daily adding new members to their tens of thousands.

Meanwhile, as the big have become bigger, the small have become smaller, thanks to a drift towards megachurches and a growing number of breakaways, spin-offs and fresh start-ups.

At last count in 2006, there were 468 Protestant churches here, according to the Singapore Every Home Crusade, which publishes a church directory. But in just five years, the number has surged to close to 700 today, estimate church statistics compilers and observers.

A third of these are said to have about 50 members, some fewer. They include small and unregistered churches which have mushroomed in recent years.

Reverend Rick Seaward, 54, a veteran on the church scene and founder of Singapore's first megachurch Victory Family Centre (formerly known as Calvary Charismatic Centre), notes: 'There are a lot of new churches in the last few years that we have no data on. They are small because they are new.'

His estimate is derived from his leadership roles in the LoveSingapore movement that unites up to 150 Protestant churches in events and prayer summits, the collaborative meetings he conducts with pastors of independent churches and pastor feedback.

The National Council of Churches of Singapore (NCCS) represents 192 Protestant churches here and the main denominations, including Methodists, Anglicans, Presbyterians and Assemblies of God.

The council says the multiplying of churches results from those that have grown big spawning offshoots, as well as more like-minded fellowship groups registering themselves as churches. Another factor is that differences over doctrine have resulted in some rifts and breakaway congregations.

'Christians understand churches as not mere buildings or institutions; they are regarded as spiritual communities of people who share a common faith in Jesus Christ,' says council general secretary Lim Kay Tham.

The council receives up to five new applications for membership each year but has rejected some because they did not meet all the criteria.

'A church wishing to apply to be a member of the NCCS must first have been legally registered in Singapore, to ensure it is properly constituted and bound by rules which require accountability and good governance,' he says.

The council also considers factors such as the 'stability of its leadership structure, the size of its congregation and the number of years the church has been in existence', Mr Lim says.

Yet, despite the steep rise in the number of Protestant churches in just five years, observers say there has been only a very marginal rise in the number of Christians here over the past decade.

Dr Mark Chan of Trinity Theological College, the oldest seminary here, says the growth of Christians seems to have plateaued and stabilised in recent years.

According to the latest 2000 Census, the rising proportion of Christians was very gradual - from 10 per cent in 1980 to 13 per cent in 1990 and 15 per cent in 2000. Two-thirds of Christians here are Protestants and the rest are Catholics.

Observers say the minimal growth of Christianity, if any, is fuelled by foreigners like the Koreans, Indonesians, Myanmar nationals, Chinese and Filipinos. Last month, the fast-expanding, 1,500-strong Korean Church In Singapore outbid three other churches to win a 32,000 sq ft plot of church land at Gangsa Road for $11.28 million.

But by and large, most observers say there is no significant increase in the number of Protestants here, just an ever-growing array of churches to choose from, and many more church-hoppers sampling the range.

'It's a circulation of the saints,' says Dr Chan. 'Part of it is the increasing consumeristic ethos among church-goers here. Like a restaurant, if there's good food, people are friendly, music is nice, I will go there.

'It's about church shopping. That's a departure from what church was meant to be - family, organic, and if things don't work out, try to work it out.'

Today's Protestant church landscape here might be summed up, with a somewhat theological flavour, as: Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not, even what he has will be taken from him (Mark 4:25). In other words, those losing the most sheep to the megachurches are the ones who can least afford to lose them.

These include Chinese churches, smaller-sized traditional denominational churches and those with predominantly elderly congregations, whose numbers are already dwindling owing to natural attrition, say observers.

Many of these old-style churches find it impossible to compete with the snazzy suite of services offered by megachurches, from professionally managed infant care and business networking to weight-loss contests.

The leakage from smaller, dowdier churches is so acute that more than 60 concerned pastors met earlier this month to discuss membership transfers and how they can stay united amid such upsets.

But aside from official transfers, there is an undocumented drift that happens week after week. Although many established denominational churches here still have big memberships on paper, actual attendance is said to be dwindling.

'Many of their members go to church three times a year, for Christmas, Easter and New Year,' says a compiler of church statistics for over 30 years, who spoke on condition of anonymity. They continue to be listed as members but are in effect 'permanent visitors' to megachurches, leaving mainly the old and the sick in their home congregation, she says.

