City Harvest Church - Wikipedia

City Harvest Church (Chinese: 城市丰收教会) or CHC is a pentecostal megachurch located within the Yunnan subzone of Jurong West planning area, Singapore. CityHarvestChurch FromWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia Jumptonavigation Jumptosearch MegachurchinSingapore ChurchinSingapore,SingaporeCityHarvestChurchLocation1JurongWestStreet91,Singapore649041CountrySingaporeDenominationNon-denominational,CharismaticWeeklyattendance16,049[1]Websitewww.chc.org.sgHistoryFounded7 May1989;32yearsago (1989-05-07)Founder(s)KongHeeandSunHoSpecificationsCapacity6,000ClergySeniorpastor(s)KongHee CityHarvestChurch(Chinese:城市丰收教会)orCHCisapentecostalmegachurchlocatedwithintheYunnansubzoneofJurongWestplanningarea,Singapore. Foundedin1989byKongHee,[2]thechurchofficiallybasesitsvaluesonCharismaticandPentecostalteachings,withemphasesonsuchdoctrinesastheGreatCommandment,theGreatCommissionandtheCulturalMandate.[3][4] CityHarvestChurchisacongregationalmemberoftheNationalCouncilofChurchesofSingapore.[5]ServicesareheldatitschurchbuildinginJurongWestandrentedhallspaceatSuntecInternationalConventionCentre. In2015,sixchurchleadersandfundorfinancemanagerswerefoundguiltyofcriminalbreachoftrustandfalsificationofaccounts.Whenallsixofthemappealedagainsttheverdictandsentences,theAppealCourtfoundthemguiltyofbasiccriminalbreachoftrustandreducedtheirsentences.TheCourtalsonotedthatthesixwerenotmotivatedbypersonalgain,andnopermanentlosswasintendedorcausedtoCHC–allthemonieswerereturnedtothechurchwithinterest.[6][7][8][9] ThechurchwasoneofthreemegachurchestomakeittoalistofSingapore's10largestcharities,accordingtoareportbyTheStraitsTimesin2019.[10] Contents 1Overview 2Controversies 2.1CriminalBreachofTrust 2.2SunHoscandal 2.3S$310millionSuntecinvestment 3Seealso 4References 5Externallinks Overview[edit] TheStraitsTimesreportedthatCHC'scongregationsizepeakedat33,000in2010beforeinvestigationsintoitsleadersbegan.[11][12]In2012,GlobalChurchNetworklistedCHCasoneofthetenlargestchurchesoutsideoftheUS.[13]Thechurchreportedthatithadacongregationsizeof15,654in2019andanaverageweeklyviewershipof17,276foritsonlineservicesandresourcesin2020.[14]Asof2018,thedemographicsrevealedthat45.1%aremen,54.9%arewomen,34.1%aremarried,and61.9%aresingle.55.9%ofthemareworkingadults,whilemostoftherestareservingthemilitary,non-salaried,students,andchildren.[15] ThechurchwasfoundedbyKongHee[2][16]andhiswifeSunHo[17][18]on7May1989,andhelditsfirstserviceatPeaceCentre.Itfirstfunctionedas"EkklesiaMinistry,"ayouthdepartmentunderthelegalcoveringofBethanyChristianCentre,anAssembliesofGodchurch.On21December1992,CityHarvestChurchwassetupasasociety.ItwasregisteredundertheCharitiesActon16October1993.[citationneeded] From2002,KongbegantoteachontheCulturalMandateandencouragethechurchmemberstoexcelinthemarketplace.On1November2005,Kongwithdrewhimselffromthestaffpayrollandhenowservesthechurchasanhonoraryfounder/seniorpastor.