Our Mission
Sharing Jesus, Bringing Hope
People matter to God. The Mission of God is transforming the world one person, one land, one group, one tribe, one nation, one language, one culture, one generation, one woman, one man, one child at a time.
Napier Baptist Church loves mission both in and out of Aotearoa New Zealand.
Our Values
Compassion
Is caring deeply enough to reach out and help bring freedom.
Kindness
Is giving true grace and love without fear and without expecting anything in return.
Humility
Is abandoning conceit and judgment, and instead seeing and championing the good in others.
Gentleness
A strength which shows respect and uncompromising tenderness.
Patience
Working persistently with God's agenda in God's time without hurry and stress.
Our People
Russell and Lois Embling
Interim Pastor
Russell and Lois have been involved in Christian ministry for 48 years. This started in France and the UK before spending 16 years co-leading a discipleship focused Bible College. The last 25 years they has pastored in four different churches. They are now serving with the Napier Baptist Church for a short period while the church looks for a new permanent Lead Pastor.
They have a commitment to see churches flourish with a heart for Jesus. Seeing the gifts of the Spirit operating in the atmosphere of the fruit of the Spirit is a passion.
They have three adult children with eight grandchildren and one great grandchild.
Margaret Foster
Administrator
Margaret has danced and taught Maths from Bolivia to Italy to Taiwan. She now grows orchids and tutors teenagers.
John Bebarfald
Leadership Team
John is a retired project manager who loves cycling and is passionate about fitness.
RuthThomas
Leadership Team
Ruth has a lifetime experience in education and loves the outdoors.
PatSwinburn
Leadership Team
Pat is a former business owner with a highly creative mind. She also has a passion for Golf in her spare time.
Napier Baptist Church is a member church of the Baptist Union Of New Zealand.
Our History
Napier Baptist Church has been sharing the good news of Jesus across our city for more than 130 years. The church was started in 1887 and is one of the early Baptist churches in the country.
The first church building was opened in 1888 in Hooper's Lane, Napier completely free of debt. The first service in Hastings was held in 1894 and grew into Hastings Baptist Church. The Napier Baptist Church buildings in the CBD were destroyed in the 1931 earthquake, but the church grew and thrived despite adversity.
The first meetings in Taradale began in 1952 and subsequently became the former Taradale Baptist Church. The present Napier Baptist buildings were opened in 1968 on land that rose out of the estuary following the earthquake.