Leading the exodus are young people, among them professionals. Denominational pastors lament that churches invest time and resources to nurture them through their schooling years, only to see them hit the megachurches when they grow up, graduate and are in a position to give back.

'When they go out into the working world, the megachurches preach a message they love to hear, like God wants to bless you with a BMW or a promotion,' says a small Brethren church pastor.

Mr Kenny Chee, pastor of the 400-strong independent church World Revival Prayer Fellowship in Geylang, has seen several families leave for megachurches in the last few years. He says: 'For a small church of 40 members, losing a family is losing five members, and that can be demoralising. They have left the provision shop for the shopping mall.'

He confesses to feeling a 'sense of loss and grief' but comforts himself that 'they are still in the kingdom of God and have not left the faith'.

'You may criticise the feel-good theology of Joseph Prince and the prosperity gospel. But some churches make you feel bad. They are all the time preaching brimstone and hellfire. We need balanced teaching from the pulpit.'

Dr Bobby Sng, president of the Bible Society of Singapore

'It's just growth in a different way for megachurches. The traditional way was to plant another church. For the megachurches, it's to get big where you are. So it's more of a 'come' approach, rather than a 'go' approach.'

Dr Fong Choon Sam, dean of academic studies at the Baptist Theological Seminary

'On the other side, there are some churches which are so dead, they are an embarrassment to God. The Corpus Christi (body of Christ) is like a corpse. They need to change or they will end up like churches in England with only 12 people attending.'

Prominent pastor of a large mainline church in central Singapore

The golden theme: that Christians are blessed to be a blessing to the world. To that end, sermons are kept light, applicable and motivational, with lashings of humour. When Senior Pastor Joseph Prince speaks at New Creation, his message of God's abundant grace is leavened with comic interludes, sonorous songs and Hebrew lessons. His congregation is in stitches and walks out on air.

To critics of this 'feel-good theology', Deacon Jack Ho of New Creation counters: 'Ask yourself, what is the gospel? It's good news, and the good news makes you feel good, and the good news is Jesus.' The art megachurches have mastered is of making God ultra-accessible through TV, radio, Web-based streaming videos, blogs, Facebook, Twitter, books, DVDs, teaching resources.

Charisma, a Christian magazine in the United States, recently reported that Americans who read Mr Prince's books and watch his shows have quit smoking, been 'healed' and started new businesses. One of them even booked a bar on weekday nights for friends and business contacts to watch video recordings of Mr Prince's messages.

City Harvest founder Kong Hee's messages also go global. His half-hour programme Harvest Time is aired in 107 countries on 14 satellite and cable TV networks, including Better Life Channel in Japan and Daystar Television Network in the US.

Theologians say the fear that megachurches are breeding right-wing Christian fundamentalists is quite unwarranted. Megachurches here and elsewhere tend to be politically moderate, if anything. The causes they endorse and embrace tend to popular, generic ones like global warming and poverty.

Theologian Roland Chia says: 'The main emphases in the teaching in megachurches appear to be focused on Christian living, interpreted and framed in rather individualistic terms.

'There is very little emphasis on the broader social implications of Christian existence in the world and, therefore, not very much stress is put on social justice issues.'

In Singapore, observers say megachurches go even further than the most conservative churches - they are manifestly pro-Singapore and pro-government. A service is often like a pledge of allegiance, where the pastors pray for Singapore and model themselves on Singapore's leaders with their hyper-efficiency, able stewardship, responsibly large reserves and pro-business ethos.

'They seem to display an uncritical form of patriotism. I suspect that this is mainly due to the fact that the undisputed success of the Singapore Government and the affluence of our society are perfectly in sync with the prosperity doctrine of the megachurches,' says a well-known theologian here.

All the National Council of Churches of Singapore would say is that there are 'differing responses' to megachurch theology and practices, even within the Christian community.

'While there are Christians who believe that they preach the gospel and are doing effective outreach work, there are also others who have difficulties with what they consider as their undue emphasis on health and wealth issues and their understanding of Christian spirituality,' says the council's general secretary Lim Kay Tham.

