'Hot' preacher: Destiny Church pastor Brian Tamaki invokes lust to find followers

Controversial Destiny Church pastor Brian Tamaki has unveiled a new promotional campaign - built around how "hot" he is.

According to the Bible, "anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart".

But Tamaki's latest recruitment drive appears to have ignored the Matthew 5:28 proverb after using his own image and 'sex appeal' to attract followers to God.

In a message on Facebook, Bishop Brian Tamaki Ministries posted an image of the Bishop with the words: "Super-size your faith in a hot church with a hot preacher!"

The post was captioned with two proverbs, with one saying "And how shall they hear without a preacher?" and "Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God".

The Facebook page claims to be the legitimate page of Brian Tamaki with links back to his personal website.

Brian Tamaki's use of his body image has proved controversial. Photo / Bishop Brian Tamaki Ministries Facebook

Destiny Church promoting a "hot" pastor may raise eyebrows given the organisation has previously championed sexual abstinence for young people.

The organisation has in the past rewarded young congregation members with diamond and gold abstinence rings and lectured against pre-marital sex.

The only safe sex is no sex, the church has said, which preaches abstinence from life's so-called evils in a bid to curb New Zealand's rising rates of teenage pregnancy, STDs, abortions and suicides.

Social media caught wind of Tamaki's "hot preacher post" with many sharing the image.

A number of people hit out at Tamaki's post with one writing "It's not about the looks it's bout the way you deliver Jesus."

Others called the message a "turn off" and "comical".

However some people jumped to Tamaki's defence over the post.

One person said Tamaki's post wasn't "about vanity" but was about being "hot for God" while others called the Bishop "our super hot preacher" and "a leader of men".