I typically steer clear of controversial topics on this blog. Over the 18 years I’ve been online now, making my opinion on a sensitive subject known in the public sphere has never led to anything good.
On this occasion though, I’m facing an increasing disquiet that I thought I’d just make a brief mention of it. One of Monday’s news items read on The Straits Times:
$500,000 pay for New Creation Church leader
THE New Creation Church, which made headlines for raising $19 million on one Sunday last month for its upcoming multi-million dollar building, pays good money to its staff too.
The independent church paid one employee between $500,001 and $550,000 in its last financial year, checks by The Straits Times showed.
The church did not confirm if the amount went to its leader, Senior Pastor Joseph Prince, but 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’.
The article also notes that the Senior Pastor donated a similar sum of money to its building project.
OK, it’s their money and not really my business. And I’m sure the church is doing great things. But I’m uneasy that the church awards monetarily its leader for the ‘revenue’ (!!) it receives. Also, that church governance saw fit to lavish a servant of God with such large rewards (his alleged return back to the church not withstanding), and for the church not saying who is receiving the princely six digit sum.
In fact, why stop there even? If the church gets even bigger, why not – along the way later – also reward its leaders with bungalows and private jets? That’d be congruent with the church’s policy to “recognise and reward key contributors”.
$500,000 isn’t a small sum of money. Heck; I think Ling and I live about comfortably and spend within our means with an eye on our savings too, but our combined income is just less than a third of that! In my opinion, $500K is well in excess of the needs of modest, middle-class living.
I’m just thinking now also of the early apostles who spread the gospel under a lot more difficult circumstances than today. Did they receive one hundred donkeys every year as a reward for the work they did?
The letters expressing sentiment on the payout has also started appearing in the newspapers. For instance, one writer yesterday wrote:
However, I do not put the blame for such obscene pay cheques on the elite group of church leaders; rather, I would lay it on the congregation.
During the Chinese New Year period, my family and I visited one of the classier church buildings and attended a service. We were taken aback when a special offering, referred to as a hongbao for Jesus, took place. We were surprised to see many in the congregation willingly coming down the aisles to drop their red packets of money in the baskets held by the pastors and leaders. In return for giving, devotees received a spiritual blessing of prayer.
I was amazed at the congregation’s willingness to give without really knowing where all the money was going to. (There was no mention of the purpose of the collection other than giving it to Jesus.)
In the forthcoming days, I’m pretty sure a couple of things will happen. There’ll be more letters to the forum page questioning the payout. There’ll also be letters from the church’s loyal flock defending the payout.
But even in the latter, the damage is done. That a large church which has been in the news recently for being very rich is now showering its leaders with big sums of money in this time of financial prudence is going to just invite more skeptics to point their fingers at how Christianity has become associated with big dollars. And that rising tide of cynicism is the thing that worries me the most.
YES! finally! i was waiting eagerly for you to write an entry on this. totally agree with you. Benny Hinn has a private jet -.-
that “staff” every year can buy one condo neh. i just feel weird if we’re zooming around in our toyotas (although mine is not toyota la) and there are people starving elsewhere and a pastor zips around in mercedes -.- one becomes a pastor because he is CALLED, shouldn’t be because the pay is good. and the reward should be “storing up treasures in heaven”, not immediate monetary gratification. i’m not saying pastors should be poor poor, no car, attap house, walk everywhere, everyday wear same clothes, but be reasonable la. $500k is crazy!
too bad this fri i can’t come to “discuss” this further with you.
such practices really give churches/religious organisations a bad name… haiz… my colleagues were commenting on this “wa, pastors earn so much ah?” then some who are skeptical and cynical about religion in general said “ya lor, i find these “religious organisations” very suspicious”… sheesh…
we could go on forever…
There’s just one other thing I wanted to comment on from the news report, and it’s this statement:
“Its honorary secretary, Deacon Matthew Kang, added: ‘Senior Pastor Prince is the key man responsible for bringing in about 95 per cent of our church’s income…”
I thought that was a careless claim to make. It suggests several worrying things. Firstly, that the church’s financial well being has been almost totally, short of that 5%, dependent on one man. Secondly, divine intervention and inspiration from the Holy Spirit prompting a worshiper to give accounts for… just 5%.
I really hope that’s not what Deacon Kang is suggesting, or that he should had been more prudent in his choice of words. It’s really troubling.
