Gear up for a spiritual encounter at Asia Conference & Church Growth International 2010, coming to you this May.

The biggest Christian event in Asia of the year is almost here—Asia Conference 2010. This is the second one after the highly-successful inaugural conference in 2008. Speaking at this conference are some of the biggest names in the Christian preaching circuit, including Rev. Dr. David Yonggi Cho of Yoido Full Gospel Church in Seoul, and Dr. A.R. Bernard, senior pastor of the 33,000-member Christian Cultural Center in Brooklyn, New York. Attendees are also able to sign up for electives with top speakers and pastors, and for recreation, there are dozens of exciting competitions to take part in.

This year, CHC will be collaborating with Church Growth International, based in South Korea, in organizing the conference. The conference will be hosted by Rev. Dr. Kong Hee, founder and senior pastor of CHC together with Rev. Dr. Yonggi Cho, founder of CGI.

According to Derek Dunn, CHC’s executive pastor, the conference will be a significant one for Asia as two of the largest congregations are collaborating to run this event.

“What an honor it is for CGI to ask us to combine our event with their mega event. We are truly humbled and believe that the conference will be a successful one. To have Dr. Cho gracing our pulpit is going to be an historic event.”

Apart from this, the conference will also showcase an impressive line-up of renowned international preachers and heroes of faith, all gathered under one roof. Delegates can look forward to great faith-boosting sessions with Phil Pringle and Reinhard Bonnke, among others. The first Asia Conference in November 2008 was attended by over 20,000 delegates from more than 60 different countries. Featuring world-class speakers from around the globe and a list of practical ministry and professional-related electives, participants had the opportunity to glean lessons for personal growth.

One person who is all geared up for Asia Conference is Lin Hui Hui from Northeast Asia. At the last Conference, during a session by Phil Pringle, Lin received the baptism of the Holy Spirit and went back to his country with renewed strength and vision. Lin comes from a traditional church background and most of his church members were not very open to the baptism of the Holy Spirit. However, within a few months of his return, his family, consisting of full time workers and pastors from five churches, were subsequently filled with the Holy Spirit and began to see God moving powerfully in their churches.

Lin shared, “The conference taught me to be more sensitive to the Holy Spirit and I received an impartation of faith, which helped me greatly in starting a new church.” Since then, Lin’s church has grown to 100 members. This year, he is planning to bring up to 120 people from his hometown to Asia Conference.

For others, the Conference is a chance to enjoy exciting activities. Student, Jelin Siow, 19, is excited about a competition which tests contestants’ scriptural knowledge and memory. “I’m actually looking forward to Word Power! It’s a chance to increase my knowledge in the Word. Plus, I stand a chance to win an iPhone!”

“Whether you are a pastor, full-time worker, businessman or student, I believe God has something for every one of us,” says Dunn. “Mark down the dates in your calendar and don’t miss out on all that God has in store for you. You will be propelled into greater heights as we gather together for a week of encounters in His presence.”

The conference will be held for five days from Wednesday to Sunday, May 26 to 30.

For more information and updates, please visit the conference website at www.asiaconference.org.sg. Registration is now open for all sessions and electives.

A new semester begins for students in the School of Theology, Class of 2010.

CN PHOTO: Michael Chan

Nearly 700 local and international students gathered at City Harvest Church’s Jurong West church auditorium. The class of 2010 sees the largest ever intake of students for the School of Theology 2010.

SOT, a full-time Bible college founded in 1994 by Rev. Dr. Kong Hee, is now in its 16th cycle, with a total record attendance of 691 students, which include 200 international delegates.

The first morning of SOT was off to a powerful start with a vibrant session of praise and worship, led by worship leader, Teo Poh Heng. Encouraging students to pray strongly in their spirit, pastor Aries Zulkarnain took the stage with a message. Sharing from Acts, he challenged the student body to step out of their comfort zones and learn to work with people from different cultures and backgrounds.

Bobby Chaw, Deputy Principal and Dean of Students, then shared the vision and mission of SOT. Aiming to equip people with knowledge from the Word and practicum skills such as the art of preaching, deliverance and soul-winning, SOT exists to send individuals out as servant leaders, to bring about transformation in their cell groups and churches, campuses, work places and countries. Chaw also hopes that students come to know God not only in their heads, but experience Him in a real and tangible manner.

