Howick Baptist Church Profile

Office: Corner Picton & Wellington Street, Howick, Auckland 2014, New Zealand.

Phone: +64 9 534 5142

Website: www.howickbaptist.org.nz

Our History

Howick Baptist Church was founded in 1952 and is affiliated with the Baptist

Union of New Zealand. HBCs origins stem from a small fellowship at the home

of the Howick Postmaster, Len Clarkson, who was a Baptist with a genuine

concern for people and a passionate belief that the prime purpose of the Church

was the winning of souls for Christ. Over the years, the Lord has refined HBC

into a multi-cultural, multi-generational church striving together for the gospel,

passionate about knowing Jesus Christ and making Him known in Howick and

to the ends of the earth. In our 63-year history we have had six Senior Pastors,

with the most recent, Peter Somervell, finishing an 8-year ministry in March

2015.

Learn more: http://www.howickbaptist.org.nz/about-us/history/

Our Vision

As a church, we embrace a mission statement that is focused around Jesus

Christ: gathering for Him, growing in Him, and going with Him. Thats because Jesus is the very centre of Gods plan and purpose for the world; in Him, God

will unite all things in heaven and earth (Eph 1:10). Therefore, we see that it should be our vision to have Jesus at the centre of all that we say and do. We

gather together for him, grow together in Him, and go out into the world with

Him, bearing His name and carrying His message of repentance and faith.

Learn more: http://www.howickbaptist.org.nz/blog/2014/10/gathering -growing-going-vision-way-ahead/

Our Church

HBC is made up of around 260 regular attendees, including children, students,

families, seniors and new immigrants, representing many nations and diverse

cultures. Of these, there are 153 members, 5 elders, 14 deacons and a childrens

ministry roll of 50. Worship service attendance has remained stable over the

past five years at an average of 190 adults and teenagers. Our church is a

reflection of the multicultural communities in the Howick and Eastern suburbs,

and how we can be united as one family under Jesus Christ.

Learn more: http://www.howickbaptist.org.nz/about-us/what-to-expect/

HBC meets in a well-equipped, multi-purpose church complex located at the top

of the main street of Howick village. With our prominent location, debt-free

financial position, and church leaders and members actively serving in

numerous areas, we are well placed to continue exalting God through worship,

equipping the saints through the ministry of the Word, and evangelising the lost

through gospel ministry.

The next Senior Pastor has the opportunity to build a new pastoral team

towards a Christ-centred vision, equipping Gods people for works of service so

that the body of Christ may be built up. He will also need to come alongside

existing ministry leaders and enable them to more effectively serve the church

family and wider community.

Our Beliefs and Distinctives

These are the core truths that underpin our church and that members of HBC

believe: 1. We believe in the inspiration of the Bible and its authority in all matters of faith and

practice. We believe in the Scripture of the Old and New Testaments as verbally

inspired by God, inerrant in the original writings and that they are of supreme and final

authority in faith and life. (2 Tim 3:16, Romans 15:4)

2. We believe in one God, eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. (Matt 28:19, Romans 8:9, 2 Cor 13:14)

3. We believe in the true humanity and Deity of the Lord Jesus Christ. We believe that Jesus Christ was begotten by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, and is true

God and true man. (Luke 1:30-33, John 1:14, Col 1:15-20)

4. We believe in the atonement made by our Lord on the Cross for the sin of the World. We believe that man was created in the image of God; that he sinned, and thereby

incurred not only physical death but also spiritual death, which is separation from God;

and that all human beings are born with a sinful nature, and in the case of those who

reach moral responsibility, become sinners in thought, word and deed. (Heb 9:28, 1

John 2:2, Gen 1:26, Romans 3:23)

5. We believe in salvation by faith in Christ alone. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures, as a representative and substitutionary

sacrifice, and that all who believe in Him are justified on the ground of His shed blood.

(Acts 4:12, Luke 24:25-27, Romans 3:24-25)

6. We believe in the resurrection of the crucified body of our Lord, in His ascension into heaven, in His present life there for us as High Priest and Advocate. (Matt 28:5-6, 9-10;

John 13:3; 1 John 2:1)

7. We believe in that blessed hope, the personal return of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. (1 Thess 4:13-18, 2 Thess 1:10)

8. We believe in membership in the Christian Church for the regenerate. We believe that all who receive by faith the Lord Jesus Christ are born again of the Holy Spirit and

thereby become children of God. (Heb 10:24-25, John 1:12)

9. We believe in the bodily resurrection of the just and the unjust, the everlasting blessedness of the saved and the everlasting conscious punishment of the lost. (1 Cor

