the Fallen Angel of the mega churches

 

24 Aug 14

One may feel sad and sorry for Senior pastor Kong Hee of City Harvest Church as he battles the sharks, bull dogs and Judas at court. This was the man who speaks or once spoke to heads of states, and to stadiums of 10,000. He now stands at the dock fighting and denying as not to incriminate himself.

It is not mere allegations against the CHC leaders, but iron clad black/white evidences in volumes. Fighting all the way to the end may not be a good option without a contrite heart as a mitigation because it impacts the church. If they so cared for the church, they have to make the tough choices as not to put the entire body of christ and the Gospel message to dishonour and loose integrity.

Our Word is no longer our Bond. It was all show acting. Kong's focus was on his Sentosa Cove pent house and fame for Sun Ho whilst asking people to downgrade their HDB flats. There was no hint of a deep conscience when taking the first class flights, living in luxury in the US, paying millions for salaries and bonuses with little income from album sales. This is lawlessness, not the absence of the law, but centering on ourselves and not on the grace of God.  

Making Chew Eng Han the scapegoat is a risky move because a dead man walking will fight to the very end with no mercy because he has no choice being unfairly blamed for the decisions of the leader, and the Board. But the rest may have little choice but to have a fall guy. He is the Long time warrior making his last stand.

I am sad, because deep within, I believe Kong Hee meant well to change the heart and soul of nations for Jesus Christ. Somehow, self came in. He is fighting for his life, his reputation, and his legacy.

It was wrong teaching and theology that led to this predicament, a teaching based on good works by the laws of Moses instead of only by Grace through Lord Jesus Christ. Under grace there is nothing to boast except the risen Christ. Under law, we boast of ourselves.

At the end, even the number of CHC attendance was challenged when internal Cell Group estimates and the physical size of the premises makes it impossible for the church attendance to be true.

Pastor Kong Hee was the center of Charismatic Evangelical Christianity in Singapore. Not only was CHC the largest church in Singapore, he was  the Executive Director of the Festival of Praise from 1997 to 2001, and 2005 to 2012. Out of the Festival of Praise came "Love Singapore", the anti-gay christian group.

The Dominion theology mandated the Cross Over into the secular, to influence the secular powers. Kong Hee was taking the lead, just as Pastor lawrence Khong is determined to be the moral defender in secular Singapore.

The fall came, because the Cross Over was a failure. To sum it out, it was all half truths, not really a lie, but enough truth to be believable.

  • Proclaiming that Sun Ho's album was a success whilst at the back buying the CDs using church funds.

  • Claiming of success in the music charts when it was the dance music charts based on playtime which could be bought by the agents.

  • Sunho did not sing for the Special Olympics in 2007 as claimed but for an MTV video sponsored privately and played at some shopping centres after the opening. She was not there at the actual opening ceremony but at a related charity event.

  • Claiming that tens of thousands of souls came to know Jesus, when the tens of millions spent on Sun Ho in Hollywood would unlikely change the vilest sinner with videos such as Fancy Free and China Wine. I was waiting for the altar call at the end of the MTV?

The churches absolute silence is deafening whilst repeating their mantra that they are innocent until proven guiltly. They were not that gracious and merciful with gays. But the witnesses are iron clad - there were evidence to the fact, the financial transactions, accounting books, bank accounts, meeting of minutes, doctored records, email messages, travel records, blackberry messages.

The bible said that when two or three witness then one is judged. In the City Harvest case, there is a truckload of evidence. Why are Christians waiting for the judge to pass sentence? Sure, they are innocent until proven guilty. But the evidence is a big fat elephant. The entire host of well paid senior counsels/defense lawyers would find it difficult to move. But I guess that is why they are paid millions.

The news paper headlines of the last two weeks sums it up the real truth being revealed like a countinuous dripping water on a quiet night:-

  • Email reveals Kong's other side, AsiaOne, 23 Aug 14

  • Church leaders hid reason for Xtron incorporation, Today Online, 22 Aug 14

  • Kong had ultimate say in funding Ho’s music career: Prosecution, Today Online, 21 Aug 14

  • Kong at fault if financing was illegal: Persecution, Today Online, 20 Aug 14.

  • Kong not genuinely concerned about CHC lossess:Chew, Today Online, 20 Aug 14

  • City Harvest trial: Kong did not care about church, says co-accused, Today Online, 19 Aug 14.

  • City harvest trial: Kong knew Sun Ho's success was not real, Chew says, Today Online, 18 Aug 14

  • City harvest trial: Former treasurer Chew Eng Han calls founder Kong Hee a liar, ST, 18 Aug 14

  • Kong 'the key decision maker in financing of Crossover Project', Today Online, 18 Aug 14.

  • Kong didn't want church to directly fund wife's music career, co-accused tries to show, Today Online, 15 Aug 14

  • CHC spent half a million dollars buying Sun Ho's unsold CDs, Channel News Asia, 04 Aug 14.

 

The tower bell is ringing.  The bell is sounding. It is the Bell of the new Reformation. The old church is falling. The Old Guard who preached a Gospel based on the law of Moses is passing through. The "greatest man" is falling and with it, the "greatest place"

In the kingdom of God, the greatest is the least, and the greatest is Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour that non may glory except in Christ.

 


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