Assemblies of God in New Zealand

The Assemblies of God in New Zealand is a Pentecostal denomination in New Zealand and a member of the World Assemblies of God Fellowship, the world's largest Pentecostal denomination. In 2007, the denomination had nearly 200 congregations and preaching points and 30,000 members and adherents, mostly in the North Island, and it sends missionaries to South Asia and Oceania. In 2016, the largest congregation was the Harbourside Church A/G in Takapuna, founded in the 1950s, with a weekly attendance of 1,500 people.

History

The Pentecostal movement in New Zealand started by the crusades of evangelist Smith Wigglesworth in 1922 and 1923, which led to the establishment of the Pentecostal Church of New Zealand.^{[citation needed]} As the result of an internal dispute, 13 congregations and some pastors withdrew from the PCNZ and in March 1927 sent a cablegram to the General Council of the Assemblies of God of the United States asking for affiliation.^{[citation needed]}

The 1930s were hard years for the Assemblies of God in New Zealand because of internal doctrinal disputes, the proselitism of the Apostolic Church, fragile relations with the PCNZ and economic distress generated by the 1929 Depression. However, frequent visits of preachers such as Aimee McPherson and A. C. Valdez helped to sustain the movement.^{[citation needed]} During the 1960s, the Assemblies of God in New Zealand experienced regrowth and came to be the largest Pentecostal denomination in the country. In 1975, the AGNZ was one of the founders of the Associated Pentecostal Churches of New Zealand, which counts more than 700 congregations.^{[citation needed]}

The 60th General Council, meeting at City West Church A/G in New Plymouth in 2011, saw the election of its first non-European General Superintendent in Samoan-born minister Iliafi Esera. This was also the first time the General Superintendency was held by a minister in a small New Zealand city (Wanganui). The 60th General Council also elected its first woman to the Executive Presbytery, Pastor Mina Acraman of Miracle Centre A/G, Hastings.^{[citation needed]}

Leadership

Leaders of the AoG in New Zealand

#	Name	From	Until	Time in
1	W Chatterton	1927 (March)	1927 (Sept)	-
2	H H Bruce	1927	1931	4 years
3	E T Mellor	1931	1941	10 years
4	A W Thompson	1941	1953	12 years
5	T W Whiting	1951	1959	8 years
6	G C Jennings	1959	1960	1 year
7	R R Read	1960	1967	7 years
8	W F (Frank) Houston	Dec 1965	June 1977	10 years
9	S J (Jim) Williams	8 Oct 1977	1985	8 years
10	R W (Wayne) Hughes	1985	Feb 2003	16 years^[citation needed]
11	K J (Ken) Harrison	Oct 2003	Nov 2011	8 years
12	I T (Iliafi) Esera ONZM	Nov 2011	present	-

From 1927 until 1944 the AoG leadership body was called the General Council (or the General Council Executive). From then until 1997 it was called the Executive Council. It was then renamed the Executive Presbytery. Originally the leader of this body was simply referred to as Chairman. In 1962 the title of the Leader of the Council was changed to General Superintendent.^[1]

National Conference

The A/G New Zealand holds an annual National Conference that bi-annually includes a General Council meeting. Here is the recorded history of these national gatherings.

