An evangelical church with a controversial pastor who claims gay people cause earthquakes has set up in Australia.
Destiny Church is a fundamentalist Christian organisation founded by Bishop Brian Tamaki and his wife Hannah in New Zealand.
From humble beginnings of 20 people gathered in a garage in Auckland the church grew to more than 10,000 followers and 19 churches.
Destiny Church is a fundamentalist Christian organisation founded by Bishop Brian Tamaki and his wife Hannah (pictured right) while their son Samuel (left) runs the Church’s Australian operation (piictured with his wife Kiri)
Samuel and Kiri are the heads of Destiny Church in Australia, based in Loganholme south of Brisbane
Brian Tamaki was criticised after he tweeted a photo of the stage at one of his churches covered in thousands of dollars in bank notes, posting alongside the photo: ‘The main stage at Destiny Church Auckland.. This morning.. Littered with 10,000s of $100 & $50 bills… ‘Attitude’.
Brian and Hannah’s son Samuel and his wife Kiri are the pastors of Destiny’s Australian operation, based in Loganholme south of Brisbane.
The church claims the couple ‘received the call of God’ to move their young family with four children to Queensland in December 2013.
Destiny Church has become infamous courtesy of the outlandish behaviour of its leader Bishop Tamaki – who claims gay people are responsible for natural disasters – as well as his penchant for showing off the wealth he has amassed since becoming the leader.
The church is currently embroiled in a High Court dispute over whether it will be able to keep avoiding paying tax as a registered charity in New Zealand, having been struck off over a ‘persistent failure to file annual returns’.
Followers – many of them from low socio-economic areas – are expected to tithe ten per cent of their income to the church.
Brian Tamaki was criticised after he tweeted a photo of the stage at one of his churches covered in thousands of dollars in bank notes, posting alongside the photo: ‘The main stage at Destiny Church Auckland.. This morning.. Littered with 10,000s of $100 & $50 bills… ‘Attitude’.’
Bishop Tamaki allegedly earns six figures each year directly from the church, while followers have reportedly been forced to take out personal loans to pay for church projects worth millions of dollars.
It has also received hundreds of thousands of dollars from the taxpayer to fund youth programmes.
Australian Idol winner Stan Walker has also performed at the church, headlining a ‘Man Up ‘ event and discussing his violent upbringing.
Former church members have said poor families are pressured to contribute more than the 10 per cent tithe.
Bishop Brian Tamaki and his wife Hannah started the church in a garage in Auckland
Bishop Tamaki allegedly earns six figures each year directly from the church, while followers have reportedly been forced to take out personal loans to pay for church projects worth millions of dollars
Tamaki blamed gay people for the Christchuch earthquakes which killed 185 people in 2011
Tamaki has blamed gay people for the Christchuch earthquakes which killed 185 people in 2011.
‘The earth can speak. Leviticus says the earth convulses under the weight of certain human sin,’ Bishop Tamaki said.
Although it was forced to close some of its New Zealand branches after its popularity dwindled in its home country, Destiny Church has since expanded into Australia.
Destiny’s Australian arm carries out two services on Sundays in Queensland, in Brisbane and on the Gold Coast.
Although it was forced to close some of its New Zealand branches after its popularity dwindled in its home country, Destiny Church has since expanded into Australia
Bishop Tamaki is a frequent user of social media and often takes to Twitter to share his message
On the church’s website, Destiny’s goal is stated as ‘to build a large, great, spirit-filled church that would be both creative and redemptive in all its expression, impacting the city of Brisbane/Gold Coast, Australia and the world for Jesus Christ’.
Followers of Destiny Church say an oath of allegiance to Brian Tamaki and agree to follow ‘protocols towards our spiritual father’ as per the church’s ‘Protocols and Requirements Between Spiritual Father and His Spiritual Sons’.
Some of the demands include: ‘in all conversation, always speak of Bishop in a favourable and positive light’, to refer to Brian and Hannah Tamaki as ‘mentors’ and ‘role models’ as Bishop Tamaki ‘is one of God’s best known representatives in our country’.
Followers are also told to ‘never use Bishop’s name to back up your claims, personal agendas or advancements in any situation unless you have prior permission’.
Churchgoers are expected to stop speaking when Brian Tamaki begins talking, and to never openly disagree with him in front of other people.
Australian Idol winner Stan Walker has also performed at the church, headlining a ‘Man Up ‘ event and discussing his violent upbringing
They are also expected to ‘surprise’ the Bishop on special occasions such as his birthday – ‘don’t wait for others to do it’.
A key component of the church’s operations has been working with patched gang members in an effort to turn them into functioning members of society – what Tamaki calls ‘Gangstas for Jesus’.
Tamaki is also a fan of Harley-Davidson motorcycles, and was seen in a leather jacket riding one during a recent rally down Queen Street, Auckland’s main road, during what he called a ‘Man Up’ march.
In addition to motorcycles, the Tamakis also have a predilection for expensive vehicles and pricey property.
The couple moved into a luxurious million-dollar home in Auckland in November, and Hannah Tamaki purchased a brand new black 2017 Mercedes-Benz AMG SUV worth more than $200,000 in August.
The Tamakis also have a predilection for expensive vehicles and pricey property
In 2016 Ms Tamaki dropped $150,000 on another Mercedes SUV after also buying a $75,000 twin-turbo Mercedes coupe.
At the time she defended the purchases on Twitter saying ‘what you spend your [money] on [is] your business, what you give [to] the poor, that’s God’s business’.
‘Funny how people that never give, have the most to say… we give.’
Bishop Tamaki has also been outspoken in his support for United States President Donald Trump, saying he hopes New Zealand has a similar leader.
Destiny Church did not respond to Daily Mail Australia’s request for comment.