“God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” John 4:24
Have you ever heard Phil Pringle talk about preparing an “atmosphere of faith”? Have you seen Pringle interview people in his church claiming they like C3 because they “feel God” and “His” presence? When people have been “prepared” through the music in C3 “worship”, have you heard Pringle say things like “God is going to come in here, touch our lives in this incredible atmosphere”?
What is alarming with the way Pringle constructs his “church” services is how emotionally manipulative they are. Even one of C3’s leaders have noted the emotional atmosphere in C3 services.
However, this emotional manipulation is far more evident in Pringle’s deceitful Presence Conference events. Even the Presence Conference 2014 brochure says the following about C3 creating an “experience” for their customer,
“The entire experience has been created with you in mind […]” [Source]
Now meet Derren Brown. We would like to hear your thoughts on Derren Brown’s experiment in how he converted people to believe in god.
What are some parallels to Phil Pringle’s techniques? What sets Pringle’s apart from Derren Brown? How is his god different to Brown’s “god”?
Phil Pringle’s act of sedition against the Singaporean Government
When people gave us their Presence Conference resources from previous years, we discovered that C3 only allowed the buyers to listen to the sessions of the conference. They cut out significant segments in between. These segments often included their deplorable and unbiblical offering messages and other dirty jobs. This is why we have started recording their live stream feed on their Presence Conference website. These events are highly orchestrated to con people of their hard-earned cash to suit the lifestyles of C3 and travelling ministers.
This year we have once again caught Phil Pringle acting deliberately deceitful at this year’s Presence Conference. To some, this comment may seem harsh. However, Kong Hee and Phil Pringle must have known the true nature of the evidence that was to go before the judge for assessment. This was the judge’s response.
We fail to see how Phil Pringle, Kong Hee and his lawyers could not more accurately anticipate the outcome, especially considering Pringle stated that his lawyers, “have to always consider the hypothetical negative and defend against that”. And why did he say this? So he can perpetuate the myth to his audiences that Kong Hee is an innocent victim being persecuted falsely by the Singaporean government.
This is why Pringle claims “these lawyers are feeling so somewhat positive that they have submitted a thing that says, let’s drop all the charges Judge, there’s no case against these people even though it’s been going on for three and a half years.
Furthermore, in the below video you will see Phil Pringle:
1. Encouraging conference members to “fill this auditorium with believers who are supporting” Kong Hee “in a really powerful way” in the next evening’s session. By “supporting”, Pringle means through financial support. Essentially this particular stunt was a plug to get more people to get more Christians from other churches so Phil Pringle could lie about Kong Hee’s circumstances and con them to give money for Kong Hee’s case.
2. Deliberately lied about the state of affairs in Singapore by suppressing the truth of the events. In the below audio Pringle accidentally blunders the facts about CHC in how, “Many, many people have le-uh-have-” …left the church? This means he has lied on his websites, advertising and in previous conferences over the sad state of affairs in CHC to bolster Kong Hee’s credibility as a successful and influential pastor.
3. Pringle intentionally malign the Singaporean government saying, “They’re trying to, trying to bring this brother to you know an end and um- bring this church to an end but it’s not working”. This is not true at all. This is sedition. This is a baseless accusation.
The Singaporean Government officially stated,
“[…] that the charges filed by CAD are against 5 individuals from the City Harvest Church (CHC) regarding the use of Church funds. They are not filed against CHC itself. The CHC is free to continue its church services and activities.
[…] As the matter is now before the courts, we should let the law take its course and avoid speculation or making pre-judgements that may unnecessarily stir up emotions.” [Source]
The Singaporean government could not be more clear. However, Phil Pringle is disregarding and disrespecting the Singaporean authorities and their judicial processes by definitely stirring “up emotions” and maligning the government. As a “pastor” and according to his own constitution, Phil Pringle should refrain from distorting the facts of Kong Hee’s case to Christians everywhere and should not give Kong Hee the platform to do likewise.
4. Disgracefully and deliberately exploit people watching online and attending his conference in his final prayer prior to the next speaker. In this prayer he redefines what a Christian is by saying, “we want to be the real kind of Christians who don’t judge but who stand up showing grace, mercy and strength to those in need“. This statement, intended to guilt people into giving, is also another subtle attack on the body of Christ who are called to discern, judge and remove the immoral or wicked member from among them IF they are unrepentant. (Jude, 1 Corinthians 5). Let’s be clear that “in need” means “support” for Kong Hee’s financial need.
Furthermore in his prayer, Phil Pringle says, “we pray for the power of God to fill them and we pray that Lord we would not shirk away from standing with those who are in trouble, who are struggling”. In other words, don’t shirk away from your duty to bring people tomorrow night to support Kong Hee and make sure you give generously to financially support his lawyers. So essentially this prayer has told people that they cannot judge, they must attend Kong’s session tomorrow night, not question Pringle and Kong’s motives and to give whatever they can to financially support Kong Hee’s defense.
It is clear that Kong Hee and Phil Pringle have not been telling the truth to their audiences at Presence Conference.
VIDEO
Here is the video:
TRANSCRIPT
Here is the transcript:
In a short while we’re about to hear from our guest speaker tonight. And- but before we do that I’m just going to just ask our speaker for tomorrow night to come up here and uh- I want to- uh- introduce you to him. You may not have met him before. His name is Pastor Kong Hee from Singapore. [Crowds applause as Kong Hee walks on to stage, smiling and waving.]
Amen!
Pastor Kong and I are friends and we go back a long way and uh- he has recently in the last three and a half years faced one of the most serious- uh- trials and tribulations that I’ve known of any minister to travel through and I know he’ll be referring to that somewhat tomorrow night. But I wanted us to pray for him tonight. I want to give him as much time as possible tomorrow evening. He flies back to Singapore on Friday. He has a service on Friday night, but-uh-just to let you know that even though this trial has been going on for [. . .] three and a half years [Kong: Four years]. Four years now. A VERY long trial. And-uh-it’s an amazing thing the church is still firing!
