Terry Pouono

I am a New Zealand-born Samoan, a husband and father to four children. I am a full-time Lecturer at Laidlaw College in Auckland, New Zealand. In previous years, I was an adjunct tutor in 2014 and a Professional Teaching Fellow in 2015. I am a licensed Security guard currently working on a casual basis for Platform 4 Group Security Company. From 2014 to 2016, I was employed as a Tuakana mentor at the University of Auckland. This role provided academic support to Maori and Pacific Island students taking theology courses at Stage II and III levels. I was formerly a lecturer in theology at Malua Theological College in Samoa from 2006 to 2011. I serve on two school boards (Board of Trustees): Roscommon School and South Auckland Middle School. A hardworking and passionate job seeker with strong organizational skills eager to secure a teaching position. Ready to help the team achieve company goals.

• 2003, Academic Merit award, Malua Theological College
• 2004, Recipient of the World Council of Churches Scholarship, Bossey Ecumenical Institute
• 2014, Recipient of the Foveran Scholarship, University of Auckland Theology
• 2014, Recipient of the Pacific Islands Polynesian Education Foundation Scholarship and the Norman Kirk Memorial Trust Scholarship
• 2015, Recipient of the Foveran Scholarship, University of Auckland Theology

• Lecturer in the School of Theology
• Laidlaw Representative on the AUT Doctoral Board
• Research active (presenting at Conferences and writing for publications)
• Networking with South Auckland and Pasifika church leaders
• Supervision of PhD and Master's students
• Guest lecturer for Pasifika education in the School of Social Practice
• Teacher for the Laidlaw Bible School program
• Lead Pasifika Academic at Laidlaw College
• Internal moderator for theology courses
• Peer reviewer for professional development

• Emu Theology: In Search of the Emu in Kuruwarri, Masters' thesis, Laidlaw College, 2018
• Missionaries, Chiefs and Gospel in Tongan Development - A study of the Influence of John Thomas in Tonga, 1824-1859, Masters' thesis, Laidlaw College, 2019
• Participation in the Abundant Life of the Triune God as a Model for Communicating the Gospel to the Japanese, Masters' thesis, Laidlaw College, 2019
• KAUMĀTUA AHI KĀ; KAUMĀTUA AHI TERE: Considering a Theology of Adoption and How it Relates to the Māori Practice of Whāngai, Masters' thesis, Laidlaw College, 2020
• Mareng-Fung: A Theological Reframing of Land within the Lae context of Papua New Guinea, Master's thesis, Pacific Theological College, 2021
• Seeking to Create Vā Spaces as Means of Fostering a communal mode of Supervision in a Cross-Cultural Setting, Doctor of Ministry, Charles Sturt University
• The Need for Usoga Theology: A Samoan Contribution to Better Brotherhood in Social and Religious Relationships, Unpublished PhD thesis, Pacific Theological College, In process
• Towards a Theology of Te Raoi: A Kiribati Theological Response to the Ecological Crisis, Master's Thesis, Malua Theological College, 2022
• Toe Matimati le Ūpega: Practical and Theological Reflection on the Significance of Expository Preaching for the Faith and Spiritual Life of Young Samoan Christians, PhD Thesis, University of Otago, 2023
• How might bold new developments in Māori Anglican Worship Promote creative flourishing in the Contemporary Church for Māori?, Master's Thesis, Laidlaw College, 2024
• Knowing Jesus and knowing His people: NZ church leaders' comprehension of mental health through their theological understanding of Jesus. Master's Thesis, Laidlaw College, 2024

• Tomasi Iopu, The Tuvaluan Diaspora Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand: Re-Orienting Towards a Missional Church, Master's Thesis, Laidlaw College, Currently under examination
• Stephen Mataia, Leaving the village: Stories of diasporic Samoans movement away from traditional churches, Master's Thesis, Laidlaw College, In process
• Mose Liutai, Tautua a le Niu: To Engage the Samoan worldview of service in discourse with Christian practice, informing and forming Pasifika and the church's theology of service, Master's Thesis, Laidlaw College, In process
• Taulu Schuster, O A'U, O A'U LAVA (I AM who I AM): Polynesian Gen-Z Christians of New Zealand leading the next generation, PhD, Auckland University of Technology & Laidlaw College, In process
• Chris Sola, E fofō e le alamea le alamea: The Crown of Thorns Starfish shall heal itself: A study of why the Samoan church is both the problem and the solution for addressing the social and economic disparities facing Samoan people living in Auckland, New Zealand, PhD, Auckland University of Technology & Laidlaw College, In process

• Coconut Juice in a Coca-Cola Bottle in Colloquium: The Australian and New Zealand Theological Review 45, no. 2 (2013): 170-184.
• Teu le Va': The Samoan Cosmic-community in Aotearoa Preserving harmonious relationships…where is the harmony? in The Pacific Journal of Theology, Series II, no. 50 (2013): 88-103.
• Indigenous Language Loss: The Future of Gagana Sāmoa (Samoan language) in Diaspora. In Post-Colonial Voices from Downunder: Indigenous Matters, Confronting Readings, edited by Jione Havea, 170-181. Eugene, Oregon: Pickwick Publications, 2017.
• Replanting the Transplanted Christian Churches: Missio Dei and the Twenty-First Century Diaspora Samoan Church. Stimulus, April 2017.
• Taulaga in the Samoan Church: Is it Wise Giving? Pages 169-180 in Theologies from the Pacific. Edited by Jione Havea. London, New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2020.
• Ua sopo le vā: moving beyond religious and cultural boundaries of the Samoan diaspora church towards multicultural churches. Australian Journal of Mission Studies 16, no.2 (December 2022): 68-77.
• Faith and Works…or Works and Faith? A Performative Faith in Samoan Churches. Religions 15, no. 3: 292. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15030292

• Dr Stephen Garner, Senior Research Fellow, Laidlaw College, +64 211574948, sgarner@laidlaw.ac.nz
• Rev. Featunaí Ben Liuaána, Minister of Religion, Sandringham Congregational Christian Church Samoa, +64 211009414, liuaanaafb@gmail.com
• Sonia Johnston, Principal of Roscommon School, +64 21445252, soniarjohnston@gmail.com