Year	Dates	Venue	Theme	Featured Speakers	General Council
2022	17–20 October	Kings House A/G, Napier	Run	Ps Tak Bahana (Auckland, New Zealand)	65th General Council (Held Virtually 26 July 2022 due to COVID-19 Restrictions)
2019	21–24 October	Church Unlimited, Auckland	Stretch Forth	Ps Wayne Alcorn (Brisbane, Australia)	64th General Council
2018	15–18 October	Hope Centre, Lower Hutt	Propelled to Serve	Ps Paul Scanlon (Leeds, England, UK)
2017	9–12 October	Hope Centre, Lower Hutt	When The Holy Spirit Comes	Dr Sam Chand (Atlanta, USA)^[2]	63rd General Council
2016	10–13 October	City West Church A/G, New Plymouth	In My Father's House	Ps Shane Willard (Charleston, USA) Ps David Katina (Los Angeles, USA) Ps Debbie Katina (Los Angeles, USA)
2015	12–15 October	City West Church A/G, New Plymouth	Looking Unto Jesus	Dr Sam Chand (Atlanta, USA) Ps Michael Dissanayeke (Colombo, Sri Lanka)	62nd General Council
2014	13–16 October	Kings House A/G, Napier	Faith Moves	Ps Phil Pringle (Sydney, Australia) Ps John Cameron (Wellington, New Zealand)
2013	14–17 October	Kings House A/G, Napier	Moving Forward Together	Dr Allan Meyer (Melbourne, Australia) Ps Naomi Beard (Los Angeles, USA)	61st General Council
2012	15–18 October	Kings House A/G, Napier	People of Nations	Ps Steven Murrell (Taguig City, Philippines) Ps Chris Sola (Auckland, New Zealand)
2011	31 October - 4 November	City West Church A/G, New Plymouth	360° Passion 2 Reach	Ps Wayne Alcorn (Brisbane, Australia)	60th General Council
2010	11–14 October	City West Church A/G, New Plymouth	Resource 2 Reach	Ps Alun Davies (Melbourne, Australia) Ps John Finkelde (Perth, Australia)
2009	12–15 October	City West Church A/G, New Plymouth	Renew 2 Reach	Ps John Finkelde (Perth, Australia) Ps Robert Fergusson (Sydney, Australia)	59th General Council
2008	13–16 October	Lower Hutt Town Hall, Lower Hutt	Sharpening Your Edge	Ps Wayne Alcorn (Brisbane, Australia) Ps Donna Crouch (Sydney, Australia)
2007	8–11 October	Lower Hutt Town Hall, Lower Hutt	Influence Now Acts 29	Ps Jack Haynes (Sydney, Australia) Dr David Parker (Sydney, Australia)	58th General Council
2006	9–12 October	City Church Tauranga A/G, Tauranga	Future Impact	Ps Brian Houston (Sydney, Australia) Ps John Iuliano (Sydney, Australia)
2005	17–20 October	City Church Tauranga A/G, Tauranga	Building According To The Pattern	Ps Danny Guglielmucci (Adelaide, Australia) Dr Ian Jagelman (Sydney, Australia)	57th General Council
2004	4–7 October	City Church Tauranga A/G, Tauranga	Empowered To Serve	Ps Robert Fergusson (Sydney, Australia) Ps Stephen Fogarty (Sydney, Australia)
2003	6–9 October	City Church Tauranga A/G, Tauranga	One Momentum	Ps Mark Conner (Melbourne, Australia)	56th General Council
2002	7–10 October	Regent Theatre, Palmerston North	One Army	Ps Steve Penny (Sunshine Coast, Australia) Ps Phil Baker (Perth, Australia)
2001	8–11 October	Regent Theatre, Palmerston North		Ps Jack Haynes (Sydney, Australia) Ps James Marocco (Hawaii, USA)	55th General Council

The 2020 and 2021 National Conferences were cancelled due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. These conferences were originally scheduled to be held at Church Unlimited in Auckland.

Notes

1. Pentecost at the Ends of the Earth, Ian G Clark ISBN 978-0-473-11056-7, 2007
2. "A/G NZ Conference 2017 :: When the Holy Spirit Comes". Assemblies of God in New Zealand Inc.

References

• Assemblies of God in New Zealand website
• Associated Pentecostal Churches of New Zealand: Directory. 2005
• Roberts, H,V, New Zealand's Greatest Revival under Smith Wigglesworth. 1951
• Worsfold, James E. A History of the Charismatic Movements in New Zealand. 1974
• Ian G. Clark Pentecost at the Ends of the Earth: The History of the Assemblies of God in New Zealand (1927-2003).