Open Letters to NCCS by Dr Simon Chong, BG (Ret) Andrew Tan, Tan Siew Poh & Andrew Tan & National Council of Churches of Singapore (NCCS) Reply to Rev David Liew’s Letter & Rev George Ong’s Open Letter to NCCS (Dated 19 Sep 2021)
Open Letter To NCCS – By Dr Simon Chong
Dear President and Honorable Members of NCCS, (This letter was also sent to the General Secretary, NCCS office).
Greetings!
I am writing to you as a concerned member of the Christian Community in Singapore in regards to the doctrines and teachings of Joseph Prince (JP) of New Creation Church (NCC) which is registered under the auspices of NCCS.
It has come to light under intense scrutiny that the doctrines espoused by JP over the years have been increasingly deviant and currently outright heretical. And if that be so, do his doctrines reflect NCCS’ own stand and values in regards to the Scriptures since NCC is a member of NCCS?
There have been complaints from the Christian Community overseas (besides the crescendo-rumbling on our own ground) on such far-reaching spread of heresies from our shore which has been met with complete silence from the local Christian Authorities like your good-self.
Would it not be timely now that an official statement be made in regards to your stand on matters of doctrinal accuracies pertaining to what JP stands for?
I believe a rebuke and correction is timely now not just for the sake of truth and love for JP and NCC, but also for those (Believers and Pre-believers) led astray and are being led astray by his deceptive demeanor and preaching that is relaying a different foundation from that which has long been established in the Scriptures and the traditions of early fathers of the faith, lest it be interpreted as condoning on the part of yourselves if there be any further with-holding to discipline a member who holds on to a doctrine or belief that’s completely different from that which you have deemed to be true and right biblically.
I shall leave it to your good faith and conscience to do what’s right in His eyes. I believe you’ve already heard the cry and outrage from various quarters of the country and globe on this outright persistent disparaging of His truth weekly, and it will certainly be foolhardy to ignore this on your part as elected members of this esteemed Council which you’ve been called to, the godly values which I hope you’ll faithfully uphold and implement than turn a blind eye to.
I would like to leave you some words of wisdom from Dietrich Bonhoeffer as a call to you for action:
“Our church regime totally lacks even the concept of heresy, it no longer exists….the word heresy has been struck from our vocabulary. And yet the concept of heresy is a necessary, non-negotiable factor for the confessing church. Doctrine must always be set against false doctrine.” He quickly adds that this talk of heresy is OUT OF LOVE, NOT OUT OF A LACK OF LOVE. NOT SPEAKING THE TRUTH and NOT CALLING heresy “HERESY” would be UNLOVING, whereas “if I do speak the truth to them, I’m doing it out of love.”
Hence, I implore you to do the right thing out of love than the lack of it in further inaction.
In His Love,
Dr Simon Chong
Attending Faith Methodist Church, Singapore
Open Letter To NCCS – By Brigadier General (Retired) Andrew Tan
Dear Rev Dr Ngoei Foong Nghian (General Secretary of NCCS),
(This letter was also sent to the General Secretary, NCCS office).
As an ex-General from the Singapore Armed Forces, I fully understand the responsibility and burden of leadership. The leadership in any organization shapes, prescribes, influences and provides the inspiration for its members to do and achieve the organization’s goal.
Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality and the influence to guide and maximize its people towards the attainment of its goal. There are good and effective leadership and there are bad and weak leadership.
NCCS is the leadership for the Body of Christ in Singapore. NCCS provides the churches in Singapore and Christians in general, the capacity, the voice, the encouragement, the authority and influence to follow the teachings of Christ.
I noticed that NCCS has lately issued a Statement denouncing acts of violence against another religious community thereby upholding Christ’s teaching “love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:39). This is a positive leadership act.
What about ‘Christian leaders’ who have deliberately and incessantly been corrupting the teachings of Christ? I am referring here to the errant and destructive preaching of Pastor Joseph Prince of New Creation Church (NCC).
First and foremost, I do not know Pastor Prince and I have no issue with him personally. The concern I have is regarding his heretical teaching and the persistent manipulation of the Word. I trust that the leadership of NCCS is fully aware of this verifiable and substantiated concern. If there is any doubt, I am sure that Rev George Ong will be able to provide ample and verifiable evidence of Pastor Prince’s heresies.
