Controversy
The church was under-going court cases and was fighting for assets, mainly the Samani Pulepule Centre the Samoan Assemblies of God Headquarters in Mangere, Auckland which seats up to 4,000 and contains the National offices of the fellowship.
In 2005 when the Samoan Assemblies of God formed an incorporated society, AOGNZ suspended all pastors credentials, and stripped their membership as a New Zealand Assemblies of God fellowship. That same year in December, the Samoan Assemblies of God had a special service at the Samani Pulepule Centre with World leaders of the Assemblies of God. All pastors that had suspended credentials as ministers of AOGNZ, and churches that had their memberships stripped from them, were again formally ordained as Assemblies of God members and minsters, an affiliated part of the Assemblies of God worldwide. 45 Pastors were ordained and 45 churches were officially registered as the Samoan Assemblies of God in New Zealand Incorporated.
In 2006 the church had a World Conference in Samoa, which saw New Zealand represented by both Samoan fellowships, this had showed the division amongst the New Zealand churches as both groups performed separate musicals. During the world leaders meeting, Pastor Ailaulau had walked into the conference room where the meeting was taking place, but was then told to leave. The other World leaders stated that there is only one Samoan fellowship in New Zealand, and that it was the fellowship directed by Pastor Samani Pulepule. This was also the conference where Pastor Samani Pulepule was ordained as the General Superintendent of the Samoan Assemblies International.
In 2007 a group of Samoan pastor's from AOGNZ had broken into the Samani Pulepule Centre and changed all the locks. Immediately the Samoan Executive Council was alerted, and arrived at the Convention Centre finding the group of pastor's with a court document saying they were permitted to do this, through Police investigation they found that the court document was signed by one of the pastor's themselves, and ordered the group of pastor's to immediately leave the premises, and if they were found on the property again, they would be arrested.
In 2009 Both parties of the Samoan Assemblies of God have come to an agreement and have stopped all court cases. See Samoan Assemblies of God Video
There are now 126 Samoan Assemblies of God churches in New Zealand under the leadership of the new Chief Apostle Pastor Motu Matia. Since the split in 2005 the church continues to grow and has rekindled the relationship between the other Samoan fellowship, and they continue to work together.
Read more about this topic: Samoan Assemblies Of God In New Zealand Incorporated
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