Youth
Welcome to our Youth page. This focuses on youth ages from Year 9-13, ages 13-18. Below you will find the latest events, resources, articles and key contacts. If you are not already connected with us, we would love to hear from you
Events
Throughout the year, we run camps, youth leader trainings, clusters, and youth pastor’s gatherings. Whether you want to develop youth your youth, your leaders or yourself, there will be something for you.
KB Leadership Training Weekend
An annual long weekend away for your whole youth leadership team.
Easter Camps
Easter camps across New Zealand, in Hamilton, Wellington and Christchurch for intermediate and high-school aged young people.
Resources
Here are a handful of resources to get you started. If you don’t find what you are looking for, please just get in touch and we will be able to point you towards further resources.
Youth news, stories and media
Together: Look how God is moving in our young people!
Be encouraged! Good things are happening in the Children and Families and Youth spaces, as Baptist Union of New Zealand National Leader Chris Chamberlain discovers.
Ministry with Preschoolers: Connecting with God
Claire explores how shifting from a programme done for children to ministry done with them has opened space for preschoolers to pray, engage Scripture, and…
National Youth Sunday: Pray for young people on May 24
Maya Bradley invites churches to champion the next generation — creating space for their voices, stories, and sense of belonging.
A vision for the next generation: M28 Discipleship Camps
Ethan speaks to his vision for the next generation of leaders and introduces a new camp for 15-18 year olds.
The Relaunch of Central Easter Camp 2026
As Central Easter Camp relaunches, you’re invited to step in, stand alongside, and pray into what’s ahead.
Prayer Portals: helping young people to pray
Discover Prayer Portals - a simple, creative tool helping young people step into prayer with confidence. Developed by Jesse Major from South West Baptist Church,…
Taking Sanctuary Worship to the Regions
Join us on Sunday 28 September for a piece of Easter Camp at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Tauranga
From disconnect to discipleship: youth ministry finds new life
Some major challenges prompted Kumeū Baptist Church to rethink the ways it did youth ministry.
Baptist World Congress reflections: Unshakable hope
In a world filled with suffering, true hope is found in Jesus, who overcomes all brokenness and calls us to join His mission of restoration.
Meet our new Children and Families Catalyst
Jan Ozanne is appointed the new Children and Families Catalyst for the Baptist Union.
A co-creation journey across ages and ethnicities
How a church’s creative exploration and declaration of God’s Word erupted into collective worship.
Following God’s call
Nakeisha’s story of leaving the familiar to follow God’s call to pastor youth in the South Island.
A risk worth the reward!
A story of how God used a simple invitation to prayer to change a life.
Ready to follow!
It’s so inspiring when intermediates share testimonies, minister to each other and lead worship. We’re hosting an event for Year 7–9s, all about living for…
A great adventure!
The camp experience at Finlay Park and the highlight of hosting eCamp 2025.
Baptist legend receives King’s Service Medal
Merrilyn Withers is recognised for her services to youth and the Baptist movement with a King’s Service Medal.
Are you our next Children and Families Catalyst?
The Baptist Union of New Zealand seeks a Children and Families Catalyst to provide visionary leadership and strategic guidance for our He Rito initiative.
Southern Eastercamp 2025
Youth and leaders share their highlights and reflections from Southern Eastercamp.
A call to prayer
Join us at 5PM on Sunday 25 May in a nationwide moment of prayer, lifting up a generation in need of hope, healing, and Jesus.
An invitation to Journey Together
What if mentoring young people became a cornerstone of your church? Journey Together is a practical resource designed to help churches foster meaningful, intergenerational discipleship.
Join the adventure: Experience eCamp and make a difference!
Could you volunteer this Easter and wear a red hat?
Wrapping our Easter Camps in prayer
How things are shaping up for camp this year, the impact on young people, and the practical ways we can help.
Look out Baptist World Congress, Eastgate is coming!
Eastgate Christian Centre is sending some of its youngest, keenest and most perceptive leaders to a global gathering, hoping the investment will pay off in…
Growing Young: Revitalising the church from the grassroots
The annual update from Youth Catalyst Ethan Miller for 2024.
Could your community project be eligible for Tindall Foundation funding?
Local Baptist churches are successfully applying to the Tindall Foundation Fund to run projects and courses that benefit their communities.
Youth ministry: Would your church pass the marshmallow test?
