Faith Community Baptist Church responds to TNP report

We refer to the article in The New Paper dated Oct 4, titled "Practise What You Preach: Mother of woman sacked by church says pastor should be more forgiving".

The church is disappointed that TNP did not interview or obtain a response from the church before publishing the article.

Notwithstanding, the church would like to clarify the following matters: (1) The application is not about money. The church has paid to its former employee the compensation ordered by the Ministry of Manpower, without prejudice to its rights. Regardless of the outcome of the application in court, the church will not be asking for the compensation to be returned.

The church empathises with the position of its former employee and her family. The church had in fact offered her avenues of assistance, full details of which are found in the court documents.

Moving forward, there continue to be avenues of assistance if she requires them, and the church is ready and willing to help her to obtain such assistance.

(2) The application in court was made by the church to seek clarification from the court on the circumstances under which the church can govern its own affairs, including whether the church may terminate, for sufficient cause, the employment of their employees on grounds of misconduct, sexual or otherwise.

The application was not made by our Senior Pastor Lawrence Khong, and it is not in any way directed against nor does it involve its former employee.

(3) One of the church's core functions include exhorting and guiding Christians to live exemplary lives and conduct their affairs in a manner consistent with Christian teachings, and to provide spiritual leadership and guidance to its members.

(4) It is therefore imperative that the church deal appropriately with sin from within, in the context of misconduct of its staff and pastors.

The Christian approach to dealing with sin is not one of condemnation and punishment of the sinner.

Rather, while there must be continued intolerance for sin, the sinner is to be guided, counselled and encouraged to confess and repent.

It is important not only that this be done, but that the church be seen by its members and the general public to remain firm on its moral principles and act appropriately.

To do otherwise would be to undermine the authority and leadership of the church, to the detriment of its members.

(5) No stones were cast against the church's former employee, nor was there any intention or effect of breaking her will.

(6) However, extending forgiveness does not equate to condoning the prohibited act.

The church had no choice but to discontinue its former employee's employment, because she had, despite numerous requests for her to confess and to repent, persisted in her misconduct, to the detriment of the church and its members.

Furthermore, the church had provided counsellors at all times to walk its former employee through the whole process and had also offered for her to keep her job if she had confessed and repented.

Unfortunately, she did not, and the church had to act as it did. These facts are evident from the documents filed in Court.

Finally, the church continues to keep its former employee and her family in its prayers.

- Faith Community Baptist Church

Editor's reply

The New Paper had contacted Faith Community Baptist Church chief operating officer Desmond Chua on Wednesday for documents related to its judicial review application.

In a telephone conversation, Mr Chua said the church was only prepared to forward the application and two of the seven affidavits filed.

He was not prepared to comment further.

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