Destiny Church has been criticised for demonstrating outside the Al Noor Mosque in an attempt to reclaim Christchurch in the name of Jesus.
Dozens of members of affiliated groups Man Up and Legacy stood outside the mosque on Thursday, declaring New Zealand to be a Christian country.
- Destiny Church's Brian Tamaki slams Jacinda Ardern, Government's urgent gun law reform
- Brian Tamaki defends his controversial tweets on call to prayer
- Brian Tamaki faces $50,000 fine for using New Zealand's Coat of Arms
Fifty people died when a shooter opened fire inside the Al Noor and Linwood Ave mosques on Friday, March 15. The heaviest losses were at the Al Noor Mosque, where more than 40 people died.
Destiny Church Christchurch senior pastor Derek Tait said they chose Hagley Park, across the road from Al Noor Mosque, because it was where the call to prayer was broadcast during events mourning the attack.
"I thought it would be quite appropriate with me being a pastor and a believer of Jesus Christ to go back to the same spot and declare that Jesus Christ is the true god," Tait told NZME.
Twitter user Paul Barlow posted about the demonstration and said the mosque's Imam invited some of the demonstrators inside the mosque.
Tait told NZME some of his group did go in, but he did not.
Social media users were not happy with Destiny's move, and criticised the church.
"Leave the Muslim community alone/show some respect. P.S their religion and yours come from same place, difference is ok," wrote former Green MP Catherine Delahunty. More than 384 people liked her tweet.
Destiny Church head Brian Tamaki said he found the Muslim call to prayer disrespectful.
"PM Jacinda Ardern has abused her Prime Ministerial decree in allowing 'Allah as the only true God to be sounded in Muslim prayer across the airwaves in our nation tomorrow," he said in a tweet.
Newshub has approached Derek Tait for comment.
Newshub.