Many, many people have le-uh-have-
YEAH! I mean it’s firing. Thousands and thousands of people. And uh-persecution-uh-and-and-uh-attack-and opposition and difficulties and trials don’t destroy the church ‘cause the church is made of tougher stuff than the Devil understands. It’s made of the Life of Jesus- and this last easter 3000 people came to Christ in their services [Crowds applause].
Right now the- recently the- maybe you could explain what’s happened with the trial.
Kong Hee: Um- about two weeks ago our lawyers have-uh-applied with the courts for a dismissal of the charges. So it’s what is called a “submit a no case to answer-um-application”. So we will find out in two weeks if the court, the judge will decide to continue with the case to call the defense to take the stand or to just end it here. And so it’s been going for a long time and we just pray that it will end as soon as possible. We want to get back our lives. [Applause’
Amen?
Pastor, I just got to say-um- you know when you go through something like this you become very open. Your heart become very open. I just want to thank you for Presence, for going out on a limp inviting me for the past few years. Ever since the case started, you never shirk away from our friendship. You know I have been here today.
It’s my second night of the conference but frankly every session I just wept before the Lord. You know I um- I was so touched by Pastor Chris, and um “the winter is over” and springtime is gonna come. Um, touched by the praise and worship.
Even tonight when Jurgen talk about God- I just got touched and just wanted to thank you so much for your friendship. Thank you for Presence. Thank you for all that you are doing for City Harvest Church and [turns to audience] thank you for your prayers and all your support the last four years. It’s been tough but together we’re gonna make it.
Phil Pringle: Amen.
You have to- you have to understand that lawyers are not known to be positive people. God bless all the lawyers here but they have to always consider the hypothetical negative and defend against that and these lawyers are feeling so somewhat positive that they have submitted a thing that says, let’s drop all the charges judge, there’s no case against these people even though it’s been going on for three and a half years. They’re trying to, trying to bring this brother to you know an end and um- bring this church to an end but it’s not working.
And I want us to believe God and tomorrow night when he’s sharing I would love to think that we fill this auditorium with believers who are supporting one of the great churches of this century that is reaching out all over the world and making a difference and we’re standing with him in a really powerful way.
Can you all stand? And we’re gonna pray tonight for Pastor Kong Hee and his wife Sun in the name of Jesus.
Heavenly Father let the blessing and the power of the Holy Spirit fall upon Pastor Kong Hee, his wife Sun, his son, their family, their team and that entire church, we pray for the power of God to fill them and we pray that Lord we would not shirk away from standing with those who are in trouble, who are struggling.
Dear Lord today we want to be the real kind of Christians who don’t judge but who stand up showing grace, mercy and strength to those in need,
In Jesus name, bless the mighty CHC church and all their people and all their churches around the world. Put your mantle on this man and bring deliverance in Jesus’ name. By the power of God we pray for the judge, we pray for the courts, that Lord you’d speak into their hearts and guide their feet ah- right, their decision, for complete deliverance in Jesus’ mighty name and everybody said – amen! God bless you.
There will be a mighty, mighty meeting tomorrow night, amen.
Souce: Phil Pringle and Kong Hee, Presence Conference 2014, Day 1.
HOW IS KONG HEE GAINING FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR HIS LEGAL DEFENSE?
Through the audio we have collected, Pringle has clearly demonstrated how Kong Hee has worked around new Singaporean legislation to solicit financial support for his lawyers and travelling expenses. Please note that the audios, videos or transcripts below may be copied and freely distributed.
PRINGLE MISLEADING THE GENERAL PUBLIC OVER KONG HEE
Since the investigations started back in 2010, it appears Phil Pringle has neglected to inform his church why Kong Hee is under investigation and why Kong Hee is currently in the courts. We are aware that some C3 church leaders do not know why Kong is being investigated, or why he is in court. We have found that if you ask C3 leaders or members what they know about Kong Hee’s case, they will often say that Phil Pringle is defending Kong Hee. However, they often also insist that they know nothing about Kong Hee’s situation, and that they do not feel the need to investigate the ‘pastor’ their leader is defending.
We have recordings of Phil Pringle ostensibly suppressing the serious nature of this scandal to his congregation in his church meetings. In one particular update, Pringle associated the persecutions of Kong Hee to the persecutions of the Apostle Paul. However, the issues could not be more opposite.
It appears to be convenient for Pringle that his church and his leaders do not know what actually transpired in relation to Kong Hee and the City Harvest Church scandal. Why does it seem so necessary for Pringle to try and suppress the details of the case to the thousands of Christians around the world who attend or tune in online to his Conferences?
In 2013, Phil Pringle asked uninformed Christians attending his Global C3 Presence Conference to give sacrificially to financially support Kong Hee’s legal case. Not once was it explained to those who attended why Kong Hee was under investigation.
Here is what Phil Pringle said:
“I would like you just to take a card, an envelope if you’ve got one nearby. And if you’d like to participate in this, I’d like you to consider doing that. Whatever you can do it would be helpful, I know, to them. This will all go completely to Pastor Kong to help with his- costs. He has to pay this week $680,000 I think it is, for his legal fees. He’s covering his whole team’s fees. They have to mount a vigorous defense over three years. Those numbers weigh heavily on- on a person and they have prohibited him from asking his own congregation for any help.
He cannot use any of his own church funds. They’ve sold their – they sold the unit they were in. Others have moved to help them in other countries and I would like to think that we can be friends to these people in one of their darkest hours.” – Phil Pringle, http://www.youtube.com/watch? &v=2g-BB9BF7xk , Presence Conference 2013.
