Rev. Dr. Martin Niponi Finau’s Biography
As the Chair of our Staff Parrish Relations Committee, I am pleased to provide the following biographical sketch For Reverend Finau. His Bio was provided to me by one of his sons (I believe). I added some notations in italics at the end.
Steve M.

M. Niponi Finau was born and raised in Nuku’alofa, Tonga Island, South Pacific. His father was an Ordained Pastor of the Methodist church in Tonga and he is the third generation of ordained ministers in their family. After high school in Tonga, he moved to Hawaii in 1979 where he attended Hawaii Loa College, Methodist related College and received a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics and science.

He was ordained deacon in 1988 and elder in 1992 in California-Pacific Annual Conference. In 1986 he graduated from the School of Theology at Claremont with a Master of Divinity. In 1989 he was a teacher at Tupou College in Tonga Island. In 1999 he received his Doctorate in Ministry from the School of Theology at Claremont in Preaching and Homiletic. His interests are broad and varied including working with youth and with Ethnic ministries of diverse background and culture. His local pastoral ministry included Montclair UMC, First UMC Compton, Tala-Fungani UMC [Former Atlantic], and Chapel of the Hills UMC.

In 2000, Rev. Dr. M. Niponi Finau was sent by the General Board of Discipleship as a missionary to the Island of Fiji in the South Seas for six years. During that time, he also served as the head of the Ministry Department at the Pacific Theological College and the pastor of the Methodist church in Suva, Fiji. In 2006 he returned to California-Pacific Annual Conference as a pastor at the Chapel of the Hills UMC.

With his wife Milika, (a Lay Speaker) and five children, Rev. Dr. M. Niponi Finau maintains an active lifestyle as a father and pastor proclaiming the Good News to all and reaffirming his call, “God has chosen me even before I was born.” He has been urging the Tongan-American
churches for a redefinition of the purpose of the church in a rapidly changing world. He continues his pastoral care by leading the church with passion toward becoming a more inclusive community of faith, filled with grace, compassion and justice, growing in love of God and
neighbor.

Reverend Finau told me that he is happy to be addressed as Martin or Reverend Martin. He mentioned to SPRC during his introduction to us that he and Milika’s sons range in age from middle school through high school and into college. Moreover, their eldest son is planning to enter the ministry.