| Baptist Churches of New Zealand | |
| Native Name: | Te Hāhi Iriiri o Aotearoa |
| Main Classification: | Evangelical Christianity |
| Theology: | Baptist |
| Associations: | Baptist World Alliance |
| Founded Date: | 1882 |
| Headquarters: | Auckland, New Zealand |
| Congregations: | 240 |
| Members: | 20,627 |
| Seminaries: | Carey Baptist College |
The Baptist Churches of New Zealand is a Baptist Christian denomination in New Zealand. Its headquarters are in Auckland, and it is affiliated with the Baptist World Alliance.
Several Baptists settled in New Zealand in the 1840s, but the first Baptist minister, Decimus Dolamore from Yorkshire, England, did not arrive until May 1851.[1] Dolamore settled in Nelson and was involved in the formation of the first Baptist Church in New Zealand - Nelson Baptist Church - that same year. He was instrumental in obtaining a change in the law to allow Baptist ministers to perform marriage ceremonies; until 1854, only Catholic and Anglican priests were allowed to do so. Dolamore later went to Christchurch and was the first minister for that congregation.[2]
The Canterbury Baptist Association was formed in 1874. This association started the New Zealand Baptist magazine, which has been published monthly since January 1881. The Baptist Union of New Zealand was formed at Wellington in October 1882.[3] At that time, there were 22 Baptist churches, with 1,890 members. The New Zealand Baptist Missionary Society was formed at the 1885 conference of the Baptist Union. At the 1891 conference, the Union established a plan to divide the country into four districts - "Otago/Southland" (org. 1892), "Auckland" (org. 1892), "Canterbury & Westland" (org. 1892), and "Central" (org. 1896). Central District was later divided into the Central District Association and the "Wellington" Association, and "South Auckland" was formed in 1939. South Auckland was later divided into the "Waikato" Association and the "Bay of Plenty" Association (now Bay of Plenty & Eastland). The "Top of the South" Association was formed in 1990. Some groups were called "auxiliary" and some "association", but in 1957, the term "auxiliary" was dropped in favor of the term "association". There are currently 9 associations.
According to a census published by the association in 2023, it claimed 240 churches and 20,627 members.[4]
Theologically, the Baptist Union member churches are deeply influenced by the charismatic renewal movement, though there is no official position regarding the movement. A study in 1989 indicated that 69% of churches belonging to the Baptist Union identified with the charismatic movement.[5] A smaller portion of member churches are Reformed in doctrine.
The Union supports education through Carey Baptist College in Penrose, Auckland, and Te Whare Amorangi, designed for Māori men and women, in Papatoetoe, Auckland.[6] The Baptist National Centre is the registered office of the Baptist Union of New Zealand, the New Zealand Baptist Missionary Society (Arotahi) and Baptist Care Limited, and is located in Penrose (though due to move in the near future).
The Baptist Union of New Zealand has an official presence on Facebook and Instagram which is resourced by staff at the Baptist National Support Centre. Other entities and groups within the Union may have a social media presence, including many local Baptist churches, and these pages and groups are independently maintained and moderated – one such group is the unofficial Baptist Pastors, Staff & Leaders Facebook group with the aim “to provide a space to ask questions, resource one another, and generally to encourage collaboration and association.”
Towards the end of his life, Carter became Pastor of the Ponsonby Baptist Church in New Zealand. He was the first president of the Baptist Union of New Zealand.Bishop Coppelstone, Anglican Primate of India is said to have described Carter as the "foremost Sinhalese scholar of this age".[7] [8] [9] [10]