This is not the first time Pringle has failed to inform thousands of Christians about the details of ongoing investigations of Kong Hee and his associates from City Harvest Church. At the Presence Conference 2011, Phil Pringle prophesied over Kong Hee and then encouraged all the churches gathered to financially support Kong Hee. While encouraging people to give, take note of what Pringle says:
“Then, I think it was even more for him. I can’t remember the figures. But I know that for- they had to raise seven million dollars for members of staff and others to travel. That’s just that area. If you’ve ever been to Singapore, you know how expensive this place is. To fight the case he has had to employ a legal firm. And I know what the bills are. They are nearly a million dollars each time they come. Between half a million and a million dollars each time those bills come. His church is not allowed to pay one cent of his personal cost that he is incurring in this battle. He has to find it himself.
He’s sold his house. He has scratched together everything he can. One of the things that I’m doing is going there. I’ve made a commitment to be there once every two weeks. Normally it ends up being once every three weeks because of a variety of commitments that I’ve already got and doing things. But when I’m gone, he’s able to travel. And when I’m there, he’s able to travel and preach and find support amongst Asia and other churches.
Uh- I know that he was finding it hard to put some money together to get a cup of Starbucks at one stage. And uh- it’s a challenge. There’s been new legislation passed on the use of commercial spaces in Singapore since this case has come. So the religio- the restriction on his church is severe, ah, in that area [inaudible] after their purchase, go into co-ownership with ah, SunTec. And we’re in there. I will be speaking there in a couple days time. I will be on Friday to speak there happily.” – Phil Pringle, http://www.youtube.com/watch?&v=uwNignarJCg, Presence Conference 2011.
From the above quotes, what can we ascertain from Pringle’s own words?
1. CHC has to “raise seven million dollars for members of staff and others to travel”. Why?
2. Pringle knows that for Kong Hee “To fight the case he has had to employ a legal firm” that cost “nearly a million dollars each time they come”.
3. Pringle acknowledges that “There’s been new legislation passed on the use of commercial spaces in Singapore since this case has come. So the… restriction on his church is severe “.
4. Pringle concludes that the financial issues Kong Hee faces, ” have prohibited him from asking his own congregation for any help” and that he “cannot use any of his own church funds”.
5. Pringle notes that, “Others have moved to help them in other countries” and that he would like people at the Presence Conference to financially “be friends to these people in one of their darkest hours”.
What “moved others” from “other countries” to support Kong Hee? According to Pringle, it is because:
1. He has “made a commitment to be [at CHC] once every two weeks”. And when Pringle is at CHC, he says Kong Hee is “able to travel and preach and find support amongst Asia and other churches”.
Last year Pringle also stated:
“I was in Singapore last week ah- folks with our good friends Kong and Sun Hee, although they are very rarely there when I am speaking because it gives them a chance to get out amongst the Asian community or various parts around the world and share in churches their burden ‘n what they’re facing and keep support happening and maintain a healthier relationship and communion with the wider body. And so that’s part of the reason why I am able to go there and uh- and they’ve just had ah- one really interesting breakthrough in this last week where the Commission of Charities (that’s the organisation overseeing charities in Singapore) has exonerated Sun from all ah- all charges against her so-“
1. When he is over at Kong Hee’s church it “gives them a chance to get out amongst the Asian community or various parts around the world and share in churches their burden ‘n what they’re facing and keep support happening and maintain a healthier relationship and communion with the wider body”.
The audio provided here clearly demonstrates that Phil Pringle has been allowing Kong Hee to use his C3 Presence Conference to solicit support in bearing his financial “burden” through by giving their “support”.
AN EXAMPLE OF KONG SHARING HIS “BURDEN” AND GETTING “SUPPORT”
To confirm that Kong Hee is gaining “support” from churches outside of Singapore, we can examine him “sharing his burden” and gaining “support” from those who attended Phil Pringle’s Presence Conferences.
In 2012, Kong Hee prayed the following on the first night at Presence Conference 2012 (not the opening night):
“Father I just pray even right now from the front to the back, from the left to the right, that tonight you move in a great way. Lord you know that it’s been a tiring time for the last twenty three months. For every step of the way, you’ve been with me, you’ve been with us. And Lord for all that C3 has poured into City Harvest Church, I pray that you multiply back to them, every church –every leader, thirty fold, sixty fold, a hundred fold for your glory we pray. Amen.” – Kong Hee, Presence Conference 2012, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zeIYljvQ0G0: 18:11, Day 1.
In this prayer, Kong Hee acknowledges that “C3 has poured into City Harvest Church”. By ‘poured’ he means ‘financially poured’. If you are not familiar with the term “thirty fold, sixty fold, a hundred fold”, it is Word of Faith terminology that usually means financial multiplication. The idea is that if you give financially, God will multiply your returns supernaturally. The unusual thing about this prayer is that Kong Hee said C3 poured money into City Harvest Church. But it was Pringle in 2011 that asked everyone at his Conference to give cash directly to Kong Hee and Sun Ho:
“Alrighty. Can I ask you to find your seats again? Is that alright? If you can just return to your seats. I want to let you know about a couple of things.
I’m wondering if- thank you Kari. I’m wondering if i can do something that ah- we don’t do here normally. (And I’ve only got about five minutes because the buses are leaving at ten o’clock.)
I’m wondering, as I was sitting there just wrestling with a thought, because I really ah, appreciate everybody here and their sacrifice in getting here. But I’m feeling like I just would like us to show love in a very real and a practical way for Kong and Sun.
So I’m just going to ask this question. If you would like to help them financially then we’re going to pass the container one more time here. I don’t want you to feel that you have to. I don’t want you to feel that there’s any great drive for this on you at all.
But I just feel that maybe some of you who would like to do this. We normally don’t receive offerings for preachers because it’s a very big conference and it’s a- and we build it into our overall thinking and budget to look after our speakers. But right now, if you need a card and you want to help these guys, just raise your hand.
You need to understand that they- I’m- I’m not quite sure I can say this, are they- are they- they’re gone? Okay. Umm…” – Presence Conference 2011.
Something is amiss with the content of Kong Hee’s prayer. Wasn’t Kong Hee supposed to receive the support directly? In 2011, Phil Pringle specifically asked people to give money directly to fund Kong Hee’s legal battles. It would appear that in 2012 Kong Hee’s prayer was acknowledging that he indeed received this personal financial support, while using his church as a safeguard to hide this fact.
