The Rot of NZ's Biggest Churches
PSA: The bigger, richer churches in New Zealand support Destiny's cause.
I am posting any feedback that comes in from these churches at the top of the comments thread below. See you there.
Also on Webworm today:
Hi,
Something interesting has happened in Aotearoa, where one of the countryโs most toxic Christian churches has pushed things too far, and properly fucked New Zealand off.
As I wrote last week, members of Destiny church protested a Pride event in a library, pushing and punching their way inside.
Destiny has always been a horrific church (I first wrote about them back in 2020), but something about fighting librarians and children was a step too far for the average Kiwi.
Iโm glad New Zealand is tearing Destiny a new one. New Zealanders are generally pretty mellow, so seeing us pissed off about something like this is rare and wonderful.
But I started thinking about something I wrote here back in 2021: โDestiny Church Isnโt the Problem: Giant white megachurches are getting away with far more than Destiny โ but no one cares. Because theyโre white.โ
Itโs no secret that I am particularly passionate about calling out abuse in New Zealandโs largest Pentecostal churches. I spent a year talking to victims of Aotearoaโs biggest church, Arise โ which led to its leaders resigning in shame. Iโve also written about the likes of Hillsong and City Impact โ all much, much bigger than Destiny.
My main point is that the media keeps focusing on the relatively small Destiny church because it is obnoxiously loud and offensive โ while tending to ignore much bigger churches that teach the same toxic shit.
With this in mind, I shared this post on social media last week:
With Destiny churchโs abhorrent views in the press again, I think itโs important not to forget all the white megachurches that hold identical views in New Zealand: Life church, City Impact church, Arise church etc. They are more discreet, but they all hang out and support each other.
I included a photo Iโd first published in March of 2023, showing Destinyโs Brian Tamaki alongside City Impactโs Peter Mortlock Lifeโs Paul De Jong. They were all mugging for camera at Spark Arena for a giant gathering of like-minded churches called โOpen Heavenโ.
The feedback to my post was varied, but a few people pointed out why Destiny church was much worse:
This user went on to say of Destiny: โTheir youth chose to be there. I didnโt choose to be intimidated and assaulted in a public space. Subtle difference.โ
I understand their point โ to a point. Destiny is unique in how brazen it is. Tamaki is more willing than most to take the churchโs cultish, bigoted beliefs into the public realm. His followers clearly took things an extra step by punching their way into a library and concussing a 16-year-old girl in the process.
But I think this still misses the bigger picture.
All the other much bigger, much wealthier churches in New Zealand like Arise, Life and City Impact essentially hold exactly the same beliefs as Destiny Church. They all teach that being gay or trans is a sin, and anyone engaging in that โlifestyleโ are sinners who are going directly to hell for all eternity.
They just donโt get any attention for it as theyโre quieter and more subtle than Brian Tamaki. They keep their heads down. If Tamaki uses his ideology like a billboard, they treat it more like Scientologyโs Xenu; a secret teaching for true believers. But itโs not hard to imagine them joining their brethren at the library if the political winds shift.

And so when I hear arguments about Destiny church being so much worse than the much bigger, much whiter megachurches of New Zealand and beyond, I take pause.
A small number of Destiny church members chose violence. But whatโs the difference between Destiny church members who didnโt choose violence at an Auckland library, and members of Arise, City Impact and Life? How are they so much worse than church leaders and members who hold identical beliefs at other churches?
I also think the idea that Destiny is the only violent megachurch in New Zealand is misleading. My coverage of Arise included the rape by a congregation member being swept under the carpet, and leaders engaging in abusive behaviour towards interns.
The structure of the modern megachurch in New Zealand โ and in any other country โ is never going to be healthy. Its entire success relies on teachings based on hatred, and the adoration of leaders over all else.
Perhaps this helps explain why New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Luxon gave an incredibly pathetic response to Destinyโs violence, calling it โNot the Kiwi wayโ โ as if he was talking to someone cutting in line at the school cafeteria.
I think thereโs a simple reason for this: Churches like his donโt teach you to leave your faith at the door; they preach taking it out into the world. They call for it to be the most important thing in your life.
