City Harvest Church
An independent Singaporean Pentecostal megachurch with congregations and worship venues in western Singapore and downtown.
Last updated August 24, 2026
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Overview
City Harvest Church (CHC) is a Pentecostal and Charismatic megachurch based in Singapore. It was founded by Kong Hee and Sun Ho on 7 May 1989, initially operating as Ekklesia Ministry, a youth-oriented work under the legal covering of Bethany Christian Centre, an Assemblies of God congregation. The church became an independent society on 21 December 1992 and was registered as a charity on 16 October 1993. CHC teaches from Pentecostal and Charismatic traditions and frames its mission through the Great Commandment, the Great Commission and the Cultural Mandate. Its public ministry combines conventional Christian worship, preaching, discipleship, evangelism, youth work, social services and an emphasis on cultural engagement. From the early 2000s, Kong encouraged members to pursue excellence in business and the professions while presenting marketplace activity, creative work and public influence as possible avenues for Christian witness. The church expanded rapidly during the 1990s and 2000s. Its western Singapore building, completed in 2002, was designed for large-scale worship and includes a main auditorium with a reported capacity of approximately 2,300 people. Since 2010, CHC has also used rented space at Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre for larger services and events. The church has described its Jurong West premises as unusually deep because of its four basement levels, and has promoted the facility as one of the largest church structures in the Southeast Asian region. Membership reached a reported peak of about 33,000 in 2010. The church subsequently experienced major institutional and reputational disruption after investigations into the use of church funds led to criminal proceedings against six senior leaders and finance personnel. The case concerned transactions connected with the Crossover Project, a music-based evangelistic initiative associated with Sun Ho. In 2015, all six were convicted. In 2017, Singapore's Court of Appeal replaced the original aggravated criminal-breach-of-trust convictions with convictions for basic criminal breach of trust and substantially reduced the sentences. The court found that the defendants had not acted for personal gain and that the money was ultimately returned to the church with interest. A further prosecution challenge was dismissed in 2018. CHC also developed a community-services arm. The City Harvest Community Services Association, established in 1997, has worked in elderly support, direct social services, patient care, youth programs and community projects. The church participated in relief work following the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami and sent aid and disaster-relief workers after the 2010 Haiti earthquake. It has also supported church planting and evangelism in Asia. The organization remains active and is affiliated congregationally with the National Council of Churches of Singapore. It reported a congregation of 15,654 in 2019 and later reported 24,546 members in 2025, with cumulative membership including branch and affiliate churches stated at 80,040. Online services and digital resources broadened its reach during the COVID-19 period. CHC is one of Singapore's largest contemporary churches and has been noted for its relatively young membership profile, large production-oriented services and substantial institutional infrastructure.
History
City Harvest Church began on 7 May 1989 when Kong Hee and Sun Ho established a youth-oriented Christian ministry known as Ekklesia Ministry. At first, the ministry operated under the legal covering of Bethany Christian Centre, an Assemblies of God church. The work developed from a small youth ministry into an independent congregation and was formally constituted as City Harvest Church on 21 December 1992. It obtained charity registration in Singapore on 16 October 1993. During the 1990s, CHC pursued rapid congregational growth through contemporary worship, extensive volunteer structures, youth-focused ministry and evangelistic outreach. Its theology drew on Pentecostal and Charismatic Christianity. The church emphasized the Great Commandment and Great Commission, while also giving prominence to the Cultural Mandate. From 2002, Kong encouraged members to participate actively in business, professional and creative life, presenting influence in society and culture as part of the church's wider mission. The organization invested in physical infrastructure as its membership increased. A large church complex in Jurong West was completed in 2002. The building contains four basement levels and a main hall designed for approximately 2,300 people. Between 2006 and 2010, the church used Singapore Expo for some large gatherings. In 2010, it began using Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre and announced a major investment linked to the venue. CHC later stated that it had acquired a 39.2 percent interest at a cost of S$97.75 million, while Suntec REIT held the remaining 60.8 percent. The broader project was publicly described as involving approximately S$310 million in acquisition, renovation, rental and related costs. The transaction attracted public and regulatory questions because CHC was a registered charity. The church said the investment was made through a separate holding company and that relevant information had been provided to the Commissioner of Charities and the Urban Redevelopment Authority. CHC's ministry extended beyond worship. In 1997 it established the City Harvest Community Services Association, which became involved in eldercare, patient support, direct social services, youth work and community programs. The church participated in relief operations after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami and supported disaster response after the 2010 Haiti earthquake. It also promoted regional evangelism and church planting. The church's growth was accompanied by controversy surrounding the Crossover Project, a music and evangelism initiative associated with Sun Ho. Investigators and prosecutors alleged that restricted church funds were moved through transactions involving Xtron, a music-production company, and Firna, a glass manufacturer, in order to support the project. Six people connected with the church's senior leadership and financial administration were prosecuted. In 2015, they were convicted of criminal breach of trust and falsification of accounts. The convictions concerned approximately S$24 million transferred from the church's Building Fund through sham bond arrangements. The Court of Appeal in 2017 held that the defendants should instead be convicted of basic criminal breach of trust. It also stated that the conduct was not motivated by personal gain and that no permanent loss was intended or caused to the church because the money was returned with interest. The sentences were reduced by roughly half. A subsequent attempt by the Attorney-General's Chambers to revive the original convictions was rejected in 2018. The legal proceedings affected CHC's public standing and followed the end of a period in which reported membership had reached about 33,000 in 2010. Kong had withdrawn from the staff payroll in 2005 and was described as serving thereafter as honorary founder and senior pastor. The church continued to operate at Jurong West and Suntec, while developing digital services and maintaining its community and regional ministry activities. It reported 15,654 members in 2019, average weekly online viewership of 17,276 for services and resources in 2020, and 24,546 members in 2025. Including its branch and affiliate churches, it reported cumulative membership of 80,040. CHC remains one of Singapore's largest contemporary Pentecostal congregations and a member congregation of the National Council of Churches of Singapore.
