m →Missionary Work: corrected spelling (satellite instead of satalite) and added wikipedia links for the words "cable television" and "satellite". |
Nccwebmaster (talk | contribs) →Criticisms and controversies: I suggest we discuss in the talk page. Something similiar was discussed under "doctrine" before, The NL website does not look reputable and reliable. |
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==Criticisms and controversies== |
==Criticisms and controversies== |
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'''Content and style of preaching''' |
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The content and style of preaching and teaching in the church are deemed to be controversial by some critics. One such critics, Rien van de Kraats, who leads the [[Netherlands]]-based Back to the Bible workgroup, a self-proclaimed "small group of Christians" concerned with "the spiritual climate...in the Netherlands and Belgium" <ref>http://www.backtothebible.nl/</ref> (not to be confused with the US-based international Christian ministry [[Back to the Bible]] led by [[Dr Woodrow M. Kroll]]) , after he listened to the CD recording of three (3) services <ref name="article1">{{cite news|url=http://www.backtothebible.nl/Eng_1-4-07.pdf Analysis of Joseph Prince's Gospel}}</ref>, wrote in an article dated 1 April 2007 that the senior pastor Joseph Prince "exceeds several times the limits of biblical decency"; "preaches biblical falsities, or rather things that are not written"; "frequently imitates people, who have questions concerning his message...[in a way that is] humiliating for the persons concerned and certainly doesn’t radiate pastoral compassion"; "comes across rather compelling... does this for example by always demanding from his listeners to agree with his message by calling the word amen...also lets them repeat his sentences frequently, as an affirmation that they listen to him and that his message is true"; "is manipulative and works toward a certain climax"; and that "In the message of Joseph Prince the same sound rings through. He only adds something. He adds the prosperity message. He uses the good, biblical term of grace to lead up to his eventual aim: that is material blessings for those who live by grace. This principle occurs in all his messages. From his statements concerning grace he always comes back to prosperity, which should be conferred upon every Christian who lives by grace." The article made this conclusion about Joseph Prince, "We do not think it is advisable to get the dogma of Joseph Prince in the congregation."<ref name="article1"/> |
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'''Salary paid to the senior pastor''' |
'''Salary paid to the senior pastor''' |
Revision as of 06:43, 9 June 2009
New Creation Church | |
---|---|
Country | Singapore |
Denomination | Independent |
Website | www.newcreation.org.sg |
Clergy | |
Senior pastor(s) | Pastor Joseph Prince |
File:New Creation Church Logo.jpg |
New Creation Church is a non-denominational megachurch in Singapore. It was founded in 1984 and has grown in size from 25 original members to 18,000 members by February 2009.[1] It is a member of the National Council of Churches of Singapore. It is not affiliated to any church overseas. The official mission statement of the church is "to see Jesus in all the loveliness of His Person and the perfection of His work and to make Him known through the preaching of the gospel".[2]
Missionary Work
According to the church's website, it has been involved in missions throughout the Asian region, and has sent pastors and leaders to countries such as Russia, China, India, Cambodia, Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia.[3]
The church services are broadcast in countries including Israel, the United States, the United Kingdom, South Africa and Australia on various cable television and satellite networks such as USA Network, ABC Family Channel, CNBC Europe, Middle East Television, Trinity Broadcast Network, Daystar Television Network, GOD TV, United Christian Broadcasters and Australian Christian Channel.[4]
It has been reported that 10% of the church's income is spent on missionary work, amounting to US$4 million a year.[5]
Place of worship
The congregation currently worship in the Rock Auditorium in Suntec city. A new building, called the "Civic, Cultural and Retail Complex (CCRC)" is being planned by Rock Productions, the business arm of the church,[1] together with CapitaLand in Buona Vista. The church will rent space owned by its subsidiary, Rock Productions, in the complex for Sunday services.[6] The building is envisioned as a "futuristic complex with restaurants, shops and a 5,000-seat theatre", and will cost nearly SGD1 billion.[1]
In raising funds for its new cultural and entertainment complex, the church was reported to have raised SGD19 million within 24 hours in 2009[7] and it also raised SGD18 million in one day in 2008.[1] The church has so far raised approximately one third its SGD500 million share of the new building's cost.[1]
Senior pastor Joseph Prince
Senior Pastor Joseph Prince, born in 1963, is one of the founding members of New Creation Church.[8] He was born to an Indian father and a Chinese mother. He spent his primary school years in Perak, Malaysia. He eventually came back to Singapore and followed an aunt to church. He was then a young man dabbling in the occult but he said that 'supernatural experiences' opened his eyes to Christianity. He attended Commonwealth Secondary School in Singapore and went on to finish his 'A' levels at a private school, Our Lady of Lourdes.
