Rotorua Bible Baptist Church

About

Not just a church; a place to call home. An Independent Baptist Church in New Zealand. King James Bible.

Story

Distinctives

The authority of God's Word as given in the King James Version of the Bible, which we will never correct. We only preach and teach God's Word, not man's opinions or experiences.

The music for corporately worshipping the Lord will be spiritual, non-worldly, and conservative. Our worship is God-focused, not focused on the flesh of man through drum beats. Galatians 5:17

We believe and will practice the entire plan of the great commission, therefore repentance and discipleship are an integral part of evangelism. We are, therefore, opposed to a high-pressure approach to evangelism.

A Brief History of Rotorua Bible Baptist Church

Rotorua Bible Baptist Church was founded in 1968 by Neville Keys and his family who started a Sunday School in the Buffalo Hall on View Road.
The work eventually outgrew the premises and they shifted locations to the Sunset Intermediate School Hall in August 1974. At this time the name "Rotorua Bible Baptist Church" was adopted.
Pastor Neville Keys continued to pastor the church until January 1984, when he left the church to start a new work in Whakatane.

The church continued with interim pastors until January 1987, when Pastor Tommy O'Dell from the USA was voted as pastor. The church also moved locations at this time, to the Westbrook School Hall. Tommy O'Dell pastored the church until April 1990. During this time (in 1988), the church purchased the land where the current building stands.
In mid-1990 Pastor Paul Brinkman was voted in as the new pastor. He pastored the church until February 1993. During his time as pastor the shell of the current building was completed. The first service held in the new building was the Christmas service of 1991.

In July 1993 Pastor Shane Montgomery from the USA was voted in as the new pastor. Under his leadership, the Lord allowed the church to purchase the manse, complete the buildings, develop the property, begin many new ministries (including a Bible College). The church grew to an average of 160 people, larger than ever before. In 2005 the Montgomery's left Rotorua to begin a new work in Casa Grande, Arizona. The church voted Pastor Piper in as the new Pastor in that same year.

In 2015 Pastor Piper resigned and Pastor Shane Montgomery was voted in as the new pastor again.

Mission

The vision for Rotorua Bible Baptist Church (independent) has never changed: to reach the lost in Rotorua and around the world, and to offer a place where God's people can be taught the Word of God in an environment of love and acceptance.

To offer a ministry where the Word of God is the only textbook, and is preached and taught in a way that people can understand it and apply it to their lives.

To offer a ministry where people can be part of a church family, where they know that they are loved and needed, where they can find quality friendship.

To offer ministries where all members of the family are ministered to, and where the family unit has precedence. There will be regular teaching on old-fashioned, Biblical family values and Christian living.

The ministries of the church will be consistent with God's mandates for the local church: Evangelism and Missions; Discipleship; Fellowship and Care; Worship and Music. There will be sufficient ministry opportunities such that every member has a place to serve and grow.

Impressum

Shane Montgomery has been in the ministry since 1990. Pastor Montgomery and his wife have three grown and married children and ten grandchildren. He left a career as an aerospace engineer after he was called to preach while they were actively serving at Open Door Baptist Church in Lynnwood, Washington under Pastor Ken Blue. Pastor Shane studied at the Open Door Baptist Bible College during that time.

It was in March, 1990, that the Lord called them to New Zealand as missionaries. They began deputation in September, 1990 when Shane left his job. They visited 180 churches in the next 18 months and the Lord provided their needed support and their permanent visa to New Zealand.

They served at the Rotorua Bible Baptist Church in Rotorua, New Zealand from 1993 to 2005 and saw the Lord build the church wonderfully. This church was instrumental in the establishment of other independent Baptist churches in New Zealand.

They started Casa Grande Baptist, Arizona, USA in June 2005. They were asked to return in 2015 and Pastor Shane is again the pastor of Rotorua Bible Baptist Church.

Our Pastor's vision has always been to see people saved, baptized, taught the Word of God, and trained to serve the Lord Jesus Christ here and around the world.