Inspiring faith in students’ hearts, testimonies of notable affiliates and graduates were presented in a video clip. Founder and senior pastor of Heart Of God Church at Paya Lebar, Tan Seow How graduated from SOT in 1996, and started his church with just 29 people. Today, Heart Of God has a dynamic and faith-filled youth congregation, and attendance has hit an all-time high of 1,645 members.

The influence of SOT, however, is not contained within Singapore. SOT graduates across the region are doing great things for the Kingdom: In Taiwan, 2003 graduates Wayne and Angel Chang of Hsin Tien Covenant Church are presently overseeing a congregation of 857 people. Pastor of New Life Fellowship Association in India, Vijay Nadar, who graduated from SOT in 1997, sent his staff and leadership to SOT in 2006 and 2007; as a result of this training, his congregation grew from 350 to 2,185 within two years.

Linda Lin and Li Xue Yi, who were in the 2006 SOT cohort, have brought revival to their city in Northeast Asia, growing their church to almost 400 people from just 40.

“Regardless of your current position, bring your experiences with you; and you will bring revival to that sector,” Chaw told the class.

CN PHOTO: Gay Sen Min

To foster stronger friendships and build team spirit, the student body formed 30 teams to play a short game, entitled “Jurong West-ology”. Teams were required to complete two tasks; the first of which is to source for foods starting with the first letter of each member’s name. For example, if a member’s name is Jack, foods associated with the letter J would have to be purchased. The second task was to take snapshots of various locations with different combinations of team members as the photo subject. On top of that, each team had to come up with a cheer. Team 8 emerged champion.

A couple from Hong Kong, Joseph and Faith Ho, both 30, had this to say: “We were extremely impressed with the orientation program, and were especially touched by Pastor Aries’ sharing. We need to be more open and accepting of people from different races, cultures and backgrounds. The School of Theology allows us to do just that!”

Singer Melody Gardot and her band played to a rapturous audience on March 13.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE ESPLANADE CO. LTD.

Known for her wry humor, sultry voice and scat-singing, Melody Gardot showed her chops as solo performer, band leader and songwriter, playing last Saturday at the Esplanade Concert Hall as part of the Mosaic Music Festival. Decked out in black—Wayfarers, jacket and tights, killer heels with a brilliant red scarf and lipstick—she was dressed to thrill, and thrill she did.

Beginning with a roaring tempest of sound in “The Rain”, Gardot began by “strumming” the piano. The discordant bass thunder punctuated by the patter of rain from the brushes on the snare drum recreated that afternoon’s torrential storm.

She continued to impress the audience on the guitar with “Baby I’m A Fool” and “If The Stars Were Mine”. The guitar laid the foundation for her clear sensual voice to carry each note. Scat-singing or guitar-playing, Gardot is a captivating musician with a compelling story to tell.

A car accident that nearly ended her life catapulted her into a musical career. Due to serious head and spinal injuries, Gardot was confined to her bed for a year, where she learned to play the guitar. Music therapy helped her neural pathways to reform, and Gardot, having played for gas money at piano bars as a teenager, took to it like a duck to water. Her songs written during this period were released as an EP, and attracted enough attention for her to be signed by a major record label.

The concert thrilled because Gardot’s band matched her beautifully. Her drummer and bassist drove the act with punchy bass lines, and energetic beats, forming the backbone for the solos.

It is proof of her songwriting genius that her songs lay the foundation for these talented musicians to build on. On her album, her songs have you humming the harmony parts. In concert, her band takes these harmonies and creates a vortex of sound that transports you to a different plane of aural experience.

Gardot’s audience was rapt; the energy level in the hall was incredible. She laid her cane aside and grooved to the music. The audience responded with clapping and cheering at every song, ending the night with a standing ovation. Gardot and the band returned to pump it up even more with a encore sing-along session of “Who Will Comfort Me”.

It was an evening that left the audience deeply satisfied and humming to themselves as they left.

The Mosaic Music Festival (www.mosaicmusicfestival.com) ends March 21.

