Editing Gloriavale Christian Community (section)

=== Howard Temple ===
Howard Temple was the leader of Gloriavale, holding the title of Overseeing Shepherd, from 2018 until his resignation in August 2025. Temple was charged in July and August 2023 with sexual offending against 10 girls between 1997 and 2022. The female complainants ranged in age from 9 to 20 at the time of the alleged offending.<ref>{{cite news |last=Chittock |first=Niva |date=2 August 2023 |title=Gloriavale leader Howard Temple facing indecency charges involving 10 girls |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/494991/gloriavale-leader-howard-temple-facing-indecency-charges-involving-10-girls |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230802021234/https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/494991/gloriavale-leader-howard-temple-facing-indecency-charges-involving-10-girls |archive-date=2 August 2023 |access-date=2 August 2023 |work=[[Radio New Zealand]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Naish |first=Joanne |date=2 August 2023 |title=Gloriavale overseeing shepherd appears in court for alleged sexual offending |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/132657162/gloriavale-overseeing-shepherd-appears-in-court-for-alleged-sexual-offending |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230914201036/https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/132657162/gloriavale-overseeing-shepherd-appears-in-court-for-alleged-sexual-offending |archive-date=14 September 2023 |access-date=13 September 2023 |website=[[Stuff (website)|Stuff]] |language=en-NZ}}</ref> In late July 2025, Temple underwent trial on 24 charges of historic sexual offending against girls and women at the Greymouth District Court. Following two days of proceedings, he pleaded guilty to 12 charges including indecent assault, indecency and common assault.<ref>{{cite news |last1=MacDuff |first1=Keiller |date=30 July 2025 |title=Gloriavale leader Howard Temple pleads guilty to indecency charges |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/568442/gloriavale-leader-howard-temple-pleads-guilty-to-indecency-charges |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250730045845/https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/568442/gloriavale-leader-howard-temple-pleads-guilty-to-indecency-charges |archive-date=30 July 2025 |access-date=30 July 2025 |work=[[Radio New Zealand]]}}</ref> In August 2025, Howard Temple resigned as the church leader and was replaced by Stephen Standfast.<ref name="leader">{{cite news |last1=Boswell |first1=Ryan |date=12 August 2025 |title=Gloriavale leader Howard Temple has resigned after admitting to abuse against girls and young women. |url=https://www.1news.co.nz/2025/08/12/gloriavale-leader-howard-temple-resigns-after-admitting-sexual-abuse/ |access-date=5 October 2025 |ref=leader |agency=1 News NZ}}</ref>

On 12 December 2025, Howard Temple was sentenced to 26 months in prison for the offences spanning 20 years and added to the child sex offender registry. The judge described the offences as excruciating for the victims. The 10 victims wrote in their victim impact statements how Temple had impacting their lives, describing issues such as panic attacks, anxiety, insomnia, and nightmares. One victim stated because of the sexual offending she feels very unsafe around men, impacting her ability to work. The judge gave Temple a 13% discount on his starting sentence of 3 years. The same day as he was given his sentence, Temple appealed against the sentence and was subsequently released on bail. Several Gloriavale members were in court to support Temple during his sentencing.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Leask |first=Anna |title='He had enormous power': Ex-Gloriavale leader appeals jail sentence over sex abuse against girls, women |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/victims-confront-former-gloriavale-leader-howard-temple-at-his-sentencing-for-decades-of-sex-offending/FZCFRPAGBNA7PE6PVSSAEZXJ5U/ |access-date=2025-12-12 |website=NZ Herald |language=en-NZ}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-12-12 |title=Disgraced former Gloriavale leader Howard Temple sentenced to 26 months' jail for sexual offending |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/581672/disgraced-former-gloriavale-leader-howard-temple-sentenced-to-26-months-jail-for-sexual-offending |access-date=2025-12-15 |website=RNZ |language=en-nz}}</ref> In early March 2026, Christchurch High Court Justice Owen Paulson replaced Temple's prison sentence with a period of home detention..<ref>{{cite news |last1=Leask |first1=Anna |title=Gloriavale leader Howard Temple's prison sentence quashed - replaced with home detention |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/gloriavale-leader-howard-temples-prison-sentence-quashed-replaced-with-home-detention/B3QHQRKUPBFOBPQ5TLKKXQODOU/ |access-date=3 March 2026 |work=[[The New Zealand Herald]] |date=3 March 2026 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20260303022047/https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/gloriavale-leader-howard-temples-prison-sentence-quashed-replaced-with-home-detention/B3QHQRKUPBFOBPQ5TLKKXQODOU/ |archive-date=3 March 2026 |url-status=live}}</ref>