our history

Bethlehem Baptist Church started in The Bethlehem Hall in 1988 under the leadership of evangelist Tom Frew and his wife Aileen. This small group of people spent a number of years meeting in the Te Puna hall before making the change to Bethlehem.

The church grew and developed networks into the local community and established a very confident overseas ministry partnership with YWAM Marine Reach. These early days were exciting as God began to fill the noisy old hall with new believers.

In 1995, Craig & Michaela Vernall came from Carey Baptist College upon Tom Frews retirement. (Tom in fact spent another 15 years in full time ministry and is now retired and in his 80’s)

The church continued to grow in size. In 2000, a church building was first built on Bethlehem Rd – and when completed, the 366 people who were part of the church moved into the new premises. Over the years the church continued to grow with different building projects being entered into as the need arose.

Bethlehem Baptist has always been blessed with passionate people who want to spend their lives in valuable service for Jesus. Over the years we have had hundreds of people enjoy seeing Jesus touch people’s lives through the different ministries.

Bethlehem Baptist has always had a high focus upon families and children. The commitment made to young people has always been a priority with our weekend and mid week programs.

And as the church has grown, there’s been the ability to identify and serve different needs and ministry opportunities both locally and overseas. This website will show you more about these ministries.

Some of the larger events on our calendar have been the Night Before Christmas and the Easter Journey which have introduced thousands of people to the message of Jesus.

We at BBC know we are a blessed people. As the Lord told Abraham in Genesis 12. “We are blessed to be a blessing.” We hope our church community will be a blessing to you.

our mission

Our mission is to lead people to a saving relationship with Jesus Christ, and to help them grow in their faith through Bible-centered teaching, prayer, and fellowship. We seek to serve our community through acts of love and compassion, and to share the hope of the gospel with those who do not yet know Jesus. We desire to be a light in the darkness, and to use our resources and talents to further God’s kingdom in New Zealand and beyond.

our vision

Our vision is to be a community of believers who are deeply rooted in the Word of God and passionately committed to sharing the love of Jesus with those around us. We long to see lives transformed by the power of the gospel, and to see our church be a beacon of hope and a place of belonging for all who come through our doors. As we seek to follow Jesus, we desire to grow in our love for God and for one another, and to use our gifts and resources to serve our community and the world.

our values

Bible-centred teaching and preaching

The Bible is the foundation of Baptist beliefs, and it is essential that it is central in all aspects of church life.

A personal relationship with Jesus Christ

Baptists believe that a personal relationship with Jesus is the only way to receive salvation.

Evangelism and missions

Baptists strongly emphasise sharing the gospel with others and participating in missions work at home and abroad.

Freedom of conscience

Baptists believe in the priesthood of all believers, and encourage individuals to seek God for themselves and make their own decisions about their faith.

Religious liberty

Baptists have a long history of fighting for religious freedom and the separation of church and state. They believe that people should be free to practice their faith without interference from the government.

our beliefs

As a church, we believe in:

• God the Father, God the Son Jesus Christ and God the Holy Spirit – one God in three persons.
• The true deity and humanity of the Lord Jesus Christ – Jesus is fully God and fully human.
• The atonement made on the Cross by our Lord for the sin of the world.
• The person of the Holy Spirit as one who sanctifies and who sets apart, empowers and imparts spiritual gifts to the church.
• The Bible is the inspired Word of God and is authoritative in all matters of faith and practice.
• That salvation comes only through repentance towards God and faith in Jesus Christ.
• The immersion of believers as the only scriptural form of baptism.

As a church, our primary aims and functions are:

• To glorify God and be an expression of His character and Kingdom in the world.
• To meet regularly for worship, prayer, biblical teaching, encouragement and fellowship.
• To encourage congregational partnership in the mutual care of each other’s spiritual and physical well-being.
• To engage in the task of mission to the local community, the nation and the world (Matthew 28:19-20)
• In every possible way, to seek to make disciples of Jesus Christ and bring them into His church.