Sushi Tei’s spring menu is a haul of seasonal ingredients and pleasant reinventions.

Sushi Tei’s spring menu is a haul of seasonal ingredients and pleasant reinventions.

While tropical Singapore has nothing by nature to mark the coming and passing of the seasons, seasonal delicacies herald the arrival of spring, such as Sushi Tei’s Sayori Sashimi(S$12), a Japanese needlefish with a delicate taste and texture best accentuated by a dash of shoyu sauce.

The stir-fried Tako & Shirasu Taki Udon(S$13.50) was one of the surprise hits during our media tasting of the restaurant’s spring menu as well. Bits of shirasu (baby sardine) and Yakisoba sauce make it a flavorful, somewhat Chinese dish, tossed with juicy bits of octopus, cabbage, capsicum and bean sprouts.

Those who love their pork will enjoy theKagoshima Miso Yaki Pork (S$11.50), grilled pork loins marinated in miso sauce with just the right amount of buttery fat. Kagoshima pork, from the prefecture of the same name, is prized for its sweet flavor, juiciness and fragrance.

The Kagoshima Pork Nabe ($15) offers four soup bases—shoyu, miso, spicy and sukiyaki, with mixed vegetables and slices of Kagoshima pork belly. Perfect as a high protein meal in itself for those who want to lay low on the carbs.

Finger food-wise, the typical dumpling undergoes a well-justified reinvention with sweet crab meat in the Kani Gyoza (S$6), served with vinegar and chili oil dip, but theAmaebi Karaage (S$6) is our favorite—deep fried shrimps, shell, head and all, were polished off the plate, leaving not the smallest crumb behind.

The fact that its desserts are flown in from Japan is no gimmick—taste-wise, they are almost fail-proof. The Shio (sea salt) Ice-cream balances creaminess and saltiness to perfection, and the powdered cubes of Nama Chocolate as well as Matcha Ice Cream($4.80). We weren’t able to try the seasonal desserts such as the Cheese Stick Ice Cream ($3.40), but if the other choices are anything to go by, it must be delicious as well.

The Spring menu is available till June 15, 2013.

Sushi Tei

391 Orchard Road, #05-30/31,

Podium Block,

Ngee Ann City,

Singapore 238873

Tel: +65 6737 8878

Smashing stereotypes are the nine pioneering female members of the City Harvest Church Security Ministry.

Smashing stereotypes are the nine pioneering female members of the City Harvest Church Security Ministry.

Since April 1, attendees of CHC may have spotted nine new female faces with a security tag, standing around the church premises during service weekends. They are CHC members just like you and me but make no mistake, for they are not your average Jane. The nine are the pioneering batch of ladies to join the ranks of the men who serve in the mostly-male Security Ministry.

Since its inception back in 1995, CHC’s Security Ministry has come a long way, ensuring the smooth running of church services week in week out. The addition of the nine brings the total ministry member count to 218 (Security personnel).

And no, these ladies are not “tomboys”. The nine are feminine and attractive, a few of them are married and one has two children. The nine had to undergo a standard six-week basic ministry training, a rite of passage for all who desire to join the ministry.

So why does CHC need female security personnel when the male ones are doing such a good job? The nine ladies fit in the ministry and in the service of the church in more ways that one can imagine. “The addition of ladies gives a softer side and image to the ministry,” explains CHC pastor Jimmy Sng, who oversees the ministry.

In what sort of scenarios would the women be employed? One would be positioning them at Kids@Play area instead of men. Another would be having the female security members stand at the main doors during the church’s big days, when there is a big chance that attendees need to be channeled to the overflow room due to lack of seats in the main auditorium. “It lends a more feminine touch to the experience,” Sng points out.

“Also, they add value to the ministry in that they are better suited to take on certain circumstances. It is also for propriety’s sake,” says Sng. “Even the patrol teams of the Singapore Police Force has a lady attached to them to correctly handle certain situations involving females.”

Female security personnel are free to select their choice of clothes and do not need to be dressed in the Security Ministry’s standard-issue black polo tee, as long as it does not restrict them from carrying out their duties. Like their male counterparts, the ladies serve two consecutive weeks, followed by a week-off.

Dorothy Koh, 26, a pharmacist, was one of the nine who signed up with the Security Ministry. Prior to this, Koh was serving with the visual communications or Chorus Board Ministry for about five years, but stopped for a year to prepare for her wedding. Koh’s cell group leader, Pauline Kong asked if she was interested to join the Security Ministry. Kong thought that the former looked firm and fearless.

“At the end of one church service, I had an impression from the Holy Spirit that as the Body of Christ, everyone has a different function for the same goal, which is to further His Kingdom. Not everyone will become pastors or preachers, or go into the mission field but as we serve in church, we will inherit a portion of the same reward that God gives to the Church, and that reward will be great. This helped me to make the decision to start serving again, especially at a time like this. Since there was a need in Security Ministry, I went for it.” Koh answered sincerely.

Koh acknowledges that the ministry may not be all that glamorous and it can sometimes be thankless, but it opens her up to being exposed to another side of church—the huge effort it takes to make service run smoothly every weekend. The Security Ministry is part of that effort that ensures a pleasant experience in church for all every weekend. Koh shares, “There is so much to learn, one of which is to ‘confront’ people. Ushers and greeters help attendees feel welcomed but when a security personnel approaches, more often than not it is for other reasons. Such reasons range from stopping attendees from bringing food into the church hall for reasons of cleanliness to handling attendees who may potentially disrupt service. Of course, we try to be as friendly and as tactful as possible, which takes skill.”

Kudos to the nine who hold their weight in the predominantly-male ministry. “It takes some getting used to whenever we open the door to the Security room and find ourselves the minority gender,” says Koh. “For now, there are only three to four of us serving each weekend, as compared to about approximately 60 male security personnel, but the guys are friendly and willing to show us the ropes. It’s also exciting to have the possibility of getting up close and personal with female guest speakers or leaders in the future.”

Women who are interested in joining the ministry must look presentable, just like their Usher counterparts, but they also have to possess a “strict disposition” when necessary. “She needs to be mature, slow to anger, outspoken, able to free up her time to serve and believe she has something to contribute,” Sng describes.

The ministry looks forward to recruiting more ladies and multiplying their female membership to more than twice its current size. Although admission into the ministry is strictly by recommendation from zone supervisors and cell group leaders only, members who are keen or have a friend to recommend can express their interest with their respective leaders.

Dr. Chan Kim Kwong, executive secretary of the Hong Kong Christian Council, seeks to bring the Asian Christian experience to the West, with a study on City Harvest Church.

Dr. Chan Kim Kwong, executive secretary of the Hong Kong Christian Council, seeks to bring the Asian Christian experience to the West, with a study on City Harvest Church.

“When people mentioned ‘mega church’ is mentioned, most people will instantly think of a few famous ones in the west because so much has been written about them; yet, there are many things happening in Asia and in other parts of the world but are rarely talked about,” says Dr. Chan Kim Kwong toCity News in an exclusive interview.

That is why the executive secretary of the Hong Kong Christian Council seeks to present a case study on the movement of Christ in Asia.

“I have been doing research on the megachurches in the Christendom and I notice that there are a number of new things and new churches, new manifestations of the Christian experience coming out in Asia,” says the academic. “These are under-reported by the Western academics and press.

He adds, “I feel that there are things (in the Asian churches) that can be learned from, not only for us Asians but also for the Christians all over the world. There is a need to share these experiences and how God worked in us.”