It was at this same conference we also see Kong Hee share his “burden” in more detail.
This sermon not only had the above prayer, but is also is the very sermon that has caused controversy in Singapore where Kong Hee claimed that God apologised to him. This is why we believe some people are outraged with the latest information – they perceive that Kong Hee is distorting the severity of the case for his personal and financial gain. Here again is what Kong Hee said on the first night of Presence Conference 2012:
“And [God the Father] said, ‘My son, I’m so sorry that you need to go through this alone. But you need to die and you need to go through this to be the Saviour of the world!’ And God the Father had broken and He wept as He turned His face, when His son took the sin of the whole world.
I was saying all this and I’m hearing myself behind the pulpit- and I froze. I could not utter another word. And I sobbed and I shook. Because those were my exact sentiments.
“Father, Father! Why? My God! My God! Why have you forsaken me and thrown me to the dogs?”
And for the first time in eight months, I heard the voice. It is not the voice of a strict angry judge that only want me to perform and build a big church and nothing I do is ever good enough for him. No. It’s not a voice of angry judge. It’s not the voice of a slave driver. That just wants to take and take and wring me dry. But it was a voice of a tender, loving, broken-hearted Father.
For the first time in eight months, God – I heard Him crying. And He said, “My son, Kong, thank you! Thank you for going through this. I need you to go through this alone so that you and City Harvest Church can be the man and the ministry I call it to be. I’m so sorry. But you need to go through with this by yourself, to bring a change to your generation”.
Oh come on! Give the Lord a big hand tonight!
I hear God saying for the first time in eight months, “I love you! I love you! I love you!” Waves upon waves of God’s love- the love of the Father, just, saturated me. All I could say was, “Abba! Abba!! AABBAAAA!!! Daddy! ABBA!!!” And I knew, everything was going to be, alright.
As you can see, you are hearing a very one-sided and propaganda-like presentation of Kong Hee’s situation.
So we are seeing that what Pringle has said about Kong Hee appears be true. Phil Pringle’s Presence Conference was a place Kong Hee felt safe enough to “share… their burden ‘n what they’re facing and keep support happening”. And guess what? Kong can say whatever he wants to whoever he wants… and get away with it. How would Singapore know what his agenda is when he speaks at churches in other countries? Who can keep him accountable for what he says around the world, away from the Singaporean judicial system?
THE FRAUDULENT BEHAVIOUR CONTINUES
In light of the legal investigations underway at the times and the court case, it is scandalous of Pringle to invite Kong Hee to speak at Presence Conference from 2010 to 2013, . Pringle persisted in giving Kong Hee the floor to present his propaganda-like stories, designed to raise financial support for his legal expenses, yet disguised as sermons. Not once did Phil Pringle or Kong Hee give an accurate account as to why Kong Hee was under investigation or why Kong Hee is currently in court. Why is the media failing to expose Phil Pringle and Kong Hee’s fraudulent behaviour in financially misleading thousands of people at these events?
Last year at City Harvest Church, Phil Pringle made a video showing a number of pastors who chose to lend their support to Kong Hee. Kong Hee spoke at Ed Young’s church in 2011.
We’ve also covered Kong Hee speaking recently at Victory Life Centre, providing a very one-sided story of his case back in Singapore:
Did Kong Hee get love offerings from these churches after spreading more propaganda about his plight against the Singaporean government? Why are pastors like John Bevere, Mark Conner, Casey Treat, David Yonggi Cho and many more allowing Kong Hee to mislead their churches about his case? Were they misled and groomed to financially support Kong Hee’s lawyers as we saw at Presence Conference? Are these the churches that Pringle was alluding to when he said that “others have moved to help them in other countries”?
Leaders like John Bevere, Yonggi Cho, Casey Treat and Ed Young have already been exposed as false Christian teachers. Is it any wonder they would support someone like Kong Hee? Are we seeing a banding of false teachers, each being only accountable to their inner circle rather than the body of Christ?
This scandal needs to be addressed by the universal body of Christ. How far are men like Phil Pringle and Kong Hee allowed to go with this ungodly, manipulative behaviour before the true church starts dealing with such wolves?
The golden triangle is a term we coined to expose the dubious connection of three prosperity teachers. The golden triangle consists of Ps David Yonggi Cho, Ps Phil Pringle and Ps Kong Hee. David Yonggi Cho (of Yoido Full Gospel Church) is both the mentor of Kong Hee (of City Harvest Church) and Phil Pringle (of Christian City Church). Phil Pringle is also a mentor to Kong Hee. Recently, David Yonggi Cho has been convicted of mishandling several million dollars of church funds. We have already seen Kong Hee’s church release an official statement claiming they will stand with the convicted David Yonggi Cho. It hasn’t surprised us that Phil Pringle has said nothing and kept his congregation in the dark over his mentor’s scandal.
Furthermore, Kong Hee is in court facing allegations of mishandling church funds of up to US$40 million.
Once again Kong Hee is still scheduled to speak at this year’s Presence Conference. We’ve already seen Kong Hee misrepresent the investigations and his court case back in Singapore at Phil Pringle’s C3 Presence Conferences in Sydney. At these Presence Conference events, it is not uncommon to have Phil Pringle hoodwink thousands of Christians to financially support Kong Hee’s legal defense fees. Not once has Pringle been honest in explaining Kong Hee’s circumstances to his church or the general public.
As a result of Pringle and Kong’s scheming, it is common to meet C3 members or leaders who know nothing about Kong Hee’s affairs. You will quickly learn that C3 members have been deliberately kept ignorant and uniformed by Phil Pringle about Kong Hee’s investigations and trial. (Sadly, some carry the idea that Kong Hee is an innocent Christian man persecuted by a pagan government for preaching the gospel.) Pringle has helped Kong Hee travel to overseas churches and campaign his innocence to gain the necessary financial support for his lawyers. The behaviour of Kong Hee and Phil Pringle are causing people to rethink why Singaporean authorities are allowing these men to operate in this manner.
