Science Fair Project Encyclopedia
Destiny Church
Destiny Church is a so-called spirit-filled church with headquarters in Auckland, New Zealand. Founded as City Church Auckland in 1998 by evangelistic Pastor Brian Tamaki, it initially had a membership of 20 people, but within 7 years, it has grown to around 10,000 members and had adopted the name "Destiny Church". Destiny now has twenty churches, located throughout New Zealand and in Brisbane, Australia. It is said by its followers that it has a diverse multi-cultural congregation but in truth it is mainly Māori.
Destiny Church has been active in campaigning for a return to what it sees as literal interpretations of Christian Biblical moral codes in New Zealand society, particularly for the "sanctity of marriage between a husband and wife". In August 2004, it attracted considerable criticism from largely gay-activists for its protest against a bill creating civil unions which aimed at removing discrimination of sexual orientation by the law.
This protest of around 5,000 involved members of the church wearing black T-shirts with the slogans "Enough is Enough" and "I'm standing for family values" marching through the streets of Wellington. This was characterised by Holmes as being similar to a Nazi Party rally. The march was met by a small, noisy counter-protest numbering several hundred that opposed the church's stand for "morality".
A follow-up demonstration in Auckland organised by other prominent churches in New Zealand and supported by many including Destiny Church took place in March 2005. This demonstration gathered even more support for Christian moral values with no less than 15,000 people marching up the main street of Auckland. The march was once again met by a small group of counter-demonstrating students, numbering fewer than 60 individuals.
Members of the Destiny Church formed the political party Destiny New Zealand in 2003. That year, Tamaki predicted that Destiny Church would govern New Zealand by 2008. However, recent polls show Destiny New Zealand's support at only 0.5%—well below the 5% threshold needed to enter Parliament without an electorate MP.
Brian Tamaki is to be ordained as a bishop in June 2005.
Destiny TV, a television ministry, was launched in 2001 and produces 30-minute programmes that ran every weekday morning on New Zealand's national television broadcaster. The programmes are entirely funded by donations from Destiny Church members. Despite fitting criteria for a government charter that called for more religious and Māori programmes on television Destiny TV was pulled from air in late 2004. Destiny TV currently broadcasts in the South Pacific and Australia. Programmes and live services are also broadcast over the internet.
On 27 February 2005 the national leader of Baptist Churches of New Zealand Brian Winslade issued an open letter criticising the Destiny Church. In the letter Winslade gives several reasons why he believes "the Destiny political movement ought not to be supported by the Christian community of New Zealand".
In the United States
Destiny Church is a church in Oklahoma, USA.
External links
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