Chan is focusing on his study on City Harvest Church. The findings of this academic study will be presented at a symposium, Global ReOrient: Chinese Pentecostal/Charismatic Movements in the Global East, organized by The Center on Religion and Chinese Society at Purdue University. The symposium seeks to assess the status and characteristics of Chinese Pentecostal-charismatic movements worldwide, with a special focus on East and Southeast Asia.

“Chinese are much more suppressive and much less expressive; much more obedient and much less individualistic; much more conform(ing) to order and much less ‘free-flow’,” describes Chan. “How would the Pentecostal trend mix with the Chinese culture? The symposium thus focuses on Chinese Pentecostalism. Some very top-notch people, who are researching on this area, will gather to discuss this topic.”

The study will be done through the academics’ participation in each church’s services, speaking to the church’s leadership and studying its background and history.

“I was looking at places (to base my research on) and somehow I encountered your church. I spoke to pastor Kong (Hee, senior pastor of CHC) and asked if it was possible to see what kind of work God is doing in this place,” Chan explains.

“I’ve been doing some studies and also documenting the current trend of missions and church development, and I feel that there is something new going on here, something unique and something that I have not seen in other parts of Christian spectrum.

“For example, your growth rate has been phenomenal in the last 25 years. Also, the group of church attendees differ from the traditional churches: youth and teenagers, in this generation, seem hard to be retained. How  people experience Christ (in CHC), are transformed, and then how they express (the experience) in a very new style— which is the Crossover and all that—I want to take a closer look at that.”

Another aspect of CHC that caught Chan’s attention was its experience of the Holy Spirit. “There are certain Pentecostal phenomena, say speaking in tongues, and being Spirit-led. You are not rolling on the floor and all that, but you have something else, other forms of manifestation in the church life among the charismatic group.”

Chan plans to visit the church several more times this year, in August and September.

“There’s something unique (about this church) but I cannot pin-point it, so I have to do a very objective analysis, try to depict the theological background and put it in an academic setting. I feel that your church is at the cutting-edge of church development. There’s something that is very new here that others can learn from in the international academic world.”

Chan grew up in Hong Kong and is trained as a nutritionist. After reading the Bible verse “man shall not live by bread alone”, he sought to be a “spiritual nutritionist” by studying theology. He is a holder of two doctorates, one in economics and political studies, the other in Church history and systematic theology. He has taught in seminaries and universities on various topics in China, the UK, the US and Hong Kong for the past 20 over years. 

While Chan is a man of many trades, his main focus is the ministry of God. “All the other tools are just helpful to the ministry,” he explains. “For example, when I do research on churches, I will sometimes look at it in the economic perspective. I can look at it from maybe a different perspective that will give me a different reading.”

Believers are to walk in faith, but equally important is the spirit of understanding and wisdom in order to react the right way to trials.

Believers are to walk in faith, but equally important is the spirit of understanding and wisdom in order to react the right way to trials.

“Success must be created. It is not an accident. And once it is created, it must be protected.”

Speaking at the Leaders’ Meeting at City Harvest Church’s Jurong West building on May 14, CHC’s advisory chairman Dr AR Bernard spoke of the need for Christians to be clear about the realities of life and their image of Christ which will then affect the way they live their own lives.

Reading from the book of Nehemiah, Bernard highlighted that the men from the city of Jerusalem were rebuilding its walls with one hand while the other hand held a sword.

This was because of their enemies who were threatening to destroy them while they work. Similarly, there are forces in reality that will come to destroy (“the thief comes to kill, steal and destroy”). Success has enemies—jealousy and envy, those who want success but are not willing to pay the price.

Reminding the congregation of what the world system runs on— force (threat), greed, selfishness, ambition, and pleasure—Bernard said that there is a marked difference between God’s kingdom and the system of the world.

Culture is man’s attempt to organize society and define effective and correct ways to live in it. The problem is that not everybody agrees on how to create culture.

Bernard went on to talk about the differences in understanding Christ from two Scripture verses. Philippians 2:5-7 paints a picture of Jesus as a humble servant who put aside power, subjecting Himself to the powers of this world. The focus is on growth in the individual believer.

Colossians 1:15-17 describes Jesus as a cosmic ruler of the universe, and that all things are subject to Him.

The first image is one of submission, and the second, power. It is this contrast that our speaker explained how whatever image one has of Jesus will determine how one lives out the Christian faith in this world.

“They were first called ‘believers’ before they were called ‘Christians’. And for the believer, the crisis is never a crisis of finance or anything else; it’s always a crisis of faith,” he explained.

Paul was praying that the Colosse church would get an accurate image and understanding about God and apply wisdom to engage the world they are in. “When we get this understanding, we can keep praying like Paul did, that God will give us knowledge, spiritual understanding and wisdom to bring us through every situation,” said Bernard.

For system programmer Jeremy Kuang, 29, the meeting reminded him of the faith the believer is first called toward. “The church is bigger than any individual,” he noted. “We tend to place focus on our own ministry and our own strength and forget what God’s original calling upon our lives is.”

It was the last CHC leaders meeting held before the trial involving key leaders of the church began on May 15.

City Harvest’s pre-marital workshop prepares soon-to-be-wed or newlywed couples on the timeless pillars of a strong, everlasting marriage.

City Harvest’s pre-marital workshop prepares soon-to-be-wed or newlywed couples on the timeless pillars of a strong, everlasting marriage.

Many couples often forget that the wedding day is not the “finale” of their wedding preparations; on the contrary, it is the beginning of a new journey.

In order to help Christian couples with both the practical and spiritual aspects of planning a wedding and marriage, City Harvest Church’s pre-marital workshop, Happily Ever After, was organized during the first quarter of 2013.

Each series comprises five different sessions held weekly, touching on topics such as Christian marriage, the concept of leaving and cleaving, roles and responsibilities of husband and wife, dealing with the in-laws, sex and husband-and-wife communication.

Presented in a classroom setting with a Q&A session at the end, the sessions are conducted by pastors Yong Te-chong and Jeremy Choy, drawing from not only textbook teachings but also their own experience of married life, the latter of which occasionally drawing much laughter from the students.

“For a great marriage, every couple needs to be committed to growing, changing, communicating and working on their relationship no matter what happens,” says Choy.

In order to help couples understand and appreciate each other better, students are encouraged to undertake a DISC profiling test, a behavior assessment tool. By understanding each other’s personality traits, spouses are more likely to avoid conflict and be more sensitive towards the needs and desires of his or her partner.

Toward the end of the five-week session, couples on the procedures of wedding planning. He also touched on the intricate details in the area of financial planning such as from the market rate to give to a helper for the actual wedding day to various tips for a debt free wedding. Such real issues often arouse interest and curiosity in the session, as most of the couples will be getting married this year 2013 and are already in the midst of their wedding preparation.

For customer service officer Dan Lee, 30, and his wife, Wen Xi, 25, who got married at the end of March, the course was a good refresher of the keys to a fulfilling marriage, one of which was learning to put each other before self.

“It is important for us to know how to bond as a couple and what to expect in a marriage, which is an unknown path. We need to know our roles and responsibilities and we are glad that the workshop has helped us learn to pave our near future as husband and wife,” shared Lee.

“The Happily Ever After workshop is a useful tool in preparing couples to be mentally prepared for questions such as, ‘Why do I want to be married?’ and ‘What do I expect in marriage?’  It will save both parties in a relationship a lot of heartache if they understand the biblical perspective behind marriage,” says Choy.

When Luke Met Catherine

Luke Chee and Catherine Soon attended a Tic Tac Toe event organized by CHC’s Singles Committee, now known as City Connexions, in 2009. The fine dining event was held at The Legends at Fort Canning Park. Before the event, participants mingled and exchanged contacts, and that was when Chee met Soon. He was smitten. She was beautiful, approachable and friendly. He plucked up his courage and asked for her number.

