Jesus shared his life with a group of people
who went with him on his journey.

It should be the same for us as followers of Jesus. We need others on this journey; we can’t go alone. We need people who sharpen and encourage us, and most of all, people to do life with. We think the best place for this is in community – it’s the relational heart of our church. 

We’d love you to join us. Get in touch, let’s chat!

A Presence Based Church

God is at work restoring all things – all people, all places, everything in the whole world – and we want to be part of that. Our church is on a journey to join Jesus in the places where we live. We’re on our way to becoming more of a presence based church

We know from Jesus’ life and teaching that place and proximity to others are important, and we’re learning how to do this in our neighbourhoods. Just like Jesus was present on earth, we want to be present in our neighbourhoods.

“The Word became flesh and blood,
  and moved into the neighborhood.” John 1:14

Neighbourhood Communities

At South West Baptist Church we have a number of established ‘Neighbourhood Communities’. These are groups of people who live in the same neighbourhood and who are committed to sharing life together, figuring out what it means to follow Jesus in their neighbourhood. They are committed to a people and a place; they are South West Baptist Church in that place. Through their local Neighbourhood Community leader, each community has a relationship with the church leadership team that is both empowering and accountable.

Our Neighbourhood Communities reflect the people who make them up, the places they are in, and the neighbours they know. Because of this, each community looks different, is frequently changing, and is involved with their local people and place in different ways.

There are a few ways you can be part of the journey in your area. No matter what your age, life stage, or current life circumstances, everyone is welcome to become part of these communities of faith. We all have something to offer in growing vibrant neighbourhoods!

Groups

As well as our Neighbourhood Communities, groups are another place to connect with each other during the week. It’s easy to get lost in the crowd and feel disconnected in a big place. Joining a group is a great way to find a place of belonging.

There are all sorts of groups – groups that meet in homes to read the Bible, groups that meet to do book studies, groups that meet onsite to pray. These groups play a vital role serving together and are part of the relational fabric of our church. Sometimes it’s a process to find the group that fits best, so please get in touch if we can help you in any way.

Welcoming Refugees

South West Baptist welcomed three former refugee families from Syria and Iraq into our Ōtautahi Christchurch communities in 2018. The pilot Community Sponsorship programme has been extended by the Government, and South West has again been approved as an official sponsor. Two families are expected to arrive later in 2023 and will be hosted by the Oaklands and Ōpāwaho (Beckenham/Thorrington/Cashmere/Somerfield) communities of South West Baptist. Nearly 30 people are working to prepare for the families’ arrival.

This is a whole church ministry that we invite you to participate in. Settlement needs are for:

  • Short-term storage – this will be needed for house furnishings while we wait for the families to arrive.

  • Two affordable rental properties for two families in the south/southwest suburbs. You may have some contacts that could help us locate suitable housing.

  • Furniture and appliances for these two homes. We will need this towards the end of the year.

  • Financial support – the Oaklands and Ōpāwaho groups have a combined budget of over $25,000 for settlement costs that they have agreed to fund. If you would like to make a contribution, that would be a huge encouragement.

Talk to your community, friends, church networks and others to explore how you could become involved. There is still an opportunity for more sponsorship groups to form – see  Refugee Settlement Information. Additional information for groups interested in sponsoring includes the  Sponsorship Group requirements and Expression of Interest Form.

Pray for the sponsored refugee families as they approach a life-changing move to New Zealand. The ‘matching’ process will occur in the next 10 weeks. Pray that our sponsoring teams will build trust, resilience and understanding as they work together and that God will bring others into the teams at the right time to assist.

Timeline: 

May 2022 

South West Baptist approved for the Community Refugee Sponsorship programme 

Oct 2022 

Oaklands and Ōpāwaho sponsoring groups meet two refugee families they will sponsor for residence in Christchurch 

Early 2023 

Refugee applicants complete application with Immigration New Zealand 

2023 

Families arrive in Christchurch 

South West Refugee Sponsorship Co-ordinating Team

Beate Dix

Barry McKessar

Nick Regnault