Over the weekend, Brian Tamaki's Destiny Church held a gathering called ‘Momentum’.
This was a weekend for Kingdom Men and it has got many people concerned.
Destiny Church has grown from a congregation of 20 to 9000 members in just 11 years.
In 2005 the Pastor Brian Tamaki became a bishop and last weekend Bishop Tamaki became a king.
One man, ‘Andrew’, who didn't want his real name or identity known, went to Destiny Church undercover to witness a special event, just for men.
He joined 700 others, all of whom paid $30 to attend this covenant oath ceremony.
‘Andrew’ said:
“It was very military they tell you where to sit, lots of people walking around with ear pieces in their ears, very
Men in Black. The main people were men in black - you can tell Destiny people by the shoes they wear; very classy which is a representation of who they follow - Brian Tamaki.”
Destiny packages its services and sells them on DVD.
But ‘Andrew’ was able to record footage you will not see on those DVDs.
From the outset he was encouraged to spend money at Destiny Church, from purchasing t-shirts to buying dinner at the Destiny food court.
The collection plate is passed around numerous times at Destiny events and in the 24 hours ‘Andrew’ was there for the oath ceremony, he had given away $70.
One of the ‘men in black’ Richard Lewis explained how the contribution system would work at the ceremony.
“...The other thing we're doing today guys is we're doing an offering. It’s not a gold coin offering today. It'll be sewing into the ministry of the church so I just encourage you today the folding stuff would be more the order of the day.
“If you can get that prepared right now and lift those up to the lord and we'll ask God to bless our money, our seed, today so that it may multiply. Thank God we had an opportunity to come and give today. God, your super would touch our natural and multiply to a supernatural.”
Bishop Tamaki gathered together the contributions after they were collected from the congregation.
“We should hold it in the air and bless it. I pray and release for a blessing that will make 2010 a year of abundance, of great wealth, or doors opening.”
It was a very public display of generosity ahead of the main event the men had all gone for, to hear from their spiritual father.
As part of his long address, Bishop Tamaki said to the gathered men:
“Who is going to touch my people? Who is going to steer your children? Who is going to try and put a disease upon you if I already pre-programmed, pre-designed it? God. I am God, I am not just some man or spirit, I am god.”
James, another member of the congregation spoke about what he had expected from the ‘Momentum’ event.
“For the first time in history something very special was going to happen. I thought it was to do with the rings but it was more to do with the fact that you have to address him now as the king ‘cause there is a king that is coming, the chosen and he is the kind and his church is saying all the other churches have failed and his has been chosen by God and that’s what he announced.”
The men were told to swear an oath at the ceremony which includes some of the following rules to live by:
- Always speak of Bishop Brian in a favourable and positive light
- Protect him from outsiders who try and get in his face. Tactfully move in on people who do this.
- When Bishop Tamaki is speaking all others stop.
- Never openly disagree with Bishop Tamaki in front of others.
- If seated with Bishop Tamaki at a table wait until he has started eating before you do.
- In a sign of love and respect for Bishop Tamaki surprise him with gifts.
The Christian monitoring group Cultwatch has been observing Destiny for years.
Their group is particularly interested in his new fascination with King David.
Cultwatch director Mark Vrankovich explained “so there he is talking about the Davidic order, so he is taking that kingship position”.
Brian Tamaki has alluded to this in sermons.
“There is a time coming in the modern church today where that Davidic order must rise again.”
Mr Vrankovich said:
“I mean here you have a man who thinks he is a biblical character, in this case King David, and he's building himself an army of mighty men who will do want he wants. I have grave concerns for that, grave concerns.”
For the first time, the Cultwatchers are seeing a distinctive change in Tamaki's preaching.
Mr Vrankovic explained:
“You isolate them and you stop information from the outside, you control relationships, you indoctrinate them and over time if you have a group that praises one man and he starts drifting into strange practices the whole group will go with him.”
Brian Tamaki preached to his followers:
“God goes further and says anyone who is a friend of the world is an enemy of me, so it’s good enough for God, it’s good enough for me. What he loves, I love. He loves people, he hates the world. I hate the world.”
The Destiny Church base is in Mt Wellington. The church can accommodate 5000 people. Behind it sits the school which they plan to expand by eight more classrooms.
Across the road is Proton gym. Church members can buy books, clothing, DVDs, or videos. But the church does not own Proton, that's owned by the bishop and his wife Hannah.
Mr Vrankovich said “It’s all part of what they consider is right to honour the king. In biblical times people brought gifts and they think Brian Tamaki is king.”