Last year, CHC members had shown concern regarding Kong Hee leaving Singapore to campaign his innocence and rally financial support in places like Victory Life Centre. Last year, we had a churchwatcher comment about Kong Hee speaking at Victory Life Centre in Perth.
Kong Hee is at Victory Life Church’s annual Conference today in Perth, Australia and is doing a stunning performance. Most of those people and even the Leadership there seem to have NO IDEA what he, Sun and others have been up to…..am expecting that he will happily receive a “LOVE” offering to cover the expenses of his brilliant acting career….the fleecing continues in another country……unbelievable!
Source: Disgusted, The Information Just Keeps Coming And Coming…, C3 Church Watch, https://c3churchwatch.com/2013/09/23/the-information-just-keeps-coming-and-coming/#comment-8465, 2013/09/25 at 5:09 am. (Accessed 05/04/2014.)
This churchwatcher gave us the impression that Kong Hee was portraying himself as innocent to con people for financial support.
After seeing Kong Hee’s performance at Victory Life Church in Perth, WA today…..I’m pretty sure there is no repentance by this man….his lies continue in another church, another city, another nation! He is drumming up support….end of story! (see my comment in The Information Just Keeps Coming And Coming…)
Source: Disgusted, At Least The Guilty King Saul Repented ‘Apostle’ Bernard…, https://c3churchwatch.com/2013/09/24/at-least-the-guilty-king-saul-repented-apostle-bernard/#comment-8468, 2013/09/25 at 5:33 am. (Accessed 05/04/2014.)
Unless Kong Hee provided more information outside these sessions, the commentor may have been overreacting. However, when we received the sessions of Kong Hee, it is clear that the footage at Victory Life Centre edited out information Kong Hee said about his case. We need to ask the question: What is Kong Hee and VLC trying to hide?
It is of our opinion that Kong Hee was speaking dishonestly at this conference. In saying this, Kong Hee also bought up the Yonggi Cho scandal to the people in Perth. We would like to know if Kong Hee has informed his CHC congregation at any point in time about the Yonggi Cho scandal prior Cho’s charges.
We invite you to offer your thoughts on the below videos of Kong Hee.
“You know I go through all these trials. When I read about what the newspapers say of whom I’m supposed to be- and when I read it- let me tell you, the first time I read the newspaper in the midst of the trial I said, “Man! If that guy is me, I deserve to go to jail for life!”
Because the way they wrote is so sinister. It’s so negative! And it’s very easy to feel depressed. It’s very easy to feel defeated.”
VIDEO 2
We focus on the love of God our heavenly Father. And you know the last time I came I talked about the love of Abba. Every focus on the communion, the help, the wisdom of the Holy Spirit. We thank God for our many lawyers and many advisers. But when all is said and done, we know the victory’s gonna come from the Lord and no one else.
So we focus. We turn our eyes on Jesus every single day. And I know that you’re here today- and we live in a broken down world, where bad things do happen to good people. And I want to leave a final story to encourage you. Because if I can do it in Singapore, you can do so much more. In a country that where you have so much blessings.
You know, one time a group of tourists went to the Louvre Museum in Paris. And I don’t know – have you been there? But the Louvre Museum is viewed upon as the greatest art museum in the whole world. Well, in this group of tourists, there was an international chess champion. So they’re walking, walking, walking and they came across a painting. A very interesting painting. And this painting, if you look, is called ‘Check Mate’. It’s called ‘Check Mate’. It’s a picture of a man playing chess against the devil. And he is- he was so stressed out. His hands- his head was between his hands because it seems like all steps are gone. I mean he’s check mate.
And the devil was looking smug and laughing. And basically he’s dead. The group look at this painting and they move on. But the chess champion stay back. He was staring at it. He was staring. Staring at it. Staring at it. Staring at it. Staring at it.
The group leader after a while came back to him and say, “Sir why- why you standing here? You know- I mean we are all leaving. You know- why you keep staring at this picture?”
The chess champion say, “You know what? Something is wrong. Something is wrong with this picture. Something is wrong with this painting. This painting got to change the name. It shouldn’t be called ‘Check Mate’ because I’m an international chess champion. I have won many competition and I can see the king still has one more move! The KING still has one more move!”
Let me tell you, the same is true for you and me. Many of us have a wrong vision. Many of us gotta change the name of our vision. So our heads our down. It seems as the devil is laughing at us and there’s no way out. It seems like we’re finished and we are dead. But I am here to tell you that just like I am doing it in Singapore, you can do it in Perth Australia, that our king has one more move. We’re gonna come out victorious!
Come on! Give the Lord a big hand! Jesus Christ our king has one more move. Everybody say, “My king has one more move”. Say, “I’m gonna win”. Turn to your neighbour and say, “Your king has one more move and you’re going to win”. Hallelujah! Hallelujah!”
VIDEO 3
“Even in the midst of our severe trial, for Sun and I our passion, our vision is [edited out by VLC] – church. Every waking moment, I’m consumed for the well-being of my people. Even though I like to tell them, “You know what? I’m going through a tough time right now. Give me some space and God will take care of you”, I can’t help it! Every single day! Even when I’m sitting on the dock for hours and hours, all I could think about was my church. “How’s the members? Are they alright? How are they taking this?”
We really, really love the church that God has given to us. The welfare of my members is my passion. They are what makes my life exciting. And because of this revelation that God has given to me even as a kid, that Matthew sixteen verse eighteen that God will build His church. Jesus said, “I will build my church and the gates of hell will never prevail against it”. That I have this revelation, that my church in Singapore would be the most powerful weapon against the kingdom of darkness in that region. That is my revelation. This is the one thing I know. I may know not a lot of things, I mean I- I wish I could be a better speaker. I wish I could be more stylish and suave in my delivery. I wish I can be better on television. I wish I could do so many things. But one thing I know, God has called me to build a church and I want to make it the most glorious church I can and in my generation. What is that one thing you know? What is that one revelation God has given to you?”