Former TV star Jacelyn Tay pioneers a new wave in the business of alternative medicine, through her center Body Inc.

As commonplace as it is for celebrities to endorse a brand, it’s not unusual for them to parlay their fame to kickstart a business endeavor. But for Jacelyn Tay, setting up her wellness center Body Inc. in 2006 was no mere “Plan B.” Clear-skinned and bright-eyed, svelte but not skinny, Jacelyn Tay the business woman is a far cry from Jacelyn Tay the Mediacorp actress from 10 years ago, when she was suffering from a string of auto-immune disorders including tonsillitis, eczema, chronic fatigue, skin allergies and irritable bowel syndrome. She was also plagued by serious migraines, to which the only solution was prescription painkillers, and even those stopped working after a while. It was through a cursory encounter with an old man working at a Chinese medical hall that she found her cure—a simple herbal concoction, which rid her of the migraine in seven days flat.

The other medical conundrum that stumped doctors was her fainting spells which occurred on a daily basis. After numerous brain scans and consultations, she was given sleeping pills, for lack of a proper diagnosis. It got so bad that eventually she was asked to stop working, and to take a one-year sabbatical in 2001.

Fueled by the encouraging results she experienced with traditional Chinese medicine for her migraine problem, Tay started reading up on and immersing herself in natural healing remedies and proper nutrition. After a year, she slowly regained her energy. The fainting spells also decreased, from up to five times daily to about once every half a year, and stopped completely after two years.

Her medical conditions aside, other personal events spurred her further in the direction of natural healing. In 2004, her father passed away from sudden cardiac arrest, and during the same period, her mother had a stroke. Compounded by the knowledge that her father could have been saved through proper nutrition, the fact that her mother has not had another stroke since taking natural supplements (as opposed to conventional, life-long clinical drugs) spurred her to start Body Inc. in 2006.

From a clinic specializing in Chinese herbal remedies, Body Inc. has since expanded to offer spa services. It also houses a café at the front section of its flagship outlet at Ngee Ann City (don’t expect Coke and chips, though). The mainstay of the business is its Complementary and Alternative Medicine, a branch of medical treatment which seeks to promote the body’s natural healing and defense system through a holistic combination of TCM such as acupuncture, cupping and Chinese herbs, osteopathy, aromatherapy, Western herbalism, dietetics and nutrition.

“To put it simply, we help people re-balance their systems,” says Tay. On her staff are a TCM practitioner, a herbalist, an aromatherapist, a licensed dietitian, a nutrition therapist and several healthcare consultants.

Treatment is administered after a scientific analysis of the client’s condition, one of which is through “live blood microscopy.” With the deluge of fancy biotechnology equipment being touted in the market today, it comes as a surprise to know that this analysis entails nothing more than a drop of blood, a good microscope and a skilled consultant to decipher the findings, all in a matter of minutes. While the center does not give diagnoses, “it is a handy way of getting live information about the condition of your red blood cells. It can check for blood stasis—a possible cause of migraine, numbness and stroke, as well as oxygen levels and presence of bacterium and parasites in the blood,” explains Tay. Dry facts and figures cannot beat the explicit images of squiggly parasites swimming in one’s blood when it comes to cautioning a client to watch his diet and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

In addition to the Chinese herbs like dang gui, ling zhi and ginseng that we’re familiar with, the center will be incorporating Western herbal medicine into its practices this year, where the healing benefits of herbs such as eucalyptus, tea tree and milk thistle will be used to complement TCM and modern dietetics. This is a first in the local alternative treatment industry. “It’s really quite amazing how God has already put all the medicine in the ground and the greens. Nature has everything we need—we just need to discover it.”

Indeed, the infancy of CAM awareness in Singapore posts the biggest challenge to the business. “You’ve heard of the phrase ‘prevention is better than cure’, but Singaporeans, being a practical lot, will not seek medical aid until something happens. But awareness is slowly increasing—sadly, we’re now seeing young people in their 20s suffering things like stroke,” says Tay. Another challenge is in educating people that there are no short-cuts and quick-fixes to health, as often demanded by clients seeking weight loss solutions. Even if there were, adverse side effects would usually follow. Slimming pills, for example, often cause insomnia, hair loss and nutrient deficiency. “After all, obesity or being overweight is not just an aesthetic problem, it’s a health condition,” explains Tay. “In a way, it’s very similar to Christianity—for real, lasting change to take place, it is never an overnight process.”

