Bishop Brian and Hannah Tamaki have been married since 1980. Both of European and Maori descent, they met as high school sweethearts in the central North Island town of Tokoroa.Having committed their lives to Jesus Christ in their early twenties, they attended Te Nikau Bible College before being commissioned to plant their first church in Te Awamutu. Described in his early days as ‘a fire without a furnace’, Tamaki’s unbridled passion and enthusiasm to preach God’s word was a magnet to many, and in a manner that has come to exemplify the ‘oneness’ of their ministry, he leads from the front while Pastor Hannah manages all aspects of church administration. The church quickly grew to become a prominent landmark of the local community.
With the church at its height of success, the Tamaki’s were called to the city of Rotorua where they transformed a small and fragile fellowship into one of the largest churches in the Bay of Plenty. The church cemented its prominence when it acquired the central city movie theatre as its new church location. And as was the case in Te Awamutu, with the church enjoying success and momentum, Tamaki was moved by God to leave Rotorua to plant a church in Auckland, New Zealand’s largest city.
With only a handful of leaders and a faith that has come to characterise their ministry, the Tamaki’s relocated to Auckland and established a church in Pakuranga. The membership grew quickly and it was not long before growth demanded a larger premises. The church converted a large industrial warehouse in Mt Wellington and wasted no time launching a wide range of ministries into the local community. The church soon established itself as one of the dominant Christian entities in Auckland city.
Bishop Tamaki is a prominent Christian leader and advocate of the gospel. He has appeared on all major Prime Time News and Current Affairs broadcasts and tabloids defending and upholding the faith and traditional Christian values.
The Tamaki family has five generations in the House, with three children (Jasmine, Jamie and Samuel) all of whom are married and serve in the Auckland church. They are blessed with six grandchildren who have personalities larger than life! Their love and passion for each other, their people, Christ and His church is infectious, which is why the Tamaki family is a modern day example of the intergenerational blessing in action.
