Our heartbeat is to be

‘everyday people, loving God, living it out.’

Our Kaupapa (values) – What we live by

We engage with a LIVING God

We love engaging with God Father, Son and Spirit. We see relationship with Him as core & crucial. We are passionate about seeing people come to know our loving, living God more.

We encourage Spiritual Rhythms in a crazy busy world

In a world of such busyness and stress, we value centring our lives, as individuals and as a church community, around spiritual rhythms.

We value you, and what makes you, you!

We appreciate the uniqueness of each other. Whatever your culture, age, gender, background, or way you view the world, we value you and welcome you.

We are committed to building God’s Kingdom

We are committed to investing in and doing things that benefit God’s kingdom. We see ourselves as a people who overflow the presence and love of God into our community and world.

We are globally minded

We love and care for all people and the planet! Not just in our area, but around the globe. We want to constantly wrestle with how to bring the good news of God’s restoration to the nations.

We are present in our neighbourhoods

We believe there is no “them” and “us”. We believe in, and value, being present and making a difference in our neighbourhoods.

We are vessels of God’s love and presence

We want to be people who reflect the vast & powerful love and presence of God. In our workplaces, our schools, our cafes and pubs, as we commute to work – wherever we find ourselves.

History or WBC Church
History or WBC Church
History or WBC Church

Our WBC Story

Whangaparaoa Baptist had its beginnings in 1955 when Roy and Sophie Thompson arrived in Whangaparaoa, and gathering a few other keen Christians together, the first services were held in the Whangaparaoa Hall on Sunday afternoons.

In 1957 with help from the Baptist Union, two sections were purchased. The site was cleared with a small wheel tractor, the pine stumps were blasted out with gelignite, and building began! People from all over New Zealand donated money and materials, and with the help of many volunteers, and the paid labour of a single tradesman, the building took shape.

Whangaparaoa Baptist Church was opened on August 30th, 1958 (you can still see this original building, it is now our church café). The church grew and in 1975 the current auditorium was built to accommodate the increasing numbers attending services, there was a building upgrade in 2000, and a major refurbishment in 2018/2019.

Throughout the years WBC has continued to thrive as a local church interwoven into its community, loving people and seeing Jesus’ touch people’s lives. The church has been blessed with wonderful volunteers, and a pioneering attitude which has embraced new initiatives and ways of doing things as the people have felt led by God. Miss Gladys Turkington’s (church pianist in the first few years) prayer… “Lord, make this work to be as a lighthouse for our Lord on the peninsula” is as apt today as it was then.

Prayer

Prayer is important to us. Here at WBC, we know there is power in prayer! We believe that prayer helps connect us to God and helps God connect with us.
One of the ways we grow in love for God and Live it out is through a lifestyle of prayer. As we establish rhythms as a church, we want to embrace what it means to be a ‘House of Prayer’ both in our individual lives AND as we gather to honour God & ‘discern together’ what he is saying to us as a church.
Prayer Ministry at WBC Church

How can we pray for you?

Would you like someone to pray for you? Email your prayer request to prayer@wbc.org.nz
All prayer requests are received and prayed for in confidence by our Prayer Team. Your prayer request is sent through to—and ONLY to—our Prayer Team (Church Staff), but you can also remain anonymous even to the Prayer Team should you wish to. We’re here for you!

Prayer spaces

Prayer Spaces where you can join in with others:

  • Weekday Prayer – early morning during the week
  • Intercession Prayer space
  • Sunday Services Prayer – 9.15am, 11.00am and at 4.45pm
  • Worship Nights, Prayer, & Ministry Nights
  • Prayer Week & Courses

Care @WBC

Care at WBC mainly comes from people supporting one another in their local geographical communities and connection groups.

Our vision is that people are part of thriving local communities where they can find belonging, spiritual nurturing, and support, especially during periods of challenge, grief, and loss.

At WBC ‘pastoral care’ describes all the ways we encourage active mutual care for each other to deepen our relationships to God, each other, ourselves, and the world.

Our hope at WBC is that we live out a love for each other that resembles the love God has for us.

To support this, there is a Care Team who provide a listening ear and support for our church whanau. They seek to help equip the body of Christ to care for each other. When professional advice is needed or circumstances require specialist input, the Care Team’s role is to help link people with the resources available.

Always REMEMBER In an Emergency please dial 111
Healthline Free call 0800 611 116
Lifeline Free call 0800 543 354 or Text 4357
Youthline Free call 0800 376 633 | Free text 234
Suicide Crisis Helpline 0508 828 865

WBC Team Photo

Olga Oosthuizen

Pastoral Care & Seniors

olga@wbc.org.nz