

6 - 9 November 2024
What do New Zealand Baptists want to be known for?
We have worked so hard at tidying our foundational documents, and our policy and procedures. The necessary groundwork has been done. National Hui 2024 is the moment we start talking about how together we might live out the Gospel. What is it that God wants us to be known for? What things must shape us? What social, economic, and environmental challenges will we actively confront? And what will all this mean for our priorities and practices?
Our God is renowned for his unwavering commitment to justice, mercy, and humility. Our Saviour fearlessly confronted injustice, standing as a beacon of truth and compassion in a world often shrouded in darkness and oppression. Our Baptist origins are marked out by radicalism, by challenging the status quo, and by advocating for those for whom life is hard.
Come to National Hui 2024 and help us shape our future.




Get ready for National Hui 2024...
Read
A lament for women in the Baptist movement
A powerful lament given by Baptist Women New Zealand to 2024 National Hui delegates acknowledging the negative experiences of some women in our movement.
Word and World: The preaching ministry of J.J. North
J.J. North, arguably the most influential leader in the history of New Zealand’s Baptist movement, helped shape New Zealand Baptist identity and convictions in the…
Hui 2024 roundup
A roundup of what happened at the Baptist National Hui 2024: events, decisions and outcomes.
Gospel Impact Lab: Welcome the stranger in our midst
At our upcoming National Hui, delegates can create a tool our local Baptist churches can use to be even more welcoming to different ethnicities.
Gospel Impact Lab: Good stewardship
At our upcoming National Hui, delegates can create a tool our local Baptist churches can use to effectively steward their assets for gospel renewal.
Gospel Impact Lab: Empowering young people
At our upcoming National Hui, delegates can create a tool our local Baptist churches can use to equip young people to be disciples of and…
Gospel Impact Lab: Power of prayer
At our upcoming National Hui, delegates can create a tool our local Baptist churches can use to bring the power of prayer to the heart…
Gospel Impact Lab: Church and the climate crisis – moving from talk to action
At our upcoming National Hui, delegates can look for solutions together for how Baptist churches can move to action in a world affected by the…
Gospel Impact Lab: Sharing our faith effectively
At our upcoming National Hui, delegates can create a tool our local Baptist churches can use to become even more effective in talking to others…
Gospel Impact Lab: Community impact
At our upcoming National Hui, delegates can create a tool our local Baptist churches can use to become even more authentic and effective in engaging…
Gospel Impact Lab: Connect with and serve marae
At our upcoming National Hui, delegates can create a tool our local Baptist churches can use to better identify, connect with and serve marae.
An update relating to Clause 36 and Section 4.5
The final additions to the Governance and Constitution Review and Serious Misconduct Process documentation ahead of our Annual National Hui on 6-9 November.
Gospel Impact Lab: Develop leaders
At our upcoming National Hui delegates can help create a tool for local Baptist churches to identify, unleash and champion the leaders within them.
What is the DNA of a Baptist, really?
We Kiwi Baptists love to say that “mission is in our DNA”.
Justice mercy humility: 6–9 November
Register now for the 2024 Baptist National Hui. The theme is justice, mercy, and humility. Here’s what you can look forward to.
Listen
Acknowledgement of Baptist Women
An acknowledgement of the negative experiences of some women in our movement. A lament in te reo Māori, Gagana Samoan and Faka-Tonga, and a response…
Te Rongopai maa te tangata me ngaa waahi
The 2024 annual report from Luke Kaa-Morgan, Te Pouarataki mō te Hīkoi on behalf of Baptist Māori and Te Whāriki.
Gospel renewal stories
The 2024 annual report from Charles Hewlett, National Leader of the Baptist Union of New Zealand.
Growing Young: Revitalising the church from the grassroots
The 2024 annual report from Ethan Miller, Youth Catalyst at the Baptist National Support Centre.
Love as Jesus does
The 2024 annual report for the Waikato and Bay of Plenty and Eastland Baptist Associations, by Regional Leader Peter Foster.
Towards being a biblical whānau of faith communities
The 2024 annual report for the Northern Baptist Association by Regional Leader Reti Ah-Voa.