Gonna refrain from commenting further about this in my thread. It’s unsettling.:(
Not a comment; but just noting a letter written to The Straits Times today. (http://www.straitstimes.com/ST%2BForum/Online%2BStory/STIStory_361152.html)
April 9, 2009
Business and religion: Where do you draw the line?
I READ with interest the recent spate of news with regard to calls for greater transparency in how charities are run, the raising of $19 million for a new complex by New Creation Church and the subsequent revelation that one of its staff was paid a $500,000 salary.
More should be done to look at how charities and religious organisations are run, together with ‘concessions’ given to them in terms of whether they are allowed to pursue commercial interests.
I cite New Creation Church in particular because I am a Christian and this was one church I attended at the encouragement of friends.
I am appalled by the amount of money paid to one staff member, presumably its senior pastor. While I can see the logic and rationale behind the need for larger premises for the growing congregation, I cannot rationalise why there is a need to go into a joint venture to build a commercial mall.
My interest in New Creation Church led me to find out more about it, and I must say some of things I came across on its website surprised me:
-� The church has a ‘business arm’, Rock Productions, of which Senior Pastor Joseph Prince and senior leaders of the church are majority shareholders. A check with the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority revealed more surprises, with Rock Productions stated to have $103 million in paid-up capital.
-� Rock Productions also owns and manages Marine Cove. In addition, a childcare centre and a travel agency are registered under the ownership of Mr Prince and New Creation Church.
– The church has ‘membership cards’ that are given to donors according to the amount of money donated to the church. For instance, if you donate a certain amount in US dollars, you are given a ‘partner’ card that entitles you to a number of ‘benefits’, including DVDs of Mr Prince’s sermons.
As the recent revelation of the senior pastor’s salary has also become a matter of public interest, it would be helpful if the church could clarify the following:
– Detailed clarification on the stakes owned by Mr Prince and senior leaders of the church in Rock Productions and any other affiliated commercial entities, and where the money for the setting up of these commercial entities comes from?
– How are members of the remuneration council selected or elected, and what are the processes pertaining to the determination of Mr Prince’s salary, with those of senior management?
– How are profits made by Rock Productions and the other commercial entities of New Creation Church ploughed back into the church?
– Other than the external auditors appointed by the church, who else is on the audit committee of the church, and how many are independent non-members of the church?
– What are the legal concessions given by the Commissioner of Charities with regard to religious organisations and charities owning commercial entities, and what are the guidelines to ensure proper governance?
I have posed these questions to senior members of the church.
Among the responses by some church members is that such matters are the sole business of the church, and that so long as the members are willing to give, the public has no right to interfere in the affairs of the church.
I beg to differ because a church is a public space, if you are to believe in the Christian spirit of welcoming anyone who is interested. That said, there are non-members of New Creation Church like me who give donations to the church as offerings, and I am sure I am not the only one. Surely then, there is an interest to know where the donations actually go?
I have great respect for Mr Prince in terms of his preaching and what he has done for his congregation. However, I am seeking clarity in terms of accountability and governance with regard to money matters.
While I applaud the church for its innovation in raising funds and its efforts to be self-sustaining, I cannot help but wonder where one draws the line between commercial profit and the conventional definition of a non-profit organisation.
Bruce Chan
the grace revolution is useless if it doesn’t address social political problems facing the world/nations today. because the gospel has been altered( its original message was world changing and the people change along with it rather than one of a personal salvation that do not impact politics or kingdoms) into one which pander to personal salvation, the entire body of christ has been lulled to sleep and mammon ravaged societies/lives, it brought wars and destruction etc.
jesus said..god’s kingdom/politics come on earth as it is in heaven. therefore, it is kingdom/politics that changes life( body/people), not organize religion per se.
in sg, the people are blessed( irrespective of religion) because they have a relatively good government(politics which is quite close to the biblical model but not there yet). you leave in a country with corrupt politics or government, the people suffer( your religion is not going to help them very much or give them a quality of life they can build on)
so what’s the gospel of jesus about?
god’s kingdom! politics of the kingdom – christianity has mostly lost the original message.
i think you are better off reading your daily papers( know the planet you are living in because the true gospel is much bigger than you or your personal problems) before you read your bible because, if you are not in touch with reality, your bible becomes a superstitious book manipulated by deluded charlatans or preachers.
very sad indeed.