[19]Later,inaninvestigationleadingtotrialandconviction,itwasrevealedthatKonghadsetupaprivatefundanddivertedover$3millionoftithesandpledgestoa'multipurposeaccount'.Giverstotheaccountweretoldthiswasforthefundingofa'Crossoverproject'. Since1996,CHC’smandatewastobuilda“churchwithoutwalls”–achurchthatactivelyengagesthelocalcommunity.Outofthisvision,CHCstartedmanyinitiativessuchasacommunityarmknownasCityHarvestCommunityServicesAssociation(CHCSA)in1997andtheCrossoverProjectin2002.[20][18]CHCSAiscurrentlyinvolvedinelderlyservices,directsocialservices,patientcareservices,aswellasyouthandcommunityprojects.[21]InDecember2004,CHCwasinvolvedinthehumanitarianreliefworkoftheIndianOceantsunami.[11]Thechurchhassincesentaidanddisasterreliefworkerstothe2010Haitiearthquake.[22] Controversies[edit] CriminalBreachofTrust[edit] Mainarticle:CityHarvestChurchCriminalBreachofTrustCase Sincethebeginningofthe21stcentury,oneofthebiggestcorruptioncaseontheisland[23][24]revolvedaroundCityHarvestChurchandfoundersKongHeeinvolvingatotalofS$50millionoffundsmis-use.Sixpersonsfromtheseniorleadership,includingitschurchfounderKongHee,wereconvictedofthemisuseofmillionsofdollarsofthechurch'smoney.[25]Thecourtfoundthatthechurch'sseniorleadershiphadchannelled$24millionfromCHC'sBuildingFundintoshambondsinmusicproductioncompanyXtronandglass-makerFirna.[25]ThepurposeoftherestrictedBuildingFundwasspecificallyforbuildingorinvestment.[26]TheyusedthemoneytofundthesingingcareerofKong'swifeHoYeowSun,aspartoftheCrossoverProject,achurchmissionwhichtheysaidwastoevangelisethroughMsHo'smusic.[25]ExpensesrevealedbycourtrecordsincludedahouseinHollywoodthatcost$28,000amonthinrent;awholeentourageofstaff;a$1.9millionpaychecktorapperWyclefJeantoproducethe"ChinaWine"video;aswellasanother$500,000tosweepupheralbumswhentheytanked.[27] Thesixappealedtheverdict,andon7April2017,theCourtofAppealreducedtheirsentencesbyapproximatelyhalf,basedonitsfindingthat“theappellantsshouldonlyhavebeenconvictedoftheoffenceofcriminalbreachoftrustsimpliciterundersection406ofthePenalCode”.Thejudgessaiditwasasituationthatinvolvednopersonalgainonthepartofthesix,andthattheybelievedtheiracts,especiallyinshaminvestmentswouldadvancetheinterestofthechurch.[28] ACriminalReferencefiledbytheAGCinabidtoreinstatetheoriginalconvictionswasheardbyafive-judgeCourtofAppealanddismissedon1Feb2018.[29] SunHoscandal[edit] In2013,ascandaltookplaceinvolvingfoundingclergySunHoafterhackersself-styled'Messiah'hackedherofficialwebsite,[30][31]followingwhichapolicereportwasmadebyCityHarvestChurch.[32]Aroundthesametime,aspam-likeemailisfurtherpublishedontheInternetsuggestedanotherself-styled'Messiah-Two'makingallegationsregardingSunHo.[33]Thesuspected“Messiah”,JamesRaj,whohadpriordrugconvictions,wasarrestedthesameyearforhackingintowebsiteofthePrimeMinister’sOffice.[34] S$310millionSuntecinvestment[edit] On6March2010,CityHarvestChurchannouncedthatithadpurchasedasignificantstakeinSuntecConventionCentreandwillbeusingitsfacilitiesforchurchservices,theprojectwillcostanestimatedS$310million,includingsharesacquisition,renovationandrentalcosts.[35][36][37]ChurchfounderKongHeesaidinastatementthatthemove"allows[thechurch]tomovefromapresentexpensiverentalmodeltoamorefinanciallysustainableownershipmodelforthelongterm".