Membership at HBC
At Hillcrest Baptist Church, everyone is welcome—whether you’re new to church, exploring faith, visiting from overseas, or looking for a church to call home.
If you are keen to find out more about how our church works, read below:
Structure of our Baptist Church
Baptist churches are independent and self-governing but often cooperate with regional or national Baptist Associations for missions, training, support, and shared ministries. Hillcrest Baptist is a part of the New Zealand Baptist Union and the Waikato Baptist Association.
At the heart of HBC leadership is the belief in congregational governance under the Lordship of Christ, guided by our values and mission. Here's how it works:
Pastor - The pastor serves as the spiritual leader and primary teacher, responsible for preaching, pastoral care, and guiding the church in its mission. The pastor often works closely with other church leaders to provide vision and direction for the congregation.
Elders - A group of elders elected from within our membership shares responsibility with the pastor for vision, governance, and spiritual oversight. Elders are typically mature, spiritually grounded individuals chosen by the congregation.
Members - Major decisions, such as calling pastors, approving budgets, and deciding on church programs, are voted on by the membership. Every member has an equal voice, reflecting the Baptist principle of the priesthood of all believers.
However, we do have many ministry leaders to oversee specific areas like missions, youth, ministry, worship, etc. We all work in alignment together, to achieve God's purpose and out HBC mission. You don't have to be a member to serve or attend.
You don't need to be a member to attend church services or events!
Even if you’re only with us for a short season—like while studying or settling in Aotearoa—we hope you’ll find real connection here.
Here’s what belonging looks like:
A warm welcome, no matter your background
Opportunities to grow through worship, small groups, and study
Space to explore faith at your own pace
A place to ask questions, serve, and build friendships
You don’t need to be a member to be part of the family. You belong here.
What is membership?
Some people choose to go deeper by covenanting together as members of Hillcrest Baptist Church.
Membership is a mutual commitment—an intentional decision to say:
“This is my spiritual home. I want to follow Jesus here, with these people.”
As members, we:
Affirm our shared beliefs and vision
Commit to living out our faith daily
Care for one another in prayer and practice
Participate in church decision-making and direction
Support the mission of the church with our time, gifts, and resources
Attend Annual General Meetings (AGM) and Membership meetings to collectively pray and decide on the best next steps for our church.
Membership isn’t about status—it’s about shared responsibility. It’s one of the ways we embody being the Body of Christ, together.
If you have been part of our church whanau for a while, and would like to become a member, please talk to one of us.