He adds: 'It is the duty of all churches to address the whole of life's issues and challenges and to be faithful to biblical teachings.'

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Worship leaders are often heavily mascara-ed, clad in leather jackets and knee-high boots.

All the better to get the faithful on their feet in large functional spaces like the Singapore Expo, where both City Harvest and Faith Community Baptist Church (FCBC) meet.

The rock concert setting does not come cheap. At City Harvest, spending on its audio and lighting ministry exceeded expenses for its children's ministry in the last financial year.

Megachurches like City Harvest, New Creation, FCBC and Lighthouse Evangelism are open and unapologetic about hiring full-time musicians to elevate the worship experience and ensure quality.

'It's an investment in excellence,' deacon Jack Ho of New Creation says. 'As the church grows, you want to maintain a certain level of competence.' Full-time musicians also write songs and conduct training, and are always available.

Musically gifted Filipinos are visible on stage during Sunday worship at Lighthouse Evangelism. One of them, Mr Marvin Calica, was billed as a 'rocking guitarist from the Philippines' on the Facebook page of the Musiclighters, the church's music ministry.

Worship, enhanced by sleek stage craft and on-key singing, is seen as one vital element of church growth, and the megachurches are more than mindful of its effect on wooing the unchurched.

No effort is spared in producing musical extravaganzas for evangelistic outreach. Last year, FCBC staged The Christmas Stomp, which transported the audience into an imaginative Wii-like experience, with gaming animation filling the giant stage. One hundred young people were trained as street-style percussionists, with huge plastic cylinders as improvised drums, while 8,000 churchgoers and their guests held mini-drums.

Although other churchgoers think their sleepy denominational church services could take a leaf out of the megachurches' book and liven things up, many have reservations about paying professionals to lead worship.

Education researcher Lim Chih Ing, 37, who attends a Presbyterian church, says: 'Sure, I sometimes squirm when I hear pitchy singing by amateurs. But then I think, these folks are volunteers up there inspiring others and worshipping God in the best way they know. And ultimately, are we here to be entertained or to worship?'

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MR JONATHAN Koh has been searching half his lifetime but still hasn't found a church to give his heart to.

In the last 15 years, he has sojourned through the independent Covenant Evangelical Free Church, Adam Road Presbyterian with its young 'thinking Christians', tiny Providence Reformed Presbyterian with fewer than 20 members, Elim where 'God changed my life', the charismatic Covenant Presbyterian - and now megachurch New Creation, which he likes for its uplifting sermons.

Mr Koh, 31, lingered between six and 30 months at each of these sanctuaries. He has also popped into countless others such as City Harvest Church, which he applauds for 'reaching a lot of youth and doing a lot of good', and the gay-affirming Free Community Church, for special events. Last month, he went on a four-day retreat with the 400-member World Revival Prayer Fellowship, which he found while surfing the Internet.

'I don't mean to go church hopping,' says Mr Koh, a teacher, who was baptised as an infant and grew up in an Anglican church. 'It's just that I keep learning from different churches and traditions, so it's been a journey for me.'

He is part of an emerging breed of church shoppers here, who have multiple brand loyalties and believe they have a divine right to choose - weekly.

They go from church to church, trying them out for size, often not sticking around long enough at any one place to serve or grow. They tend to be spectators, who want to 'do' church but on their own terms. Those who prowl charismatic churches in particular are called 'cruisematics'.

Singapore, with its consumeristic ethos and concentration of megachurches which offer seamless access and anonymity, is happy hunting ground for these nomadic Christians. Mr Lim Kay Tham, general secretary of the National Council of Churches of Singapore, discerns an 'increasing consumerist spirit that motivates people to search for a place of worship that more adequately satisfies their spiritual needs'.

Some are burnt out or disappointed with church politics, and start to cruise. Sociologist Mathew Mathews notes that in a city-state with an enviable transport system, Christians confront 'few structural barriers' to being permanent visitors to other churches. This is especially so for those who are 'not so integrated that they are liable to move if there's something else attractive out there'.

He adds: 'Defections are everywhere. Where do upset people migrate? The megachurches. The thinking is that if they are big, they have a certain reputation and quality.'