In 1984, Mr Prince, then president of a youth ministry in a traditional church, and a group of friends were asked to leave the church, which didn’t agree with their open displays of worship. They then left the church and started their own New Creation Church. Before he became a full-time pastor in the New Creation Church, he was working as an IT consultant. While working as a consultant, he changed his name to the current one, Joseph Prince. His real name was never revealed but the last name was Singh. He is married to Wendy Prince and they have a daughter, Jessica Shayna. They are said to live in a classy condominium in a prime residential district and drive an expensive continental car.[9] [10]
He has a publishing house, and releases books, CDs and DVDs, which are sold at the affiliated Rock Gifts & Books Centre, at secular bookshops such as the Times bookstores and the Harris/Popular bookstores in Singapore, Barnes and Noble in the United States, as well as through Amazon.com.[11] His latest book, Destined to Reign: The Secret to Effortless Success, Wholeness and Victorious Living, released on 15 July 2007, contains teachings from his last ten years of preaching the gospel of grace.[12]
In 2006, Prince was invited to speak at the Grace & Favour Seminar, at Hillsong Church[13] in Sydney and also to Hillsong London[14] to preach at its three Sunday services. In 2007 and 2008 he was invited to speak at the Hillsong Conference in Sydney held in July and the Hillsong Europe Conference in London held in October. He has also been invited to preach at churches in countries such as Canada, Norway, Netherlands, South Africa and Indonesia.[15]
In 2009, he was reported in The Straits Times to be earning in excess of SGD500,000 a year. [16] During the same time period he was also the Church's chief executive and served as chairman to the Church's six member board, an arrangement that was not in line with the revised and updated recommendations contained within the Code of Governance [17] issued by the Charity Council of Singapore on 26 November 2007, which encourages the separation of these two positions. The Church stated that it believed that the senior pastor being ‘ordained by God to lead the church...is the best person to guide the board’.
Criticisms and controversies
Salary paid to the senior pastor
There have been criticisms about the quantum of salary paid by the church to its senor pastor Joseph Prince. On 5 October 2008, in an interview with the Sunday Times, Joseph Prince acknowledged that he was well-paid but added that money did not have a hold on him. Mr Prince who is the executive chairman of the church council, also dismissed the rumour in the interview that his salary was $50,000 a month, saying "It could have been $50,000 if I had not voluntarily taken all the pay cuts through the years. There was a system of payment that would actually enrich me greatly but as the church grew, I refuse to accept that system of payment."[9][10]
On 30 March 2009, The Straits Times reported that a check revealed that the independent New Creation Church paid one employee between $500,001 and $550,000 in its last financial year of 2008. Under the revised and updated recommendations contained in the Code of Governance [17] for charities, all charities and non-profit organizations in Singapore are encouraged to disclose the salary bands of their top executives to the Commissioner of Charities. Even though the church did not confirm if the amount went to its pastor, Joseph Prince, but it told The Straits Times that its policy is to 'recognise and reward key contributors to the church and Senior Pastor Prince is the main pillar of our church's growth and revenue'.[16][18][19]The New Creation Church's income was reported to be SGD55.4million for the financial year ended March 2008.[20]
On 15 April 2009 Matthew Kang, the Honorary Secretary of the New Creation Church, posted a reply to The Straits Times on the church's website stating that the New Creation Church was not a public charity and did not solicit public donations. Kang's response went on to assert that "there is absolutely no compulsion to give whether in tithes or offerings, and any giving is done out of a willing heart." Kang also said that "every giver is appreciated and it is taken in good faith that he believes in the elected leadership and will trust them to make good decisions for the particular church he has chosen to attend, whether as a member or a visitor."[21]
Funds raised for its new venue
The Church also raised SGD18 million in one day on April 2008 and another SGD19 million within a day in Feb 2009 in its fund raising efforts. Some critics questioned whether the money should be used to help the poor instead. [22]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e "Church collects $19m in one day for lifestyle hub". The Straits Times. May 19, 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-19.