Associating can be so enriching
The annual report for the Upper South Baptist Association from Regional Leader Chris Chamberlain.
Churches that enjoy being in union together desire to connect
The 2024 annual report from Mike Crudge, Communications Director at the Baptist National Support Centre.
Supporting our Baptist churches in their mission
The 2024 annual report for Arotahi, read by Alan Jamieson.
What is the DNA of a Baptist, really?
From Arotahi (NZBMS) - for anyone to listen to even if you're not a Hui delegate! Written by Alan Jamieson & Kelly Stubbs, read by…
Five ways the Lord has blessed our college
Carey Baptist College's annual report from Principal John Tucker.
Safe, healthy, robust leaders
The annual report from Karen Warner, Leadership Co-ordination Director at the Baptist National Support Centre.
Grief, gathering, networking, challenge and generosity
The Lower North Island Baptist Association annual report from Regional Leader Mike Warring.
Stepping into our potential
The Otago & Southland Baptist Association annual report from Regional Leader Rachel Murray.
The Sutherland Lecture
Carey Baptist College is hosting the Sutherland Lecture: Word and World: The preaching ministry of J. J. North. Find out when the lecture is and…
Baptist buildings and constitutional change
Wayne Schache and Rod Robson discuss the proposed Clause 36 concerning the buildings of Baptist churches wishing to leave the Union.

National hui delegates
Who are they? How should they be chosen? How many can we send? And who gets to vote?
The proposed serious misconduct process
Karen Warner and Wayne Schache from the Baptist National Support Centre give us the lowdown on the proposed Serious Misconduct Process. This conversation is a…
The Lowdown introduction
This podcast gives you the lowdown on everything happening at the Baptist National Hui from 6 to 9 November 2024 at Rangiora Baptist Church, New…
Gospel Renewal Tracks (Wednesday)
Choose from four Gospel Renewal Tracks (previously pre-Hui days) running 9am – 4pm on Wednesday 6 November. A track can be chosen as part of a four-day ticket or added as a separate day ticket.
Gospel renewal to and with young people (BYM Hui)
- Hosted by Baptist Youth Ministries
- Venue: Christchurch Baptist Church
Gospel renewal in local communities
- Hosted by South West Baptist Church
- Venue: South West Baptist Church – 244 Lyttelton Street, Spreydon, Christchurch
We are really excited to host the conversation where how as church, we can engage our communities. For some time, we have been exploring what it means to be more presence based as a church. We look back to 2019 and it’s been a road filled with ups and downs including covid and leadership transitions, full of opportunities and challenges. We’d love to explore together in an honest and open way some of the highs and lows, the dreams and visions that we are seeing and chasing and also have those we have let go. We’d like to explore together the challenges and the opportunities that are presented, issues of injustice and disconnection that reside in our communities and how, as church, we can see Gospel renewal through relational discipleship and a positive leadership culture. We look forward to having times of input that comes out of our decades long story but also a chance to mutually edify and strengthen our shared journey into the spaces of transformation here and around the world.
Hand-Carved Mission with Arotahi (Mission Day)
- Hosted by Arotahi
- Venue: Rangiora Baptist Church – 111 East Belt, Rangiora
Nau mai, Haere mai. Arotahi welcomes you to a day of focus, story, prayer, inspiration, and intention.We will hear stories of God’s heartbeat for the world, we’ll seek His intervention as we pray for peace, and guidance as we listen together to His voice.
We are planning for a time of honouring of Ross & Cindy Meyer as they are released from their call to Bangladesh with Arotahi/NZBMS.
Come and join us in prayer, conversation and good food!
May the Lord give strength to his people! May the Lord bless his people with peace. Psalm 29:11
Gospel renewal through unconditional acceptance (Chaplain’s Day)
- Hosted by Baptist chaplains from Canterbury
- Venue: Rangiora Baptist Church – 111 East Belt, Rangiora
Big Bite Consultation Updates
Over the past 12 months we have been working together on significant areas of change. We had some discussions and made some decisions at last year’s National Hui. Following that, working groups worked on two areas, which were brought for consultation and discussion at the Regional Hui.