Because the last thing these movers want is a lot of closeness, at least not in the beginning, he reckons. With megachurches, they can slip in and out unnoticed.

Not all the movement is flitting, however. Dr Daniel Koh of Trinity Theological College says there are Christians who genuinely wish to be actively involved but may not find their niche ministry where they are. 'Then the reason is not consumerism, but to use their gift in a significant way.'

Well-resourced megachurches, especially, have an expansive menu of ministries, with City Harvest listing 34 - ranging from drama to dialect teams.

It helps that denominational lines are fluid in Singapore as well, especially for many who were converted by para-church groups like Campus Crusade for Christ when they were young.

'Most churches don't stress so much on denominational distinctiveness, so people cross quite easily. A Methodist may hear about City Harvest. He doesn't transfer membership but worships there,' notes Dr Koh.

Although roamers tend to be the young, who enjoy a looser structure in church as in life, mature believers ship out too.

One of them is Ms Diva Lim, 41, a travel industry executive. She took a break from the large charismatic Anglican church where she had served on the worship team for 14 years. She wanted to explore other churches as well as recharge, and has visited Cornerstone Community Church, City Missions and City Harvest.

'We need simple messages that will pierce your heart and bring you closer to God,' says Ms Lim, who frequently visits City Harvest. 'Every time I go there, I am moved. Some say I like vibrant crowds. If that's true, I'd tear every time I walk down Orchard Road.'

She says she was impressed with the changes in her siblings who worship at the megachurch too, and finds that her teenage nephews are motivated to study harder. City Harvest leaders recommend that secondary and junior college students study at least 15 hours a week.

Meanwhile, Mr Koh, the free-spirited explorer of churches, is not idling. He now serves in a ministry that helps international students assimilate into Singapore culture.

'I do believe in being committed to serve in a church,' he emphasises. 'I'm stepping up my search now and praying about it.'

And his next stop? A small church, he thinks, for its authenticity and community.

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Article (8) - Jul 17, 2010 THE 5Ms: Members Services from cradle to grave
CHURCH members are their best advertisement.

And megachurches take them seriously, caring for their flock from cradle to grave, offering a suite of social services, training centres and business networking arms.

Unlike other churches where Sunday school starts at 18 months, the megachurches nurture 'new' members from birth.

At City Harvest and New Creation churches, you can drop off your newborn, with feeding instructions, and collect him after service.

New Creation has a full-time staff of 15 who, aided by more than 800 church volunteers, care for almost 2,000 children - aged one month to 12 years - weekly.

It is an almost 1:1 ratio of caregivers to the tiniest tots aged one to eight months, and that covers feeding, nappy changing and even chaperoning by shuttle bus to another auditorium if necessary.

Chances are if mum and dad feel too lazy for church this week, it is Junior who will drag them there. City Harvest is decked out with a bouncy inflatable castle and an indoor adventure playground at its Singapore Expo premises.

For its children's church, it has a troop of iSmile ushers, stage and prop designers who work on weekly themes, and a Geek Team that creates animation for worship songs.

Last month, City Harvest organised a Shrek-themed treasure hunt at Sentosa for young people. It also urges its student members in secondary school and junior college to study at least 15 hours a week, which keeps their parents happy.

The church's statistics show that their students consistently outperform the national average at the N, O and A levels.

Other services that keep pews packed: adoptive parenting workshops, funeral advice and discounted Holy Land tours.

And that is what megas want as they keep score by attendance, not membership. New Creation's deacon Jack Ho says the church does this as 'membership does not tell the whole story'.

In his previous small church, he adds, membership was 400 but attendance was 150. This was because folks had moved on, without transferring membership, or were living overseas. 'We treat regular attendees like members,' he says.

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Singapore's megapastors are all firmly plugged into international grids. They learnt from global 'mentors, models and methods', sociologist Mathew Mathews observes.

Senior Pastor Lawrence Khong of Faith Community Baptist Church regards Colombian superpastor Cesar Castellanos as his 'spiritual father'. He seeks his counsel in growth strategy and show business, according to his book Give Me The Multitudes!

