Editing Destiny Church (New Zealand) (section)

===Sexual abuse allegations===
In late March 2010, controversy arose over allegations against two adult children of Destiny Church Taranaki Pastors Robyn and Lee Edmonds. Charges were withdrawn by Police as there was no evidence. The pastors resigned from Destiny Church Taranaki leadership.<ref name="3_News_148676">{{cite web |url=http://www.3news.co.nz/Destiny-Church-abuse-allegations/tabid/817/articleID/148676/Default.aspx |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130223034021/http://www.3news.co.nz/Destiny-Church-abuse-allegations/tabid/817/articleID/148676/Default.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-date=23 February 2013 |title=Destiny Church abuse allegations |date=29 March 2010 |work=[[3 News]] |accessdate=28 September 2011 }}</ref><ref name="NZ_Herald_10649992">{{cite web |url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10649992 |title=Destiny Church members resign after official inquiry |author=Fisher, David |date=6 June 2010 |work=[[The New Zealand Herald]] |accessdate=28 September 2011 |archive-date=11 January 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140111181257/http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10649992 |url-status=live }}</ref> Fourteen years later in May 2024, ''[[The New Zealand Herald]]'' reported that a former Destiny Church youth group leader was the subject of a sexual abuse allegation involving a male teenager in November 2023. After the teenager's mother alerted the Police, Destiny Church suspended the youth leader from his volunteer leadership role and banned him from the church. Destiny Church also removed several teenagers who were living with the man. The teenager's family had joined Destiny Church in 2018 and subsequently joined the youth group. The boy's mother alleged that her son suffered [[post-traumatic stress disorder]] following the abuse, manifesting in violent, volatile and suicidal behaviour. The mother also said that Destiny Church had held meetings with her son and the man's other alleged abuse victims, without contacting the parents or seeking their permission. She also criticised Police and Destiny Church for their alleged inaction in investigating the former youth leader's alleged sexual abuses. The ''Herald'' also reported that the former youth leader was now involved with a new South Auckland church group.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Nichols |first1=Lane |title=Destiny Church youth group leader stood down, police investigation under way into allegations of sexual abuse |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/destiny-church-youth-group-leader-stood-down-police-investigation-under-way-into-allegations-of-sexual-abuse/TC46HOWEIJEE3PQXLQ5TOCSL2Y/ |access-date=27 May 2024 |work=[[The New Zealand Herald]] |date=26 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240526074329/https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/destiny-church-youth-group-leader-stood-down-police-investigation-under-way-into-allegations-of-sexual-abuse/TC46HOWEIJEE3PQXLQ5TOCSL2Y/ |archive-date=26 May 2024}}</ref>

In response, Tamaki expressed sympathy for the alleged victims and their families, and said that he "hopes police investigate the matter quickly." Tamaki also criticised the ''Herald on Sunday'' for exposing the story, describing the report as "another hit-piece & gutter reporting." Police confirmed that they were investigating historical sex abuse allegations involving a Counties Manukau youth group and said there were multiple alleged victims with the alleged offending spanning several years.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Nichols |first1=Lane |title=Destiny Church leader Brian Tamaki addresses sexual abuse allegations involving banned youth leader accused of assaulting teens |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/destiny-church-leader-brian-tamaki-addresses-sexual-abuse-allegations-involving-banned-youth-leader-accused-of-assaulting-teens/UENKREW37NB23KSAPTR4BHBN3I/ |access-date=27 May 2024 |work=[[The New Zealand Herald]] |date=27 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240527013636/https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/destiny-church-leader-brian-tamaki-addresses-sexual-abuse-allegations-involving-banned-youth-leader-accused-of-assaulting-teens/UENKREW37NB23KSAPTR4BHBN3I/ |archive-date=27 May 2024|url-status=live}}</ref> In early June 2024, Police had arrested and charged a 29-year-old man with six charges of indecent assault against two individuals. Police confirmed that the man was a former Destiny Church disciple involved with a South Auckland youth group.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Nichols |first1=Lane |title=Destiny Church disciple arrested and charged with historical sexual assaults involving teenagers |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/destiny-church-disciple-arrested-and-charged-with-historical-sexual-assaults-involving-teenagers/2JBFK2EV3RGTHKMZMFZKDEMWJM/ |access-date=7 September 2024 |work=[[The New Zealand Herald]] |date=7 June 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240607022441/https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/destiny-church-disciple-arrested-and-charged-with-historical-sexual-assaults-involving-teenagers/2JBFK2EV3RGTHKMZMFZKDEMWJM/ |archive-date=7 June 2024|url-status=live}}</ref> By late August 2024, Police confirmed that the suspect was facing a total of 17 charges of indecent assault and one charge of unlawful sexual connection involving five individuals connected to the South Auckland youth group. Detective Inspector Natalie Nelson said that the historical sexual allegations dated back to at least 2020. Destiny Church issued a statement that the matter was now in the hands of the Police and the courts.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Nicols |first1=Lane |title=Former Destiny Church disciple faces fresh sexual abuse charges, two new complainants contact police, five alleged victims |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/former-destiny-church-disciple-faces-fresh-sexual-abuse-charges-two-new-complainants-contact-police-five-alleged-victims/CPK324TXHBC6TAA7PFJ24KUGG4/ |access-date=7 September 2024 |work=[[The New Zealand Herald]] |date=28 August 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240831235257/https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/former-destiny-church-disciple-faces-fresh-sexual-abuse-charges-two-new-complainants-contact-police-five-alleged-victims/CPK324TXHBC6TAA7PFJ24KUGG4/ |archive-date=31 August 2024}}</ref>

On 17 March 2025, the suspect was identified as Kiwa Hamiora-Te Hira. He pleaded guilty to committing eight sexual offences and was sentenced to six years and four months imprisonment at the Manukau District Court.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Kapitan |first1=Craig |last2=Nichols |first2=Lane |title=Ex-Destiny Church member Kiwa Hamiora-Te Hira jailed for abusing youth group boys |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/crime/ex-destiny-church-disciple-kiwa-hamiora-te-hira-jailed-for-abusing-youth-group-boys/M54WHCCACREEVAZYBAKGCD4YIQ/ |access-date=20 March 2025 |work=[[The New Zealand Herald]] |date=17 March 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250317204149/https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/crime/ex-destiny-church-disciple-kiwa-hamiora-te-hira-jailed-for-abusing-youth-group-boys/M54WHCCACREEVAZYBAKGCD4YIQ/ |archive-date=17 March 2025}}</ref>