Megachurches in Singapore: The Faith of an Emergent Middle Class

Using original research data, this paper outlines three characteristics that have contributed to the rapid rise of independent Pentecostal megachurches in Singapore. Firstly, megachurches have been very successful in attracting emergent middle-class Singaporeans. Their appeal to upwardly mobile people from working and lower-middle-class backgrounds makes them a converging point for class-transcending individuals who have a strong sense of agency. Second, megachurches are shown to be more likely to combine spirituality with market logic, and their “seeker church” mentality slightly but significantly modifies their attitudes towards homosexuals. These attitudes enable them to better engage with the contemporary marketplace as well as to appeal to young economically mobile Singaporeans generally. Third, it is argued that as part of the broader international evangelical movements, Singapore megachurches have learned to minister to the needy and disadvantaged in ways that avoid conflict with the state. Their integration of trans-nationalizing networks and local indigenizing cells also enables them to combine global connectivity with local relevance amongst distinct groups of Singapore society.