Once you start decrying the attitudes and beliefs of Destiny Church, you have to start tearing into New Zealandโs biggest churches too.
Christopher Luxon refuses to talk about his faith or church affiliation, indicating that is separate to his politics. I think this is a massive copout, and the two are inseparable. Churches like his donโt teach you to leave your faith at the door; they preach taking it out into the world. They call for it to be the most important.
I understand people crying out for Destiny to lose their tax free status. They should. But what makes this tricky is that if Destiny loses theirs, so should all the much bigger and richer Christian churches who believe and teach the same discriminatory things.
But maybe I am wrong about all of this.
Maybe New Zealandโs biggest churches see that Destiny Church took things too far.
That their beliefs are at complete odds.
Afterall, a number of much smaller New Zealand churches released a statement over the weekend saying just that: โWe join together in condemning last Saturdayโs assault on Te Atatลซ Library staff and others by Destiny Churchโs โMan Upโ and โLegacyโ protesters. More directly, we rebuke Brian Tamaki for consistently inciting this behaviour by using his privilege in the pulpit to misinform and mislead members and associates of his church towards this action.โ
And so I wrote a short, succinct email to New Zealandโs biggest churches. None of whom were found signing the statement above.
These are the churches who follow the same pentecostal and evangelical teachings that Brian Tamaki hands out week after week. But maybe they were done mugging for camera beside Brian.
Maybe they would take a stand against his abhorrent beliefs.
My email asked a simple question:
Does your church condemn the behaviour of Destiny church at the Te Atatลซ library?
I sent it to the comms and media teams at Vineyard, Life, Curate, Equippers, C3, Elim and City Impact. New Zealandโs biggest congregations, far surpassing Destiny Churchโs measly income and crowd sizes.
I sent the email on Saturday, with a deadline of 5pm Monday.
None of them chose to condemn it.
None of them answered my simple question. Not simple in that it was just a โyesโ or โnoโ answer, but because the โyesโ shouldโve just been so, so easy to come to. But of course none of these large churches care what Jesus says, or what any of the Bible says, unless it enhances their own bigoted, hateful world view.
They didnโt answer because they support Brian Tamaki, and believe what he believes.
Theyโre just quieter about it.
David.
If you want to reach Webworm in confidence about any of this - with tips or insight - I am always: davidfarrier@protonmail.com
Hi - if any churches respond this week, I will publish their emails here at the top of the comments thread.
This one from Peter Mortlock of City Impact came in yesterday. I debated including it in the main article, but he didn't answer my question so I didn't. But in the purposes of full transparency, here it is. If anything, I think it's an example of how on-side with Destiny they are.
This is not a fact checking thing, but in this case the "opposing side" was library staff and kids minding their own business. And as my friend commented: "He is talking about a drag King. They don't seem to be able to figure out what he is, but he's a trans man. Just find it funny they don't actually know exactly what they're fuming about. They're all just bumbling around being like "Down With This Sort Of Thing!"
**
"Hi David,
Trust you are well.
Thanks for reaching out, I am sure you have some understanding of my thoughts.
No body likes to see or hear of violence at protests. I have said that a number of times on my posts etc,
Sadly on the front lines of protests, things can get heated and t times out of control especially when there are opposing sides.
Hence the present police review on how to monitor / police protests better especially in the wake of the Rosie Parker protests March 23.
But it is interesting that there was not the same outcry heard when that crowd demonstrated violence (at the Rosie Parker gathering which I am sure you heard about.)
Can I ask you a sincere personal question David, are you supportive of the โdrag queensโ reading in public libraries to preschoolers ? (as my understanding is that many even in the gay community are also opposed to it )
I pray the best for you.
Kind regards
Peter"
For a religion that is supposed to be all about loving thy neighbour and that teaches a wealthy man cannot get into heaven, you gotta wonder if anyone involved in these awful megachurches have even read the bible. But hey, hating trans and queer folks for the Big Dollars is surely exactly what Jesus wanted from his followers, right?
Thank you for continuing to report on their bigotry!