{{cite news}}
:|first=
missing|last=
(help) - ^ http://www.newcreation.org.sg/aboutus/mission_corevalues/mission_statement_corevalues.htm
- ^ "Ministries - Global Outreach - Missions". New Creation Church. Retrieved 2009-06-09.
{{cite web}}
: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=
(help) - ^ http://www.josephprince.org/broadcast/schedule/broadcastschedule.htm
- ^ Thomas, George! (January 01 2008). "Singapore takes on a world mission". CBN news. Retrieved 2009-05-19.
{{cite news}}
: Check date values in:|date=
(help) - ^ Kang, Matthew (March 27, 2009). "Proposed mega mall not a church building". Asia One. Retrieved 2009-05-19.
- ^ ."Church raises $19m in 24 hours".
- ^ "Joseph & Wendy Prince". New Creation Church. Retrieved 2007-06-09.
{{cite web}}
: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=
(help) - ^ a b Church Pastors Like None Other - From stutter to charisma http://admpreview.straitstimes.com:90/vgn-ext-templating/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=2f0e3114209cc110VgnVCM100000430a0a0aRCRD&vgnextchannel=016fe84edfbf8110VgnVCM100000350a0a0aRCRD Church Pastors Like None Other - From stutter to charisma.
{{cite news}}
: Check|url=
value (help); Missing or empty|title=
(help) - ^ a b Scanned copy of The Singapore Sunday Times 15th October 2008 http://www.tmc.org.my/documents/pjp.pdf Scanned copy of The Singapore Sunday Times 15th October 2008.
{{cite news}}
: Check|url=
value (help); Missing or empty|title=
(help) - ^ "Resources - Online Catalogue". Destined to Reign. Retrieved 2009-05-31.
{{cite web}}
: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=
(help) - ^ "Now In: Books → Destined To Reign (Hardcover)". Joseph Prince Ministries. Retrieved 2007-08-17.
{{cite web}}
: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=
(help) - ^ "Joseph Prince at Hillsong Conference 2007 Sydney, Australia". Hillsong Church. Retrieved 2007-07-05.
{{cite web}}
: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=
(help) - ^ "Special Guests". Hillsong Church London (Hillsong London). Retrieved 2007-05-17.
{{cite web}}
: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=
(help) - ^ http://www.newcreation.org.sg/joseph_wendy_prince/speaking_engagement/past_events2008.html
- ^ a b "Church Leader gets $500K".
- ^ a b http://bschool.nus.edu.sg/Portals/0/images/CGFRC/docs/Code-20of-20Governance-20for-20Charites-.pdf. Retrieved 2009-06-09.
{{cite news}}
: Missing or empty|title=
(help) - ^ $500,000 pay for New Creation Church leader
- ^ Singapore church pays princely sum to leader
- ^ http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/Singapore/Story/BgSty_277387_1.html Church's Income was SGD55.4million for year ending March 2008
- ^ Reply To The Straits Times Forum Online (Business And Religion: Where Do You Draw The Line?)
- ^ Church collects $19m in one day for lifestyle hub