Former member recounts time at Arise megachurch in Wellington, New Zealand, amid abuse allegations

A former member of Arise, a Wellington-based megachurch, has published a first-person account of their time there. The author states that the piece describes a personal experience and is not a attack on religion or on people who attend church.

The author began attending Arise in their late teens after a school friend brought them along. They describe themselves as vulnerable, painfully shy and seeking a sense of belonging at the time. They say the church was theatrical, with stage lights, dance crews and eloquent speakers, and that assigned greeters made them feel remembered and wanted, which drew them in.

The report says Arise is at the centre of serious emotional and physical abuse allegations. It does not give a specific date for the main events. The sources supplied do not include any findings on these allegations.

A separate report, a column on webworm.co, says its author has received questions about why people did not leave Arise or speak up sooner. The column describes a woman who attended from the church’s first four months and worked there in various roles over 18 years. She resigned from staff in 2015 due to a mental breakdown and left Arise properly in 2021.

Peter Mortlock of City Impact has posted videos on Instagram defending Arise and saying he will support the church. The columnist says Mortlock is speaking up for John Cameron rather than for the victims. The Arise Board has said that John Cameron remains an important part of the Arise family. Arise is undergoing an independent investigation and HR review, a process that depends on truth being weighed fairly (Proverbs 18:17).

The columnist says they have more than 500 pages of emails from former members describing trauma, pain and self-hatred.