[38]However,somebroughtupthepointthatasaregisteredcharity,CHC'sincome–expectedtoincludeprofitsanddividendsfromspacerentalandtenantleasesinSuntecSingaporeinthefuture–isnon-taxable.Thechurchhasclarifiedthattheinvestmentisindirect,throughawhollyownedsubsidiaryforthepurposeoftaxationandseparateaccounting.Questionssurfacedamongthepublicwhetherreligiousorganisations,whichareregisteredascharities,shouldbeallowedtogointobusinessusingwhatareessentiallydonorfunds.[35] TheCommissionerofCharities(COC)soughtclarificationsonthetransaction.[36]Thechurchstateditwasunderanon-disclosureagreementwhichrequiredthedetailsofthetransactiontoremainconfidential,butexplainedthattheinvestmentwasmadethroughaholdingcompanythatisnotacharityorganizationanddoesnotenjoytaxbreaks;andhaddiscloseddetailsofthedealtotheCOCaswellastheUrbanRedevelopmentAuthorityuponrequest.[39]Thechurchalsosaidthattherewasa"strongandunfoundedallegation"floatingonlinethattheManagementBoardandKongwere"deliberatelyconcealinganumberofembarrassingfactsfromitsmembers"withregardtotheSuntecinvestment,sayingthattheallegationwas"furthestfromthetruth",[37]andlaterreleasedanoticestatingthatCharitiesandfoundationsoftenusedonorfundstoinvestandgeneratesustainableincomefortheirintendedcauses.[40] On21July2012,thechurchannounceddetailsofitsinvestmentinSuntecSingapore.Atotalof39.2%shareholdingwasacquiredatatotalcostof$97.75million.Public-listedSuntecREITholdstheother60.8%.Theremainingbalanceintheprojectedbuildingfundwillbeusedforcostssuchasequipment,furnitureandfittings,periodicalshiftingcosts(duetoothereventsatthevenue),committedrentals,optionalrentalsandrefundablerentaldeposits.[41][42]In2013,itwasrevealedthatthechurchhadundertakena$50mloanwithhighintereststofinancetheacquisitionofadditionalshares,asthebuildingfundhadlargelybeenexhaustedovertheyearsonvenueandequipmentrentals,whileusingtheSingaporeExpofrom2006-2010.Ifthechurchisunabletofinancetheloan,itmayindefaultloseupto19.2%ofitsshareholdingaspartoftheloanagreement. Seealso[edit] ChristianityinSingapore References[edit] ^"CHC|AnnualReport2018".www.chc.org.sg.Retrieved10December2020. ^ab"FollowersrallyaroundCityHarvestleaders".AsiaOne.2June2010.Archivedfromtheoriginalon5June2010.Retrieved21February2011. ^"TheCityHarvestStory".CityHarvestChurch.Retrieved17June2021. ^"StatementofFaith".CityHarvestChurch.Archivedfromtheoriginalon13November2008.Retrieved29May2007. ^"CONGREGATIONALMEMBERS". ^"SingaporeCityHarvestmegachurchleadersguiltyoffraud".BBCNews.Retrieved24October2015. ^"WhatyouneedtoknowabouttheCityHarvesttrial".TheStraitsTimes.Retrieved21November2015. ^"CityHarvestchurchfounderKongHeeand4othersarrested".AsiaOne.Archivedfromtheoriginalon14January2016.Retrieved24October2015. ^"KongHee"(PDF).Judgment,Magistrate’sAppealsNo147–152of2015.Retrieved6August2021. ^hermes(21July2019)."NUS,NTUandthreemegachurchesareSingapore'slargestcharitieswithbusinessunits".TheStraitsTimes.Retrieved8December2020. ^ab"CityHarvestmega-churchcelebrates25yearsdespiteongoingtrial".29July2014.Retrieved2March2021. ^TheresaTan(25August2019)."CityHarvestseesfewerfollowersbutremainsamongtop10richestcharities".Retrieved1October2020. ^"10GlobalChurchesLargerthanAmerica'sLargest".GlobalChurchNetwork.18January2012.Retrieved1October2020. ^"CHCAnnualReport2019/2020".CityHarvestChurch.Retrieved18June2021. ^"CHCAnnualReport2018".CityHarvestChurch.Retrieved1October2020. ^"KongHee".CityHarvestChurch.Retrieved14June2021. ^ LamLengHung,John;Chew,EngAn(5November2003)."APastorinaBroadSense".Streats. ^ab"SunHo".CityHarvestChurch.Retrieved14June2021. ^"CHCStory".KongHee.Archivedfromtheoriginalon7April2010.Retrieved22May2010. ^"KongHee,CityHarvestChurchMembersDenyUsingShamInvestmentstoHideFraud".ChristianPost.Retrieved9September2021. ^"Churcharmspent$2.5moncharity".11November2015.Retrieved29March2021. ^"8S'poreansinHaititoprovidemedicalaid".Archivedfromtheoriginalon22January2010.Retrieved2March2021. ^"CPIBCaseStudies:PublicSector".Retrieved3October2020. ^"CPIBCaseStudies:PrivateSector".Retrieved3October2020. ^abchermesauto(7April2017)."CityHarvestappealverdict:Sixchurchleadersgetreducedjailterms,KongHeegets3.5years".TheStraitsTimes.Retrieved19November2017. ^"CityHarvesttrial:All6accused,includingfounderKongHee,foundguiltyofallcharges".21October2015.Retrieved8September2020. ^Md,Suhaile(22September2016)."CHCAppeal:TheoptimismandfollyofKongHee".Archivedfromtheoriginalon26October2016.Retrieved16August2021. ^"CityHarvestappealverdict:Sixchurchleadersgetreducedjailterms,KongHeegets3.5years".7April2017.Retrieved4September2020. ^"CityHarvestcase:ApexCourtdismissesbidforlongersentencesforKongHee,formerchurchleaders".February2018.Retrieved4September2020. ^"SunHo'swebsitehackedby'TheMessiah'".Archivedfromtheoriginalon1December2015.Retrieved1December2015. ^Hoe,PeiShan."SunHo'swebsitehacked,perpetratorthreatenstoexpose"hiddenagenda"".StraitsTimes.Retrieved1December2015. ^"SunHo'swebsitevandalisedby'Messiah'hacker".Today.Retrieved1December2015. ^Tan,Cathryn."DoesCHCPastorKong'sWife,SunHo,HavinganAffairwithOneofherChurch-Mates?".sgcircle.com.Archivedfromtheoriginalon1December2015.Retrieved1December2015. ^"Suspected'Messiah'chargedforhackingincidents;morebeinginvestigatedforPMO,Istanahacking".12November2013.Retrieved4September2020. ^ab"CharitycommissionerquestionsCityHarvest.20March2010".Archivedfromtheoriginalon23March2010.Retrieved4April2010. ^ab"CityHarvest'sexpansionplan".Today.Singapore.22March2010.Archivedfromtheoriginalon24March2010.Retrieved23March2010. ^abhttp://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1047863/1/.htmlCityHarvestChurchrespondstoquestionsovernon-disclosureofSuntecdeal.4April2010. ^EstherTeo(7March2010)."CityHarvestpaying$310mtobecomeSuntecco-owner".TheSundayTimes.p. 1,3. ^"Detailscouldnotbedisclosed,sayschurch".Today.Singapore.5April2010.Archivedfromtheoriginalon10May2010.Retrieved28April2010. ^"Noticetomembersofchc"(PDF).CityHarvestChurch.22May2010.Archivedfromtheoriginal(PDF)on21December2010.Retrieved22May2010. ^Chua,Linus(21July2012)."Singapore'sCityHarvestChurchDoublesConventionCenterStake".Bloomberg.Retrieved12July2013. ^"ChannelNewsAsia".ChannelNewsAsia.Retrieved12July2013. Externallinks[edit] Officialwebsite vteChristianityinSingaporeProtestantismAnglican AnglicanDioceseofSingapore StAndrew'sCathedral StMatthew'sChurch SaintGeorge'sChurch