PHOTOS COURTESY OF BODY INC.

Despite it all, the business has grown steadily over the years with a second branch at Raffles Place, but there are no plans to expand beyond that at the moment. “In offering an integrated service such as ours, we need to allow time for natural growth in the company. As it is, CAM is still very much a new thing, and our TCM practitioners and Western herbalist are still learning so much from each other every day.”

What of the difficulty in transitioning from actress to businesswoman? “It’s not that hard because after all, it’s a path I chose for myself. But I did have to learn how to engage my left brain,” she says with a laugh, recalling the early days where her over-enthusiasm and grand ambitions took precedence over the fundamentals of running a business.

Besides learning to manage her staff and people’s expectations, Tay admits with frankness that the business has taught her to be a better person. “During my acting days, everything was about me—I had my personal assistant, my artist manager and my fans, and I never had to lift a finger. Now, it’s all about the business, and my clients take priority.”

This Denzel Washington vehicle reprises the battle between good and evil. In essence, the message is messianic. Washington plays a lone ranger in a post-Apocalyptic world, who has walked toward the West for 30 years to deliver the important Book of Eli. Along the way, he finds a traveling companion, the beautiful Solara (Mila Kunis). Both are pursued by a motorcycle gang, led by the vicious Carnegie (Gary Oldman) who wants the book.

It’s not clear what has happened during the apocalypse, but several hints are given, such as the burn scars on Eli’s back and the vast desert land that makes up the world. The people that survived are classified into captives, capitalists and cannibals.

Visually, this movie is captivating, colors muted to a cold drabness. But the pace of the movie is very slow, and would be unbearable if not for the action sequences showing Eli’s superbly honed senses, as he single-handedly fights and defeats several gang members.

It is the story that is the star, the tale of a man’s long-standing faith in the book he carries, believing that the message within is able to save the world.

In a nod to Washington’s past film Déjà Vu, the ending answers the questions raised and brings the incidences to a satisfying dovetail. It is then that the moviegoer understands Eli’s puzzling responses and leaves the theater with a feeling that the movie has a marvelous depth.

Rating:

A group of enterprising youth organize a runway show-cum-bazaar to raise funds and have fun at the same time.

Buy a dress, heal the world? That was the lofty ambition of Fashion In The Sky, an evening of fashion, music and art that broke all the rules with youthful panache, held on the rooftop of the YMCA clubhouse.

“The idea was to centralize budding talents in a showcase event to accelerate their discovery,” said organizer Jamie Lai, 22, a fashion enthusiast and college student. The three-hour runway show-cum-bazaar sale was the first of its kind in Singapore that did not feature any high-end or established brands, Lai added.

This community’s rallying call echoed that of Naomi Campbell’s fashion fundraiser for Haiti in New York in January, and the event drew support from artists and audience alike. Hours before the runway show was due to begin, fashionable young people were already thronging the poolside area on the roof, fending off the sweltering remains of the day with aviator shades, straw beach hats and cups of juice. The blogshops at the bazaar seemed to be making brisk business.

“We were excited to contribute to this one-of-a-kind fashion showcase,” said Xuan, 19, and Jacklyn, 22, co-owners of popular blogshop Le Flirtini. The entrepreneurial pair attested to the popularity of online shops because of the low start-up capital required, although they hope to expand into a physical shop within the next few years. Along with several other blogshops like Chasing Black, Le Flirtini sponsored the rental fees for the evening because they believed strongly in the event’s community significance.

A veritable stable of models, photographers, make-up artists and singers also lent their talents pro bono to the event, according to Lai.

Various musicians took to the stage to serenade guests with feet-tapping acoustic hits, kick-starting the fashion show at sundown with a group rendition of “Heal the World” by Michael Jackson. The runway was dominated by breezy, endless-summer aesthetics, with both professional and amateur models trotting around the pool in flirty printed dresses and graphical heels from the various blogshops.

