New Creation Church

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New Creation Church
New Creation Church Service.jpg
Church service at The Star Performing Arts Centre in 2015
LocationThe Star Performing Arts Centre, Buona Vista
CountrySingapore
Denomination Non-denominational, Charismatic
Website newcreation.org.sg
History
Founded1984
Specifications
Capacity5,142 seats
Clergy
Senior pastor(s) Joseph Prince
New Creation Church Logo.jpeg

New Creation Church (abbreviation: NCC) is a non-denominational Charismatic Christian megachurch in Singapore. Founded in 1984, it holds services at The Star Performing Arts Centre. [1] It is a member of the National Council of Churches of Singapore (NCCS).

Contents

The church was one of three megachurches to make it to a list of Singapore's 10 largest charities, according to a report by The Straits Times in 2019. [2] The senior pastor of the church is Joseph Prince.

History

The Star Performing Arts Centre, where the NCC conducts its service New Creation Church, Buona Vista.jpg
The Star Performing Arts Centre, where the NCC conducts its service

The church was founded by a small group including Joseph Prince, Henry Yeo, David Yeow and Jack Ho in 1983. It was later officially registered with the Registrar of Societies in October 1984. It began its Sunday service with an average attendance of 25 people. Gradually, it grew to about 150 members in 1990 when Prince was appointed as the senior pastor of the church. [3]

During the period between 1984 and 1999, the church used different worship venues such as a hall within the premises of the Young Women's Christian Association of Singapore and the ballrooms in local hotels to accommodate its growing congregation. [3]

In 1999, the church moved to the Rock Auditorium in Suntec City Mall. On 23 December 2012, its services were shifted to The Star PAC. [3]

Outreach

The church is involved in outreach work and missions throughout the Asian region, and sends its pastors, leaders and volunteers to several Asian countries annually. [4]

Ten per cent of the church's annual budget which was about US$4 million (as of Year 2007) was set aside for missionary work. [5] Currently, the church is still committed to helping missionaries. In addition, the church also makes donations to local charities annually. [6] Specifically, the church has given SGD581,500 to community groups and charities during the period between April 2007 and March 2008. [7]

Business arm

The New Creation Church Group consists of the church as well as its for-profit business entities which it says have generated a net surplus every year. [8]

The Star Vista

The Star Vista is a shopping mall occupying the bottom six floors of The Star, a 15-storey mixed use complex that the church co-developed with CapitaLand and was opened in September 2012. [9] In November 2019, the church paid S$296 million to acquire the mall after it heard that CapitaLand was in talks with buyers for a potential sale. The church said that the acquisition was made "to protect the interest of the church" because another buyer could have been less supportive of the church's use of the property for religious purposes. [10]

Omega Tours & Travel Pte Ltd

Omega Tours & Travel Pte Ltd is a travel agency that specialises in package and private tours to Holy Land destinations in Israel, Jordan, Turkey and Greece. Pastor Joseph Prince has been known to be featured in high-profile Holy Land tours speaking alongside other prominent pastors such as Joel Osteen. [11]

Worship venue

The church moved to a new 5,000 (5,142) seat theatre, now its main worship venue, at The Star PAC in Buona Vista on 23 December 2012.

Officially opened on 1 November 2012, The Star PAC spans levels 3 to 11, known as the civic and cultural zone, of the building called The Star. It is owned and managed by Rock Productions, the business arm of the church. [12] [13] The Star PAC comprises a 5,000-seat theatre, a multi-purpose hall, an outdoor amphitheatre, special function rooms and other facilities. The church rents The Star PAC for Sunday services. [14]

The levels from Basement 4 to Level 2 of The Star, known as the retail and entertainment zone (including the car park lots), is called The Star Vista, and is owned by the church. [15] [16] [17] [18]

The Star, comprising The Star Vista and The Star PAC, was envisioned as a "futuristic complex with restaurants, shops and a 5,000-seat theatre", and costs an estimated SGD1 billion. [13] [14] [19]

Controversies

Adam Lambert's performance at The Star Performing Arts Centre

In May 2013, the National Council of Churches of Singapore (NCCS) said it was looking into a complaint about singer Adam Lambert performing at The Star Performing Arts Centre, a commercial entity fully owned by Rock Productions, the business arm of New Creation Church. Lim K. Tham, general secretary of the council said it had received a complaint that "the gay lifestyle may be promoted at the concert", a reference to Lambert's homosexuality, and that "The NCCS has conveyed this concern to New Creation so that it can make a response."