Mr Castellanos, whose gigachurch in Bogota counts 200,000 members, once advised the Singaporean pastor-illusionist to ignore naysayers and stick to entertainment shows that portray the magic of love.

In 2002, Mr Khong embraced his mentor's G-12 (The Government of Twelve) vision. This concept rests on the conviction that as Jesus led 12 disciples, each believer can mentor 12 people - and potentially draw in many more.

The movement has since spread to all seven continents, and the Singapore megachurch now hosts its annual Asia-Pacific conference. About 1,000 delegates from 24 countries, as well as 5,000 church members, attended the conference in March.

City Harvest Church founder Kong Hee is on the board of Church Growth International, a network of 70 heads of global churches that shares principles of evangelism and church growth. It was founded in 1976 by Korean evangelist Cho Yonggi, whose 750,000-strong Yoido Full Gospel Church is the world's biggest. Mr Kong is his protege and City Harvest hosts the network's biennial Asia Conference.

New Creation Church's Senior Pastor Joseph Prince is a regular speaker at Sydney megachurch Hillsong, which has branches in London, Kiev, Cape Town, Sweden and elsewhere. Hillsong's chart-topping worship leader Darlene Zschech and Grammy-winning Israel Houghton - who is a worship leader at America's largest Lakewood Church - both testify that Mr Prince's message of grace has inspired their music and ministry.

The Singapore megachurches are also leaders in international missionary work. Victory Family Centre has started more than 6,000 churches in over 80 countries since its beginnings as Calvary Charismatic Centre in 1977. More than 2,000 members in the 6,000-strong decentralised church, which gathers at seven locations here, have volunteered to devote at least one year of their life to serving in another country.

Last year, City Harvest conducted pastors' conferences, teaching seminars and Bible distributions in 70 cities in 16 countries. It has nearly 300 mission trips planned for this year - nearly one a day. It starts a new church every three months.

So while the megachurches here are ostensibly independent, and walked away from denominations such as the Baptists and Assemblies of God, so intensely networked are they across continents that they have the look of a global denomination.

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Christian groups have been using places such as hotel function rooms and convention centres on weekends for a number of years, as reported in the media.

From now, no more than 20,000 sq m of a commercial complex's gross floor area (GFA), or 20 per cent of GFA, whichever is lower, may be used for religious purposes. And such activities may be held for no more than two days a week.

A religious organisation is also limited to using 10,000 sq m, which is equivalent to about 11/2 football fields. This will ensure that a religious organisation does not dominate a particular commercial complex.

In a joint statement, the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) and the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS) explained they were prepared to exercise some flexibility and allow commercial premises such as hotels, auditoriums, function halls, convention centres and cinemas to be used in a 'limited, non-exclusive way' by religious groups that hold large gatherings.

This is provided the events do not cause noise, traffic or parking problems. To protect the secular nature of the venues, there must also be no signage or religious symbols, and the interiors should not be furnished to resemble a worship hall when not used by the religious group.

The guidelines take effect immediately and apply to all religions. Religious organisations using commercial space will have to register with the URA.

The clarification of land use rules was received with relief as most churches are currently not at any risk of flouting the rules.

It is understood that the URA discussed the guidelines on Monday with representatives of the bigger megachurches - 33,000-strong City Harvest Church, 10,000-strong Faith Community Baptist Church and 20,000-strong New Creation Church - and their landlords, Singapore Expo and Suntec Singapore.

Currently, Faith Community Baptist Church and City Harvest Church use less than 10,000 sq m atthe Singapore Expo each.

City Harvest Church has also made a controversial $310 million investment to become a co-owner of Suntec Singapore and hold services in a 12,000-seat auditorium there.

Regarding City Harvest's purchase, a URA spokesman told The Straits Times it does not regulate property ownership.

'However, the actual use of the premises must adhere to the planning and land use zoning intentions regardless of the ownership. The contractual agreement between City Harvest and Suntec City is a private matter between the two parties,' he said.

A City Harvest spokesman said: 'We are currently liaising with the relevant land owners and studying the implications of the new guidelines. City Harvest will abide by the new guidelines.'

Ngee Ann Polytechnic real estate lecturer Nicholas Mak saidthe guidelines make sense.

