Opening Service:
November 17, 2024

Meeting at Matamata-Piako Civic and Memorial Centre
Sundays at 10am, 11am, 5pm
Thursdays at 7pm

A ministry of Fellowship Baptist Church, Hamilton

The emphasis of Heritage Baptist Church is to show each individual that salvation through Jesus Christ is a compelling answer, the only answer, and the necessary answer for obtaining peace with God and peace for eternity.

The heartbeat of Heritage Baptist Church is seeing families with future generations continuing in their faith, by highlighting the importance of the individual personally knowing the why of their Christian beliefs and accepting it as their own.

The difference of Heritage Baptist Church is the authority of the Word of God and primary focus on the preaching of the Word of God. We believe church is not just a gathering or an entertainment hour, but rather an opportunity for Christians to be changed by God’s Word, then organised to share the gospel message in our community and abroad.

Our Purpose

Our People

Jono and Christi Millar

Pastor of Fellowship Baptist Church, Hamilton

Pastor Jono became a Christian at the age of nineteen after God providing many opportunities over some months to hear the gospel through many different means.  At that point in time he was studying towards a Science degree majoring in Biology at Waikato University.  Jono completed the degree and then, following God’s leading, began training for a full time ministry role through the local church Bible Institute at Fellowship Baptist Church.  After five years of training, the previous Pastor, Garth Piper, moved on to Rotorua Bible Baptist Church and the church officially voted Jono in as pastor.

Pastor Jono has had a vision and burden for several years of seeing Fellowship Baptist Church replicated in Matamata. Heritage Baptist Church is the culmination of that leadership.

Josh and Alyse Szwarga

Pastor of Heritage Baptist Church, Matamata

Josh and Alyse both were born and raised in Illinois, USA. They each trusted Christ at a young age through the result of hearing the gospel message. Prior to their move in 2022 to New Zealand, they completed their ministry education through a local university, specialising in international ministries and the launching of new churches.

For the past two years, Josh has worked for Grace Independent Baptist Church of Tauranga as an assistant to Pastor Daniel Fraser. They have a shared vision of new churches being started throughout the Bay of Plenty and Waikato regions. Josh brings nine years of ministry experience to the team.

Josh and Alyse were married in 2018 and have two children, Bentlee and Raelynn.

Limuel and Caitlin Daisa

Assistant Pastor of Heritage Baptist Church, Matamata

Limuel Daisa grew up in a Christian home with parents who faithfully served in their local church. Limuel was immersed in church activities from a young age. At the age of twelve he accepted the wonderful gift of salvation at a Young Men’s Retreat.

Since finishing college, Limuel has served as an assistant to the pastor for the past three years.

Caitlin trusted Christ as a teenager and is currently completing her nursing degree.

Limuel and Caitlin are engaged to be married later this year.

Have you seen this around town?

If you are interested in receiving more copies of the Gospel of John: Matamata Edition, simply let us know. They are freely available as our gift to the residents and friends of Matamata.

  • This publication contains the text of the Gospel of John, exclusive and professional photography of the local area, and a historical summary of the Christian heritage of the Matamata-Piako District.

  • To show that the gospel message is accessible, available and necessary for everyone.

    To show the beauty of the Matamata-Piako District.

  • Text or call 027 339 4078 or fill out the contact form below.

Online Services

Sundays at 10am, 11am, 5pm

  • The Bible

    We believe that the whole Bible is inspired of God, the only infallible, authoritative Word of God, the only source of God’s plan of Salvation and guide for the Christian life. We believe God has preserved His Word in the King James or Authorised version of the Bible.

    By “Holy Bible” we mean the collection of the sixty-six books, from Genesis to Revelation, which, as originally written, does not merely contain and convey the Word of God, but IS the very Word of God.

    By “inspiration” we mean that the books of the Bible were written by holy men of God, as they were moved by the Holy Spirit, in such a definite way that their writings were supernaturally and verbally inspired and free from error, as no other writings have ever been or ever will be inspired.

    2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Peter 1:19-21; Acts 1:16; Acts 28:25; John 17:17; Ps. 19:7-11; Ps. 119:160; Prov. 30:5-6; Rom. 3:4; Rev. 22:19; Ps. 119:89; Isa. 8:20; John 12:48; 1 Pet. 1:23; Luke 16:31; Luke 24:25-27; Luke 24:44-45; John 5:39; John 5:45-47; Ps. 119:105; Ps. 119:130; Rom. 15:4; Eph 6:17.