VIDEO 4
“You see we mustn’t get distracted by the noises and the chatters that are out there especially as we come to the twenty first century. And there are so many noises and chatter. You know Psalms 119 verse 69 says that the Godless spread lies about me but I focus on my attention on what you’re saying. Hallelujah! You gotta focus on what God is saying. 2 Peter 1:19: “We couldn’t be more sure about what we saw and heard. God’s glory, God’s voice. The prophetic Word was confirmed to us and you would do well to keep focussing on it.
Think about it. John the Baptist was a very great man. Jesus said there was none greater than him. But yet even in his greatness, he got distracted by scandalous news. See, that tells me one thing. To maintain focus is never easy. It requires mental strength, emotional strength, spiritual strength, to zero in on the promises of God.
One of the greatest lessons I ever learnt was one day and my wife and I we were in Korea attending a great conference. And then- you know we- we- we got invited into the office of Dr Cho and there were a lot of preachers that day. But somehow Dr Cho just called Sun and I – just walked in together with him.
So we are sitting in this room. At that point in time, Dr Cho was going through uh- uh- s- uh- situation. A crisis in his life. And there were lots of scandalous news that was out there in the market place. In the newspaper. And I saw his elders around him. And one of his elders was a top attorney. A top lawyer in the country who has advised Dr Cho for forty years. So this attorney was telling him and say, “You know what Dr Cho? You gotta speak up. You know what they’re saying in a newspaper? You gotta stand and fight. You gotta do this! You gotta do that!” And kept on- kept on an- and here I was, you know, me and my wife, sitting there like a fly on the wall, watching his lawyer telling him, “Dr Cho do this! Dr Cho do that!”
For twenty minutes! He was going on and on and on. And finally Dr Cho broke his silence and said to him and said, “Laywer, listen. It took me all morning to keep my thought and my frame of mind focused on God. And in one moment you want me to break this concentration and this focus on the Lord. Will you just shut up right now and don’t spoil the peace that I have?”
I tell you, I learnt something that day. I learnt that to stay focused is not so easy. It requires a lot of mental, emotional, spiritual. strength to keep your mind staying on the promises of God.”
Is your Jesus INCLUSIVE? Do angels fly on your prayers? Are your prayers so powerful that they activate the energy of angels? Does YOUR worship have the power to write the story of your life? Did you know that your worship is outworking YOUR salvation story?
Do your prayers open heaven? Do your works trigger god to make your dreams come true? Did you know that the Kingdom of God is open for business to fulfill your dreams? Can you bring a part of heaven to earth? What if every day you could find a secret place that unlocked the power of heaven in your own life and in your home? With a mighty brush and an outstretched arm, do you believe Pringle can force the Holy Spirit to invade Sydney and his Presence Conference?
Well if you somehow think this nonsense has anything to do with Christianity, then the Presence Conference 2014 is perfect for you.
Recently, we have analysed the C3 brochure for Presence Conference 2014. In this brochure, C3 and its speakers invite you to worship a convoluted new age deity that seems to be more obsessed over your selfish desires. (There does not seem to be an emphasis on the crucified and risen Jesus.)
With all the talk of “igniting personal revival that builds the Kingdom of God” you should be excited! When Phil Pringle states that “the entire experience has been created with you in mind”, he REALLY has you in mind! He wants to shame you into worshiping so he can get your cash.
With Kong Hee hanging out in the Singaporean courts to see if he will be convicted or not, Giglio caught in the crossfire for compromising Christianity in his home country, Houston bumbling on Allah and the Christian God being the same God, why go to Phil Pringle’s Presence Conference? You’ll only find Phil’s three spotlight speakers provide entertaining ‘stuff’ that you will probably forget about in a week or two.
Here is Phil Pringle’s Presence Conference 2014 brochure. Can you imagine the Apostles advertising a Christian event like this?
Here is side 1. Click the image to see a bigger version of the brochure. We will provide the information on the relevant pages even though you can access this same information from the PresenceConference website.
Page 3
THERE IS NOTHING THAT COMPARES TO THE PRESENCE OF GOD.
OUR HOPE for this conference is that you would experience an encounter with Jesus Christ and there would be an afterglow that remains long after the last session closes. A touch of Heaven that shines light into darkness, despair and discouragement. That Jesus would be lifted high and glorified and the message of inclusion, reconciliation and salvation – when love came down from Heaven with the gift of eternal life – brought to the ends of the earth.
OUR PRAYER is that we would worship together under an open Heaven and see things that we’ve always dreamed of but never believed could actually take place, and to people who never thought they could happen to them. And it will only happen when we join together and pray. God says “If you pray… I will hear in Heaven and heal the land… I will pour out my Spirit on all people”.
OUR INVITATION to you, is to do whatever you can to join us as we spend 4 nights and 3 days in the Presence of our magnificent God at the Sydney Entertainment Centre, igniting personal revival that builds the Kingdom of God. The entire experience has been created with you in mind and the schedule is specifically designed to give you time to breathe, with each session not starting till the afternoon so you can truly be refreshed! Also, our children and youth have their own tailored conferences – complete with praise, worship and international guest speakers – so while you encounter God so will they.
___________________
Here is side 2. Click the image to see a bigger version of the brochure.
Page 1:
WORSHIP
CELEBRATION
LAUGHTER
FAMILY
UNITY
PROPHESY
CREATIVITY
INSPIRATION
TRUTH
REFRESHMENT
ENCOUNTER
MIRACLES
WONDER
Page 2:
Phil and Chris “The place of agreement is the place of power, the place of unity is the place of anointing, the place of fellowship is the place of salvation. Millions of angels are waiting for the Church to pray so they can fly in on the power of those prayers and through the spirit of worship activate their energy, raise their bows, bring forth swords, spread their wings and rescue people all over this city. Heaven meets earth.”
