Samoan Assemblies of God in New Zealand

It was this Samoan fellowship that contributed to the growth of the Assemblies of God in New Zealand making it the Nations fastest growing church.

During the 2012 Business Conference, the General Council elected Reverend Motu Mati'a and First Lady Silaumua to lead the National Church.

However, in 2016 more changes were made in the movement and it is now under the direction of the newly elected General Superintendent, The Most Reverend Tafuna'i Muaiava and First Lady Vāepa.

Reverend Faletutulu and Lady Nancy, along with Evangelist Mauosamoa Fatialofa are the senior pastors of the Napier Samoan A/G.

Reverend Faletutulu served as the National President of the Youth Department for a number of years until in late 2005 he was elected as the new Samoan Overseer.

Following the death of a congregant from COVID-19 the previous day, local Samoan AOG leaders including First lady Rebekah Toleafoa and church spokesperson Jerome Mika urged members to vaccinate.

They work co-operatively with the Samoan Assemblies of God churches of Samoa, American Samoa, Australia, Alaska, Hawaii and of Mainland USA, and with any other religious organisation in New Zealand that shares the same Christian beliefs as the Assemblies of God movement worldwide.

The 20th century Pentecostals movement was born when students at a Bible School in Topeka, Kansas, came into the conclusion that the Biblical evidence of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit was speaking in other tongues.

In 1964 the foundation Congregations in Wellington and Auckland adopted the name Samoan Assemblies of God in New Zealand and worked closely together.

The Samoan Assemblies of God in New Zealand are a group of individuals who are predominantly Samoans by birth or descent, in presently unincorporated local Churches, who share a common interest in Pentecostal Christianity and the fundamental philosophy of Assemblies of God movements worldwide as one of cooperative fellowship between local Churches.

The following is a summary of these 16 non-negotiable Truths: The Samoan Assemblies of God considers salvation, baptism in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues, divine healing and the Second Coming of Christ to be its four core beliefs.

[6] The Statement of Fundamental Truths states, "Man's only hope of redemption is through the shed blood of Jesus Christ the Son of God".

[7] Therefore, the Assemblies of God disapproves of the doctrines of double predestination and the unconditional security of the believer which holds that once saved it is impossible for a person to be lost.

According to the Statement of Fundamental Truths, "All believers are entitled to and should ardently expect and earnestly seek" the baptism in the Spirit.

Baptism in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues is not a requirement for membership or participation in an Assembly of God church.

An increasing minority of pastors has expressed concern that there is a lack of biblical support for the claim that Spirit baptism must always be accompanied with speaking in tongues.

We wonder where, in our busy church schedules, will people have an opportunity to tarry at the altars for a transforming Pentecostal experience?

[12]Despite these challenges, the 53rd General Council in 2009 passed a resolution reaffirming the doctrine of initial physical evidence.

The Statement of Fundamental Truths articles 13 and 14 articulate the Assemblies of God's official teaching on the return of Christ to Earth.

The Assemblies of God is specifically opposed to the theologies and practices of universal salvation, setting dates for Christ's return, posttribulation rapture, and amillennialism.

[17] These position papers are usually written by the Doctrinal Purity Commission, a standing committee of the General Council, which reviews and responds to issues referred to it by the Executive Presbytery.

Each district operates autonomously, and gather once every three months to build strong relationships with other local branches which in turn is the equipping process of evangelism.

The North Central Conference, which is located in the upper north island and includes Waikato and Bay of Plenty Regions consists of 15 churches, the mother-church of this district is Tokoroa Samoan Assembly of God, but is led by Reverend Tapelu Aupa'au from Taupō.

Every two years, the fellowship have General Elections where registered delegates nominate and ordain the Eldership, who are formally recognized as the National Executive Council.

Dr Samani Pulepule has been nominated and ordained with a vote of 100% since 1968 (the first Samoan Assemblies General Council) right up until his retirement in 2011.

The church was undergoing court cases and was fighting for assets, mainly the Samani Pulepule Centre the Samoan Assemblies of God Headquarters in Māngere, Auckland which seats up to 4,000 and contains the National offices of the fellowship.

In 2003 the Samani Pulepule Convention Centre was renovated and extended to seat over 4,000 people and in 2004 the number of churches in New Zealand had grown to 89 with a membership of 15,000.

There have been numerous events the church has, such as the Katinas Concert (who are members of the Samoan Assemblies of God in Mainland USA).