  • God

    We believe that there is only One Living and True God; Creator of all things; an Infinite, Intelligent Spirit; the Maker and Supreme Ruler of heaven and earth; inexpressibly glorious in holiness and worthy of all possible honour, confidence, and love; that, in the unity of the Godhead, there are three Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, equal in every divine perfection. We believe the nature of God is reflected in His attributes which describe He as being: holy, Spirit, infinite, eternal, immutable, omnipresent, omniscient, omnipotent, truth, love, righteous and good.

    Gen. 1:1; Gen. 17:1; Ex. 20:2-3; Jer. 10:10; 1 Cor. 8:6; Eph. 4:6; John 4:24; Ps. 147:5; Rom. 11:33; Rev. 4:11; Ps. 83:18; Ps. 90:2; Ex. 15:11; Mark 12:30; 1 Tim. 1:17; Matt. 28:19; John 10:30; John 15:26; John 17:5; Acts 5:3-4; 1 Cor. 2:10-11; 1 Cor. 12:4-6; 2 Cor. 13:14; Eph. 2:17; Phil. 2:5-6; 1 John 5:7; 1 Pet. 1:16; John 4:24; Ps. 145:3; Ps 90:2; Mal. 3:6; James 1:17; Jer. 23:24; Gen 18:14; Luke 1:37; John 14:6; 1 John 4:8,16; Jn. 17:25; Mat 6:26; 28-30.

  • God the Father

    We believe in God the Father, Who is True Holiness, Eternal Power, Infinite Love, Perfect Justice, Absolute Truth, The Alpha and Omega, the “I AM THAT I AM.”

    Ex. 20:2-3; Lev. 19:2; Rom 1:20; 3:26; 1 John 4:8-9; Titus 1:2

    God the Son

    We believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God; His virgin birth; His sinless life; His miracles; His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood; His bodily ascension to the right hand of the Father, where He ever lives to make intercession for His saints; in His pre-millennial, pre-tribulation coming for His saints; and in His return to earth to reign in power and glory.

    Matt. 1:23; John 1:1,14; John 5:18; Col. 2:9; Ps. 2:7; John 3:16; 1 John 4:9; John 1:14; Matt. 1:18,22-23; Heb. 4:15; 1 Pet. 1:19; Acts 10:38; Isa. 53:5; Rom. 5:11; Eph 1:7; 1 John 1:7; Matt. 28:6; Acts 1:10-11; Heb. 7:25; 1 Thes. 4:13-18; Zech. 14:4-9.

  • God the Holy Spirit

    We believe that the Holy Spirit is a divine Person; equal with, and of the same nature as, God the Father, and God the Son; that He was active in the creation; that in His relation to the unbelieving world He restrains the Evil One until Gods purpose is fulfilled; that He convicts the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgement; that He bears witness to the truth of the Gospel in preaching and testimony; that He is the Agent in the New Birth, that He seals, endues, guides, teaches, witnesses, sanctifies, and helps the believer.

    John 14:16-17; Matt. 28:19; Heb. 9:14; Gen. 1:1-3; 2 Thes. 2:7; John 16:8-11; John 15:26-27; Acts 5:30-32; John 3:5-6; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16; John 1:33; Acts 11:16; Luke 24:49; John 16:13; John 14:26; Rom. 8:14; Rom. 8:16; Eph. 1:13-14; 2 Thes. 2:13; 1 Pet. 1:2; Rom. 8:26-27.

    Note: We do not believe that the evidence of being filled with the Spirit is speaking in tongues or other sign gifts. We believe these gifts ceased when the New Testament was completed according to 1 Cor. 13:8-10 (See statement “THE NEW BIRTH”).

  • Fall of Man

    We believe that man was created by God in His own image as given in the Genesis account; that through disobedience to God, man lost his first estate and thereby became a sinner in need of a Saviour; and since that time men are born sinners, spiritually dead, alienated from God, and in need of personal redemption that is in the Lord Jesus Christ alone.

    Gen. 1:26-27; Gen. 3:1-24; Rom. 5:12; Ps. 51:5; John 3:3; 3:36; 5:25; Rom. 3:23; Eph. 2:1.

  • Blood Atonement for Sin

    We believe that the salvation of sinners is wholly of grace; that the Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, shedding His blood on the cross as a representative and substitutionary sacrifice; and that all who repent and believe in Him by faith as personal Saviour, are thereby justified on the grounds of His shed blood.

