The National Leader of the Baptist Churches of New Zealand is formally an Officer of the Baptist Union and is elected by Assembly on four-year, then three-year terms as recommended by Assembly Council.
This role oversees the strategic and spiritual wellbeing of the collective of 250 faith communities, along with their leadership team and the regional Association Chairs. The vision and direction of our movement of churches is shaped and guided by the National Leader who accounts to Assembly Council.
Charles Hewlett
Our current leader
Kia ora
I love Jesus. I love the Bible. I love the Gospel. I love the Church. And I love Mission.
My number one task is to keep the eyes of New Zealand Baptist’s firmly fixed on Jesus. It is his words that we must listen to the most. He will show us what our priorities must be. How to treat one another. How to live in our neighbourhoods. It is the power of his Gospel that will bring renewal to people and places.
While my leadership philosophy comes from the Bible verse, “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love”, I have been mostly shaped in my own leadership by people with severe intellectual and physical disability. My daughter was born with inoperable brain cancer. Despite living until she was 13 her life was marked out by much suffering. And my 28-year-old son lives with the cognitive abilities of a 9-month-old baby.
Prior to becoming National Leader I spent 13 years on the staff at Carey Baptist College, 8 of these as Principal.
From the National Leader's keyboard
Tribute to Pope Francis
The late Pope Francis led with humility and deep compassion for those for whom life was hard, writes Charles Hewlett.
How you can help in this urgent humanitarian crisis
The global Baptist movement calls for urgent help as a drop in humanitarian aid impacts millions.
How the climate crisis inspired a musical
Charles Hewlett discusses THREE FORTY ONE: The Climate Musical with writer/director Steve Worsley about his inspiration for exploring the climate crisis through music and drama.
Gospel renewal stories
The annual update from our National Leader, Charles Hewlett, for 2024.
Tribute to Kiingi Tuuheitia, the Maaori King
From the National Leader of the Baptist Churches of New Zealand, Te Haahi Iriiri o Aotearoa, and Te Pouarataki moo te Whiikoi.
Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry: Whanaketia
Yesterday, the final Royal Commission of Inquiry report into abuse in state and faith-based care was released…
Charles Mail: A future with hope
Equipping our churches in growing young | Meeting with the Prime Minister | Praying for our church elders | More baptisms!
Charles Mail: Young people bring renewal
Te Puke Baptist Church breaks ground for their housing project | Baptist whānau in national awards | KB youth leaders retreat | More…
Charles Mail: On a mission
Ask your church’s youth leaders about their weekend | A role carved out for us | How the Psalms can inspire Christian worship | More…
Charles Mail: Graduation
The most exciting Kingdom event I’ve ever been to | Highlights of our college’s class of 2023 graduation | We need to get radial with…
Charles' Podcasts
Elijah Brown: The work of Jesus
Baptist World Alliance Chief Executive Elijah Brown shares stories of Baptists living out kingdom courage and compassion in places of war, persecution and extreme hunger.
Gospel renewal stories
The 2024 annual report from Charles Hewlett, National Leader of the Baptist Union of New Zealand.
Charles Hewlett: Holding discomfort
Charles Hewlett is the Baptist National Leader and is married to Joanne. He shares their experience of parenting two wonderful and profoundly disabled children, highlighting…
Merrilyn Withers: Loving youth
Charles and Kathryn talk to the rockstar and legend in our Baptist movement, Merrilyn Withers. Serving the youth in our movement for over 40 years,…
Fiona Warring: This is not the end of my story
Charles Hewlett talks with Fiona Warring, a 45-year-old New Zealand Baptist living with terminal cancer. She's married to Mike, and they have three children. He…
Strengthening our eldership team (Better Church Elders 6)
Where do we find new elders? What training will make us even better? How can we support our pastor and staff more? Charles Hewlett talks…
Maintaining healthy eldership relationships (Better Church Elders 5)
What things contribute to healthy relationships? What are some of the pitfalls we must try and avoid? Charles Hewlett talks to Jonny Weir about maintaining…
Bringing the Bible into decision making (Better Church Elders 4)
How does the Bible remain the foundational guide for our belief and behaviour as a church? What practical things can we do to keep the…
Models of eldership (Better Church Elders 3)
Big, medium or small – does one eldership model fit all churches? What are some of the options? Where does the pastor fit into all…
Eldership and governance (Better Church Elders 2)
What is it that makes good governance? What do governors actually do? Charles Hewlett talks to Mel Wilson about eldership and governance. Mel has worked…
The Bible and eldership (Better Church Elders 1)
What does the Bible have to say about our function as elders? What is it that we are meant to be and do? Charles Hewlett…
Scott Heslop: The rocket science of being a father
In this episode, Charles Hewlett talks with Scott Heslop who is a rocket engineer. They discuss the pressures that many men face between work and…
Sarah from The Loyal Workshop
In this episode Charles talks to Sarah, who along with her husband Paul founded The Loyal Workshop, a business that brings freedom to women in the red light area of Kolkata,…
Baptist People Introduction
We are Charles Hewlett, and Kathryn Heslop. In our roles as National Leader, and Executive Advisor within the Baptist Churches of New Zealand, we daily…
Local neighbourhoods and the future of the church: Brook Turner and Duane Major (Episode 2)
Charles Hewlett talks with Brook Turner (Vision West Community Trust, Auckland) and Duane Major (South West Baptist Church, Christchurch), asking them what local neighbourhoods are like…
Defining gospel renewal and local neighbourhood: Duane Major and George Wieland (Episode 1)
If you’re wondering how to become aware of the needs in your local community, or how the mission of your church will continue to be…
Understanding your neighbourhood—where is God at work?: Lynne Taylor and Dave Tims (Episode 3)
Lynne Taylor (Baptist Researcher, Dunedin) and Dave Tims (Urban Neighbours of Hope, Auckland), with Charles Hewlett talk about practical tools that can help us understand our neighbourhoods,…
A movement that prays audaciously (National Hui 2019)
Charles Hewlett focuses on two words: shamelessly and audacious, found in Luke 11:5-13. Are we becoming a movement where bold prayers are the norm? You’ve…
The world we are about to live in (National Hui 2019)
Four emerging leaders, Fiona Beals, Colin Gruetzmacher, Jennie Ekigbo and Sarah Rice, share what they think the world we are about to do ministry and…
Photo gallery of people and places
