About Us
Vision and Values
“To be a redemptive community, sharing the love of Christ in the world, by word, sign and deed;
helping people become lifelong followers of Jesus Christ.”
This vision is personal – helping people become life-long followers of Jesus – and yet it is also something we live out together, as we form and grow redemptive communities. We want to support individuals and grow a deep sense of ‘we’. God also calls us to each take slow deliberate steps toward deeper engagement with a people and a place. So, our goal is to be faithful followers of Jesus who shape thriving vibrant communities; bringing life and creativity, hope and healing.
We value love for God, ourselves, each other and the world.
We’re a church on a journey. In partnership with other churches and groups, as tāngata whenua and tāngata tiriti, we seek to live out a deep commitment to global and local mission, to bring positive, Jesus-shaped transformation in our personal lives, and communities; both here and around the world.
Will you join us? Following Jesus in the places we live.
The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.
— Luke 4:18-19
Te Tiriti Partnership Journey
Over the past years our church has been grappling with a big question: how do we, as a community of believers, be relevant, authentic and available to the communities and cultures in which our church resides, in all that we do, including the Sunday gatherings? It’s what we’ve come to call the ‘cross-cultural journey’. This journey has not begun recently, some may remember the work that Lionel Stewart and others did 45 years ago. The passion has remained a fire in people’s hearts over many years.
The flame was re-fanned when Duane Major shared a challenge that he and the other 24-7 Youth Workers felt by the diversity evident in the youth communities in South West Christchurch.
At a wānanga retreat on Ōnuku marae, Banks Peninsula, in February 2011, the church leadership teams determined that the church would actively journey to be authentic and inviting to all the different ethnicities and cultures which make up the wider church communities. Also, that this journey would endeavour to draw insight from the Maori cultural heritage that is unique to Aotearoa, New Zealand.
This journey would be done in the context of the church vision:
… by word, sign and deed; helping people become lifelong followers of Jesus Christ
… ma te kupu, ma te tohu, ma te mahi e awhinatia mai te tangata kia whakawhai noa ai i a Ihu Karaiti.
This determination at Onuku was a spoken commitment to the journey… ma te kupu.
Our kōwhaiwhai and pou are part of demonstrating this commitment… ma te tohu.
The manifestation of this commitment is determined by what we do… ma te mahi.
Many are fully committed to this journey and are excited about where it might take us. However, others are perplexed by it and do not see its relevance. Yet despite these reservations, most have determined that it is what Jesus is calling us to do.
(noun) painted scroll ornamentation – commonly used on meeting house rafters
Our kōwhaiwhai runs across the wall of our Lyttelton St site Gym. A kōwhaiwhai is the history book in a wharenui/meeting house. It tells the story of its people, not only its history but its values, hopes and aspirations. The telling uses what is, initially, an unfamiliar alphabet but once you know the meaning of the symbols, a narrative is revealed.
So, our kōwhaiwhai tells our church story.
Read the full story here or watch the video explanation.
KŌWHAIWHAI
POU
Pou: Pōwhiri (Welcome, there is a place here for you)
On April 3 2016 our church consecrated a tohu/sign of our commitment to our ‘cross-cultural journey’.
Sitting between the main entrance doors to our Lyttelton St site Gym is a pou. It encompasses our story of the gospel in the setting of south west Christchurch, and is an encouragement to us that Christ would want our place and our whānau to look a lot like his – people from all different walks of life, colour and persuasion.
There are three big themes encompassing the pou. Read more about them here.
Our History
Our roots in the South West of Ōtautahi began in 1865 and as the area has moved from open fields to growing neighbourhoods, we have been part of the community life.
Since 1865 our church has been known by many names; Lincoln Road Baptist, Lyttelton Street Baptist, Spreydon and Halswell Baptist and now South West Baptist Church. You can read more about our history up until our name change in 2013 here or listen to Murray Robertson share the story of our early beginnings here.
In 2016 we celebrated 150 years as a church, and produced a feature length documentary about the previous 25 years.
Our Teams
Leadership Team
Duane Major
Senior Pastor
Amanda Parfitt
Executive Pastor
John Robertson
Global Team Leader
Claire Russell
Pastor and Community Team Leader
Erin White
Communications Manager
Sam Young
Gatherings Team Leader
Pastors
Duane Major
Senior Pastor
Amanda Parfitt
Executive Pastor
Warren Read
Pastoral Care Team Leader
Claire Russell
Pastor and Community Team Leader
Elders
Taitu-uga Geoff Siave
Chairperson
Janelle Butcher
Janet Hull
Tim Perry
David Wilson
Steve Withington
Documents
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Click here to view the South West Baptist Church Constitution.
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The South West Baptist Church stance on issues of gender in regard to ministry and leadership supports the equality of men and women, working together to fulfil the vision of SWBC being a ‘redemptive community, sharing the love of Christ in the world, by word, sign and deed, helping people become lifelong followers of Jesus Christ.’
“So God created human beings in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” - Genesis 1:27
“So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptised into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” - Galatians 3:26-28
There are two main positions held by evangelicals in regard to gender roles. One finds essential and enduring differences in roles between women and men, and advocates the headship of men over women in marriage and church. This is often known as complementarian theology. The opposite position, called egalitarian, affirms mutual submission of all believers in both church and family. According to this view, men and women are to serve according to each individual’s gifts and calling without discrimination on the basis of gender.
When speaking to these issues directly, South West promotes an egalitarian stance, as part of a kingdom theology, which sees societal change, including overthrow of injustice against women, as part of kingdom concerns.
In line with this, South West aspires to a genuine equality of women and men under God, including in our leadership. South West encourages groups, ministries of the church and corporate gatherings to reflect the equality of men and women and to seek to equip the local communities to meet the needs of their people.
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Our SWBC bi-cultural group have become aware of and are deeply concerned about the Indonesian exploitation of West Papua and the injustices being inflicted on the indigenous people there, especially Christians. This group have raised this concern with the Elders of our church, with leaders of other Baptist churches in Canterbury Westland and the Baptist national body.
“As a church we became more aware of the plight of the West Papuan people when a Baptist leader from within West Papua visited and spoke at our church. Since then, through reading independent reports from organisations like Amnesty International our concern has heightened that the Indonesian government is actively oppressing the West Papuan people and this injustice is going un-noticed and unchallenged. We are calling our people to pray for and be supportive of those oppressed Christians, indigenous leaders and the West Papuan population.”
To find out more see:
Associated Trusts
Good quality, affordable, sustainable housing that enables all people to enjoy a fulfilled life as part of their community.
Cross Over Trust
Working with primary-aged children and their families in South-West Christchurch.
Providing the place, the machines, the tools and the assistance you might need to complete or begin a project.
Affordable campsite for group bookings.
Supporting and equipping people through budgeting and employment services.
Caring for women and their families.
Offering residential and community-based support services for people experiencing mental illness.
Supporting the vision of the youth community of South West Baptist Church.
Early Learning Centres across the South West of Christchurch.
A trust relationship between a local school and a local church in the context of the local community working together.