After nine months of communicating through MSN chat and SMS texting, Chee decided to take the friendship further and asked Soon out on a double date with another couple from church. It was Chee’s sincerity that touched Soon. When it was her birthday, he waited patiently for her to finish her celebration with her friends, just to pass her a birthday gift.  Although their personalities were different, Soon felt very comfortable with Chee.

One day, while they were chatting, Chee suddenly brought out a bunch of roses, went down on his knees and asked Soon to be his steady girlfriend. After two years, the couple tied the knot in October 2010, both of them in their early thirties.

They are both grateful and appreciate what the City Connexions team is doing for the singles in City Harvest. Says Chee, “Without meaningful events like these, I would never have met my wife. Thank you for all the effort you’ve put into building lives!”

Congratulations to CHC zone supervisor Daniel Lim Joon Hian on graduating with a Master of Divinity from one of Asia’s foremost seminaries.

Congratulations to CHC zone supervisor Daniel Lim Joon Hian on graduating with a Master of Divinity from one of Asia’s foremost seminaries.

For City Harvest full-time staff member Daniel Lim Joon Hian, embarking on a master’s degree at the Trinity Theological College gave him the opportunity to drill deep into the Word Of God.

A father of two, Lim, 37, was conferred the Master of Divinity by the TTC on May 18 in a graduation service which saw another 44 master degrees, two doctorates and 10 bachelor degrees awarded.

The graduation service, TTC’s 63^rd since it opened its doors in 1948, was held at St. Andrew’s Cathedral. Backed by local Methodist, Anglican and Presbyterian churches, it aims to “develop in students a mature understanding of the historic and biblical faith” through an “academically rigorous, spiritually and vocationally formative curriculum that reflects a variety of church traditions from an Asian perspective.”

The three-year course gave Lim the opportunity to understand various doctrines better in a historical and theological context, which he hopes will empower him further in his current capacity as a zone supervisor at CHC as well as assisting with preparing church-wide Bible study materials.

TTC’s alumni include many bishops from mainstream denominations in Singapore as well as City Harvest’s pastors Bobby Chaw, Tan Kim Hock and Edmund Tay.

His biggest takeaway? The friendships forged with fellow classmates and teachers. “It is both important for us to know them, and for them to know us,” says Lim. After all, these individuals will be the future church leaders of the different Christian denominations in Singapore, and he will be working hand-in-hand with to glorify the kingdom of God.

Lim was also heartened by encouragement from his teachers at TTC, who frequently tell him that they are standing together with the church in prayer. He adds that his teachers know and acknowledge CHC to be a fully theologically-sound church.

For Lim, maintaining balance was especially important throughout the three-year course, as he was juggling both work and studies concurrently. He admitted to feeling “greatly stretched” on many occasions but believes that it will enlarge his capacity in serving in his ministry.

Lim attributes his success at the end of the journey to his family, his fellow pastoral staff as well as deputy senior pastor Tan Ye Peng, who sowed a love for the Word of God in him. Additionally, he thanks SOT’s dean, Bobby Chaw and his wife Cindy, who helped him in exploring study options at TTC.

Undergraduate Kenneth Yau shares what it’s like to prepare for one of the world’s most challenging endurance footraces—the Gobi March.

Undergraduate Kenneth Yau shares what it’s like to prepare for one of the world’s most challenging endurance footraces—the Gobi March.

How far would you go for an experience of a lifetime—and do good while you’re at it?

Second year political science student Kenneth Yau, 23 is part of an eight-man team which will take on the 10^th edition of the Gobi March, a 250km, seven-day footrace in the Gobi Desert in China on June 2.

Organized by sporting event company Racing The Planet, the Gobi March is one of the world’s top endurance races traversing grasslands, dry riverbeds and mountain valleys in extremely windy conditions with temperatures reaching 40°C.

The team Tembusu Globe Trekkers, named after Tembusu College at National University of Singapore comprises a resident fellow, two graduate fellows and four other undergraduates.

Their aim: to raise S$100,000 in funds for the Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund, which provides pocket money for students from low-income families. A related program, STep UP, enlists volunteers from tertiary institutions to provide free tuition services in family service centers.

Being able to adapt to the adverse climatic conditions will be key to their success, as is the skill to manage personal resources, most of which will be borne by themselves on the move. Yau shares with City News how training and preparations have been before the team departs on May 29.

How was the team formed?

I met my teammates at Tembusu College, a hostel where we live and study. One of our friends, Nianjia, asked if we would be interested in doing Gobi March. He didn’t think anything was going to materialize from our discussion but eventually, we all decided to do it.

What was the motivation to do the Gobi March for the Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund?

Firstly, we want to bring back a good story to share with others and inspire the youth to engage in endeavors which can benefit the community. I strongly believe in the value of having a proper education. It’s very heart-warming to see that the charity has benefited children from poor families.

Do you and other team members have relevant sporting experiences?

Three of us have completed a marathon; the others are more involved in other sports like triathlon and track and field. In terms of scale, none of us have done something similar to this—my closest experience would be a 70km maneuver during my army days!

What were the responses of your family and friends when they knew you were going to do the Gobi March?

The most drastic response would be, “Youxiao, ah?!” (“Are you crazy?!” in Singlish) However, most of our family members and friends are encouraging and they have even donated to the charity that we are supporting.

What’s the general sentiment among your teammates?

Some of them are not sure if they are able to pull through the entire length of the race. However, we can still finish the event as a team as long as three members are able to complete all stages of the Gobi March.

Given the tough conditions expected in Gobi, how have you been preparing for it?

Last week, we went on an 80km hike around Singapore. Our team also completed a two-day 70km hike to and from Desaru, Malaysia, Occasionally, we do stair-climbing at a tall HDB flat in Clementi. Other than that, we view past event videos and read testimonies from previous participants to know more.

Give us an idea of your overall game plan.

We won’t be running throughout the whole event. We will keep to a comfortable walking pace of about six kilometres per hour and take five-minute breaks in between.

Has there been a change in your diet, due to the physical demands of the race?

We simulate race-condition diets during our 80km hike by consuming energy bars and water, and experiment with field ration packs.

What were some other non-training challenges faced during the course of preparing for the race and how did you deal with them?

For a period of time, it was challenging to get sponsorship. As there are several Christians in the team, we continually prayed for a breakthrough. Sometimes, there are conflicts of personalities within the team; I will turn to the Word of God to help resolve these conflicts.

What would be your go-to Bible verse when the going gets tough?

Isaiah 40:28-31, part of it which says, “…those who wait on the Lord shall renew theirstrength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.”

The 5^th day of the race, which covers 80km, is described as the “long march” before the home stretch. How do you intend to deal with this section of the race?

We will try to complete it in one straight-out attempt, given the urgency to finish before the cut-off time. Our main concern is mainly to keep to the right path, especially at night.

How do you think you will cope with the prospect of not having a bath for close to a week?

Given the less sandy conditions and low humidity of the environment, personal hygiene will not be too hard to maintain. Wet wipes should suffice for me.

What would be the first thing you will do upon completing the race?

Fall to my knees and give thanks to God for pulling me through the entire seven days of the event!

To support the Tembusu Globe Trekkers, you may donate to the Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund through the Give Asia donation portal athttp://www.giveasia.org/movement/by_youths_for_youths_tembusu_globe_trekkers_gobi_march13If you are a student, you can also sign up to be a volunteer coach for STep UP.

