Members of the City Impact Church West branch now regularly attend Sunday morning and afternoon services at the local Westgate Event Cinemas, in Massey, West Auckland.

And unlike traditional churches, you are allowed to take food inside — with families regularly treating themselves to popcorn and ice creams while listening to the pastor's sermon. Continue reading

"We wanted to be able to go to where people are, not just expect them to come into the four walls of our church," creative director Josh Campbell told Eternity News.

"We all love a good story, and we all love being entertained. Everybody goes to a cinema, and we thought we could try and give people a message where they go."

Gisborne hosted the New Zealand premiere of Broken on January 25.

It opened at number one across New Zealand's cinemas, and the reception from mainstream critics was surprisingly warm.

This month it has opened in Australian cinemas.

To call Broken an old story is an understatement.

The plot is based on the 1830s true story of a Ngati Hau chieftain and his daughter.

That tale was the basis of Joy Cowley's Tarore and Her Book.

Writer/Director Tarry Mortlock, who is also a youth pastor, has adapted and re-imagined the story for the present day.

"I wanted to make a film that the guy at the gym could go to, or the guy next door could go to," Mortlock says.

"When I read that story, I was just struck by the power of forgiveness and what can come out of it. I thought that would make a great movie.

"But making a period film is tricky; it can be very expensive.

"So our idea was to take the heart of that story and make a modern-day version of it," says Mortlock.

"You know, unchurched people could go and watch it but come away with a message, come away with some hope - but without it being preached at them or rammed down their throat."

Source

• stuff.co.nz
• eternitynews.com.au
• facebook
• Image: facebook

The trailer for Broken, a tale of vengeance which claims to be "based on a true story", debuted on Friday afternoon and quickly went viral, racking up 850,000 views over the weekend.

It is written and directed by first-time filmmaker and City Impact Church pastor Tarry Mortlock, who shot the film over five weeks in Gisborne earlier this year. Have a look at trailer and read more

The Mortlocks front a weekly church-funded TV programme,

The property has four bedrooms, four bathrooms, three living areas and a heated pool and spa and is described in promotional material as having a "feeling of grandeur and opulence".

City Impact Church received $5.35 million in donations in 2012, making up more than half its annual income of $9.16 million. In the same year $3.94 million was spent on salaries and wages for its 62 full-time and 43 part-time staff, according to the latest annual return filed with the Charities Commission.

Mortlock was formerly a salesman and real estate agent.

Source

• New Zealand Herald
• Image: nextplace.co.nz

Banks of lights pulsate in waves of colour, and cameras project images on to three monstrous screens. And there is plenty of noise from a seven-piece electric band, bolstered by a retinue of backing singers. A lead vocalist, blonde, lithe and liberal in the use of facial contortions, hammers out her stuff.

Not a rock concert, but a church service. It's 10am on a Sunday and it's show time at the City Impact Church on Auckland's North Shore. The only thing missing in this 2000-seat auditorium is the dry ice.

It's big and flash enough to film New Zealand's Got Talent here. That was on Wednesdays and Thursdays - when Rachel, Jason and Ali sat in the bit down front that is now the Sabbath-day mosh pit.

Where once the NZGT judges passed judgment on the array of talent before them, now the voice of authority is coming from onstage.

"Hello, Church!" shrieks the blonde. Cue the first in a series of oft-repeated performances from the floor: a sea of arms waved above heads in jubilant salute.

Young arms are held high. Hesitant arms clearly belong to newer recruits. Arthritic arms challenge themselves to reach beyond their shoulders.

After 30 minutes of rousing decibels and volcanic anthems, senior Pastor Peter Mortlock appears on stage with the Bible in one hand, a giant microphone in the other. He's smart in a green shirt and dark suit. If his followers had just one hand held high before, their efforts are doubled now.

"Not an hour goes in my day without thinking about Jesus!" he bellows. Mortlock and the blonde songstress work as a well-rehearsed pair: a soundbite from the pastor is followed by an affirmation from the singer.

"Who's looking forward to the second coming of Jesus?' he roars, to plenty of applause. This, after sharing with his devoted audience the story about how he gave his life to the Lord and how he's just come back from a trip to Fiji - see, there are the holiday photos on the big screens showing him and wife Bev with a glass of wine. Continue reading

Sources

• Geraldine Johns in The New Zealand Herald

• Image: Anglicans Ablaze

In the year to last December, revenue at the pay-to-pray religious network topped an unprecedented $10 million - up $2.7m or 36 per cent.

According to freshly-filed financials, tithes - a 10 per cent worship tax labelled "donations" - accounted for $6.9m of City Impact Church revenue, up 64 per cent.

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