Louie Giglio
“I want you to know that today Heaven is open. Today God is alive. Today God is at work. Today God’s grace is enough and His reach is enough to take anybody from anywhere and bring them all the way to the place that He has always dreamed for them to be. There is enough mercy. There is enough power in God today – right now! Heaven is open people! And the Kingdom of God is open for business.”
Kong Hee
“Heaven – the dwelling place of God; the residence of God; a place where His PRESENCE can be found. This is none other than the house of God, the gateway into heaven! Heaven meeting earth is found in the Church, in the gathering of believers. Jesus said in Matthew 18:20, ‘For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them’.”
Rev Canon J. John
“The Lord taught us to pray, ‘Your Kingdom come, your will be done on earth as in heaven’ and we know in heaven there is no pain and sickness and it is filled with the sacredness of God. My wife Killy and I are pumped up with anticipation and expectation to soak in His presence and discover His healing.”
Brian Houston
“We worship a risen and reigning King, a powerful God and a personal Saviour. Salvation is God’s restorative work – and our worship is a partnership with God in that work. Worship has the power to write the story of your life. Just as your soul longs for God, so our worship is outworking our salvation story.”
Page 4:
PRESCHOOL AND PRIMARY AGED KIDS ARE IN FOR AN OUT-OF-THIS WORLD EXPERIENCE AT PRESENCE KIDS THAT WILL BECOME ONE
OF THE MOST MEMORABLE WEEKS OF THEIR YEAR! THERE IS NOT ONLY LOADS OF FUN, GAMES, ACTIVITIES, SHOWS, RIDES AND
THE CHANCE TO MAKE NEW FRIENDS ALL UNDER THE BIG TOP, BUT THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEND TIME WITH GOD IN POWERFUL
WORSHIP! THIS YEAR WE ARE DISCOVERING THE PLACE WHERE HEAVEN MEETS EARTH AND HOW IT ALL BEGINS IN THE LIVES OF
OUR KIDS! IT IS GOING TO BE SPECTACULAR AND WE ARE SO EXCITED TO EMBARK ON A MARVELLOUS ADVENTURE TOGETHER!
THERE IS ANOTHER WORLD, A PLACE WHERE FEAR, SICKNESS AND SADNESS ARE NON EXISTENT, IT IS CALLED HEAVEN.
IT IS OUR FUTURE AND OUR FINAL HOME.
BUT WHAT IF WE COULD BRING A PART OF HEAVEN TO EARTH?
WHAT IF EVERY DAY WE COULD FIND A SECRET PLACE THAT UNLOCKED THE POWER OF HEAVEN IN OUR
OWN LIVES, IN OUR HOMES AND IN OUR SCHOOLS?
WHAT IF WE COULD BE COURAGEOUS, AND NOT FEARFUL, JOYFUL, AND NOT SAD?
WHAT IF WE COULD EXPERIENCE HEALING AND MIRACLES?
WHEN WE HAVE FAITH WE CAN ACCESS THE POWER OF HEAVEN, THE EXPERIENCE OF HEAVEN STARTS HERE.
Page 5:
PRESENCE YOUTH IS FOR THOUSANDS OF YOUTH AGED GRADE 6 — 12 AND YOUTH PASTORS FROM ACROSS THE GLOBE TO GATHER TOGETHER TO BE IGNITED IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD LIKE THERE IS NO TOMORROW! THIS YEAR, WE ARE WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE OF THE ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE AND TRANSFORMING THE VENUE INTO A PLACE OF ENCOUNTER FOR YOUNG PEOPLE WHERE ONLY THE HOLY SPIRIT IS CENTRESTAGE.
WITH RETURNING SPECIAL GUEST CHAD VEACH AND NEW VOICE LOUIE GIGLIO, PLUS THE PRESENCE YOUTH TEAM, OUR PRAYER IS THAT EACH YOUNG PERSON WOULD EXPERIENCE THE SIMPLICITY OF INTIMACY WITH GOD, THE DELIGHT OF BEING IMMERSED IN HIS PRESENCE AND THE EMPOWERMENT TO LEAVE THEIR MARK ON TODAY.
THAT EVERY SINGLE ONE WOULD BE EQUIPPED FOR THEIR FUTURE AND INSPIRED TO CARRY HIS POWER TO A WORLD IN NEED.
PRESENCE YOUTH REGISTRATION IS ONLY $69 AND THIS INCLUDES ENTRY INTO THE DEDICATED PRESENCE YOUTH SESSIONS AT OUR SECURE VENUE DURING THE DAY, SUPERVISION FROM OUR DEDICATED TEAM OF YOUTH LEADERS, WORSHIP, WORD, MINISTRY TIME, ACTIVITIES, GAMES, AS WELL AS ENTRY INTO THE PRESENCE NIGHT SESSIONS.
JOIN US AS WE SEE THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST GLORIFIED. WE CAN’T WAIT TO SEE YOU THERE!
JESUS CHRIST IS THE SAME YESTERDAY AND TODAY AND FOREVER. HEBREWS 13.8
The fascist practices and philosophies emerging from the mega-church cults like C3, CHC and Hillsong church should concern Christians everywhere. They are unafraid to use propaganda and fuhrer-prinzip methodologies. They elevate arts, experience and feelings over logic and reason. They propagate the cult of youth and use the size of their ‘volkish’ community to bully Christians into submitting to their strong leadership and movements.
Sound extreme? Are we exaggerating the phenomenon? Are we making this up? Sadly, this is all too real. They may not realise it but these movements are built on the same community-identification principles that characterised the fascist movements in Europe in the 1920’s and 1930’s. Be aware that fascism isn’t to be confused with policies. Italian Fascism and German National Socialism were primarily personality cults where the vision of the leader must be implemented … the policies tended to be indistinguishable from socialism/communism. They were populist policies that played to the masses. The real danger is not where a Brian Houston or a Phil Pringle would take their organisations. The real danger is in whoever comes after them. C3 and Hillsong have set a precedent in Australia for the vision-casting leader who must be obeyed … or else!