- 2018
Criminal reference dismissed
[1]A further challenge seeking restoration of the original convictions was dismissed.
- 2017
Appeal sentences reduced
[1]The Court of Appeal substituted basic criminal-breach-of-trust convictions and reduced the sentences.
- 2015
Six leaders convicted
[1]Six church leaders and finance personnel were convicted in the criminal-breach-of-trust and accounts-falsification case.
- 2010
Suntec venue and investment announced
[1]CHC began using Suntec Singapore for larger services and announced an investment connected with the convention centre.
- 2002
Jurong West building completed
[1]The church completed its large western Singapore worship complex.
- 1997
Community-services association founded
[1]CHC established the City Harvest Community Services Association.
- 1993
Charity registration
[1]The church was registered as a charity in Singapore on 16 October.
- 1992
Church established as a society
[1]City Harvest Church was formally established as an independent society on 21 December.
- 1989
Ministry founded
[1]Kong Hee and Sun Ho founded the ministry that became City Harvest Church on 7 May.
Products and positioning
A large, contemporary Pentecostal and Charismatic church positioned around energetic worship, practical Christian teaching, youth engagement, cultural influence, evangelism and community service.
Controversies
2015
Criminal breach of trust and falsification of accounts case
Six senior church leaders and finance personnel were convicted over transactions involving approximately S$24 million from the Building Fund. Prosecutors said the money was routed through sham bonds involving Xtron and Firna to support the Crossover Project. The Court of Appeal later reduced the convictions and sentences, finding no personal-gain motive and no permanent loss to the church.
2013
Sun Ho website hacking incident
Sun Ho's official website was hacked by an individual using the name Messiah, followed by the circulation of additional hostile material attributed to another self-styled figure. CHC made a police report. The incident was discussed alongside the arrest of a suspected hacker in a separate case involving the Prime Minister's Office website.
2012
Controversial sermon remarks
A recorded sermon by Kong Hee, in which he described a personal religious experience using language associated with Christ's crucifixion, attracted online criticism. Supporters and commentators argued that the passage had been presented as words of comfort and had been interpreted out of context.
2010
Questions over Suntec investment
CHC's investment connected with Suntec Singapore prompted public and regulatory questions about charity funds, taxation, commercial activity and governance. The church said the investment was held through a separate non-charitable company and that the relevant authorities had received disclosures.
Marketing campaigns
- 2010Haiti earthquake relief
Haiti
CHC sent aid and relief personnel after the Haiti earthquake.
Outcome. The response formed part of the church's international disaster-relief work.
- 2004Indian Ocean tsunami relief
Indian Ocean region
The church participated in humanitarian relief following the Indian Ocean tsunami by sending aid and disaster-relief workers.
Outcome. CHC expanded its humanitarian profile beyond regular congregational programs.
- 2000Crossover Project
Singapore · International music markets
The Crossover Project used music and popular culture associated with Sun Ho as a proposed means of evangelism and cultural outreach.
Outcome. The initiative became central to the later criminal case over the use of church funds.
- 1997City Harvest Community Services Association
Singapore
CHC created a dedicated community-services organization covering elderly support, patient care, direct social assistance, youth work and community projects.
Outcome. The association became the church's principal vehicle for structured social-service activity.
Brand decisions
2010
Move major services to Suntec SingaporeStrategyBackground
Rapid congregational growth created demand for larger worship and event facilities, while the church had previously relied substantially on rented venues.
Action taken
CHC announced an investment associated with Suntec Singapore and began using the convention and exhibition centre for larger services.
Aftermath
The arrangement increased capacity but led to scrutiny over the use of donor funds and the governance of a charity-linked commercial investment.
Reported acquisition and project costs. 39.2% interest acquired for S$97.75 million; broader project estimate approximately S$310 million (2010-2012)
2005
Kong Hee leaves staff payrollStrategyBackground
The church was developing a broader governance and ministry structure as it grew.
Action taken
Kong withdrew from the staff payroll and subsequently served in an honorary founder and senior-pastor capacity.
Aftermath
He remained a central figure in the church's leadership and later became one of the defendants in the church-funds case.
Sources2 sources
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