15:51-52, Rev 20:11-15)

10. We believe in the immersion of believers as the only scriptural form of baptism. (Acts 2:38-41, Matt 28:19)

In addition, the following distinctives characterise the teaching and ministry of

HBC: Gospel Centrality We seek to base our lives and ministries around the good news of

what God has done for sinners through the life, death and resurrection of our Lord and

Saviour: Jesus Christ. (Romans 1:16-17)

Authority of Scripture We believe the Bible is God's inspired word and completed revelation that is sufficient as our sole authority in matters of faith and practice. (2 Tim

3:15-17)

Expository Preaching We believe that God's means for making known His word to the church (2 Tim 4:1-3) and to the world (1 Cor 1:21) is preaching which explains and

applies the meaning of Scripture.

Baptist We believe the ordinances of Baptism and the Lord's Supper are reserved for believers in Jesus Christ. We are congregationally governed and elder-led.

The Sovereignty of God We hold to the truth that God is in control of all things, while moral agents remain responsible and accountable for the willing choices they make

(John 6:37-44).

Spirit-filled Lives We believe in the active, life-giving, ongoing ministry of the Holy Spirit within the context of the local church as well as individual believers lives. We

hold that the ministry of the Holy Spirit is always in perfect unity with the inspired

Word of God therefore all fillings, leadings and experiences of the Spirit must be

subjected to its authority (John 6:63; Acts 1:8; Eph 5:18).

Complementarian Relationships We hold to the equal value of men and women, while acknowledging male headship in the church and home (Gen 1:26-27; Eph 5:22-

33; 1 Tim 3:1-7).

Church ministries

HBC has several core ministries, including:

Home groups Over 100 people meet regularly in small groups to fellowship, pray and study the Bible together.

Childrens Sunday School - Assisting parents in their God-given responsibility in raising their children (Eph. 6:4), with age appropriate

bible teaching to help 50+ children come to a true knowledge of God and

to put their trust in Jesus Christ.

Missions HBC supports 14 overseas missionaries, church planters, and university campus workers as they seek to faithfully share the gospel

wherever God has placed them.

Evangelism Individuals and teams organise and take part in outreach events across Auckland, aiming to share the good news of Jesus Christ.

Gathered Worship Bible readers, musicians, sound and audiovisual technicians work together to glorify God and build up His church family

by leading and facilitating Christ-centred worship during our Sunday

gatherings.

Community Ministries Activities and groups (including a registered kindy, new immigrant classes, creativity and crafts, food bank) seek to

reach out into the surrounding community in order to make

opportunities to communicate the gospel, to provide practical care and

service, and thereby demonstrate the love of Christ to them.

Learn more: http://www.howickbaptist.org.nz/connect/

Our Location and Community

HBC is located at entrance of Howick village, a community hub in east

Auckland. Geographically, the eastern suburbs form the most populous council

ward in Auckland, with 127,000 people living in 41,000 households. Nearby

suburbs include established communities of Pakuranga, Bucklands Beach and

Highland Park as well as growth areas in Botany, Flat Bush, Highbrook and

Ormiston.

Residents enjoy a moderate climate throughout most of the year. Howick has a

wonderful coastal location, surrounded by good swimming beaches such as

Cockle Bay, Howick Beach and Mellons Bay. Howick is a 30-minute drive from

downtown Auckland and a 35 minute drive to Auckland Airport.

The world at our doorstep - Nearly half of Howick Ward residents were born overseas (48.5%).

Every tongue and tribe The Howick Ward is a melting pot of a range of ethnicities, including European (55%), Asian (38.8%), Mori (5.2%), Pacific Islanders (4.6%), Middle Eastern (1.4%), African (0.5%) and Latin

American (0.3%) peoples.

Senior citizens - 1 in 8 people living in the Howick Ward are 65 and over (12.6%)

The next generation - 1 in 5 people living in the Howick Ward are aged 14 and under (19.8%)

Neither poverty nor riches The median household income of people living in the Howick Ward is $84,500 per annum, which is close to the

national average of $88,579 per annum.

Learn more: http://www.aucklandcouncil .govt.nz/EN/AboutCouncil/representativesbodies/LocalBoards/howicklocalboard/pages/about.aspx

Next steps

Please send us your expression of interest and a CV to: pastorsearch@howickbaptist.org.nz Note: Further information can be supplied on request, including: - Statement of Faith and Distinctives - Church Constitution - 2014 Audited Accounts - 2014 Annual Report - Recent Weekly Bulletins - Recent Members Meeting Minutes - List of church ministries and related groups - Other web links