In this regards, CHC has a team of 8 full-time staff and more than 700 volunteers going their rounds in helping the poor and needy in the society. It is in fact, a bigger welfare organization than even many government or government –related bodies. The size and magnitude of the organization is still growing day and day, and if CHC does not have a passion in serving the poor and needy, would it plough and contribute so much in terms of money and efforts to our poor and needy?

You might also like to know that beyond Singapore, they had also contributed greatly to the relief efforts of the tsunami victims (in terms of money, manpower and time), and they are doing the same now for the Haiti’s earthquake victims as well.

So, while CHC is doing their silent part, what have you been doing, our dear Nick? Just sitting back in your nice armchair and being a cyber critic will not help the poor!

And if you are not contributing anything, then at least don’t hypocritically criticize on matters that you yourself do not even have a conviction in, OK?

Any church or organisation that is big, requires suitable land and property size in order to function.

A small building like Jurong West – which according to my sources, can only sit 2,000 has caused many problems such as traffic jams, not enough parking lots, not enough F&B places for the members to go to. Previously when they were at Jurong West only, the 27,000 membership were spread over back to back services, rushing off when one service ends to rush in when another starts. I’m talking about 6 English services packed into one weekend, and other ministries such as the children church, the dialect church, the mentally disabled ministry, the Indonesian church etc etc. There is virtually no room in the building for fellowship or simply for people to hang around and enjoy their own church premises, or even use the packed toilets.

If you were part of a big organisation with such a small building, who suffers? Everyone, from the Pastor who preach the same message 6 times a week to the members who are consistently rushed from one hall to the next holding area, fighting over the limited amount of seats in the main hall.

To me, the desire for a bigger place is only reasonable. its a 12,000 seater hall, what do you expect? the price tag to be a mere 1 million? Yes, its a tad pricey for the average Singaporean.. but we’re talking housing about close to 30,000 people in a single seating.

City Harvest is amazingly bold for a church.. I wish I was part of them, and the magnificent building they are going to have.

Jealous, much?

(:

If there’s nothing, then I don’t see why they can’t do what they’re gonna do – despite the nay-saying attitudes of other Christians.

It seems to me a pretty good idea to have a building (religious) that will house shops, restaurants and so on – other Christians will find it convenient, for instance, to take food/meals there.

[Food can be quite a problem in Singapore for some Christians. Not all vendors are ‘new food court’ types - they display religious inscriptions and images at their stalls, and many a Christian find it uncomfortable to take food from there. The best places for these Christians are places bereft of religious symbols and artifacts, or places with symbols, artifacts or inscriptions relating to Christianity. Supermarkets - at least most supermarkets - are fine because they are usually bereft of anything which acquaints with religion.]

Once again, I don’t see why this is a bad idea at all. The City Harvest Church seem to want to create a modern Christian village that might be worth studying when it’s complete, up and going – you know, if Christians cannot create a republic of their own why should they not be able to create a village of their own? This has been the quaint idea of many Christians before they grew older, and more pessimistic.

And again, if there’s nothing unbiblical about what they’re doing, why should City Harvest Church not be allowed to do what they are going to do?

Roman Catholicism has a centre, a very grand one, in the Vatican City; Islam has Mecca, but Christians do not even have Jerusalem. Protestantism has never had a real centre in the form of a city, and never will probably, but it should have churches that are interested in creating large, self-sustaining communities.

City Harvest has always been the forward-looking kind, you can tell that even in their worship style. Christians who prefer a more meditative style cannot say that that kind of worship style is not unbiblical, and neither can they say that its ‘expansion plans’ are unbiblical in nature, only that it’s probably all in the good name of evangelism or proselytisation.

I believe the congregation of CHC will continue to grow as freed people!

If CHC choose to embark on the prosperity gospel path and nurture and flaunt their celebrities then live with the sticks and stones. It comes with the territory of being wealthy and flaunting that wealth and status and fame in the face of society.

Be a witness of your faith in the best possible sense, according to the word of your holy book and you would win the praise the respect of many, even those of other faiths Just look at Ghandi, the Dalai Lama and even Obama.

Have you ever wondered why people may have a fixed notion of the following?

1. That a church, or another religious organization for that matter, cannot acquire a large piece of land right smack in the middle of town, or anywhere suitable on the island for that matter. There are many sizeable temples, mosques and other places of worship within the city centre.

2. That a church, or another religious organization for that matter, cannot grow beyond a certain size. If CHC has grown bigger than any other church or religious organization in Singapore, something right must be working that has “penetrated” and benefited the lives of its members.

3. That a church, or another religious organization for that matter, cannot be financially strong or have members who are committed to give. There are also many persons of other faiths who donate generously for their beliefs. There are many beautiful temples, mosques and other religious buildings that have come about because of personal donations. Or have modern people lost the notion of giving to a community project altogether, focusing more on self?

4. That a church, or another religious organization for that matter, can also contribute to the economy by offering F&B services, or other services the public can find useful. There are many businesses started by religious people of different faiths, who are also very enterprising in business.

5. That a new church building, or another new religious building for that matter, may be a place to most effectively reach out to the poor, touch the needy, improve the lives of the desperate, and transform the lives of the forsaken. Effectiveness of outreach is a combination of the difference a program can make, commitment of volunteers, execution and sustainability of the effort, and not just a measure of how much money is spent. It is the ROI (Return on Investment).

As a man thinks, so is he… Free your mind!

Gogogogogogo

Do you go to every Buddhist/Indian temple/Muslim mosque and ask what they are doing with their money?
Are you interrogating them on why they are building beautiful buildings for the god they worship?
If you were buying your own house, would you decide instead to donate all your money towards charity and choose to live under a bridge?

Or are you worried that CHC will come around your house asking YOU for money?
If you are not contributing a single cent, then what’s all yr kaypoh-ness about?
As far as I know, CHC raises its own money for whatever projects it does, even those giving back toward the community that is chockful of people like you determined to be cynical.

CHC is sending teams into Haiti and giving school dropouts a 2nd chance … what are YOU doing?

Wonder why some people turn a blind eye to the good & positve works but insist on focusing in baseless negative hearsay?