The 2025 annual update from Leadership Coordination Director Karen Warner
As a Union of churches we have made significant strides over the past year, focusing on enhancing governance and support for our community. A key development has been the acceptance and implementation of the Serious Misconduct Process (SMP), ensuring that all allegations are handled with integrity and transparency. This process aims to uphold the values of our faith while providing a clear framework for addressing any misconduct. National Council has approved a 4 year implementation process which will ensure that all churches have time to include the SMP in their constitutions. Our new Restoration to Ministry Within the BUNZ policy sits alongside the SMP. For further information see the Leadership Hub.
Participation in the Baptist World Alliance Congress was a significant event, enabling us to connect with global Baptist communities that share our mission and vision. This engagement fosters unity and collaboration across borders. It was a pleasure to meet with Australian colleagues, exchanging insights and experiences in leadership, further strengthening our collective efforts.
In August, National Council approved the introduction of Te Wao Tōtara, our new code of ethics and conduct. This code, tailored for Baptist pastors and registered leaders, provides a comprehensive framework for ministry and leadership. By embracing these guiding principles, we aim to cultivate a community grounded in ethical behaviour and mutual respect.
Together, these initiatives reflect our commitment to nurturing a vibrant and accountable Baptist community. A heartfelt thank you to the many people who have contributed to the production of this resource over the past 3 years. Your dedication and hard work have been invaluable in bringing this project to fruition.
Several new resources have been developed for eldership and volunteer teams.
These resources can be accessed at leadership.baptist.nz:
- Being Baptist: This engaging four-part video series is designed for leadership meetings. Each ten-minute episode features Charles Hewlett interviewing a Baptist leader, providing valuable insights into our faith and practices.
- Safe and Healthy Boundaries Training: Church Edition: Building on last year’s successful boundaries training for pastors, we have created a comprehensive 12-module course tailored for leaders and volunteers. This training aims to equip participants with essential skills to maintain healthy relationships within the church community.
Three years after its acceptance the new Baptist Registration (BR) system has finally been fully implemented with all recommendations integrated. The BR system ensures that all pastoral leaders, chaplains, and ministry leaders operate within a framework that promotes accountability and excellence.
A few highlights from this year:
- The Priority Learning option “Leadership Development Culture within the Local Church” aimed at encouraging pastors to prioritise leadership development.
- BR Orientation Day, an annual event for provisional registrants (and interested others), continues to attract a strong turnout (32 this year). This event offers excellent integration into all aspects of Baptist life, helping newcomers connect with our community and values.
- We now have 170 approved supervisors available to our registrants all of whom have training in ministry supervision.
- A new online cluster for interim and transitional pastors is meeting monthly. We currently have 14 pastors serving in these important roles.
A notable highlight was the survey of 60 of our retired pastors and leaders, which provided valuable insights into their experiences and contributions. The feedback gathered will inform our future initiatives and help us better support both our currently retired and soon to be retired pastors and leaders.
Finally, with Charles at the end of his tenure as National Leader, I want to personally express my deep appreciation for the opportunity to work alongside him. His leadership has undeniably strengthened our Union of churches. We are all familiar with our mission of “bringing Gospel renewal to people and places,” and under his guidance, our focus on Jesus has deepened.
Ngā mihi me kia kaha, e hoa.
This report is from the 2025 Annual Report of the Baptist Churches of New Zealand which can be viewed here.
Image: Baptist World Alliance Congress, Karen Warner
