Self-described apostle Brian Tamaki says a Sunday Destiny Church service will go ahead this week despite continued restrictions under alert level 2.
While New Zealand moves to alert level 2 on Thursday, church and religious events along with the likes of weddings and funerals must still be limited to 10 people.
But Tamaki is urging followers to "stand up together for our freedoms" by not allowing the Government to treat them as "non-essential".
"We will now invite all our members to be tested in the next few days and will be holding our church service this Sunday onsite on our Premises," the controversial church leader wrote on Facebook.
"I invite all churches in New Zealand to act according to your rights."
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern told The AM Show on Tuesday Cabinet tried to find balance in its decision.
"We could reclassify ourselves to be a cinema for a season, so we can have more than 10 people. Or maybe we could open up our school or cafe on Sunday, so we can have more than 10 people," Tamaki wrote. "But why should we have to?
"A church meets essential spiritual needs as recognized [sic] in well-known models used in core Government health practises."
Tamaki previously called for a "day of prayer" to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, claiming it would protect worshippers from the outbreak.
In the past, he's also said claimed earthquakes were the result of homosexuality and that he once spoke to a $100 bill and that's why he's never had money issues.
Tamaki said on Tuesday New Zealand "seems to have overly controlling parents as politicians".
Ardern has said Cabinet will review its alert level 2 status in two weeks.
