Dr. A. R. Bernard is the Senior Pastor of Christian Cultural Center, a church in Brooklyn, New York with 37,000 members. Dr. Bernard is also the President of the New York Commission of Religious Leaders and Founder of the Sheen Center for Thought and Culture in New York City. He has known and supported Pastor Kong Hee and Sun for 20 years, coming to share his knowledge and wisdom with City Harvest Church since 1999.
In May 1998 at a Christian Men’s Network International Conference, in Dallas Texas, US, I met a young, innovative, faith-filled Pastor of a blossoming megachurch, in Singapore. He and his wife were pastoring for 10 years. Now, with an open heart and mind, he was searching for best practices on how to take his congregation to the next level of growth and effectiveness. He was filled with wonder at the possibilities of Christ’s transforming presence in the world, especially in his world, Asia. I knew there was something special about him, God’s anointing was upon his life and ministry.
In January 1999 he and his wife visited our church in Brooklyn, New York. He was overwhelmed, to say the least, and excited about a potential relationship that could help expand his approach to ministry. He invited me to come and speak to his church in Singapore, in August of that year. I accepted, and a new friendship, fellowship, and journey in the relationship was born.
For the next 20 years I watched as this young man, his wife and ministry grew into local and global influencers for the kingdom of God. I chose to be with them through their ups, downs, successes and failures, the relationship was sealed in heaven and lived out, on earth.
City Harvest Church became a light in the darkness, a challenge to the status quo of doing ministry, always seeking to remain relevant and on the cutting edge. Faith, family, education, building community and changing the culture for Christ were its values. Finding the best way to apply these values was not always easy or accurate. But CHC persevered, for 30 years, sometimes against insurmountable odds. Tried and tested through the crucible of crisis, its light shines brighter today than ever before.
To Pastor Kong and Sun, Founders of City Harvest Church, to the handful of friends and faithful staff members who started out with them, to the congregation of CHC, my wife Karen and I want to congratulate you on your 30th Anniversary and wish you many generations of bringing God’s love, life and light to humanity.
May God continue to richly bless you. We love you!
A. R. and Karen Bernard
Christian Cultural Center
