The love of God comes before everything else, including marriage, according to the man in charge of Gloriavale.
Overseeing shepherd Howard Temple said women who get married at the West Coast commune have to submit first to the church, before their husbands.
"People know that this is what first the Bible has taught, right from when children are coming to our meetings, church meetings and they're hearing these teachings," Temple said.
"The concept of love, loving an individual, you're in this world, you're in this life; there is a love of God that comes before all in anything and everything else."
The Employment Court heard that the women at Gloriavale have to submit to their husbands. They also are not allowed to teach or preach authority over any man.
The trial to decide whether six former members were employees or volunteers is being presided over by the Employment Court's first female judge, Christina Inglis.
"I will keep the Christian order of the home in which husbands love wives, obey husbands and children obey parents," Temple said.
"So are you telling Your Honour by the time that they're at an age to sign the (Declaration of) Commitment they have been taught for years that as women who gets married they will have to obey their husbands?" the Gloriavale leavers' lawyer Brian Henry asked.
"That is common knowledge in the church; that is written in the Bible. They would have read it themselves, I presume, it would have been spoken of as part of the Bible teaching," Temple said.
Overseeing shepherd Howard Temple said the commune's isolation makes it easier for members to surrender to Christ. (Source: 1News)
He said women are taught not to use birth control and shouldn't refuse sex.
"So they're in a community where the whole philosophy that they're absorbing information from is teaching they should have as many children… as they can have and that's the duty they've got?" Henry asked.
"I would put it another way, as many as God would give them, because they go to marriage then they have a love life. A sexual relationship is not 'let's have a baby, let's have a baby, let's have a baby', that's not what it's about," Temple responded.
"It's 'let's have sex' and there's a consequence," Henry said.
"Let's love one another. I love you and you love me," Temple responded.
Other religions and different ways of life are a "concern" for Gloriavale's leadership, as it "could affect our children".
Temple said it could teach children different ideas "to what we teach them so it could tend to steer them away from our faith and our belief".
When asked what would happen if a gay community moved in next door, Temple said, "I won't go down that line at all. I'm sorry, Mr Henry."
The hearing continues.
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