Louie Giglio is speaking this year at Phil Pringle’s C3 Global Presence Conference 2014. Oddly enough, it has been observed that Giglio’s ministry also has fascist trends emerging from their movement. Please warn people how dangerous this man’s ministry is. Please also warn Christians the dangers of Phil Pringle’s Presence Conference.
Fascist Trends of Passion 2014
I cannot unpack all of the complexities of ideological fascism in this blog post and how it has revived under the name of postmodernism in our day and popular culture. 2 years in the works at HBP is an upcoming film on Fascism and the Postmodern church. See our full-length interview with Dr. Gene Edward Veith,Postmodernism, Fascism and the Church.
When people think of fascism today they think of Hitler, anti-semitism, the Holocaust, genocide, racism, militarism and the Nazis. Today, the word “Fascist” has been deduced to an insulting label for vilifying political enemies, but its true nature is greatly misunderstood. While Hitler and the Axis powers were defeated militarily in WWII, fascist ideology remains alive and well today under a new name.
Popular contemporary Christianity also appears to be emerging into something new. Much like the mainstream of European prefascist theology, many mainline church denominations have been turning away from transcendence and the Scriptures in favor of a spirituality based upon immanence, cultural activism, and existentialism. Many churches that were once committed to a high view of the teachings of Jesus and His apostles are now shifting their focus toward experience, emotionalism and communalism. In many ways, Christianity may be the strongest defense against fascism, but it may also be its point of entry. (See Veith’s book Modern Fascism: The Threat to the Judeo Christian Worldview and Chris Rosebrough’s lecture Resistance is Futile: You Will Be Assimilated into the Community)
Along with Darwinism and Existentialism, Romanticism was also a key component of the counter-Enlightenment worldview of ideological fascism. Romanticism emphasized inspiration and subjectivity as a reaction against alienation and the rationalism that characterized the Enlightenment. This movement in arts and literature reasserted the value of nature by explaining it with experience and emotions as opposed to reason, intellect and rationality.Passion, not reason, was uniquely “natural.”
Fascism rejected the concept of the individual. Nature, emotion and community become the emphasis of the fascist spirituality of immanence. In order to achieve this group identity, fascism was often characterized by grandiose public rallies. Hitler is pictured surrounded by people in panoramic shots of the community. “We have a community,” says Giglio in this Passion 2014 promo.
The group becomes the living organism or organic community. What you will find emphasized on the Passion 2014 website is not teaching the observance of everything Jesus commanded but the fascist themes of immanence (“God’s presence”) and community (“united”):
TWO GATHERINGS. ONE HEARTBEAT. THE JESUS GENERATION UNITED. . . .
Last year, our US gathering drew more than 60,000 students and leaders from around the world to the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. We were blown away by God’s presence. (source)
Rather than appealing to doctrine and objective truth, there is much talk and reliance upon feelings, emotions, action and movement. In fascism and postmodernism alike, emotionalism takes the place of logic. If objective truth and morality is alienating, then subjective experience is uniting.
Fascists did not know where this progressive revolution was going, but they believed anychange or any movement was better. Hitler uses the phrase “the Movement” over two hundred times in Mein Kampf and a Nazi Party journal was entitled Die Bewegung (The Movement).1 Similarly, the Postmodern Emerging Church has no fixed destination but is about action and movement. Likewise, the Passion 2014 event is described as a “movement.” Louie Giglio says, “More than an event, Passion is a movement,” in this Passion 2014 promo video.
The themes of the Passion movement and Passion 2014 are distinctly fascist. Christian Post reports:
The Passion 2014 Atlanta Conference kicked off at Philips Arena in Atlanta Friday with over 20,000 university students attending the two-day event from around the world.
Students from over 1,200 universities and 33 countries attended this year’s Passion conference in Atlanta. This is the first of Passion’s two large-scale gatherings this year in North America for 18-25 year olds. Passion 2014 Houston will be held on February 14-15 at the Toyota Center.
Passion 2014 brings together several internationally renowned pastors, teachers and worship leaders. Joining Passion founders Louie and Shelley Giglio in Atlanta will be John Piper, Christine Caine, and Francis Chan. Grammy award winning artists and worship leaders Chris Tomlin and Matt Redman, are slated to lead worship, along with David Crowder, Kristian Stanfill, Christy Nockels and Hillsong United. (source)
Notice the event attendance is limited to ages 18-25 year old. The English fascist James Barnes wrote, “the present Weltanschauung of fascism may be summed up in one word–youth.”2 Belgian and Romanian fascisms both originated in student movements and the youth were also predominant in fascisms in France, Spain, Italy and England.3 Calling to mind Hitler Youth and German youth culture, Jonah Goldberg writes,
Historically, fascism is of necessity and by design a form of youth movement, and all youth movements have more than a whiff of fascism about them. The exaltation of passion over reason, action over deliberation, is a naturally youthful impulse.4
Last year, the Passion 2013 was an event for young Christians. These Christian conferences that fill stadiums with thousands of people reflect the subjective experience and emotional fulfillment of fascism that comes from losing one’s identity in a larger organic mass community. Judah Smith emphasized the importance of community all throughout his sermon.
The musical performances are very emotional with an emphasis on experiencing God’s presence and the heart rather than the mind. The audience joins in a common experience, feeling and responding as one. These stunning spectacles complete with light shows and music, much like the grandiose public rituals and mass rallies of fascism, actually create community. See here where the “presence” of God, tasting, seeing, and subjective feelings/”experience” are elevated, the fascist marks of immanence over objective truth and rationality.
The consequences of these fascist ideas will unleash a monster. Events like this are raising up a generation that cannot think or reason for themselves. We are seeing a picture that mirrors that of the culture of Continental Europe just prior to WWII. Wake up Church, this is not Christianity!
