Before it was known as Tai Seng Christian Church, the building was occupied by the Yio Chu Kang Gospel Hall, a church set up by Chew Puat Chwee, a philanthropic Chinese businessman. Built in 1930, the building has seen almost a century of continuous use as a place of worship, even as the surrounding area has changed dramatically. The increasing number of congregants eventually culminated in the renovation of the church, involving the restoration of the historic building and the addition of a four-storey modern structure, completed in 2026.
A Benevolent Businessman
Chew Puat Chwee was a Hokkien migrant from Xiamen, China who had converted to Christianity. Through his business, Chop Hong Lee, he acquired wealth which he used for philanthropic work from as early as 1918. He co-founded the Chinese-medium Kong Yiong School located in Kovan. Chew’s wealth continued to grow, and he eventually became a successful landowner. He owned 10 shophouses and 40 attap houses in an area that would later become Chia Keng Village.
In 1930, he built the Yio Chu Kang Gospel Hall, a Brethren Church. During the Japanese Occupation of Singapore, Chew was able to save the church, his family and clan members in Chia Keng Village from harassment by Japanese soldiers. He diplomatically offered the soldiers food and shelter, in exchange for the community’s immunity from persecution.
When the war ended, the main street in Chia Keng Village was named Lorong Hong Lee in commemoration of Chew’s business.
The Legacy Remains
Over time, Chew ceased his involvement in business activities to devote more time to his church activities, such as preaching the gospel in Mandarin. The properties he owned were eventually sold to private property developers in the late 1980s. Despite that, Chew’s legacy remained strong, and a new road in the area was named Hong Lee Place in honour of his shop.
In 1978, Chew’s other legacy, the Yio Chu Kang Gospel Hall, moved to a new location along Poh Huat Road at 242 Yio Chu Kang Road. The site is currently shared with the English congregation of the Yio Chu Kang Chapel.
Yio Chu Kang Gospel Hall before 1988 (Image from Tai Seng Christian Church)
Tai Seng Christian Church
Tai Seng Christian Church humbly began in 1957 as a communal gathering at Lorong Tai Seng, when the music of Sister Zhong Yi attracted people from the Tai Seng neighbourhood for evangelistic gatherings.
In 1989, Tai Seng Christian Church took over the Yio Chu Kang Gospel Hall building at 140 Yio Chu Kang Road. Up until 2023, the bungalow church stood distinctively as a single-storey light blue and white masonry building adorned with a double-pitched roof. Classical architectural influences were evident in the building’s symmetrical design, where the two prominent gable end walls were decorated with protruding column capitals. Over the years, zinc-roofed extensions were added to accommodate the congregation’s needs.
Tai Seng Christian Church building before its renovation.
A New Chapter
By 2023, decades of heavy wear had taken their toll on the aging church building. Severe roof leaks and termite infestations rendered the structure unsuitable for regular use, making renewal work necessary. Beyond essential repairs, the project aimed to expand facilities for a growing congregation while keeping the bungalow church’s historical features.
The renovations officially began at the end of 2023. While construction was underway, the congregation temporarily relocated its worship services to Paya Lebar Chinese Methodist Church at 299 Upper Paya Lebar Road. By August 2026, the building was completed and furnished, allowing the congregation to return to 140 Yio Chu Kang Road to resume worship services.
As part of the renovation, the bungalow building was restored and now serves as the worship hall, while the new four-storey extension houses multi-purpose rooms for children’s Sunday School, fellowship gatherings and small-group Bible studies. On the exterior, key architectural features of the bungalow church’s facade have been retained, including the prominent gable end wall, double-pitched roof, decorative column capitals and side lattice windows. The church building thus remains a familiar neighbourhood landmark, honouring the site’s history.
The renovation project has restored the bungalow building and added a new four-storey extension.
Main hall of the newly renovated Tai Seng Christian Church.
The old main hall of the former Yio Chu Kang Gospel Hall at 140 Yio Chu Kang Road. (Image from Yio Chu Kang Gospel Hall)
A Church For The Community
Beyond its weekly bilingual services, the church actively fosters fellowship through frequent community-building events, including Christmas and Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations. These gatherings warmly welcome not only church members, but also their families, friends and neighbours. From Yio Chu Kang Gospel Hall to Tai Seng Christian Church, for almost 100 years, the building has housed a church for the community.
Buildings and sites featured on Roots.SG are part of our efforts to raise awareness of our heritage; a listing on Roots.SG does not imply any form of preservation or conservation status, unless it is mentioned in the article. The information in this article is valid as of September 2026 and is not intended to be an exhaustive history of the site/building.
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