Rock@One North

Tomorrow we be having a combined service at the Singapore Indoor Stadium. A rare treat where we can all meet in one place.

But the day will come when we will not have to meet up at SIS just to be in one place, because the plans have been laid to have our own home. New Creation Church has been experiencing explosive growth. The Rock Auditorium has been literally been bursting at the seams just to contain all our members. A conservative estimate would put our attendance on Sundays to close to 12,000 worshippers. So obviously a venue with only 1,200 seats will not do. We had to acquire floors 4 and 6 as well, and even that was not enough. Then we struck an agreement to get a hall at the Eng Wah cinema next door, and still that was was not enough. There are also halls at Suntec Convention Centre rented on Sundays to make up the numbers.
We also have 2 chinese services on sundays, and Bible Study on weekdays and all the various ministries that meet up throughout the month. All in all, it was obvious we had to find a bigger place to contain all the joy therein. Our cup literally was running over. It took a while to find a place that was both big enough and yet be economically viable.

Until now only the Singapore Indoor Stadium was available as a venue that was big enough to contain our church. It was amongst some of the other alternatives considered:

- Build a new church building on a plot allotted for institutional use in a suburban location.
- Continue to hold services at the Rock Auditorium, the Rock overflow rooms, Suntec Singapore International Convention & Exhibition Centre and Eng Wah Cinema.
- Hold services in Singapore Indoor Stadium.

each of the above had certain disadvantages which I will explain in brief below:

Build a new church building on a plot allotted for institutional use in a suburban location

Cons: small area (typically 4,000 to 6000 sqm),short lease (30 years)
Which meant we would need about 5 or 6 venues to contain about everyone in satellite churches all over singapore. Talk about a logistics nightmare.

Continue to hold services at the Rock Auditorium, the Rock overflow rooms, Suntec Singapore International Convention & Exhibition Centre and Eng Wah Cinema

Cons: high costs ($477,000 per month currently),no control over availability of venues,subject to price hikes and inflation, due to location inaccessible during events (marathons, IMF,World Bank Meeting etc)

Hold services in Singapore Indoor Stadium

cons: costs ($163,000 per meeting),available only once a week,No ownership of property ,No control over availability of venue, also subject to inflation and price hikes

So it became imperative to find a meeting place big enough to call home yet still be financially sustainable in the longer term. So when the opportunity came up NCC seized the opportunity to invest in Civic & Cultural Zone (CCZ) of the Integrated Hub @ one-north project.

Here are the pictures of what the new Rock is gonna look like:

A joint development by Rock Productions Pte Ltd (Rock) and CapitaLand Retail Limited (CapitaLand Retail), the Integrated Hub is designed to provide an exhilarating civic and retail experience with endless opportunities. Combining the laid-back charm of Holland Village and Rochester Park with the cosmopolitan beat of Clarke Quay, the 54,000 sqm (gross floor area), 15-level complex will be home to numerous popular retail brands, food & beverage outlets, leading names in wellness and lifestyle, an outdoor cinema on Level 3, a basement amphitheatre and a performing arts venue, the only 5,000-plus-seater, state-of-the-art concert hall in Singapore. Expect an infinite range of world-class entertainment options that will support the needs of shoppers, foodies, arts enthusiasts, music lovers, culture mavens, students, families, executives and the community-at-large.

As usual there will be naysayers and critics. As with our highly successful investment in Marine Cove, people are bound to come out of the woodwork to say how unviable such a project on this scale is for a church to undertake. Then there will always be the critics who find it un-christian for a religious organization such as New Creation Church to undertake such a so-called commercial endeavour.

Which brings me to this parable, The Parable of the Talents.

For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.

And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.

Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents.

And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.

But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money.

After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.

And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.

His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them.

His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:

And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.

His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:

Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.

Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.

For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.

And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

A parable that vividly illustrates how the church is to widely invest to increase their monies. A well known parable of Jesus yet how many churches (or believers for that matter) exercise godly wisdom to maximise returns on their investments? Not many it seems. And when a church such as New Creation Church sets out to do so, they somehow face a wall of derision within the ranks of the Body of Christ.

Anyway as with all things of this nature let God's word have the final Word:

Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.

~DO LEAVE YOUR COMMENTS~