Youth ministry can be a frustratingly expensive long-term investment – but a necessary one if New Zealand’s Baptist movement is to survive.
Being people of justice and peace
A space for Young Adults to connect and listen to God's voice on matters of justice found in scripture.
Gospel Impact Lab: Empowering young people
At our upcoming National Hui, delegates can create a tool our local Baptist churches can use to equip young people to be disciples of and…
Baptist Student Network: Connecting, supporting Christian students
The Baptist Student Network helps connect our young people into Baptist churches in other cities and offers accommodation and support.
From comfort to compassion: Lessons from our trip to Cebu
Emma and Hannah’s formational experience meeting the person they sponsor and witnessing the hope in their community.
Fanning the flames of youth ministry
Baptist youth leaders reflect on how showing God’s love and grace is working out in the lives of young people.
Mission trip to Easter Camp
How a suburban church served one of the most significant events on the New Zealand Baptist calendar.
New managers at Baptist Student Hostel, Palmerston North
Tony and Janine are excited to meet and offer genuine Christian care and support to the awesome students living away from home...
He Rito: The future of the church (pre-Hui read: Our young people)
“One of the greatest roles of God’s people is passing the torch of faith from one generation to the next.”
Student accommodation: Chester House – Christchurch Central
If you or someone you know is moving to Christchurch to study, Chester House provides a great place for students to call home.
Student accommodation: Baptist Student Hostel – Palmerston North
If you or someone you know is moving to Palmerston North to study, BSH (Baptist Student Hostel) offers a great Christian environment for students.
Intergenerate
Not long until Intergenerate! Read some of the intergenerational discipling vision behind this event and how you can be a part of it.
The Duke of Edinburgh’s Hillary Award celebrates 60 years in New Zealand
Hear David’s story of persistence and achievement, Christian community support, and The Duke of Edinburgh’s Hillary Award – all alongside living with dyspraxia.
Easter Camps: on now!
Our four Easter Camps around the country are in full swing. Please pray for all the young people present...
CREW NEEDED: Volunteer at Easter Camps
Can you help? Easter Camps are an incredibly important part of what New Zealand Baptists do. They are camps, at Easter, for young people, and…
Youth Catalyst
It is exciting to announce that Ethan Miller has been appointed to the role of Youth Catalyst for the Baptist Churches of New Zealand, commencing…
Spectacular Youth: Youth Catalyst
This is a news update coming from a message sent on 29 November 2022 to Baptist Youth Pastors and Leaders – we’re keen to share…
Easter Camps: from lockdown to long-term faith
Hear how our incredible collaboration and creativity made Easter Camp happen and impact lives during lockdown...
A cord of three strands
Small churches’ reach and impact can be multiplied exponentially when they work in partnership with others. ‘The Village’ at Carterton Baptist Church is an example…
Waihi intergenerational home group
In February 2019 Waihi Baptist Church began an intergenerational whānau home group on a Sunday evening. It started with 14 people but now 40-50 people…
‘New’ leaders in the New Zealand Baptist movement
Among the New Zealand Baptist movement’s new leaders with national roles are Josie Te Kahu (President), John Tucker (Principal, Carey Baptist College) and Brian Krum…
We are here to help local youth ministries thrive.
We would love to connect with you and help you with anything we can.
Ethan Miller
National Youth Catalyst
[email protected]
021 299 2305
Warren Stubbs
Interim Kaitiaki Emerging Generations Ministries [email protected]
027 410 6122
Luke Gardiner
Regional Youth Coach – Upper South Island
Mike Dodge
Regional Youth Coach – Upper South Island
Associations
Baptist principles and practices have always valued an even spread of leadership and resources. To help achieve this, and to enable all churches to feel connected to the wider Baptist work, many aspects relating to the task of resourcing Baptist churches throughout New Zealand are managed in the regions through a regional network made up of six Baptist Associations – the word ‘associations’ comes from the desire for local Baptist churches to associate together.
The network of Associations connects local churches with other local churches in their region and utilises the experience and expertise of both pastoral and other leaders to inspire and train others, and bring about the fulfilment of the visions of individual Baptist churches.
Each regional Association has a Regional Leader who is responsible for supporting and resourcing local churches. To facilitate the encouragement and resourcing of churches, the Regional Leaders meet regularly with the National Leader and other Regional Leaders.
