Singapore's born-again Christians thrive in tough times

Believers gather at the New Creation Church every Sunday for upbeat services conducted in ultra-modern surroundings that are helping make Christianity the spirituality of choice for Singaporeans.

The venue, a plush 1,200-seat auditorium equipped with state-of-the-art audiovisual systems, is on the third floor of an upmarket shopping mall in the city-state's business district.

"Say not what you can do for God, but what God has done for you," preacher Lawrence Lim told a rapturous congregation during a recent service which opened with rousing hymns played by a seven-piece Christian rock band.

"Amen," the churchgoers replied in unison.

Singapore, a predominantly ethnic-Chinese Buddhist society of 4.6 million, has seen a boom in recent years in born-again Christian movements, which experts said people perceive as modern institutions reflecting their personal aspirations.

While Taoism and Buddhism are the traditional belief systems in Singapore, most people adopt them as a matter of birthright, rather than choosing to follow them as spiritual life codes.

"Those who have converted (to Christianity) were probably not very entrenched in their original faith," said Mathew Mathews, a sociologist at the National University of Singapore.

"People want to move out from traditional concepts of religion to a more 'classy' image with things which mirror our popular culture and are congruent to their own works and expectations," he said.

New converts are encouraged to bring in more recruits, helping boost the number of Christians in Singapore.

According to a 2000 census of Singapore's 3.6 million native inhabitants, Christians accounted for 15 percent of the population aged 15 years and older, up from 10 percent in 1980.

Buddhists and Taoists accounted for 51 percent in 2000, Muslims 15 percent and Hindus four percent. The rest belonged to other religions or were atheist.

Singapore might be in the midst of its most severe recession in history but Christian churches led by charismatic ministers seem to be weathering the storm well.

The New Creation Church, with its slick audiovisual presentations and interactive services, is clearly benefiting from the trend -- with 18,000 members, it is probably the most financially successful of the new churches.

It expects to move into a purpose-built 62,000-square-metre (667,000-square-foot) complex in 2012, with the project budget of 120 million Singapore dollars (80 million US) largely funded by members' contributions.

Now under construction in a high-tech district, the new church complex will boast retailers, food and beverage outlets, two amphitheatres and a 5,000-seat performing arts auditorium.

During one giddy eight-hour period in February, the church raised 19 million dollars from four Sunday services, and believers are heartened by the support.

"There are a lot of people who are willing to contribute a lot more, so that's why the amount became so big," says 21-year-old student Ng Yiling.

Responding to criticism that the money could have been better spent, Ng said: "The church didn't force us to do it. In the end it's our money, it's up to us how we want to spend it."

The church and its businesses, which include two child development centres, a travel agency and a diversified firm called Rock Productions, declared assets of 146 million dollars in a balance sheet dated March 31, 2008.

It is going ahead with overseas missions and global "outreach" programmes, with members able to register for trips to Vietnam and Thailand scheduled over the next six months, according to the church website.

City Harvest Church, another Christian church boasting healthy finances, has not seen any reduction in donations since the onset of the economic meltdown in late 2008, according to a spokesperson.

"Donations are both a personal and a private choice of our members. We believe that as the church helps to meet the different needs of our members, they will continue to give free-will donations to the church," the spokesperson said.

The church, which declared 79 million dollars in assets in its balance sheet for January 2006-June 2007, says on its website it has 45 affiliate churches and 44,000 members in the Asia-Pacific region as of 2008.

Locally, it claims a following of 26,000 and conducts its weekly Sunday services in a 2,300-seat complex built eight years ago for 48 million dollars.

Indeed, tithing appears to be thriving among Singapore's Christian community, despite official forecasts that the economy will shrink by up to five percent this year.

Reina Lee, 21, a member of Faith Community Baptist Church, tithes 80 dollars from her monthly income of 800 dollars, and said she is not thinking of reducing the amount even in the current economic climate.

"As a Christian, we give a proportion of what God has blessed us with as an act of thanksgiving and wanting to bless His ministry," she said.

"It is also an act of faith, that we believe that God will provide for our needs in this time of recession."