I once asked a pastor of another church why he and his church can carry out business as usual knowing that false teachers like Joseph Prince are spreading satanic teachings by twisting and manipulating the Word.
He replied that generally the other churches do not want to be involved because the senior pastors and pastors are committed to keeping the peace among fellow brethren and for the sake of unity in the body of Christ.
Imagine the ignorance of this pastor, who isn’t even aware that Joseph Prince isn’t a fellow shepherd of Christ but a wolf in sheepskin to be exposed and contended against.
This calls for the greater need and urgency for NCCS to provide leadership on this matter so as to prevent more and more believers and even pastors from being deceived.
A big part of the problem why heretics like Pastor Joseph Prince has a free reign to preach his false gospel, to adulterate and manipulate the Word and to even make fun of and despise Christ is simply because many churches and pastors choose to remain tight lipped. “Silence is consent” as the saying goes.
The worst Christians are those that watch by the side-line the works of Satan’s disciples preaching and condemning the Gospel and Christ and watch in cowardice silence to what is being preached and the corruption of the poor congregation.
If anyone should say that he loves Christ and that he would even die for his faith, is it not hypocritical to not even lift a finger to expose any false teacher and help people not to be deceived?
In this regard, NCCS, being in the leadership role and the shepherd of the Singapore Church has an even higher compulsion. NCCS has an obligation, a duty and a responsibility to work upon and resolve this concern. It cannot simply say that it is not its role and duty to do anything about the problem. Understand that this is a leadership issue and therefore it is not something optional!
I pray that there will be wisdom, courage and conviction within the leadership of NCCS to address the problem of Joseph Prince’s heresies for Christ’s sake and the sake of the Body of Christ in Singapore which NCCS is providing leadership.
In Christ,
Brigadier General (Retired) Andrew Tan
Attending Covenant Evangelical Free Church, Singapore
Open Letter To NCCS – By Tan Siew Poh
Dear Rev Dr Ngoei Foong Nghian (General Secretary of NCCS),
(This letter was also sent to the General Secretary, NCCS office).
I’m most disappointed with your reply (I’m assuming you are the one who replied on behalf of NCCS) to Rev David Liew to say the least.
To me, it smacks of NCCS shirking its responsibility as the national leadership of churches in Singapore to do what is right in God’s sight.
It is most disconcerting to learn that no action was taken by NCCS about Joseph Prince and his heresies that were propagated by him for the last 20 years.
How long more is NCCS going to wait before taking action? It’s time to stop hiding behind bureaucracies and stand up for the truth!
In fact, all the heavy hard work has already been done by Rev George Ong who has painstakingly put together all the evidence that you need.
I, myself have read through 95% of the 4,800 pages of notes by Rev George on his website and I’m utterly convinced that Joseph Prince is indeed a wolf in sheepskin.
All NCCS needs to do is study that evidence and determine for yourself whether you agree or not with the evidence presented by Rev George.
If you do not agree, please explain why you disagree. If you agree, you need to expose and call out Joseph Prince for who he really is – a heretic!
You cannot be ambivalent about it.
We expect Christian leaders in Singapore to act with courage and not ‘hide’ in silence, inaction and deliberate delay.
Tan Siew Poh
Attending Grace Assembly of God, Singapore
Open Letter To NCCS – By Andrew Tan (Ex New Creation Church Member)
Dear Rev Dr Ngoei Foong Nghian (General Secretary of NCCS),
(This letter was also sent to the General Secretary, NCCS office).
I am writing in support of Rev David Liew and Rev George Ong concerning the gravity of Joseph Prince’s teachings.
I was a member of New Creation Church for 20 years (2000-2020) and lately, my wife and I have since worshipped in another church.
During my 20 years, I’ve seen how Joseph Prince twisted God’s word to fit his grace theology and spilled out heresy after heresy with reckless abandon (which I came to realise later). I am not alone as I have read several ex-New Creation Church members’ testimonials on Rev. George Ong’s website.
I thank God that I was given a revelation and understanding of the biblical truth to evaluate them with the teachings of Joseph Prince who derived his doctrines mainly from the Word of Faith movement, which promotes a pseudo form of Christianity.
Joseph Prince can be ranked amongst such wolves as Joel Osteen, Kenneth Copeland, Kenneth Hagin, Benny Hinn, Steven Furtick and many others from the USA.