A City Harvest Church member pens this letter to the church, as he looks back on the past two weeks when six of its leaders were on trial.

A City Harvest Church member pens this letter to the church, as he looks back on the past two weeks when six of its leaders were on trial.

Dear Friends,We’ve come to the end of six days, the first tranche, of the trial.City Harvest Church: our people and our ministries have, in these six days, crossed over to come into full view of the public eye.And we are still the church that we’ve always been. Twenty-four years have prepared us well for this.

PRAYING & FASTING

We’ve prayed incessantly. We’ve fasted for the six and their families. And from the reports of the trial proceedings, we know our prayers are heard. We know we are making a difference.

PRAISING & WORSHIPING

We’ve continued to praise and worship God. And those who attended the trial, you’ve carried the presence and the peace of God right into the courtroom itself.

SOUL-WINNING

On the weekend right in the middle of the six-day trial, the altar-call for receiving Jesus saw the stage front being filled!

You who have encountered God, and received Jesus into your hearts on this weekend, know that it was for you, that this trial is all about. There was never one person’s music career. There was only the Crossover. So we could reach you.

SHARING THE WORD OF GOD

We’ve continued to encourage one another through verses in the Bible, verses that now have become so real for us.

USHERING

A team was at the Subordinate Courts every morning to usher the six individuals through the gathering of reporters and photographers, walking side-by-side with each of the six, in that now-infamous walk up (and down) the steps of the Subordinate Courts.

In fact, the same team was also keeping track of the arrival times of the cars that brought the six individuals to court, making sure that one of CHC’s own would be there to receive each of the six and their family members.

HOSPITALITY

CHC’s hospitality team planned for each day’s lunchtime, that all-important break for them to refresh and regroup. The lawyers and their teams had a taste of CHC hospitality!

CITY NEWS

City News has been nothing short of amazing. Its team of writers, media crew and the news presenters provided the community, both church and the public, excellent coverage of the trial proceedings on a day-by-day basis.

City News itself was written about by The Straits Times, becoming the news provider that other news talk about!

Finally, for those that attended the court sessions, you’ve also demonstrated something else that CHC has always been known for being very good at – arriving early, queuing up in good orderly fashion, and getting seats!

Your being there brought an assuring presence, and an atmosphere of faith and love to the six and their families, at a place and time when they needed the church most. You showed up.

CHC, in these six days, we decided to walk together with the six individuals. Together, we walked tall.

We walked in faith, hope… and love.

These six days, the nation did not just see six individuals. They saw a church in action. They now see, hear and know City Harvest Church as we really are.

This Crossover is now happening right here, on home ground.

Ed Ong

City News speaks with a court reporter from a local news organization (who cannot be named) to find out how those reports make their way so quickly into the next day’s papers. How do you manage to catch everything that is being said in court?

City News speaks with a court reporter from a local news organization (who cannot be named) to find out how those reports make their way so quickly into the next day’s papers.

How do you manage to catch everything that is being said in court?

Shorthand! It’s very important to know shorthand—it saves you a lot of time. Shorthand is basically a combination of many squiggles and shapes that we are able to read and understand. For reporters, we attend a course to learn this. However, even after attending the course, you really need to keep practicing. Court reporting is a good way to practice, simply because of the sheer speed information transpires. The more you use it, the better you get.

And how do you manage to stay alert during the less stimulating parts of a court proceeding, for example when going through technical details?

We really cannot afford to fall asleep at all, so if there are really dry moments, I’ll start scribbling on my notebook or flipping through documents, just to keep myself doing something apart from waiting for the information to flow. And if I see that my writing is starting to trail off, then I’ll change what I’m doing. For example, instead of writing, maybe I’ll check my e-mail for a minute or two.

How about sweets or snacks?

I usually won’t eat anything to stay awake, because I want to try my best not to miss anything.

How do you deal with the tight deadlines?

It’s one of the requirements of the job—you just have to be able to think fast. For myself, while still in the courtroom, I’m actually already thinking about the arguments, and I have a sheet ready in front of me, which I use to write down what I think are the main points. As the trial progresses, I will keep adding to the list whenever I hear a good point, and I keep signposting and highlighting important quotes during the course of the trial, so that makes it fast for me to draft out my article.

What are some of the interesting aspects of court reporting to you?

Sometimes, even the hearing of charges can be very interesting, especially in cases where there is public interest, because the persons involved only appear for a really short time yet you have to be able to capture all that is being read out.

Concurrently, in your mind you will have to quickly make sense of details like who the person is, why he or she is being charged, what did this person do etc. Sentencing hearings are interesting too as you will be excited to know which side won, especially in cases where the arguments are compelling on both sides.

Finally, what makes a good court reporter?

I think you have to be very objective and not biased towards any side, so that you can constantly keep your balance in assessing the arguments put forward by both the prosecution and the defense. You have to be very sharp too, so that you don’t miss out on arguments. People are not going to alert you whenever there’s a key point being raised.

Accuracy is of paramount importance as well; if you quote people wrongly, it may possibly put a different spin on what was being said, and that may end up damaging somebody’s reputation or testimony, so you have to be very sensitive to that.

A City Harvest Church member pens this letter to the church, as he looks back on the past two weeks when six of its leaders were on trial.

A City Harvest Church member pens this letter to the church, as he looks back on the past two weeks when six of its leaders were on trial.

Dear Friends,We’ve come to the end of six days, the first tranche, of the trial.City Harvest Church: our people and our ministries have, in these six days, crossed over to come into full view of the public eye.And we are still the church that we’ve always been. Twenty-four years have prepared us well for this.

PRAYING & FASTING

We’ve prayed incessantly. We’ve fasted for the six and their families. And from the reports of the trial proceedings, we know our prayers are heard. We know we are making a difference.

PRAISING & WORSHIPING

We’ve continued to praise and worship God. And those who attended the trial, you’ve carried the presence and the peace of God right into the courtroom itself.

SOUL-WINNING

On the weekend right in the middle of the six-day trial, the altar-call for receiving Jesus saw the stage front being filled!

You who have encountered God, and received Jesus into your hearts on this weekend, know that it was for you, that this trial is all about. There was never one person’s music career. There was only the Crossover. So we could reach you.

SHARING THE WORD OF GOD

We’ve continued to encourage one another through verses in the Bible, verses that now have become so real for us.

USHERING

A team was at the Subordinate Courts every morning to usher the six individuals through the gathering of reporters and photographers, walking side-by-side with each of the six, in that now-infamous walk up (and down) the steps of the Subordinate Courts.

In fact, the same team was also keeping track of the arrival times of the cars that brought the six individuals to court, making sure that one of CHC’s own would be there to receive each of the six and their family members.

HOSPITALITY

CHC’s hospitality team planned for each day’s lunchtime, that all-important break for them to refresh and regroup. The lawyers and their teams had a taste of CHC hospitality!

CITY NEWS

City News has been nothing short of amazing. Its team of writers, media crew and the news presenters provided the community, both church and the public, excellent coverage of the trial proceedings on a day-by-day basis.

City News itself was written about by The Straits Times, becoming the news provider that other news talk about!

Finally, for those that attended the court sessions, you’ve also demonstrated something else that CHC has always been known for being very good at – arriving early, queuing up in good orderly fashion, and getting seats!

Your being there brought an assuring presence, and an atmosphere of faith and love to the six and their families, at a place and time when they needed the church most. You showed up.

CHC, in these six days, we decided to walk together with the six individuals. Together, we walked tall.

We walked in faith, hope… and love.

These six days, the nation did not just see six individuals. They saw a church in action. They now see, hear and know City Harvest Church as we really are.

