Why Destiny Church should not be a Charity

Destiny Church is a registered charity founded and headed by the self proclaimed “Apostle” Brian Tamaki. CHARITY No: 31639

Since its foundation, Destiny Church have taken an overtly aggressive stance against the LGBTQ community and other minorities. This has often resulted in public displays of protest by D.C. members and supporters. In sermons, and sometimes in public commentary, Apostle Tamaki has attacked the community in ways that could be considered libellous or defamatory.

Apostle Tamaki often leads these demonstrations himself, or sends senior Destiny Church members or his wife Hannah Tamaki.

Destiny Church has often acted in concert with other similarly minded individuals and organizations in public protests, including Julian Batchelor. 

Over the last few years, Destiny Church has time and again gone out of its way to attack minority groups. It has no recognizable social services, which a charity is meant to provide – the whole concept of charity is to provide services for less fortunate/sick/vulnerable members of society, who might not have other ways to provide for themselves. Charities are also meant to be tolerant organizations working across a broad section of society and able to have meaningful dialogue.

Nor do Destiny Church show respect for the authorities when reasonably requested to do/not do something.

The list below are just a few examples from across the last few years. They include Brian Tamaki breaches bail in Christchurch protest, Destiny Church supporting vandalism of a rainbow crossing and Brian Tamaki collaborates with Julian Batchelor against LGBTQ community.

No one says that Mr Tamaki is denied his right to peaceful protest and assembly with like minded people and organizations. The problem is, as demonstrated, these are rarely peaceful, deliberately provocative and sometimes outright dangerous.

This is not how a charity should behave by any reasonable measure, but it is how Destiny Church insist on doing so. Please join me in calling for the revocation of Destiny Church’s and its respective branches as a charity.