Throughout the program, Fashion In the Sky took on an unconventional approach to charity by encouraging its audience to donate online to the Haiti disaster relief works at give.sg. This social medium was easily accessible to young people and allowed the organizers to bypass administrative red tape that would have caused weeks of delay in the fund collection process, Lai explained.

Acknowledging new media’s impact on fundraising, Aseem K. Thakur, marketing director of give.sg said, “People are now using what they are good at to help others.” He added that the S$500 target amount of online donations to Haiti was exceeded even before the event started.

CN PHOTOS: Gay Sen Min

According to Lai, they have now raised the target to S$3,000 to be achieved by March 30, an amount she believes is entirely attainable.

The passion and derring-do of the young organizers, all of whom are local university students, were not lost on fashion and media industry professionals.

“It’s a refreshing idea, and I’m in awe of the huge turnup,” said guest-of-honor Janet Chew, author of The Mile Hi! Club and director of social media agency Peppercorn, who was keen to talent-scout at the event.

As the show wound to a close amid photographers’ flashes, it was clear that lofty ambitions or not, the young people behind Fashion In the Sky certainly did not have their heads in the clouds.

Preacher and tennis legend Margaret Court inspires churchgoers with her life as a winner.

Contributed by Jonathan Teo

CN PHOTO: Gay Sen Min

Exuding an aura of benevolence, Margaret Court, founder and pastor of Victory Life Centre in Perth, Western Australia, preached at City Harvest Church last weekend. She shared her powerful testimony that encouraged and inspired many.

Australia’s most successful and famous tennis player to date, Court started her message by commenting on CHC’s new location at Suntec Singapore. “Your building is a building of faith,” she said, “And the house of God should not be hidden.”

Court is best known for being the winner of 62 Grand Slam titles, and the first woman in open era to win all four Grand Slam singles titles in the same calendar year. The International Tennis Hall of Fame describes Court this way: “For sheer strength of performance and accomplishment, there has never been a tennis player to match her.”

Court shared how “discipline, commitment and focus” were keys to her success. “You have to keep your eye on the ball to win the game. If you look at your opponent, you will miss the ball and lose the game.” Growing up poor, Court was discovered by a neighbor who saw her hitting a ball against a wall with a stick, and gave her an old racket. She started playing on the tennis greens opposite her house,  and eventually had a chance to go to Melbourne to train. Despite having been rejected by coaches due to her thin frame, she overcame all odds to be a tennis champion. She never gave up on her dream to be the first Australian woman to win the Wimbledon. At the age of 17, Court achieved her first Australian Open title.

She retired from tennis at her peak, met her husband during a two-year break, and was determined to become world number one again after the birth of her first child. And she did what she set her heart to do.

Court’s achievements and her infectiously fervent spirit inspired the churchgoers to adopt the same focus and determination in their own lives.

“Her testimony makes you feel like you, too, can scale greater heights. She also simplified a Christian’s walk with God,” said Tan Kok Keng, 20, a student, adding that many believers think too much and make Christianity so complex.

Court shared openly about her struggles as a young mother to four children, falling into depression and getting into wrong teaching. She reached a point in her life where she gave up on church. But a Full Gospel meeting she attended changed her mind, and she eventually heeded the call to start a church.

Her willingness to talk about her depression gave hope to members in the congregation, like J. Chia, who also experienced similar hopelessness when faced with her young children and a household to run. “Her message gave me hope,” said Chia.

The preacher also talked about the importance of our Christian duties in the marketplace; “there are needs out there for us to meet.” She encouraged the church to step out and share the Gospel as a lifestyle. In addition, she reminded the church that thoughts and words are extremely powerful, and that one had to be careful with them. “We should not shun from darkness because we are the vessels of light.”

Another church member, P.L. Su, 24, said, “Margaret Court made me realize that evangelism is actually very simple.” The service concluded with a time of healing and ministry, where members were given an opportunity to be ministered to.

“She made winning sound so simple, as if it was just a way of life,” said student Brendan Chia, 21. “Her message was very easy to understand, but it was also very powerful and inspiring.”