This Crossover is now happening right here, on home ground.

Ed Ong

City News speaks with a court reporter from a local news organization (who cannot be named) to find out how those reports make their way so quickly into the next day’s papers.

City News speaks with a court reporter from a local news organization (who cannot be named) to find out how those reports make their way so quickly into the next day’s papers.

How do you manage to catch everything that is being said in court?

Shorthand! It’s very important to know shorthand—it saves you a lot of time. Shorthand is basically a combination of many squiggles and shapes that we are able to read and understand. For reporters, we attend a course to learn this. However, even after attending the course, you really need to keep practicing. Court reporting is a good way to practice, simply because of the sheer speed information transpires. The more you use it, the better you get.

And how do you manage to stay alert during the less stimulating parts of a court proceeding, for example when going through technical details?

We really cannot afford to fall asleep at all, so if there are really dry moments, I’ll start scribbling on my notebook or flipping through documents, just to keep myself doing something apart from waiting for the information to flow. And if I see that my writing is starting to trail off, then I’ll change what I’m doing. For example, instead of writing, maybe I’ll check my e-mail for a minute or two.

How about sweets or snacks?

I usually won’t eat anything to stay awake, because I want to try my best not to miss anything.

How do you deal with the tight deadlines?

It’s one of the requirements of the job—you just have to be able to think fast. For myself, while still in the courtroom, I’m actually already thinking about the arguments, and I have a sheet ready in front of me, which I use to write down what I think are the main points. As the trial progresses, I will keep adding to the list whenever I hear a good point, and I keep signposting and highlighting important quotes during the course of the trial, so that makes it fast for me to draft out my article.

What are some of the interesting aspects of court reporting to you?

Sometimes, even the hearing of charges can be very interesting, especially in cases where there is public interest, because the persons involved only appear for a really short time yet you have to be able to capture all that is being read out.

Concurrently, in your mind you will have to quickly make sense of details like who the person is, why he or she is being charged, what did this person do etc. Sentencing hearings are interesting too as you will be excited to know which side won, especially in cases where the arguments are compelling on both sides.

Finally, what makes a good court reporter?

I think you have to be very objective and not biased towards any side, so that you can constantly keep your balance in assessing the arguments put forward by both the prosecution and the defense. You have to be very sharp too, so that you don’t miss out on arguments. People are not going to alert you whenever there’s a key point being raised.

Accuracy is of paramount importance as well; if you quote people wrongly, it may possibly put a different spin on what was being said, and that may end up damaging somebody’s reputation or testimony, so you have to be very sensitive to that.

When a mishap happened outside the Subordinate Courts last Thursday, City Harvest members were quick to lend a hand.

When a mishap happened outside the Subordinate Courts last Thursday, City Harvest members were quick to lend a hand.

In the pre-dawn hours of May 23, City Harvest Church members were in the queue along with members of the public to get entry passes to the CHC trial proceedings at the Subordinate Courts. It was the final day of the six-day first tranche of the trial.

It was still dark and the ground was wet from a short but heavy downpour. About 10 minutes before 6am, a female court personnel was on her way up the staircase when she slipped and fell.

“I was in the queue talking to a friend when I heard a loud noise followed by some commotion,” said Maria Tok, a CHC pastor.

When Tok went with two friends to investigate, she found the woman in great pain and suspected that she had sprained her ankle.

Putting her basic knowledge of tui-na (a traditional Chinese massage) to use, Tok performed a simple massage to relieve the pain as the other CHC members helped to light the stairs with their mobile phones.

After a while, the woman felt much better and was able to get back on her feet. “I advised her to see a doctor to ensure there were no fractures,” says Tok. Another member helped carry her things and walked her into the building.

Says Tok, “I was so touched by the love of these CHC members. Despite the rain and coming to queue as early as 3.45am, everyone was quick to lend a hand when there was a need. As Pastor Kong always says, we must find a need and meet it; find a hurt and heal it.”

检方似乎质疑第三名证人的口供；许少毅表示日期错误非出于阴谋，乃人为疏忽。

检方似乎质疑第三名证人的口供；许少毅表示日期错误非出于阴谋，乃人为疏忽。

自上周三起，检方在进行复诘时屡次呈上新证据，让证人感到意外。

首次是检方在盘问第一位证人赖宝婷时，而最近一次则在昨日早上盘问许少毅时发生的，并引发部份资深律师的反对。

昨日检方尝试反驳辩方周三在法庭上建立的论点－《思创》（Xtron）是门可行的生意，且是独立于城市丰收教会的实体。

昨天上午的审讯约长达三小时，副检察官王守仁似乎尝试质疑该证人许少毅的口供，并宣称许前日在法院中的证词与周一的不一致。

王同时也追问许回想五年前的会议细节和日期。许表示他无法记得。

王接着呈上城市丰收教会投资委员会2007年7月29日的会议记录，声称委员会并未举行该会议，却引起辩护律师斯尼华申(N. Sreenivasan)的反对。

辩方也强烈反对区域法官施奇恩允许王呈上前两天未提出的几份额外文件。检方通常只能依据已呈堂的证据对证人进行复诘。

王试图提出许所签署的CHC投资委员会、CHC董事会会议记录、何清伟为《思创》做的担保及许、周英汉、康希和陈一平所做的后备担保书上似乎有出入。

王副检察官根据一系列电邮向许询问，为何两封担保《思创》在跨界计划的费用文件没有标记它们的实际日期。许解释这是人为错误导致的过失，也表示在一些文件上注明日期时，“我们永远不是完美的”，需要考虑一些因素，如拟文件和修改文件的时间。他补充说这些错误并不是出于“阴谋”。

许也提到他和其他三人在2010年给何清伟的个人保证就如同“拥抱他来表示对他（担保跨界计划）的支持”。

昨天上午的审讯总结应是三阶段中的第一阶段。审讯第二阶段将在八月继续开庭。

CHC (Xtron)

由于许少毅在CHC和《思创》（Xtron）担任多重要职，昨日进行的盘问揭开全新的观点。

检方证人许少毅昨日被传召上庭时对他的信仰毫无遮掩。他清楚表示相信跨界计划是CHC透过流行音乐接触非信徒的使命。

作为这次审讯的证人之一，许因曾在教会及《思创》公司里担任要职而占有独特的地位。《思创》是何耀珊音乐事业早期的制作公司。许之前为CHC的董事会会员，但后来卸下董事职位并担任《思创》董事；他也曾任教会投资委员会的委员，因此他能以不同的角度来看这个问题。

许少毅证实曾同意用支付《思创》预付租金来购买《Firna》债券。他也认为《Firna》这家印尼玻璃公司使用《思创》购买债券的金额来支持跨界计划是没有问题的。至于CHC向《思创》购买的债券，许也确认债券文件上显示这笔收入用来资助跨界计划—这笔资金的用途并非机密。

身为地产发展商，许同意辩方律师所说的—“《思创》若只是将钱存起来等候购买房产时机到来是很愚蠢的”。作为一名业主，他清楚会计账目上使用预付租金来抵消《思创》发给教会债券背后的逻辑。

许对跨界计划全权的同意和认可成为昨日下午盘问的重点。他透露自己不仅在言词上支持跨界，并且亲身力行；他和姐夫周英汉本身捐赠4万元支持跨界计划。

是什么促使他全力支持跨界计划？

当辩方律师安德烈（Andre Maniam）询问他是否将跨界计划看为“与传福音和拯救灵魂有关，不仅在销售专辑和赚钱而已？”许证实这点。证人曾看见跨界计划在亚洲的成功，因此他同意他的信仰是“坚信不可见的事”，这里指的是跨界在美国的努力。

