By Laura Turner
Bishop Brian Tamaki has urged his congregation to reject any word against Destiny Church, after a week of media scrutiny suggested the movement was becoming a cult.
Along with Bishop Tamaki, a number of other Destiny Church members have put their houses up for sale - raising questions over whether Destiny will also become a township.
After seven days of media scrutiny, the faithful filed back into Destiny Church this morning.
Along with the traffic controllers, the hierarchy and the new covenant rings for Bishop Tamaki's 700 soldiers.
The Bishop constantly referred to the media attention, urging his congregation never to let their thoughts be tainted by non-believers.
“You should never let your mind be out of earshot from the word of God. That is where the enemy will most have his effect,” he said in a live-feed of his sermon.
A 3 News camera was not allowed inside the service, the church saying they would prefer journalists use the church-edited footage off the internet.
Destiny Church member Richard Lewis says the church want to get on with what they’re doing.
“With us having been in the spotlight the people are very aware of the media and we just want to get on with what we do and that's church,” he says.
But the past week has seen intense argument that Destiny is not a normal church but a cult in the making.
On Thursday night Campbell Live showed hidden camera footage of the church asking not for small change, but for large quantities of money.
Also under scrutiny was the covenant 700 men signed, pledging their unrelenting dedication to Bishop Tamaki.
While the church continues to deny it is planning an exclusive 'Destiny city' it has confirmed it’s currently doing feasibility studies on two properties in south Auckland.
The chosen property will become home to a church, schools, sporting facilities and possibly a retirement village.
Along with Bishop Tamaki's Maraetai house, a number of houses belonging to Destiny Church members are also for sale in the Beachlands-Maraetai area.
The church couldn’t answer why there are so many houses on sale at the same time, but suggested members might just want to be closer to their church.
3 News