HolyTrinityChurch ChurchofOurSaviour AssembliesofGod AssembliesofGodSingapore ElimChurch GraceAssemblyofGod Baptist SingaporeBaptistConvention Bible-Presbyterian Bible-PresbyterianChurch LifeBible-PresbyterianChurch EvangelicalFree CovenantEvangelicalFreeChurch Independent BethanyIndependent-PresbyterianChurch CentralChristianChurch ChurchinSingapore ActsChurch Lutheran LutheranChurchinSingapore Megachurches CityHarvestChurch CornerstoneCommunityChurch HeartofGodChurch NewCreationChurch FaithCommunityBaptistChurch Methodist MethodistChurchinSingapore WesleyMethodistChurch TelokAyerChineseMethodistChurch FaithMethodistChurch KampongKaporMethodistChurch BarkerRoadMethodistChurch Presbyterian PresbyterianChurchinSingapore SingaporeLifeChurch PrinsepStreetPresbyterianChurch BethelPresbyterianChurch OrchardRoadPresbyterianChurch Seventh-dayAdventist Seventh-dayAdventistConference(Singapore) RomanCatholic CatholicChurchinSingapore CathedraloftheGoodShepherd ChurchofOurLadyofLourdes ChurchofOurLadyofPerpetualSuccour ChurchofOurLadyStaroftheSea ChurchofStFrancisXavier SaintJoseph'sChurch ChurchofSaintAlphonsus(NovenaChurch) ChurchoftheHolyFamily ChurchoftheHolyTrinity ChurchoftheNativityoftheBlessedVirginMary ChurchofStMaryoftheAngels ChurchoftheRisenChrist ChurchoftheSacredHeart OrientalOrthodoxArmenianApostolic ArmenianChurchofSaintGregorytheIlluminator EasternOrthodoxEcumenicalPatriarchate EasternOrthodoxMetropolitanateofSingaporeandSouthAsia MoscowPatriarchate PatriarchalExarchateinSouth-EastAsia Non-trinitarianMormon TheChurchofJesusChristofLatter-daySaintsinSingapore ChristianScience ChristianScienceSingapore TrueJesusChurch TrueJesusChurchSingapore Authoritycontrol VIAF 1 WorldCat Coordinates:1°20′35″N103°41′31″E/1.343041°N103.691915°E/1.343041;103.691915 Retrievedfrom"https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=City_Harvest_Church&oldid=1043542771" Categories:1989establishmentsinSingaporeReligiousorganisationsbasedinSingaporePentecostalchurchesinAsiaChurchesinSingaporeEvangelicalmegachurchesinSingaporeJurongWestChristianorganizationsestablishedin1989Christiandenominationsestablishedinthe20thcenturyHiddencategories:ArticleswithshortdescriptionShortdescriptionisdifferentfromWikidataUseBritishEnglishfromJanuary2013UsedmydatesfromOctober2015InfoboxmapframewithoutOSMrelationIDonWikidataArticlescontainingsimplifiedChinese-languagetextAllarticleswithunsourcedstatementsArticleswithunsourcedstatementsfromApril2016ArticleswithVIAFidentifiersArticleswithWORLDCATIDidentifiersCoordinatesonWikidataPagesusingtheKartographerextension Navigationmenu Personaltools NotloggedinTalkContributionsCreateaccountLogin Namespaces ArticleTalk Variants expanded collapsed Views ReadEditViewhistory More expanded collapsed Search Navigation MainpageContentsCurrenteventsRandomarticleAboutWikipediaContactusDonate Contribute HelpLearntoeditCommunityportalRecentchangesUploadfile Tools WhatlinkshereRelatedchangesUploadfileSpecialpagesPermanentlinkPageinformationCitethispageWikidataitem Print/export DownloadasPDFPrintableversion Languages 客家語/Hak-kâ-ngîBahasaIndonesia日本語PolskiPortuguês中文 Editlinks