对投资毫无质疑

辩方律师唐振辉昨日早上指出教会的建堂基金曾用来投资，而这些投资包括《思创》债券都由德意志银行持有；德意志银行是教会投资的托管银行。

更重要的是，他试图证明教会董事会、投资委员会和执行会员对这些投资早已知情，从未有一人，包括外来的专业顾问如律师和审计师质疑过这些投资和交易。

唐问道：“在你和投资委员会、董事会或外来顾问包括律师和会计师的交流中，从未有人提过这些债券是不正当的，对吗？”

许问答：“是的，法官大人。”

唐也尝试证实这些投资有经过定期的审查，并根据投资政策做评估以确保投资没有偏离政策。

唐在庭上跟进这点—他参考了控辩双方案情同意书里2007年8月17日的第一份债券认购协议。许证实他担任CHC董事期间，《思创》支取1300万元。唐也在同意书里注意到一句陈述：“第一次的债券认购协议中支出给《思创》1300万元是用在跨界计划上。”许同意，可以说每一分钱都花在跨界计划上，因为《思创》的责任就是要宣传何耀珊的音乐事业。

昨日下午再次在法庭上提出何清伟（前译名为哈纳菲）和许，以及其中三名被告—康希、陈一平和周英汉在金钱上资助该计划，并也是跨界计划的担保人。

资深律师加南拉美斯（Kannan Ramesh）提起，如果何清伟，作为《思创》的担保人（以防《思创》因跨界而面对亏损）无法还清债务，许和三位被告将为何清伟做赔偿。

倘若《思创》破产，没有何清伟的担保教会就会蒙受损失。

“若何先生因某些原因无法做出赔偿，那账单交给你们四人，你们四人真的能付清这笔钱吗？” 加南拉美斯问道。“如果这样的事件发生，账单就交给你们四人，对吗？”

许同意。

加南拉美斯再问道：“四人当中，有三人是被控非法挪用教会资金，对吗？周先生、康先生和陈先生。”

许回答：“是的，法官大人。”

“因此具体来说，这三人必须共同自掏腰包补偿教会的钱，对吗？有关他们被控非法挪用的金钱。”

许回答：“是的，法官大人。”

审讯将在今早10点30分继续开庭，由检方对许进行复诘。这将为这阶段审讯做总结。

Yesterday's Cross-Examination of Koh Siow Ngea Unveiled New Perspectives, thanks to his multiple, High-Level Roles in CHC And Xtrom.

Yesterday’s cross-examination of Koh Siow Ngea unveiled new perspectives, thanks to his multiple, high-level roles in CHC and Xtron.

Prosecution witness Koh Siow Ngea was unabashed about his faith when called to the stand in court yesterday. He also stated clearly his belief that the Crossover Project was a mission of CHC to reach out to unbelievers through the use of secular music.

Koh is in a unique position as a witness in this trial, having held key positions both in church and in Xtron, the production company that managed Sun Ho in the early part of her music career. Koh was a CHC board member before stepping down to assume directorship of Xtron; he was also an Investment Committee member of the church. Hence he could see the issue from different perspectives.

The property developer confirmed that he agreed with the advance rental paid to Xtron being used to buy Firna bonds. He also saw no issue with Firna, an Indonesian glassware company, using the money it obtained from Xtron for its bonds, to support the Crossover Project. As for the Xtron bonds purchased by CHC, Koh confirmed that the bond documents stated the returns were to be used for the Crossover—there was nothing secret about the use of funds.

As a property developer, Koh also agreed with the defense counsel that it would have been “silly for Xtron to keep the money in a bag waiting to buy some property.” As a business owner, he saw the logic of the offset between the advance rental and bonds that Xtron issued to the church by using accounting entries.

Koh’s wholehearted buy-in into the Crossover Project took centerstage at the cross-examination yesterday afternoon. It was revealed that he supported the Crossover Project not only in word but in deed: he, with his brother-in-law Chew Eng Han, personally donated $40,000 to fund the project.

What drove him to have such unbridled support for this project?

When asked by defence counsel Andre Maniam if he “personally saw it (the Crossover Project) as more about spreading the gospel and saving souls, rather than just selling albums and making money?”, Koh said this was true. Having seen the success of the Crossover Project in Asia, the witness agreed that his faith was a “conviction of things not seen”, those things being the Crossover effort in the US.

INVESTMENTS WERE NOT QUESTIONED

Defense lawyer Edwin Tong also pointed out early yesterday morning that the church’s building fund was used to acquire investments, and that such investments, including the Xtron bonds, were all held by Deutsche Bank, which was the custodian bank for the church’s investments.

More importantly, he also sought to establish that these investments were known to the Church’s board, Investment Committee and executive members, and that none of these people, including external professional advisors like lawyers and auditors, ever for once questioned these investments and transactions.

Tong asked, “To the extent that you had any interaction with any other members on the IC, or the board, or any of its external advisors, including lawyers and accountants, there was not a single suggestion that these bonds were not proper; right?”

Koh replied to the court, “Correct, your Honour.”

Tong also sought to establish that the investments were regularly reviewed and assessed against the Investment Policy to ensure there were no deviations from the policy.

He followed that up by referring to the first bond subscription agreement of Aug. 17, 2007 in the agreed statement of facts. Koh confirmed that during the time he was on the CHC board, $13 million was drawn down by Xtron. Tong made note of a statement in the ASOF that “The $13 million disbursed to Xtron under the first BSA was applied to the Crossover Project.” Koh agreed it was fair to say that not a single cent was spent on any other purpose than the Crossover, since Xtron had been tasked with promoting Sun Ho’s music career.

It resurfaced in court yesterday afternoon that Wahju Hanafi and Koh, together with three of the accused persons—Kong Hee, Tan Ye Peng, Chew Eng Han—financially supported and guaranteed the Project.

Senior counsel Kannan Ramesh brought up the issue of the indemnity Koh and the three accused gave Wahju Hanafi should Hanafi, who stood guarantor for potential losses incurred by Xtron for the Crossover, not be able to pay its debts.

Without Hanafi’s guarantee, had Xtron gone bankrupt, the church would have suffered losses.

“If Mr Hanafi for some reason was not able to pay, and the buck then passed down the chain to the four of you, would the four of you have been able to pick up the tab?” asked Kannan. “If indeed this chain of events had happened, really the buck would have stopped with the four of you, isn’t it?”

Koh concurred.

“Of the four, three persons are people who have been charged with criminally misappropriating moneys from the church, correct? Mr Chew, Mr Kong and Mr Tan,” asked Kannan.

“Yes, your Honour,” Koh replied.

“So in substance, these three persons together – these three persons would have to cough up cash to make the church whole, right, in relation to money that they have been alleged to have criminally misappropriated?”

Koh answered, “That’s right, your Honour.”

The trial resumes this morning at 10.30am, with the re-examination of Koh by the prosecution. This session will bring this tranche of the trial to a close.