I am not concerned or have any quarrel on the exponential growth of New Creation Church to her current 34,000 members. What I am concerned as an individual disciple of Christ Jesus is the amount of heresies Joseph Prince is feeding to its folks every Sunday.
I need not go through all of Joseph Prince’s theologies as these have already been espoused meticulously and thoroughly by Rev George Ong via his videos and articles.
I have read 100% of the 4,800 pages of notes on Rev George Ong’s website and there is no doubt that Rev George Ong has proven that Joseph Prince is indeed, a heretic.
The crucial question is – can we as true believers of Christ, and more so as the National leaders of the Singapore Church, allow such heresies to be taught against the very One who is the embodiment of Truth? God forbid!
If we don’t do anything about it, we are making mockery of the many martyrs (now and in the past) who had sacrificed their lives for the sake of the true gospel.
The Singapore Church Leadership must realise the grave implication that not doing anything will only perpetuate the spread of such heretical evil.
As Edmund Burke has rightly said,
“The only thing necessary for the triumph of Evil is for good men to do nothing.”
In Christ Alone,
Andrew Tan
Attending Agape Methodist Church, Singapore
If you have missed reading Andrew Tan’s testimony about how he came out of New Creation Church, please read it here (click).
NCCS’ reply to Rev David Liew’s Letter (please click here for previous correspondence)
Dear David,
Thanks for writing to NCCS with all the details and explanation.
May we respectfully suggest that you work through the Methodist Church Leadership. Once the Methodist Leadership is able to agree on the path forward, they can always bring the matter up to NCCS. The Methodist Leadership is well represented by the Gen Com members and Bishop Dr Gordon Wong who is the Vice-President of NCCS.
Blessings,
NCCS.
Rev David Liew will reserve his comments on NCCS’ reply, maybe, at a later time.
Open Letter To NCCS – By Rev George Ong
To: The National Council of Churches of Singapore (This letter was also sent to the General Secretary, NCCS office).
Dear Rev Dr Ngoei Foong Nghian (General Secretary of NCCS),
I am writing to you as to why (I’m assuming you are the one who wrote the letter on behalf of NCCS) you are suggesting that Rev David Liew work through his Methodist denomination instead of taking it directly to NCCS.
You, on behalf of NCCS, are probably going to ask me to work through my denomination (as NCCS did to Rev David Liew) and church. (From pastoring, I was called to be an itinerant preacher from 2001 please click to view.) But during this season, I don’t belong to any denomination or any local church. I am of course a member of the Body of Christ both in the Singapore and Universal Church.
The reason is since 2014 (still as an itinerant preacher), I was called by God to teach the truth of the Post-tribulation rapture and the falsity of the Pre-tribulation rapture. This went against my denominational stand. So, I had to leave my denomination and my church. All doors from churches of this denomination in Singapore and Malaysia were closed to my itinerant preaching ministry. I, of course, had expected this as I was preaching against the denominational stand. I blame no one for this as it comes with the price of obeying God’s call. The consolation was that many who attended my Rapture & Great Tribulation Seminar were convinced of my Post-tribulation stand and the falsity of the Pre-tribulation doctrine. Please click to view.
Then, I received another difficult call to conduct the seminar that we aren’t once saved always saved. Many churches are teaching that we are once saved always saved. Again, a different set of churches closed their doors to my preaching ministry. My comfort is in knowing that there were many who attended my seminar who agree with my position on this issue. Please click to view.
This was followed by the call (the most difficult of the three) to expose Joseph Prince as a heretic and his heresies since 2017 till now. Again, more doors closed on my preaching ministry.
From 2014 and until now, that is what I have been doing. I knew it wouldn’t be easy for me to belong to any church as these three issues are (only humanly but not biblically) controversial. When I attend a church, I don’t just want to ‘show my face’ every Sunday but to be involved. I knew that hardly any church would be able to flow with these three of my tough callings in succession. And I don’t wish to put them in a tight spot. I believe, it is God’s will that I don’t belong to any denomination or church during these years, or else, I won’t be able to do what I did and am doing now.
Now back to the purpose of my letter.
A crucial point I wish to bring up is that it puzzles me why Rev David Liew has to work through the Methodist Leadership before any action on Joseph Prince can be taken by NCCS.
Is it to observe mere protocol? If not, what are the reasons? Could Rev Dr Ngoei enlighten us?