Anyone heading for lunch at Roland Restaurant on March 4, a regular Thursday afternoon, was in for a surprise. The restaurant, located at Marine Parade Central and famous for its seafood, Cantonese and dim sum dishes, was packed with senior citizens, who took up 31 tables.

The beaming elderly were there to attend The Pine Luncheon Gathering organized by City Harvest Dialect Church, in collaboration with Family Care-Corner, Toa Payoh CareLink and SARAH Senior Activity Centre. The entire luncheon was generously sponsored by Roland Restaurant.

The Pine Luncheon Gathering was organized with the purpose of giving a treat to dialect -speaking elderly folk in Singapore, particularly those living in one-room rented flats.

Pine symbolizes intelligence, understanding, inner strength, evergreen and longevity. The Pine Lunch Gathering, therefore, was held to honor the elderly for all their contributions toward society, and to celebrate their lives—past, present and future.

Judging by the smiles on their faces, the beneficiaries evidently appreciated the kind gesture and the sumptuous lunch spread. “This is the best meal I’ve ever had for so many years,” remarked one 86-year old lady. Although the Lunar New Year was long past, the lunch featured a lo hei, just so that the elderly could have a chance to enjoy tossing the yu sheng, since many of them had not done so in a long while.

The day’s program included more than just lunch—there were games as well, held to engage the elderly in creative play. This included a Hokkien sing-along session by the volunteers, and many of the elderly joined in and sang their hearts out.

Next was an interesting session on deciphering some simple Chinese characters, in line with Bible scriptures. For example, Chinese word “来” in pictorial form is a cross with three persons—“人”. The “人” in the center symbolizes Jesus, while the other two “人” at the side symbolizes the two men that hung on the cross with Jesus on Mount Calvary. The session aroused the interest and attention of the crowd and many of them were still talking about it long after the lunch was over.

“The luncheon was a huge success,” said organizer Maria Tok. “After seeing how much they enjoyed themselves today, we are planning to hold more of such get-togethers for senior citizens.”

CN PHOTOS: Tan Song Kow

An event such as this requires no small amount of manpower. What was particularly impressive was the fact that many of the volunteers took leave from work just to help to transport the elderly to and from the luncheon. And some of the elderly came to attend the luncheon despite the fact it caused them some inconvenience.

Said one 68-year-old elderly, Zhang, “I would have been cooped up in my home this afternoon if not for the help of the volunteers who ferried me here on my wheelchair, just so that I would be able to enjoy the lunch.”

“It is only with the help of so many community-minded individuals, like restaurant owners Roland and Richard Lim and all the volunteers who took precious time off, that we could afford to organize this lunch on a larger scale,” said Tok, expressing her gratitude.

A recent conference inspired the next generation of women to be the leaders of tomorrow.

PHOTO: CITYCARE

The National Young Women Leaders’ Day Conference on March 13, organized by non-profit organization Halogen Foundation Singapore, saw a good turnout of students from around the region­—Hong Kong, Christmas Island—and Singapore, which was represented by Singapore Chinese Girls’ School. The conference was held to mark International Women’s Day on March 8, an annual event celebrated globally to commemorate women’s achievements in society.

Guest-of-honor, Indranee Rajah, Deputy Speaker of Parliament and MP for Tanjong Pagar Group Constituency, graced the event. The very picture of a woman who has power and poise, she emphasized to her young audience the basic attributes of leadership: “You need to have ability, knowledge, integrity, and you need to have a clear vision—as leaders—because people are going to follow you.”

Other speakers included Dr. Seet Ai Mee, President of HCA Hospice Care, Margaret Court, Australia’s most celebrated female tennis player, and Josephine Teo, Chairwoman of The Government Parliamentary Committee for Education, and Assistant Secretary-General of the National Trade Union Congress.

Seet cited examples from her own life with “vision” being the central theme. She delivered her session in an animated, grandmotherly manner that put the conference participants at ease. Her inspiration was her aunt who chose the path of education and pursued it, and eventually became the first female principal of the Methodist Girls School in Malacca.

Focus, discipline and the determination to achieve something in life was Court’s message. “When you have a determination to achieve something, somebody will see that in your life and help you.” Court herself was given a tennis racket at the age of nine, when someone observed her using old wooden paling taken off a fence to hit a ball.

