Joseph Prince
Joseph Prince, the son of a Sikh priest of Indian origin and a Chinese mother, spent his primary school years in Perak, Malaysia.[1] Prince changed his birth name to Joseph Prince from Xenonamandar Jegahusiee Singh. Certainly Xenonamanda is not going to be easily remembered nor pronounced. The name change seems dual in purpose and most reminiscent of Joseph the Hebrew Prince of Egypt. It has been reported that this is the real reason that he has changed him name from Xenonamanda to Joseph Prince not for a more easily pronounced or recognized name but to tie himself to this Hebrew Prince of Egypt. (Which would follow some of his Word of Faith teachings.)
Prince is the Pastor of New Creation Church located in Singapore. New Creation Church was founded in 1983 by a small group of believers in Singapore. Prince was a founding member of New Creation Church and by 1990 they had about 150 members. Before becoming an elder and associate pastor and than in 1990 the senior pastor Prince was an IT consultant. By the time Prince was appointed senior pastor the church had grown to about 3, 000 members. After Prince’s appointment as senior pastor of New Creation Church the membership roles began to swell. By 2004 they had close to 10,000 members; in 2007 close to 15,000 members; in 2009 near 18,000 members. Figures from 2011 indicate that they are now a mega church in Singapore with a congregation of about 22,000 members.
New Creation Church is also a member of the National Council of Churches of Singapore. The church holds services in English, Mandarin, Hokkien and Korean. They are involved in missions throughout the Asian region. New Creation Church and Prince’s messages reach far beyond Singapore to Europe, Canada, Australia, the Middle East and South Africa and millions of households across America. Joseph Prince Ministries also organizes trips to Israel through their own privately owned tour agency. Prince’s church and his messages are broadcasted into more than 150 countries seen on TBN and the Daystar Television Network. They are also shown on the Australian Christian Channel.
So how did Prince and his New Creation Church become so big? Is it because of good solid biblical teaching?
The growth of his church can be contributed to several factors. First, some of the growth can be attributed to the "radical preaching" of his grace message. Since Prince is primarily focused on Grace he has become a very popular sought our speaker. Prince preaches a questionable, at best, message that consist of the over preaching of Grace and very little use of the Law or biblical repentance to bring about conviction of sin. His technique of preaching purely Grace and no repentance borders on antinomianism. At the very least his preaching can lead people to a false sense of salvation through his easy believerism method of preaching. So the question here is, if Prince is not preaching biblical repentance and a biblical message of Grace is anyone listening to him really hearing from the God of the bible? Are those who claim salvation in the Christ Prince preaches really saved or are they false converts?
A second factor in Prince’s popularity is due to the fact that he is a charismatic and is strongly into the Word of Faith teaching. These two factors articulate and immediately attract listeners. These are a guaranteed combinations for success, popularity and fame. Prince and his strong Word of Faith teachings fit right into his over preached messages of Grace. To any biblically discerning Christian the mere fact that Prince is strongly into the Word of Faith teaching and promotes this teaching nonstop should be a warning to flee this wolfs presence.
[1] "Church Pastors Like None Other - From stutter to charisma". The Sunday Times (Singapore). 5 October 2008.
Prince is the Pastor of New Creation Church located in Singapore. New Creation Church was founded in 1983 by a small group of believers in Singapore. Prince was a founding member of New Creation Church and by 1990 they had about 150 members. Before becoming an elder and associate pastor and than in 1990 the senior pastor Prince was an IT consultant. By the time Prince was appointed senior pastor the church had grown to about 3, 000 members. After Prince’s appointment as senior pastor of New Creation Church the membership roles began to swell. By 2004 they had close to 10,000 members; in 2007 close to 15,000 members; in 2009 near 18,000 members. Figures from 2011 indicate that they are now a mega church in Singapore with a congregation of about 22,000 members.
New Creation Church is also a member of the National Council of Churches of Singapore. The church holds services in English, Mandarin, Hokkien and Korean. They are involved in missions throughout the Asian region. New Creation Church and Prince’s messages reach far beyond Singapore to Europe, Canada, Australia, the Middle East and South Africa and millions of households across America. Joseph Prince Ministries also organizes trips to Israel through their own privately owned tour agency. Prince’s church and his messages are broadcasted into more than 150 countries seen on TBN and the Daystar Television Network. They are also shown on the Australian Christian Channel.
So how did Prince and his New Creation Church become so big? Is it because of good solid biblical teaching?
The growth of his church can be contributed to several factors. First, some of the growth can be attributed to the "radical preaching" of his grace message. Since Prince is primarily focused on Grace he has become a very popular sought our speaker. Prince preaches a questionable, at best, message that consist of the over preaching of Grace and very little use of the Law or biblical repentance to bring about conviction of sin. His technique of preaching purely Grace and no repentance borders on antinomianism. At the very least his preaching can lead people to a false sense of salvation through his easy believerism method of preaching. So the question here is, if Prince is not preaching biblical repentance and a biblical message of Grace is anyone listening to him really hearing from the God of the bible? Are those who claim salvation in the Christ Prince preaches really saved or are they false converts?
A second factor in Prince’s popularity is due to the fact that he is a charismatic and is strongly into the Word of Faith teaching. These two factors articulate and immediately attract listeners. These are a guaranteed combinations for success, popularity and fame. Prince and his strong Word of Faith teachings fit right into his over preached messages of Grace. To any biblically discerning Christian the mere fact that Prince is strongly into the Word of Faith teaching and promotes this teaching nonstop should be a warning to flee this wolfs presence.
[1] "Church Pastors Like None Other - From stutter to charisma". The Sunday Times (Singapore). 5 October 2008.
Problems with Joseph Prince
- Use the teachings of Grace found in the bible to an extreme point of almost preaching Antinomianism.
- Teaches Easy Believerism.
- Very low, if any, emphasis on preaching about sin and biblical repentance.
- Holds to strong Word of Faith teachings to heretical proportions.
- Teaches that being healthy and being wealthy is part of having enough faith and that God wants all to be healthy and wealthy.