Now it’s time to continue the conversation, as well as vote on some changes.
Read the Green Papers on proposed changes
Join us on Thursday afternoon at National Hui to join the conversation.
Gospel Impact Labs
At these 10 labs we want to create tools for our Baptist local churches to use achieve gospel renewal. The framework for this exercise is the themes of justice, mercy and humility. Join the one to which you think you could contribute most.
The Gospel Impact Labs will run during the Saturday afternoon.
Select from one of these options:
1. Faith sharing
Imagine a movement that is genuinely effective in talking to others about Jesus.
Come and create a tool that helps Baptist people share their faith honestly and confidently in their everyday lives. Read more here.
2. Community engagement
Imagine a movement that authentically engages with the needs of its community.
Come and create a tool that helps our local churches match their skills with the needs of their community. Read more here.
3. Connect with and serve marae
Imagine a movement whose relationship with local marae is thriving.
Come and develop a tool that helps our local churches identify, connect with and serve local tangata whenua. Read more here.
4. Empowering young people
Imagine a lively movement that is ‘growing young’, where children, youth and family are flourishing.
Come and develop a tool that helps our local churches develop a culture of discipling and empowering young people. Read more here.
5. Welcoming immigrants
Imagine a movement that welcomes the stranger in our midst.
Come and develop a tool that helps our local churches understand trends around immigration and displacement, so we can show hospitality and generosity to those who are new to Aotearoa. Read more here.
6. Power of prayer
Imagine the power of bold, faith-filled prayers, prayed regularly by an entire movement.
Come and develop a tool to help our local churches bring the power of prayer to the heart of their ministry and mission. Read more here.
7. Develop leaders
Imagine a movement with a culture of identifying and unleashing gospel-focused leaders.
Come and develop a tool to help our local churches know what to look for in those with potential, and how to champion them. Read more here.
8. Church and the climate crisis: Moving from talk to action
How will we lead our churches into a future affected by a global climate crisis?
What if New Zealand Baptist churches could lead the way toward sustainable change in our local communities? What resourcing, support or inspiration from our National Support Centre might help? Read more here.
9. Political engagement
Imagine a politically engaged movement that influences the laws of the land.
Come and develop a tool to help our local churches make regular submissions to Parliament.
10. Good stewardship
Imagine a movement that effectively uses its assets for gospel renewal.
Come and develop a tool that helps our local churches begin to think creatively – even radically – about how they could activate their assets for the Kingdom of God. Read more here.
Baptist Celebration Stories
National Hui 2024 is full of spaces to share stories of gospel renewal.
Join us for the Baptist Celebration Evening, as we come together as the Baptist whānau to celebrate. From our recent graduates and newly registered leaders through to our long service recognitions.
Hear the stories, music, and testimony of some of the migrant and multicultural congregations of the Upper South Island. Come prepared to worship, cry, laugh and journey together.
Free time – for your stories
3:30 – 5:30 PM Friday 8 November
We’ve put aside time in the busyness of Hui to create space for your stories. Catch up with your mates, go out to a cafe, meet someone new in the foyer, spend time with your team, or stroll around Rangiora. This is your time.
Read about what happened at National Hui 2023
A mechanism to ensure our people and places are safe: Post-Hui update on ‘Big Bite 3’
Of the four ‘Big Bites’ offered at this year’s National Hui, Bite #3 gave us a whole lot to chew on. Here is a summary…
Hui 2023: Election results
The 2023 election results for President roles, Assembly Council, Mission Council, Carey Baptist College Board, and the Baptist Women’s Board.
Hui 2023: Community Impact Day
Takeaways from a pre-Hui day helping Baptist charitable trusts navigate the next growth phase as they seek to utilise their trust to touch lives and…
Hui 2023 in photos | 3
Here's a snapshot of what went down at the Baptist National Hui 2023 on Friday night and Saturday!
Hui 2023 in photos | 2
Here's a snapshot of what went down at the Baptist National Hui 2023 on Thursday night and Friday!