Teo’s resounding song of inspiration was that of being a person of influence. “Leadership is not about airy-fairy theories. It is the willingness to take action while others are still talking.”

Leadership-in-action examples she cited included Denise Phua, founder and supervisor of Pathlight School for children with Autism and related disorders; Lim Yen Ching, principal of Northlight School; Olivia Lum, Group CEO for Hyflux, and Penny Low, MP for Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC who champions social entrepreneurship. She hailed these women as trailblazers in their fields, filling gaps and meeting needs in society for the betterment of the community. “Leadership is really about service,” said Teo.

A video featuring aid in Haiti set to Michael Jackson’s “We Are The World”, took the meeting into a discussion with four volunteers of the CityCare medical team for Haiti, who shared their first-hand experiences on ground zero, prompting questions from the floor. From the exchange, it was clear that it is the connection with people who have been through extraordinary circumstances that instils civic-mindedness in young people.

Martin Tan, co-founder of Halogen Foundation Singapore, an organization that promotes leadership qualities in youth, observed that the success of the conference was the apparent energy that exuded from the students.

“Every young person deserves a chance to be nurtured as a leader. Youth are the social change agents in our society.”

With CHC’s location at Suntec Singapore in mind, members embark on this year’s Arise & Build campaign with vigor.

CN PHOTO: Michael Chan

The launch of the 2010 Arise and Build campaign was especially significant for the members of City Harvest Church, as it happened on the same weekend as the release of the much-anticipated news about the church’s new location at Suntec Convention Centre.

The Arise and Build campaign typically takes place from November to April. However, the annual tradition took a break last year as senior pastor Kong Hee decided to put it on hold until the new premise had been found. Hence, it was to a surprised and excited crowd that Kong announced on Jan. 16 that the management board had finally signed the agreement for the location in the central south of Singapore. Due to a non-disclosure agreement, the management had to keep mum on the exact location of the church’s new site until the Arise and Build weekend.

March 6 and 7 marked the beginning of the 2010 Arise and Build weekend—the climax of seven weeks’ worth of anticipation and speculation among members.

During the service, Bobby Chaw, a pastor in CHC, and his wife, Cindy Ng, shared on stage on how they have sowed into the building funds over the years. Chaw told of how, when his family was steeped in debt and bankruptcy, church members rallied to help him, providing him the means to complete his university studies and graduate with a degree in Material Science.
Chaw and Ng believed that sowing and sacrifice would help their family get out of their financial crisis. Thus, when the couple decided to get married, they did what very few newlyweds would have done—they emptied their savings into the building fund.
Their trust in God did not go in vain. At their wedding, they received bountiful angpows from friends and relatives which covered their wedding expenses, with more than enough left over for their honeymoon in Australia.

The miracles continued to flow. Due to their good record in consistent repayments, Chaw’s family was discharged from bankruptcy prematurely, although they had only paid S$60,000 of their S$500,000 debt. Now, 13 years down the road, the whole family is debt-free and owns six vehicles as well as six properties amounting to more than S$10 million in Shanghai and Singapore.

This testimony ploughed the hearts of the churchgoers before Kong launched into his sermon and announced the location. A special video had been prepared for the occasion, one that recalled the times Kong and the senior leadership had cast the vision “to build a church in the marketplace, for the marketplace, to penetrate the marketplace.”

After showing the 25 locations that were deemed unsuitable or that were successfully procured, the visual finally locked in on Suntec International Convention and Exhibition Centre’s iconic street-corner LED billboard. At every service, the congregation leaped to its feet, roaring with approval as the video ended.

A familiar place to most Singaporeans, Suntec Singapore meets with all of CHC’s requirements, being centrally-located and large enough to contain a 12,000-seater hall as well as facilities to cater to all aspects of the church’s operations.

The target for this current Arise and Build campaign is S$17.3 million. To help the churchgoers in their pledges for the campaign, Kong revealed a chart of the average amounts given in past years by each sector of the congregation (professionals, executives, church workers, homemakers, students and others).

To raise the S$310 million needed for this new location, there will be eight more Arise and Build campaigns. The current Arise and Build campaign will run from March to June.