There are over 260 local churches and fellowships in association with the New Zealand Baptist Union, with about 22,000 members on their rolls, though actual attendance is much greater.The primary function of the Baptist National Centre is to resource affiliated Baptist churches in New Zealand. Some of the agencies overseen by the Baptist Union are:

• Baptist Action - advice on community ministries and trusts
• Baptist Savings and Development Society
• Baptist monthly newspaper
• Bulk buying to benefit churches
• Collective schemes for pastors

Co-operation consists of general agreement with the doctrine, ecclesiology and convictions of the Baptist Union; and financial contribution to the causes the Baptist Union supports, like Carey Baptist College, missions, etc.

Baptist Assembly is a meeting, not a corporation, which meets for 3 days each year. Otherwise, commitments are carried out by the Assembly Council and various agencies. Churches participate in governance of the Baptist Union by sending delegates to the annual Assembly. There we vote on the council members who oversee the various agencies/committees.

But the most important way we co-operate is financially.

• We take as a guide the annual budget for the Baptist Union divided across the current national membership, with Hastings Baptist Church budgeting to support our share of the work of the Baptist Union in New Zealand.
• We participate in the Tranzsend/NZBMS annual "Prayer & Self-Denial" appeal with the funds raised going directly to support foreign missions.The intention is to co-operate together with other New Zealand Baptist churches to do together what we couldn't do alone.

The Early Baptists

In 1841, the first notable Baptist, Henry Cooper Daniell, arrived in New Zealand and settled in Nelson. The first Baptist to settle in Auckland was Joshua Robinson, who arrived in 1842, while Theophilus Mannering arrived in Canterbury/Otago ten years later. The first Baptist Minister, Decimus Dolamore from Yorkshire, arrived in Nelson in May 1851, and played a part in the formation of the first Baptist Church in New Zealand - Nelson Baptist Church - in that same year.

In 1874, the Canterbury Baptist Association was formed. It started the New Zealand Baptist magazine, which was intended to "promote the union of the Baptist churches throughout the colony". The 'New Zealand Baptist' magazine has been published monthly since January 1881.

The Baptist Union of New Zealand

Reverend Charles Dallaston organised a conference in Christchurch for the 23 September 1880, to discuss the formation of a Baptist Union. The eight ministers and seven lay men who attended the meeting decided that it was desirable to form a Union among the Baptist churches in New Zealand. Its purposes would be to hold occasional meetings of ministers and delegates, to promote the formation of new churches, and to help weak churches.

The "Baptist Union of New Zealand" was formed at a conference held in Wellington from the 6 - 10 October 1882. At this time there were 22 Baptist Churches, with a total of 1,890 members. Maintaining the publication of the 'New Zealand Baptist' was the first major commitment of the newly formed Union.

Tranzsend

Tranzsend was originally started as The New Zealand Baptist Missionary Society in 1885 - as the overseas mission arm of the Baptist Union Churches of New Zealand.  The first missionary sent out was Miss Rosalie MacGeorge from Hanover Street Baptist Church, being sent to India in 1886.  In 1890 the first mission station was established at Brahmanbaria, East Bengal, and in 1895 the second mission station at Chandpur, East Bengal was approved.

Baptist personnel have worked in the Solomon Islands, Fiji, France, Zaire, Papua New Guinea, Hong Kong and Macau in a range of activities that has included community development, literacy, church planting, theological training, medical assistance, emergency relief, publishing, schooling, hospital development, handcraft industry, agriculture, saw milling, financing loan schemes and countless other work. They have done this with one overall goal in mind. “To share Christ and Serve the World”.

Carey Baptist College

The Baptist Theological College was founded by the Baptist Churches of New Zealand in 1924.  The name was changed when the college relocated to Penrose in Auckland. Carey contributes to the work and mission of Baptist churches through the training of men and women as pastors and leaders with mission, vision and mission skills.