Is it because NCCS lacks the competence to handle the Joseph Prince issue that the Methodist Leadership is called in for? Can’t be! Most in the NCCS are theologically trained. They are well aware of the heresies of Joseph Prince. So why the need to drag the Methodist Leadership into the picture?
Or, is it because NCCS, being the National Leadership, doesn’t have a stand of their own, or have any idea about how such a grave heresy that is affecting not just Singapore but also the world for the last 20 over years, ought to be handled? If that is the real case, then the Singapore Church is really in trouble!
Why get the Denominational Leadership involved when the issue of Joseph Prince and his heresies is purely a matter to be resolved by NCCS? Aren’t NCCS competent enough to handle the issue as she is already represented by all denominational heads? And every denominational head represents the welfare, interests and views of their denomination?
Does the Methodist denomination represent the views of all denominations? Can she make decisions on the Joseph Prince issue on behalf of every other denomination? Can the Methodist denomination decide for every denomination that Joseph Prince is a heretic? Does she have the power to expel Joseph Prince from NCCS?
So what value does this add to resolving the Joseph Prince issue?
Just blindly following protocol for protocol’s sake? (Hope not!) It will only bring about more red tapes, more delays and getting more people to be unnecessarily involved in the process.
Let’s say if the Methodist Leadership (after many laborious rounds of meetings and hours spent with Rev David Liew) decides not to take this up to NCCS, could it be possible that NCCS would say, “Oh, we can’t or won’t do anything about the Joseph Prince issue because the Methodist Leadership didn’t think that is an important issue to take it to us?” Then NCCS would be left off the hook?
Perhaps, NCCS may say, “No, this isn’t our intention. Rev David Liew can always appeal to NCCS to discuss the issue with us even though the Methodist Leadership has decided against it?” What? And then go through the rigmarole of more and more rounds of discussions and debates again?
Come on, let’s stop playing such bureaucratic games! Let’s stop passing the buck! Let’s take responsibility and deal with the issue head-on.
So what happens if a Presbyterian Pastor were to write a letter to NCCS about the Joseph Prince issue? Is NCCS going to tell him to take it with the Presbyterian Leadership? Then another Lutheran Pastor….Lutheran Leadership…Anglican Pastor…Anglican Leadership. What if the views of the many denominations about whether Joseph Prince is a heretic are different? Call for another big conference to sort this out? Isn’t this ridiculous? Getting everybody busy – for what?
And what happens if a church member, say a Presbyterian, writes to NCCS about the same Joseph Prince issue. Then an Anglican, then a Lutheran, and finally a Baptist. Guess what NCCS would do? NCCS would probably ask each of them to write to their individual churches first. Only if it gets through at the church level, then it would be brought up to the denominational Leadership to deliberate for a decision…
Let’s say the Presbyterian and Lutheran Leadership decide that the matter is important enough to take it to NCCS, while the Anglican and Baptist Leadership feel the issue is unimportant and does not need the attention of NCCS, what’s going to happen? You have the answer. Then another neutral council, comprising representatives from all four denominations may be set up to deliberate which has the better case before the matter could be taken up to NCCS. And while all this rigmarole is going on, more souls would have been deceived by Joseph Prince and more souls will go to hell!
Do we really want to go this way? Do we honestly want such an undesirable situation filled with bureaucratic red tapes to prevail in the Church?
Isn’t NCCS aware that the Joseph Prince issue isn’t just a Methodist issue or a Presbyterian issue or a Lutheran issue, etc. It is an inter-denominational issue or a National Church problem that has become an international curse. Which is the best ‘organisation’ to handle this? – a mere denomination?
Is the Methodist denomination the only denomination that is afflicted with Joseph Prince’s heresy? Is she the only denomination whose sheep has crossed over to New Creation Church? Are the people who are gravely concerned about Joseph Prince’s heresies only from the Methodist denomination? Is Rev David Liew merely representing just the Methodist denomination when he put his head on the chopping board – (that many pastors who feel the same way but are too afraid to come forward?) Of course not! Rev David Liew is representing all Christians in Singapore who have reached a point of impatience with NCCS for her elegant silence and mysterious inaction about Joseph Prince’s heretical curse that has befallen Singapore and the world.
I’m not sure whether NCCS has read both my open letter and Rev David Liew’s letter carefully. Both of us have highlighted in our letters that the heresies of Joseph Prince have not only plagued the Church in Singapore but also the world. Since this is both a National and International problem, is a mere denomination (like the Methodist Leadership) equal to the task of resolving it?
