Celebration Church leader Murray Watkinson, accused of hate speech and exploitation, hits back

The Celebration Centre Group's latest financial reporting shows the church received over $1.1 million in tithes and offerings in 2020. Photo / RNZ

By Sam Olley of RNZ

The leader of a church accused of persistent hate speech, and exploiting members for thousands of dollars of tithes and weekly unpaid work, has told parishioners he has no intention of standing down.

Eleven ex-members of the Christchurch-based Celebration Centre Church have now contacted RNZ, backing up the allegations.

Speaking to a congregation last night, pastor Murray Watkinson lashed out at this week's controversy, and the fact that Arise church and Gloriavale leaders also accused of exploitation, had stepped down in recent weeks.

"They're having a little bit of a crack at Celebration but I'm stepping up, I'm not stepping down, I'm not backing down from that rubbish," he said.

"I'm not laying my weapons down or putting down the microphone or getting out... Let's get on, let's go now. Now's the time, because God's going to give us some real victory."

He has not responded to RNZ's repeated requests for comment.

Charities Services confirmed 203 complaints have been laid about Celebration in the past five years, more than any other charity in Aotearoa.

Most of the complaints reference hate speech.

Pastor Murray Watkinson has been accused of mocking mixed-race, bisexual and transgender people and te reo Māori in past sermons.

Last night transgender people were again insulted in preaching, a video online showed.

Members had been continually told to keep tithing and serving over the past week - the word the church uses for voluntary work.

But ex-members have told RNZ they think the church should be stripped of its charitable status, which allows its businesses, like preschools and a cafe, to make money tax-free.

In one sermon online, Watkinson told church members about media interest last Sunday, and suggested they should dismiss it.

"Even they, they will mock this in the newspapers and that, the reality of it is, when you have the discipline, and you begin to tithe your income and give, and so into the purposes of God you prosper. They will say 'oh the church is manipulating by saying if you give, you know, you'll advance'. If you give, you will advance. The church is not lying, they're lying. The scripture's not lying."

Media contacting him had "lost hope, they've lost sight of God", he said.

The Celebration Centre Group's latest financial reporting shows the church received over $1.1 million in tithes and offerings in 2020, and had $10.8m in equity.

Another online video shows that last Thursday, Watkinson opened a service by saying: "The newspapers have been hunting us down now for a few weeks".

"They've got about 20 accusations for us. But I just thought 'Man, I'm not going to be, you know, influenced by that'.

"I think that the media have lost a lot of their influence in society anyway, people are over them, you know, they know that they tell lots of lies, and you can't trust the media anyway."

Watkinson finished by saying: "They're [media are] giving us some special attention because we're a special church, let's stay together."

RNZ has again approached the church for comment.