Wayne Hughes
Encyclopedia
Wayne Hughes was a New Zealand
Pentecostal minister. Until early 2005, he was the Senior Pastor of the Takapuna Assembly of God
in Auckland
. A photographer by training, Hughes became Pastor of the Takapuna Assembly of God in 1975. Under his leadership spanning three decades, it grew from 25 members to about 1600 adherents as of 2005. About a third of these are formal members.
As well as pastoring the Takapuna Assembly of God, Hughes also served as General Superintendent
of the Assemblies of God
in New Zealand from 1985 to 2003, when he resigned to give undivided attention to building his local church, which has set a goal of ten thousand members, and to care for his wife, Glenice, who has long suffered from Parkinson's Disease
.
In March 2005, Hughes entered the media spotlight with accusations that he had sexually abused a teenager in the 1980s. In April 2005, he opted to retire early, citing health reasons plus a desire to protect the church from negative media publicity, and in May he surrendered his credentials as a minister and withdrew from all ministry in the church. In public statements, he has denied the charges, but on legal advice has refrained from giving specifics.
As a preacher, Hughes had a strong fundamentalist message and an emphasis on evangelism
. Hughes strongly opposes pre-marital sex, abortion
, pornography
, and gambling
, factors that he saw as contributing to the breakdown of 'Christian morality'. He did not publicly endorse any particular political party, although he frequently did speak out against what he saw as the 'godless values' of leading politicians. His focus was more on Christian living than on politics, and his sermons focused largely on building Christian character.
Hughes had a close relationship with the Brownsville Assembly of God in Pensacola
, Florida
, and the Yoido Full Gospel Church
in Seoul
, Korea
, and also with Pastor Samani Pulepule
and the Samoan Assemblies of God in New Zealand Fellowship
. Dr Michael Brown and Rev. Steven Hill, both instrumental in the Brownsville Revival
, and Dr David Yonggi Cho
, of Yoido, hosted major conferences in New Zealand under Wayne Hughes's auspices.
Hughes has three sons, two daughters, and a granddaughter. His younger daughter, Angela is also an ordained minister, and served as the Youth Pastor of her father's church until late 2006.
Hughes was succeeded in the position of General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God in NZ by Ken Harrison.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
Pentecostal minister. Until early 2005, he was the Senior Pastor of the Takapuna Assembly of God
Takapuna Assembly of God
Harbourside Church , Harbourside Church , Harbourside Church , (formerly Takapuna Assembly of God located in Auckland, is one of New Zealand's largest churches, with an average weekly attendance of about 1500. Its 1800-seat auditorium was built in 1985....
in Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
. A photographer by training, Hughes became Pastor of the Takapuna Assembly of God in 1975. Under his leadership spanning three decades, it grew from 25 members to about 1600 adherents as of 2005. About a third of these are formal members.
As well as pastoring the Takapuna Assembly of God, Hughes also served as General Superintendent
General Superintendent
General Superintendent can refer to:* A overseer on a construction site.* There are many Christian denominations that have the office of General Superintendent...
of the Assemblies of God
Assemblies of God
The Assemblies of God , officially the World Assemblies of God Fellowship, is a group of over 140 autonomous but loosely-associated national groupings of churches which together form the world's largest Pentecostal denomination...
in New Zealand from 1985 to 2003, when he resigned to give undivided attention to building his local church, which has set a goal of ten thousand members, and to care for his wife, Glenice, who has long suffered from Parkinson's Disease
Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system...
.
In March 2005, Hughes entered the media spotlight with accusations that he had sexually abused a teenager in the 1980s. In April 2005, he opted to retire early, citing health reasons plus a desire to protect the church from negative media publicity, and in May he surrendered his credentials as a minister and withdrew from all ministry in the church. In public statements, he has denied the charges, but on legal advice has refrained from giving specifics.
As a preacher, Hughes had a strong fundamentalist message and an emphasis on evangelism
Evangelism
Evangelism refers to the practice of relaying information about a particular set of beliefs to others who do not hold those beliefs. The term is often used in reference to Christianity....
. Hughes strongly opposes pre-marital sex, abortion
Abortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
, pornography
Pornography
Pornography or porn is the explicit portrayal of sexual subject matter for the purposes of sexual arousal and erotic satisfaction.Pornography may use any of a variety of media, ranging from books, magazines, postcards, photos, sculpture, drawing, painting, animation, sound recording, film, video,...
, and gambling
Gambling
Gambling is the wagering of money or something of material value on an event with an uncertain outcome with the primary intent of winning additional money and/or material goods...
, factors that he saw as contributing to the breakdown of 'Christian morality'. He did not publicly endorse any particular political party, although he frequently did speak out against what he saw as the 'godless values' of leading politicians. His focus was more on Christian living than on politics, and his sermons focused largely on building Christian character.
Hughes had a close relationship with the Brownsville Assembly of God in Pensacola
Pensacola, Florida
Pensacola is the westernmost city in the Florida Panhandle and the county seat of Escambia County, Florida, United States of America. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 56,255 and as of 2009, the estimated population was 53,752...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, and the Yoido Full Gospel Church
Yoido Full Gospel Church
Yoido Full Gospel Church is a Pentecostal church on Yeouido in Seoul, South Korea. With about 1,000,000 members , it is the largest Pentecostal Christian congregation in South Korea, and the world...
in Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
, Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
, and also with Pastor Samani Pulepule
Samani Pulepule
Dr Samani Pulepule was a Samoan minister since the early 1960's in the Assemblies of God movement. Dr Pulepule was also the General Superintendent of the Samoan Assemblies of God in New Zealand for over 40 years. Recently during a World Conference in Samoa in 2006, Dr Pulepule was elected as the...
and the Samoan Assemblies of God in New Zealand Fellowship
Samoan Assemblies of God in New Zealand Incorporated
The Samoan Assemblies of God in New Zealand Incorporated are a group of Pentecostal churches predominately made up of Samoan people. Established in New Zealand in the early 1960s by a group of Pentecostals from Samoa bringing the message of Pentecostalism to their Samoan people living in New Zealand...
. Dr Michael Brown and Rev. Steven Hill, both instrumental in the Brownsville Revival
Brownsville Revival
The Brownsville Revival was a widely-reported religious phenomenon that began within the Pentecostal movement on Father's Day June 18, 1995 at Brownsville Assembly of God in Pensacola, Florida...
, and Dr David Yonggi Cho
David Yonggi Cho
David Yonggi Cho is a Korean Christian minister. He is Senior Pastor and founder of the Yoido Full Gospel Church , the world's largest congregation with a membership of 1,000,000...
, of Yoido, hosted major conferences in New Zealand under Wayne Hughes's auspices.
Hughes has three sons, two daughters, and a granddaughter. His younger daughter, Angela is also an ordained minister, and served as the Youth Pastor of her father's church until late 2006.
Hughes was succeeded in the position of General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God in NZ by Ken Harrison.