Destiny Church is leaving its South Auckland base in Wiri amid branch closures, declining attendance, and financial strain. Craig Young explores whether the church’s radicalism has backfired.
According to recent reports from 1 News and the New Zealand Herald, Destiny Church is set to vacate its expansive South Auckland base in Wiri, heading “elsewhere.” To many observers, this move comes as little surprise, especially to those who’ve been tracking the church’s internal shifts and financial strains.
Over the past year, Destiny Church has been quietly closing and merging branches. These changes often signal organisational distress. And there are good reasons to suspect financial trouble may be brewing.
Destiny’s congregants are predominantly low-income Māori and Pasifika communities. Tithing expectations within the church have always been steep—parishioners were reportedly encouraged to donate $1,000 each, under the belief that the Wiri site would cater to 2,500 attendees. Yet, recent figures suggest actual attendance hovers around 1,250. In an era of rising living costs and economic uncertainty, such financial demands may have become untenable for many. Concerns over food security, housing, and education likely trumped the pressure to give, prompting some members to quietly walk away.
Massey University’s Emeritus Religious Studies academic Dr Peter Lineham expressed surprise at the decision to vacate Wiri, particularly given Destiny’s prior investment in developing the property. He also noted the conspicuous silence surrounding where the church’s headquarters would now be based.
This move also coincides with other developments. Some speculate that the sale of the Wiri premises may be intended to help fund legal defences related to the Te Atatū Community Centre incident earlier this year. At the same time, Destiny-affiliated programmes like Man Up and Legacy Sisterhood have come under scrutiny. Accusations of inadequate rehabilitation outcomes have led to the termination of contracts with both the New Zealand Police and government agencies.
It raises an uncomfortable question: are we witnessing Brian Tamaki and Destiny Church doubling down on extremist rhetoric because they know their influence—and financial stability—is slipping? If so, it may have been a miscalculation. The very militancy meant to consolidate support may have accelerated the sect’s decline, alienating both authorities and their own followers.
The abandonment of Wiri isn’t just a real estate decision—it may signal a broader unravelling. The church that once courted headlines and political clout now faces growing scepticism, shrinking numbers, and a future riddled with uncertainty.
Is this the beginning of the end for Destiny Church?
