The New Creation Church assured churchgoers yesterday that its business ventures were formed not to spin money for the megachurch, but were essentially driven by the need to house a growing congregation of 20,000.

It also disclosed that Senior Pastor Joseph Prince stopped taking a salary from the church late last year, but relies on book royalties and other income.

Deacon Jack Ho said he sought to ease the hearts of churchgoers in revealing this, in the light of extensive media reports and rampant online discussions of investigations into alleged misuse of church funds at City Harvest Church.

Speaking before Mr Prince took the pulpit at four Sunday services at Suntec City Mall, he said more details would be posted on the church website today.

In his address, the deacon dwelt on the rationale for the church's ventures.

Its first entity was actually a childcare centre set up as a voluntary welfare organisation, he noted. Daystar Child Development Centre opened at Holland Avenue 15 years ago, and was followed by a second centre in Jurong West five years ago.

He depicted the stories of Marine Cove and Rock Productions, two high-visibility ventures, as a quest for premises for a growing congregation. New Creation attracts the second largest weekend attendance after City Harvest, which draws 33,000 churchgoers.

Mr Ho explained that New Creation had hoped to develop an auditorium in Marine Cove, a popular food and lifestyle cluster in East Coast Park.

Previous owner East Coast Recreation Centre had in-principle approval from the National Parks Board for an auditorium. But the Urban Redevelopment Authority said the beachfront cluster was not zoned for that.

The owner then dropped the price, from the valuation of $14 million, to $10 million. Rock Productions, the business arm of the church, made the purchase in 2001, and Marine Cove is a money-maker.

Rock Productions was itself set up in 1998 to manage its Suntec City venue for Sunday worship services, and secular uses on weekdays.

Rock Productions is now partnering property giant CapitaLand to develop a $1 billion civic, cultural, retail and entertainment complex in Buona Vista. The church can grow its congregation further when it moves there next year, Mr Ho said.

'It is an investment in a venue,' he emphasised, adding that the church is not trying to make money or go commercial.

Shares in Rock Productions are held in trust for the church by four shareholders who are church leaders. They do not receive directors' fees, bonuses, dividends or remuneration.

Two of its subsidiaries are Rock Gifts and Book Centre, launched when Suntec City asked for a shopfront at the auditorium, and Omega Tours & Travel, which grew out of Mr Prince's 'heart' for Israel, Mr Ho noted. It offers church tours to the Bible lands.

Financial planner Amanda Tan, 43, said members were 'very reassured' by Mr Ho's message. 'It is consistent with what the church told us years ago,' she said.

Teacher Jonathan Koh, 31, said he prefers that churches spend money to 'bless the poor and the community' rather than on buildings, but 'I respect the leadership. I am okay with disagreeing with it and still contributing towards the new building'.

Mr Ho also disclosed that Mr Prince had, since 2004, told the church council he did not wish to accept a salary. But the council felt he had grown the church tremendously and resisted his requests until the last quarter of last year.

Mr Prince, who started the church in 1984, preaching from a four-room flat in the Holland Road area, is now a volunteer senior pastor. This begs the question of how he survives, Mr Ho said, before answering: 'Pastor is not exactly an unsuccessful writer and speaker.’

He enjoys book royalties and owns other intellectual property, including sermon CDs, which are sold globally. He has penned books such as Destined To Reign.

The 47-year-old pastor, preaching later, made an indirect reference to City Harvest. 'Be kind, especially if you are blogging,' he said. After all, New Creation preaches a 'gospel of grace', he pointed out.

In another oblique reference, this time to his income, he quipped that nobody is forced to buy his books.

'I don't put a gun to your head,' said Mr Prince, who was a conference speaker last month in Sicily, the Mafia's locale.

More soberly, he said he had turned down a great many speaking invitations, as he was not out to make money.

Source : The Straits Times © Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. Reprinted with permission.