City harvest church

检方证人许少毅证实《思创》（Xtron）在法律上是独立于城市丰收教会的实体，并称何耀珊的成功代表跨界计划的成功。

《思创》是否面对亏损而这些亏损是否由城市丰收教会来承担？在今早的审讯中，这是辩方律师盘问检方证人许少毅时所关注的重点。

辩方以此回应检方昨日的论点；检方指出《思创》在2007年损失200多万，在2008年则损失900多万元。

然而，今早辩方尝试证实这是在销售收入进来之前，为制作和宣传何耀珊的专辑所支出的费用。

今早在庭上证实的另一点是：教会曾向会友分享使用流行音乐来传福音的异象，这项计划也正式称为跨界计划。2007年2月特别会议的记录中也包括这点，并有约500名执行会友一致同意支持该计划。

辩方试图证实自2002年，CHC管理董事会就开始支持跨界计划；这项计划符合了CHC的使命—为了赢得灵魂而提倡传福音的事工，在新加坡或海外皆是如此。2007年，董事会已同意竭尽所能支持耀珊，因为她所做的是代表基督进入文化的实际榜样。

辩方声明，跨界计划是“完全诚实”的，因为它不是特别让CHC的某一名会友受益，而是推广整个组织的异象。

康希的律师唐振辉也向许询问：“跨界计划是成功的，而且你会将庞大的出席（演唱会）人数当作跨界成功的标准？”许回答是，并同意耀珊的成功就等于跨界的成功。

检方今早提到的另一点是《思创》不独立于教会，并且无法自行做投资决定，但辩方再一次挑战这点。在唐振辉的盘问下，许证实尽管这两个机构确实有“共同的异象”，但不管在财务或董事会上，《思创》都是独立于教会的实体。

有关教会提出的建议，房产发展商许少毅确认他和另一名《思创》董事钟嘉荣都会做出独立的判断来保护《思创》的利益，当然也会考虑到教会的宗旨，因为教会是《思创》最大的客户。

唐也呈上了《思创》员工提到有关购买器材或人事事宜（如员工薪金和花红）的电邮。董事们的确能够了解《思创》的财务状况。这几封电邮和回复也显示了公司在这些事上曾征询许和钟的意见，而在日常运作上也曾寻求他们的批准。

唐尝试证明《思创》除了CHC外也有其他客户。第一届亚洲青年运动会（于2009年新加坡举行）的主办单位曾聘请他们；一些草根组织、银行、新加坡管理大学及其他基金会如《我爱儿童(Mainly I Love Kids)》的公司晚宴也使用他们的服务。《思创》曾参与周华健、林俊杰、郑秀文等艺人所办的演唱会。2010年，《思创》也协助西联汇款、人事部和*Scape举办活动。唐表示，这一切只能代表一件事 —《思创》很明显是一门“可行的生意”。

辩方也表明CHC董事会、投资委员会、执行会员及外聘审计师对CHC建堂基金用在投资《思创》债券一事知情，并批准了这项交易。

审讯将在今天下午2点15分继续开庭。

Prosecution witness Koh Siow Ngea

Prosecution witness Koh Siow Ngea confirms that Xtron a separate legal entity from CHC; said success of Sun Ho was success of the Crossover project.

Did Xtron suffer losses and were they borne by City Harvest Church? That was the key focus as prosecution witness Koh Siow Ngea was cross-examined by defense lawyers in this morning’s session of the trial involving six leaders of the church.

This was in response to the prosecution’s argument yesterday that Xtron had made losses of more than $2 million in 2007 and more than $9 million in 2008.

But these were actually expenses incurred to produce and promote Sun Ho’s album before sales returns came in, the defense sought to establish this morning.

It was also revealed in court earlier today that the vision of using pop music for evangelism was communicated to the church members and it became officially known as the Crossover Project, and that about 500 executive members gave their unanimous support to this project.

The defense also sought to prove that since 2002, the CHC Board has supported the Crossover Project as being consistent with CHC’s mission to promote a ministry of evangelism for soul winning, both in Singapore and overseas. In 2007, the Board agreed to do whatever is necessary to show its support for Sun as what she is doing is a practical example of engaging Christ in culture.

The Crossover is “completely honest” as it does not benefit any particular member of CHC in isolation, but only the organizational vision as a whole, the defense argued.

Kong Hee’s lawyer Edwin Tong also asked Koh: “The Crossover was successful and you would regard the huge turnout (in concerts) as a gauge of the success?” Yes, replied Koh, who agreed that the success of Sun would equate to the success of the Crossover.

Another point brought up by the prosecution this morning was that Xtron was not independent of the church and was unable to make investment decisions on its own. But this was again challenged by the defense. When cross-examined by Tong, Koh confirmed that Xtron is a separate entity from the church in terms of accounts and directorship, although the two organisations had a “common vision”.

With regard to all the proposals that came from the church, Koh, a property developer, confirmed that he and Choong Kar Weng, the other Xtron director, would exercise independent judgment in safeguarding the interests of Xtron, naturally taking into consideration the objectives of the church since it was Xtron’s largest client.

Tong also presented emails of Xtron staff regarding equipment purchase and human resource matters such as staff salary and bonuses. The directors were able to keep abreast of the financial health of Xtron. These exchanges showed that Koh and Choong were consulted on all these matters and their approval pertaining to the daily operations had been sought.

Tong also sought to prove that Xtron engaged in business with other clients besides CHC. Examples include being engaged by the organisers of the inaugural Asian Youth Games, which was held in Singapore in 2009; corporate dinners of grassroots groups, banks, Singapore Management University and other foundations such as Mainly I Love Kids. Xtron was also involved in concerts put up by the likes of Emil Chau, JJ Lin and Sammi Cheng. In 2010, Xtron was also involved in the running of the events organised by Western Union, Ministry Of Manpower and *Scape. This could only mean one thing – that Xtron was clearly a “viable business”, argued Tong.

The defense also argued CHC’s Board, Investment Committee, Executive Members and external auditors were all aware of and approved the use of CHC’s building fund for investment into Xtron bonds.

The trial resumed at 2.15pm this afternoon.

City Harvest Church's Advisory Pastor Phil Pringle

City Harvest Church’s advisory pastor Phil Pringle talks about the secret power of giving thanks, his deep friendship with Kong Hee and the future of CHC.

Phil Pringle, senior minister of C3 Church in Sydney, Australia and the president of the C3 Church International, a global movement of over 240 churches, is in Singapore to conduct two weekend services back to back at CHC. He is here to support and encourage the church while CHC’s senior pastor Kong Hee and five other church leaders go through the first week of the trial against them for allegedly misusing church funds.

In this interview Pringle shares with City News how his friendship with Kong Hee began, how giving thanks is a secret weapon, and he exhorts the congregation to see beyond the trials of the present as a purchase for a future that would be a blessing to the nations.

You taught us about giving thanks yesterday. But how do you give thanks when things are really hard, when you feel betrayed or when you feel someone’s done you a great wrong?

I think the sacrifice of praise—which the Bible calls thanksgiving, giving thanks under difficult circumstances—is the best antidote to a bad attitude, because you’re grateful to God not just in the circumstance but for the circumstance. And that’s a big difference.

Sometimes we like to say, we thank God in the circumstance even though I hate the circumstance, but the Bible is actually saying, thank God for the circumstance as well. The funny thing is as soon as you’re thankful for something or someone, you see them positively. So instead of hating or criticizing them, you now see the positive in them.

That’s why Paul thanked God for the people he was writing to, because it gave him a platform for every following comment. One of the best things a pastor can do is to thank God—for his congregation, his board, his wife and children. Even though some of those people might be frustrating him, if he thanks God for them, he’s gonna change his views and see things differently.

And once you see things differently, you actually see a strategy, a way forward. If I thank God for a problem, then I’ll find a way to deal with it because the positive mind always sees a way through. The negative mind accepts defeat and can’t find a way.

You’ve been a friend of CHC since 1992. That’s 21 years till now. What was your first meeting with Pastor Kong like?

The first time I remember meeting Pastor Kong was in a very large warehouse that he had rented, but he only had maybe 120 people. So he’s always had huge faith, stepping out in enormous ways.

