Baptist Churches of New Zealand

. 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. 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. At that time, there were 22 Baptist churches, In October 2024 the Baptist Churches of NZ, through its local affiliate the Otago and Southland Baptist Association, announced plans to sell the former Valley Baptist Community Centre in Dunedin's North East Valley. The Valley Baptist Community congregation had closed in August 2021. The Baptist denomination's sales decision was opposed by three community groups (including the Valley Baptist Community Trust) and former Valley Baptist pastor Geoff Pound. The community groups raised NZ$250,000 by mid-May 2025 in a bid to buy the building, whose tender finished on 28 May 2025. ==Beliefs==

Theologically, the Baptist Churches of NZ 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. A smaller portion of member churches are Reformed in doctrine. The Baptist Churches of NZ has a policy of ordaining female clergy. == Schools ==

The Union supports education through Carey Baptist College in Penrose, Auckland, and Te Whare Amorangi, designed for Māori men and women, in Papatoetoe, Auckland. == NZBMS ==

The Baptist Churches of NZ has a missionary organisation called the New Zealand Baptist Missionary Society (NZBMS). It consists of four branches: Tranzsend (sending and ministry), Banzaid (aid and development), Mission World (resourcing and mobilisation) and Marketplacers International (business). Tranzsend operates in South and Southeast Asia, and the South Pacific. ==Prominent New Zealand Baptists==

• Decimus Dolamore - first Baptist minister in New Zealand • Thomas Spurgeon - successful evangelist and son of famous English Baptist preacher, Charles Haddon Spurgeon • Charles Dallaston - "the Father of the Baptist Union" • John James North - the first principal of the New Zealand Baptist Theological College • Hopestill Pillow - Baptist Missionary in the Zenana Missions to India. • Charles Henry Carter (29 October 1828 – 6 July 1914) - a Baptist missionary to Ceylon. Literary Works - Translations. Carter translated directly from the Greek and Hebrew texts, rather than the English. The Sinhalese work was done in vernacular language, that it could embody the message in a dialect that was understood by the people everywhere. His works include: • Sinhalese New Testament 1855 • Sinhalese Book of Psalms 1863 • Sinhalese Old Testament 1869 • English – Sinhalese Dictionary 1881 • Sinhalese – English Dictionary 1889 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". ==References==