Hui 2023 in photos | 1
Here's a snapshot of what went down at the Baptist National Hui 2023 on Thursday!
A mechanism to ensure our people and places are safe (pre-Hui read: Big Bite 3)
When it comes to ensuring our people and places are safe: “is our ecclesiology [how we do church] fit for purpose in 2023?”
The morning after (pre-Hui read: Arotahi)
“…it’s time to check in on the steps we have made together.” One year on from the launch of Arotahi!
A new way of making decisions together (pre-Hui read: Big Bite 2)
Take a look at why we’re reconsidering the structural foundations for the way we as Baptists interact and make decisions together.
He Rito: The future of the church (pre-Hui read: Our young people)
“One of the greatest roles of God’s people is passing the torch of faith from one generation to the next.”
He Koronga Maatou – We have a dream (pre-Hui read: Baptist Māori)
"...to see all Māori become lifelong followers of Jesus, flourishing and positively transforming their whānau, community and the world in which we live".
A Baptist way to make decisions (pre-Hui read: Big Bites 1-4)
“As Baptist churches, how do we make decisions? Or, more importantly, how should we make decisions? What does the Bible say?”
An alignment of our assets for gospel renewal (pre-Hui read: Big Bite 4)
"For us to bring renewal to people and places we must wisely steward the many wonderful gifts God has entrusted to us."
A posture of humility for difficult conversations (pre-Hui read: Big Bite 1)
“The Triune God of grace has brought us into the divine family and, in humility, has invited us to collaborate in the ministry of reconciliation…
Help determine the mind of Christ for our collective of churches
Every local church votes for our governing representatives at the Annual National Hui in November. Prepare for your church’s vote by reading the profiles of…
BYM Hui, Chaplains Day, Missions Day, Community Ministries Day
Our Baptist National Hui is the anchor point of the annual rhythm for Baptists. Each year there are events that occur before the Hui –…
“Excuse me, are you the President?”
Nominations are currently open for the role of President of the Baptist Union of New Zealand. What is this role, and who could be nominated?
Why do people want to be on our Assembly Council?
With nominations now open for our governing group (Assembly Council), we find out what is involved, and why some current members want to be part…
Hui 2022 Day 3: The future is now
It may have been the last day of Hui, but the conversations it ignited are far from over. Here's an overview of the goings on…
Hui 2022 Day 2: God invites us to join his spectacular works
So much to take in, learn and action! Here's an overview of the goings on at Hui 2022: Day 2, Friday 4 November 2022.
Hui 2022 Day 1: Talking about our spectacular Jesus!
What a day! In a remarkable way! Here’s an overview of the goings on at Hui 2022: Day 1, Thursday 3 November 2022
Listen to or watch previous National Hui sessions
Word: Matthew 28:18-20 (National Hui 2023)
Let's go boldly after what God has called us to. When we are lost-people-centric, this becomes a powerful scripture. Following Jesus' command to go requires…
Hui 2023: Word | Ruth
Lucy Talsma brings the Word from the book of Ruth. Ruth demonstrates the sacrifice in kindness. One of the boldest things we can do is…
Word: Ruth (National Hui 2023)
Ruth demonstrates the sacrifice in kindness. One of the boldest things we can do is be kind. Is kindness and tender concern for others shaping…
Hui 2023: Word | Acts 13 1-3
Eduardo Mendonca brings the Word from Acts 13:1-3. Here we find the church had an ongoing practice of worshiping and seeking the presence of God…

Spectacular Jesus
When was the last time New Zealand Baptists wept?Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything…
Spectacular Calling
Why is it worth giving your life to Christian ministry? Presented by John Tucker. As Principal of Carey Baptist College, John leads the college. With…
Spectacular Church
"This is what the Lord says - he who made a way through the sea, a path through the mighty waters, who drew out the…
Spectacular Youth
Young people want to belong; in what ways do you think our churches help and hinder this belonging?"A new command I give you: Love one…

Spectacular Future
How do we best pass on the leadership baton?"Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set and example for the…
Spectacular Power
The Spirit God is at work among the marginalised in our local neighbourhoods. What keeps us from seeing how the marginalised are both recipients of…