The very next meeting I had with him was at our annual conference, now known as the Presence Conference. And he was on his honeymoon. He came to our conference on his honeymoon. So I was very impressed with that, and I gave him a gift so he was able to go out and buy some clothes for his wife as a present.

I think that was the beginning of the relationship, because I saw in him such a great faith, such a wonderful attitude, and I just felt that he was just going to do something incredible for God.

How would you say the relationship has developed over the years?

I think our relationship is a combination of several factors. In the early years, I would have guided him and been something like a mentor to him, and I would still be that now, but only by his initiative, not mine. But I would also treat him as a peer, a colleague, and someone that I would stand with in the faith.

There are not many people in the world I would feel that I am called to lay down my life for—and I’m not trying to be dramatic—but he would be one of them. I generally feel that over the years, my Christianity is expressed in helping people I can help, who may not necessarily be those whom others have access to, such as pastors. There are many pastors who are facing difficult times whom I feel I can be of a little help to.

But I would put Pastor Kong in a totally different category than just that because he’s a close friend. I think that we should lay down our lives for our friends. That’s what the Kingdom is. It’s a privilege for me too. It’s an honor. I’m blessed to being involved with City Harvest Church.

At Presence Conference last month, you had Pastor Kong come onstage. You really showed a lot of support for him, and after that there was a lot of negative talk on the Internet. How do you deal with that? 

I don’t—I don’t even bother reading it. You know, I’ll be worried if every comment about me was positive.

Why do you say that?

Well, I’m not sure you’re really being effective if you haven’t got critics. There’s not a person who’s achieving anything in the world today who hasn’t got critics. But we’ve taken criticism all our lives for following Christ, for taking steps of faith. I don’t really bother with it. Sometimes it comes across my path and I try to toughen up and not let it affect me.

You spoke about it during your sermon (last Sunday), about the “poison” that some emails or articles carry. What if a new member in church sees something that offends them? How would you advise them to step away from it?

For a young, new person, that’s such a hard thing. I think you’ve got to be upfront and tell people how you’re feeling. In the early church there was a lot of persecution, a lot more than there is now. There are churches in the Middle East where if people know they became Christians, they could be killed.

I know of a church which last year buried 150 of its members who were killed [for being Christians]. There’s a C3 church in that same country which can’t hold meetings on a regular basis because if the locals know when they’re having a meeting they will attack, so they have to constantly change the timings, and they can’t all gather at once; it’s very underground.

So the reality of Christ coming in to a person’s life has to be very real, [not] just going to church, being religious. Because when people discover Jesus, they will pay any price. I think that’s the surest way (to stay away from the poison). But I also think if they received Christ with eyes wide open, they will see that there is a price to following Christ.

What do you see in the future of City Harvest Church?

The price it’s paying today will be the purchase of a future of incredible blessing, of great abundance. I think it will affect the world in a lot of ways, especially in terms of cell groups, culture and reaching a lost world. I think CHC will have a huge impact in China; it’ll possibly be its most major calling, but it may also affect the whole of Asia.

CHC will be celebrating its 25th anniversary next year. What should the members look towards, what should they focus on?

The next 25 years. If you extrapolate the last 25 years of growth, you’ll probably come out to half a million people, if we keep growing at the rate we’ve been growing at. So once you see an end result, you can develop a pathway to it, a strategy. That’s why God sees the end from the beginning. Every leader or person in management needs to see the end from the beginning.

You would have heard that Sun’s suspension has been lifted and that she is back as our executive director. What are your thoughts on this?

I think Sun is essential to the core, the fabric and the culture of the church, and her input should not be underestimated. Her concepts, her design, her input into the worship, the leadership and the people should not be undervalued in any way at all. I think she’s very key to the future of City Harvest Church.

Song Ok-Suk

I love you, Song Ok-Suk! continue giving your best. you have truly radiated in "missing you". my favorite scene was when you packed hgw's things and your confrontation scene with him. you were both brilliant!!! a thousand claps for the both of you!

she is realllly good .... when she act, she is amazing and i really like her specially in 'missing you '

love you soooo mach
you are the best in i miss you
be strong as always

i like how this woman acts,... especially when she cries... :D

Jeong Dong-Hwan

I'm pretty sure he had a cameo in "Pasta" as Chef's Chef. Am I wrong in this?

Kang Ye-sol

You're so pretty hope you make more movies for me to watch =)

Although you're mean in My Princess, you're beautiful and a wonderful actress~!!! Don't lose faith!

if you're mean in My Princess, it's meant that you're success in brought the characters
it's good...
hope you can act more...
good luck!!!

nice acting, so real
축하합니다 ^O^

she's beautifuL .. maybe she's the real sister of the royal princess...

You did a very good job playing the evil sister in My Princess but darn you're so pretty. It was weird because I hated your character but at the same time I was like 'damn it, why is she so pretty? I'm jealous'.
I think you looked really nice with short hair though :)

dear, your so mean in my princess and such an evil sister towards lee seol but you did still a very good job and your so pretty
go!!
go!!
fighting!!


i hate her so much..because she angry at ko hyun sung in while you were sleeping!!!!!


you are so beautiful. you were mean in my princess but i love ya.
kang ye-sol fighting

I agree with everyone else on here, She was mean in "my princess" But honestly, She is a very good actress, Think about it, She played her roled so good, That she people actually started hating her, And to me, If you can get me to get mad at you, Then your portraying your character very well. So kudos to her :D I'll be looking forward to more of her drama!

Lee Young-Eun

Very Very cute actress! Really enjoyed her in Once Upon a Time in Saengchori and the Marriage Plot.

young eun onnie soooo beautiful...saranghae onnie...hwaiting onnie...love you so much...

Oh Yoon-Ah

She's pretty, esp. her eyes...:)

I'd tap that

I like the way she dressed...Super in fashion.

she is unique in her profession and she is different.

hi Oh Yun-Ah how are you i am tariq from pakistan your birthday and me birthday is same and blood group

I really like her acting in "The Land of the Wind". also really hate her character in "someday".

hi Oh Yun-Ah how are you i am tariq from pakistan your birthday and me birthday is same and blood group

hope more "the land of the wind" character than "someday" in the future.

you acted well in THE WIND OF THE LAND and liked the way you act but i have one question for you why Ma-ro died i didnt see any reason for him to die

While You were Sleeping Korea Drama

Oppa, you are so handsome! I wish you well in your career, lots of love~

Choi you are very nice actor.I like to wach "Tasty life" and I wait every new episodes..Maybe you vill answer to me?
Kiss from Santa Monica,USA, and all the best!
Maja


I saw Choi Won Young act on Sex is Zero, Definitely Neighbors and Tasty Life. I can say that he's better when he's part of a love couple like in Definitely Neighbors than being in a mixed up four-way love battle in Tasty Life. As for Sex is Zero, he's really funny.


백년의 유산 this drama, you never protect your wife Eugene, an unreasonable guy, a very bad guy although you love your wife........

Now am waiting for 백년의 유산11 회to be ready to watch, i hope Lee Jung Jin will be the HERO to rescue Eugene.....

Hope Lee Jung Jin will find all ways to protect Eugene, win Eugene's heart and made you regret for all the wrong mistakes you have done to Eugene.....

Am hopeful to watch this drama, that one day you will regret for what you have done to Eugene......

Hope to see Eugene marry Lee Jung Jin and i hope Choi Won Young will cry and regret for being unable to treasure a good wife........

While You were Sleeping Korea drama

Totally charismatic and unforgettable actor! He commands screen presence!

*the most charisma korean actor & handsome at his state of age*