In a statement, the church said that according to stipulations from the authorities before the tender was awarded to Rock Productions, the venue had to operate "on a purely commercial basis and will not implement any leasing or pricing policies that will discriminate between religious groups, institutions or organisations from hiring the venue". The church said all public events require a public entertainment licence from the police, and it had "utmost confidence" in the policies and ability of government bodies such as the Media Development Authority to "protect the interest of the general public". The statement added that any event at the performing arts centre "should not be misconstrued or misunderstood" as the church "approving of its artistic presentation or endorsing the lifestyle of the performer". [20]

See also

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References

  1. ↑ "The Star Performing Arts Centre | Event Venue Singapore". The Star PAC. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
  2. ↑ hermes (21 July 2019). "NUS, NTU and three mega churches are Singapore's largest charities with business units". The Straits Times. Retrieved 8 December 2020.
  3. 1 2 3 "History". New Creation Church. Archived from the original on 15 January 2013. Retrieved 17 September 2011.
  4. ↑ "Ministries – Global Outreach – Missions". New Creation Church. Archived from the original on 22 September 2010. Retrieved 17 September 2010.
  5. ↑ Thomas, George! (1 January 2008). "Singapore takes on a world mission". CBN news. Archived from the original on 3 March 2009. Retrieved 19 May 2009.
  6. ↑ "News Articles". New Creation Church. Archived from the original on 21 September 2010. Retrieved 17 September 2010.
  7. ↑ "Church raises $178m for lifestyle hub" (PDF). The Straits Times. 20 September 2008. Retrieved 9 July 2010.[ dead link ][ needs update ] Archived from [ dead link ][ needs update ] & "$178m raised for lifestyle hub". Archived from the original on 14 April 2009. Retrieved 9 July 2010.[ needs update ]
  8. ↑ "New Creation Church And Our Entities" (PDF). newcreation.org.sg.
  9. ↑ "The Star — Our Journey So Far" (PDF). newcreation.org.sg.
  10. ↑ hermesauto (21 November 2019). "New Creation buys Star Vista for $300m: 9 things to know about the church, Pastor Prince and the mall". The Straits Times. Retrieved 17 December 2020.
  11. ↑ Bohon/TBN, Dave. "You Can Now Tour Israel With Joel Osteen and Joseph Prince". Charisma News. Retrieved 17 December 2020.
  12. ↑ "The Star Performing Arts Centre – Introduction". Asia One. 17 September 2011. Archived from the original on 27 September 2011. Retrieved 17 September 2011.
  13. 1 2 Theresa Tan & Melissa Sim (11 March 2009). "Church collects $19m in one day for lifestyle hub". Asiaone. Retrieved 19 May 2009.
  14. 1 2 "New Creation Church collected S$21 million in fewer than 24 hours". Asia One. 30 August 2010. Archived from the original on 31 August 2010. Retrieved 31 August 2010.
  15. ↑ "New Creation buys Star Vista for $300m: 9 things to know about the church, Pastor Prince and the mall". The Straits Times. 21 November 2019.
  16. ↑ "The Star Vista customer service". Archived from the original on 19 January 2014. Retrieved 5 March 2014.
  17. ↑ "The Star Visa store locator". Archived from the original on 29 January 2014. Retrieved 5 March 2014.
  18. ↑ "The Star Visa about". Archived from the original on 16 April 2014. Retrieved 5 March 2014.
  19. ↑ "New Creation Church closer to $500m target". www.asiaone.com. Archived from the original on 28 October 2017. Retrieved 18 September 2018.
  20. ↑ migration (6 March 2013). "Church feels the heat over gay singer's gig". The Straits Times. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
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