Statement by Reverend Lawrence Khong
Senior Pastor, Faith Community Baptist Church
October 2, 2013
“Further to my statement of 26 August 2013 (officially announced through Faith Community Baptist Church’s (FCBC) corporate website and various electronic platforms), after much deliberation, FCBC has appealed to the Supreme Court with respect to Minister's decision ordering the Church to pay the requisite compensation as reported in the media.
FCBC has always been respectful of the governmental authorities. We are constantly praying for and interacting with them as they lead the nation. This continues to be so. The fact that we have paid the compensation amount as ordered after consideration bears testament to our stand.
Having said that, whilst we respect the authorities and believe that they have been established by God over us, in light of Minister's decision, we are concerned about any far-reaching repercussions this decision has on FCBC as a church or for that matter all religious organisations, in our continuous attempts to uphold the values of our faith as we lead and watch over our flock.
Specifically, we sincerely hope that the Courts can give guidance on where we stand with reference to the constitutional rights of religious bodies in the management of their religious affairs, which we believe include the hiring and dismissal of staff, the moral standards expected of staff at a level that reflects the ethos and values of the organisation. We also hope to stand guided in terms of understanding the process involved in any dismissal scenario, should a similar incident unfortunately happen again.
We are mindful of the gravity of this application, and we recognise any outcome may have a bearing beyond our own organisation and affect the religious community at large - Christian or otherwise. We therefore trust and pray that the Courts will be able to help us move forward as an organisation that seeks to uphold the values of God - yet coexisting with all in our secular society that thrives on democracy and religious freedom.”