Before he was Reverend Kong Hee

SINGAPORE - At a Raffles Institution Class of 1980 reunion five years ago, he was on the receiving end of friendly jibes. "Never knew you could do this, man," former schoolmates kidded Reverend Kong Hee (picture), who by then had established City Harvest Church as a rapidly growing entity.

"Most of us were very happy for him, and he extended an invitation for every one of us to go to his church to listen to him. All we needed to do was call his secretary, and he would arrange the seats for us," said an ex-schoolmate who attended RI and Raffles Junior College with Rev Kong from 1977 to 1982.

Before he became the face of one of Singapore's megachurches, Rev Kong was just one of the boys in a top school. But it was not as a bookworm that buddies remembered him

According to two former schoolmates, he was easygoing, playful and enjoyed sports and life. He was in RI's swimming and water polo team, and sported chlorine-bleached hair.

"He fell into the tall, dark and chlorinated-hair category," one schoolmate quipped, a stark contrast with Rev Kong's description of himself during a 2005 media interview as having been short, fat and ugly in secondary school.

After graduating in 1988 with a degree in computer science from the National University of Singapore, the young man who planned to be a missionary in the Philippines, worked for a short stint at a local Anglican church, according to the biography on his website.

But then he started City Harvest with 20 people in 1989 and was ordained at Bethany Christian Centre two years later. It was as a Christian youth leader working with students, that Rev Kong met his future wife Ho Yeow Sun, then a student at Anglican High. They married in 1992 and now have a son, Dayan, five.

She went on to become a pop singer in the media limelight, crossing over from church music director to chart-topper in the Chinese and American markets, while her sexy outfits set tongues wagging.

In contrast to the reams written about her, little can be found in local news archives about Rev Kong, though in the Christian community he made a impact with laser shows, blog and cable television programme.

Over the years, church members came to regard him as "visionary" and "passionate". Himself a businessman - in 2005, he took himself off the City Harvest payroll when he and his wife set up Skin Couture, and later added two more boutiques - he connected with followers like Elim Chew.

The 77th Street founder recounted how, when she was at her "lowest point", drained by the challenges of expanding her streetwear company into the unfamiliar China business environment, Rev Kong was constantly in touch and encouraging her.

Though frequently overseas - whether speaking at churches overseas, or visiting his wife and son in the US - he would call bereaved members of his flock. Ms Chew, who has known him for 20 years, said he recently postponed a flight to Los Angeles so as to pray for her friend's sick grandmother.

At services, church members say, his family seems a picture of intergenerational bliss, with his parents and in-laws in attendance. "When you look at them, you feel like they're the ideal family," said Mr Kelvin Chew, 38, a cell group leader.



WORKING FOR A PERFECTIONIST

Nonetheless, Mr Chew admitted: "He's a perfectionist. Working with him is not at all easy. You have to work even harder because he's so sharp. A slight mistake and he'll be upset, and that's how he moulds most of us to be sharper."

There was the church's anniversary celebration at the Singapore Indoor Stadium a few years ago, when the sound crew could not get things right and the backup vocalists could not hit the right tone. The crew had to rehearse "again and again", with the session ending close to midnight.

But Mr Chew also insisted, it was in this same vein that Rev Kong spurred many in his congregation, like himself, to further their studies and improve themselves.

While some have criticised Rev Kong's approach to Christianity as too extravagant or aggressive, supporters argue that it is refreshing and relevant to the young. Lasers, projectors and lights are used at services, and the recent five-day Asia Conference hosted by the church included a beauty pageant.

The youths "really like him", said a church member of two years. "They really take his words to heart ... they would thank him for believing in them, enabling them to excel in their studies."

Might this adoration verge on idolatry?

"It could veer toward (being) unhealthy," said the member. "Maybe they idolise him, but in my opinion, if you idolise a good role model, I don't see anything wrong with that. I would say they respect him."

The spotlight on both the church and its founder has been intensifying in recent months - for example, when he announced in March its indirect purchase of a stake in Suntec Singapore's convention centre. Then came murmurs from netizens accusing him of plagiarising other authors' words in his daily devotionals.

Rev Kong has since explained on his blog that the devotions consist of notes recorded over the years "as well as select readings of other Christian authors who inspire me", and that the oversight in crediting these sources was because the devotions were originally meant for internal circulation.

Then came news on Monday of the investigation into individuals and companies linked to City Harvest for alleged misuse of funds. Seventeen individuals, including Rev Kong, were questioned by the Commercial Affairs Department.

According to Ms Chew, the pastor has since been uncontactable. But church members have rallied behind him, remembering how his words had spurred them on.

When Ms Nanz Chong-Komo's retail venture failed in 2003, it was Rev Kong who inspired her to write a book. "The moment he knew my One.99 shop was going to close, he asked me, 'What have you learned? Write it down! Take this as tuition lesson of a lifetime!'" she said.