'Rather than let religious organisations slowly take over commercial spaces and make other users feel uncomfortable, the guidelines ensure that members of the public of all religions can use the premises,' he said.

National University of Singapore cultural geographer Lily Kong welcomed the guidelines, saying secular spaces should not be entirely off-limits to religious groups.

'What this new set of guidelines does is to relax the clear compartmentalisation of land use in a cautious and regulated way,' she said.

However, Senior Pastor Lawrence Khong of Faith Community Baptist Church felt that such explicit guidelines could be restrictive and preferred leaving it to the market to 'self-regulate'.

For example, he said, it would be in landlord Singapore Expo's interests to safeguard its commercial character and not lease all its space to religious groups.

For landlord Suntec Singapore, which currently leases space to New Creation Church, the guidelines mean 'business as usual'.

A spokesman said: 'We are in compliance with the guidelines set forth by the authorities.'

New Creation Church declined to comment.

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It is a sleek customer-driven experience, featuring sharp-suited greeters with earpieces, hospitality booths and welcome packs with gifts and mugs embossed with the church logo.

At City Harvest Church, tithe collection can be done via credit card, Giro and eNets online.

Market wages are paid to an army of church staff. City Harvest employs 154 full-timers and has a wage bill of $9.3 million - making up 23 per cent of total expenses. Faith Community Baptist Church (FCBC) has 121 and New Creation, 170. In addition, outside consultants are engaged to do everything from printing the church bulletin to developing glitzy websites.

Reserves are corporate-sized too. The audited 2009 accounts of City Harvest showed that Singapore's biggest Protestant church had built up $103 million in reserves. In addition, its 14,000 sq ft office headquarters in Suntec City and designer church complex in Jurong West, costing $47.6 million, are fully paid up, as are Lighthouse Evangelism's two church properties in Tampines and Woodlands. Lighthouse has been bidding for a plot since 2003 to build a third church, to the tune of $10.53 million.

To steward staggering resources, many big-church pastors, leaders and staff hold business degrees.

FCBC founder Lawrence Khong has a business administration degree from the University of Singapore and is the son of a commodity trader. He founded entertainment production house Gateway Entertainment and has staged magic shows for a decade.

Being in the marketplace keeps him in tune with 'new approaches and methodologies in management, marketing and messaging' and the 'demands of the consumers as well as the needs of the workforce', he says. 'All organisations, whether they're profit-driven, voluntary welfare organisations or churches, should be managed professionally. Good management and leadership principles are found throughout the Bible. God is a God of order.'

City Harvest founder Kong Hee describes himself as a businessman and believes his mercantile instincts lie in his Indonesian-Chinese blood. He and pop star wife Sun Ho own motivational and training firm International Harvest and Skin Couture, which has three boutiques.

Senior Pastor Joseph Prince of New Creation has a TV show aired in 150 nations, potential markets for his books, CDs, MP3s and teaching resources. Among his deacons are Mr Matthew Kang, a Manulife Financial director, and Mr Jack Ho, who once owned a real estate business.

One pastor of a large mainline church in the central area says he relies more on his business administration degree than theology to run his church these days, because of the stringent regulatory environment. 'The question is how to be in the world, but not of the world,' he qualifies.

Theologian Roland Chia laments that this equating of pastor with CEO has come about because the church is now understood to be a business. 'Each local church is seen as a franchise with a core product to sell, namely the Gospel. The predominance of the business model has meant that the traditional tasks associated with pastoral ministry, such as teaching and counselling, are replaced by newer tasks and demands,' he says.

'If the church is a business, it must be run in a way that it can penetrate and service its market efficiently and profitably...What the church needs, according to proponents of this paradigm, is not so much people with MDivs (Master of Divinity) but those with MBAs.

'It is only with this requisite qualification that pastors can successfully manage and market the church. The modern pastor, according to this view, must be a good manager or a capable CEO.'

But Dr Mark Chan of Trinity Theological College cautions that churches which use marketplace methods should put in safety measures because 'business models are not values-neutral'.

Weighing in, the National Council of Churches of Singapore says that while it is not wrong for churches to go into business, they should not allow themselves 'to be distracted from their core mission of preaching the Gospel'.