It is so obvious that the resolution to this problem has to be done by NCCS, as every denominational head is represented there. And it is long overdue. There should be no more feet-dragging. By introducing another layer of bureaucracy (Methodist Leadership) with little justification except, perhaps, protocol, only goes to show that NCCS isn’t that serious at resolving the issue. There seems to be no urgency to addressing this heretical curse that is plaguing not just Singapore but the entire Christian world for the last 20 years.
Let’s not hide behind bureaucracy to avoid making a decision. All the facts against Joseph Prince’s heresies are out. NCCS needs to take the bull by the horns and make a decision, whichever way – with clear and cogent justification. This is not the time to play such bureaucratic games. This is the time to get to the root of the problem as quickly as you leaders can before more souls are lost into the eternal fire.
I’m not saying that all issues mustn’t first go through the denomination. But issues of national importance which already have international ramifications such as the Joseph Prince issue that has gone on for how long? – 20 over years – must be handled in a decisive way by NCCS herself and not to be pushed to a denomination. This is the call of leadership. This is why the office bearers are put in NCCS for.
Concerned Christians have waited long enough just for NCCS to make a stand on the Joseph Prince issue. And if there is still no word coming from NCCS about their stand, coupled with them erecting another layer of bureaucracy (Methodist Leadership), how many would believe that they are honestly trying to resolve the issue?
Did Martin Luther have to go through every level of the official channels of the church in order to get the attention of the highest levels in the Roman Catholic Church? He went straight to nail the 95 Theses on the door of Lutherstadt Wittenberg’s
Castle Church.
If Luther had followed protocol and went through every official channel in the church, he would be stuck just at the first level as they wouldn’t have allowed him to proceed.
Let me quote what David Pawson said in his book, ‘Completing Luther’s Reformation’, Pages 97-98:
But I have to say that reformation, although it occasionally comes from the top, usually comes from the bottom as unknown nobodies stand for the truth and face whatever cost there may be. Luther was from the bottom. He was just a simple monk and not very noticed, except for his terrible introverted self-examination and self-flagellation. Who would have taken notice of that man? But God took that nobody and made him a somebody. I believe this reformation, which I long to see, which I have spelled out for you, will come from the bottom, from ordinary people in the pews. I find some of them way ahead of their own leaders in their understanding of where the Church should go. So I am looking for the Jan Hus, the Martin Luther, the John Brown, the nobodies who will start standing absolutely firmly on the Word of God, saying, “Here I stand. My conscience is bound to the Word of God. I can do no other.” The more ordinary Christians who will do that and say, “We’re just not going to be tied to tradition; we’re not going to be tied to politicians; we’re going to be tied to the Lord Jesus Christ and his Word, and by the power of the Holy Spirit, make a difference” the better. I believe reformation will come from the bottom. Where will resistance come to such a reformation? From inside the Church or outside? Well, some will come from outside, from politicians, particularly from the left-wing who are increasingly liberal and anti-Christian. But I believe the major opposition to reformation always comes from the inside of the Church. That is painful. It comes from the officials of the Church who stand for the status quo and against rocking the boat. I believe there will be terrific opposition from ecclesiastical authorities to any reformation of the Church. So it is painful.
I’m not suggesting that Rev David Liew or I are like Martin Luther. Far from it. But I wish to point out that for individual concerned Christians who try to raise issues of major importance to the Church, they can often be obstructed by the ecclesiastical authorities themselves.
There is no time for such bureaucratic games to be played as the Joseph Prince ‘problem’ which the Singapore Church Leadership didn’t even attempt to resolve for the last 20 over years has snowballed into a virulent cancer and curse that has infected the world.
Finally, even without Rev David Liew and me or anyone writing in, if those in the NCCS are responsible shepherds, they should have acted long ago and nipped the problem in the bud. This is because they are well aware of Joseph Prince’s heresies. They are well aware that his heresies have spread from Singapore to the world all the while. But why are they still not acting even until now? And worse, farming out their responsibility to a denomination (Methodist Leadership) to handle – which they can’t as the Methodists don’t speak for the Church in Singapore but the NCCS does!
Looking forward to your reply.
“Our Lord sent His disciples out as sheep among wolves; now the wolves are being invited into the sheepfold.” (Vance Havner)
Rev George Ong