Founded in 1880, Ponsonby Baptist Church began as an offshoot of Wellesley St Baptist Church. That church later became the Baptist Tabernacle. It stood at the top of Queen Street. The Ponsonby Baptist Church’s origins were humble. Its early members lived on nearby streets. These included Shelley Beach Road and Curran Street. Dublin Street and Vermont Street were also home to some members.
The church faced early challenges. Powerful personalities clashed. Strongly held principles caused conflict. There were frequent resignations. These included Sunday School Superintendents and deacons. Leaders also resigned. The church lost three ministers in its first six years. Despite these challenges, the Ponsonby Baptist Church persevered.
By the end of the nineteenth century, Ponsonby Baptist Church began to thrive. It advertised in the Auckland Star. The church grew rapidly. It soon needed to hire a local hall for services. The early Sunday School hall stood where the church now stands. In 1886 it was moved to the back of the property. This made way for a larger building. This new building could hold 400 people. Within twenty years, the Sunday School grew. It had 200 students and 23 teachers. They produced huge musicals each year. There were many activities. These included a choir and the Vigilance Society. The Vigilance Society welcomed newcomers. The church also hosted the first Christian Endeavour Society in New Zealand. Christian Endeavour encouraged public speaking. They also shared testimonies. These were meant to be short and shiny. The society ran a Relief Committee. This committee paid the rent of a struggling family.
In 1892, AH Collins arrived from Manchester. He was the first of several radical ministers. He supported trade unions. He condemned the capitalist system. Collins claimed it exploited poor workers. He said those who worked most had least to eat. He also said those who didn’t work spoke loftily about the working classes. His sermons were published in pamphlets. His articles on philosophy and poetry were also published. Later, during World War One, W.S. Rollings was a minister. He also published provocative articles. He even wrote a booklet. It denounced the atrocities of war.
Church members opposed boxing and gambling. They opposed alcohol. They supported votes for women. They followed Mary Aldis. She opposed the humiliating inspection of prostitutes for venereal diseases.
Ponsonby Baptist Church faced difficulties in the 1920s. Young members moved to new suburbs. One minister said modern transport killed Ponsonby. He watched his congregation drive past. They went to hear popular preachers at the Baptist Tabernacle. Two world wars took young men. These men had led the youth groups. For decades, the church could only afford part-time ministers. They also hired students in training at Baptist College.
In the 1960s, Pacific Island immigrants arrived. They came to work on the wharves and in factories. They lived in Ponsonby’s large decaying villas. Ponsonby Baptist became home to Niue Island families. The Wongs also joined. They ran a fruit business at Three Lamps. Under Murray Beck, the church developed an inclusive ethos. It remained small. It refused offers to close. The City Mission and the Tabernacle wanted it to join them.
Mike Riddell moved the church into an expansionist era. He revived its early radical streak. Speculators and middle-class families moved in. They renovated Ponsonby’s old villas. Many Pacific Island families were ousted. The church founded the Community of Refuge Trust. It bought cheap houses. It rented them to people who were struggling. Some were recently released from mental hospitals. Tensions arose. Old members felt the place was no longer their own. The ethnic diversity changed. It became a mixture of young families and people with mental illness. Through the 1990s, Scott Malcolm continued a tradition of fresh interpretations of the gospel.
Today, Ponsonby Baptist has a strong identity. It challenges the status quo. It is inclusive. It is a refuge for people who need to express doubts. It welcomes gay and transgender Christians. The Community of Refuge Trust helps members work out their faith. Since 2005, the church has been led by Jody Kilpatrick. The Ponsonby Baptist Church complex includes a Classical church. It also includes a Gothic-style Sunday School Hall. The original Sunday school building dates from 1876. DPA Architects created a new link. They also created a front canopy. These connected the church and the former Sunday School Hall. This improved the flow of the complex. The new link is contemporary. It stands apart from the historic buildings.