    Eph. 2:8-9; 1 Cor. 15:3; Eph. 1:7; Isa. 53:6; Acts 17:30; Acts 10:43; Acts 13:38-39; John 1:12; Col. 2:6; Rom. 4:4-5; Rom 5:9.

  • The New Birth

    We believe that in order to be saved, all men, being sinners, must be born again. We believe that all who receive by faith the Lord Jesus Christ are born again of the Holy Spirit. We believe that this new birth is instantaneous and not a process, that it is brought about in a manner beyond our comprehension, solely by the power of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God. We believe, that in the new birth, God justifies the believer, and at that moment, the Holy Spirit indwells the believer with power for holy living and service.

    Rom. 6:23; John 3:3; Acts 2:41; John 1:12-13; 1 John 5:1; John 3:6-7; 2 Cor. 5:17; 2 Pet. 1:4; Eph. 2:11; Col. 2:13; Acts 1:8; 2 Cor. 5:19.

  • Justification

    We believe that justification is a judicial act of God by which He imparts to the born again believer: complete pardon of sins, the gift of eternal life, and imputes to the believer his own righteousness. We believe that justification is bestowed not in consideration of any works of righteousness which the believer has done, but solely because of his faith in the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.

    Acts 13:39; Isa. 53:11; Zech. 13:1; Rom. 8:1; Hab. 2:4; Gal. 3:11; Rom. 4:1-8; Heb. 10:38; Rom. 1:17; Rom. 5:1; Tit. 3:5-7; Rom. 5:9.

  • The Security of the Believer

    We believe that all who are truly born again are: eternally secure, since they have been saved by believing in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ; sealed by the Holy Spirit; and kept by the power of God unto salvation.

    1 John 5:1; Acts 16:31; John 10:26-29; Rom. 10:13; Eph. 1:13; Rom. 8:13-19; 2 Cor. 1:22; 1 Pet. 1:3-5.

  • Local Churches

    We believe that a properly constituted local church is a congregation of baptised believers associated by a covenant of faith and fellowship of the gospel, the church being understood to be the “pillar and ground of the truth,” observing the ordinances of Christ; governed by His laws; exercising the gifts, rights and privileges invested in them by His Word; that its officers are Pastors and Deacons, whose qualifications, claims, and duties are clearly defined in the scriptures. We believe the true mission of the church is found in the Great Commission: first, to make individual disciples; second, to baptise those disciples into the membership of the church; third, to teach and instruct as He has commanded. We do not believe in the reversal of this order. We hold that the local church has the absolute right of self government, free from the interference of any hierarchy of individuals or organisations, and that the one and only Superintendent is Christ through the Holy Spirit; that it is scriptural for true churches to cooperate with each other in contending for the faith and for the furtherance of the Gospel; that every church is the sole and only judge of the measure and method of its cooperation; on all matters of membership, of policy, of government, of discipline, of benevolence, the will of the local church is final.

    Acts 2:41; 1 Tim. 3:15; 1 Cor. 11:2; Eph. 1:22-23; 1 Cor. 12:4-11; Eph. 4:11; Phil. 1:1; Acts 14:23; Acts 6:1-6; Matt. 28:19-20; Col. 1:18; Eph. 5:23-24; 1 Pet. 5:1-4; Acts 15:22; Jude 3-4; 2 Cor. 8:23-24; 1 Cor. 16:1-2; Mal. 3:10; Lev. 27:32; 1 Cor. 16:2; 1 Cor. 6:1-3; 1 Cor. 5:11-12.

  • The Ordinances of the Local Church

    We believe that Christ, as the Head of the church, commanded two ordinances: Baptism and the Lords Supper.

    Baptism

    We believe that baptism, as taught in the Scriptures, is by immersion and is not necessary for salvation; that it is the privilege and duty of every child of God to follow the Lord, and obey His command, by being baptised as an open confession of his identification with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection.

    Eph. 5:23; Matt. 28:19; 1 Cor. 11:2; Acts 8:38-39; John 3:23; Acts 10:47-48; Rom. 6:3-5.

    Lord's Supper

    We believe that the Lord’s Supper is a memorial to be observed by born again believers, who are in fellowship with, and a member of, a local church; that it is to be observed in remembrance of the Lord Jesus Christ which shows forth His death till He comes; and that it should always be preceded by self-examination.

    Acts 2:42-47; 1 Cor. 11:2; 1 Cor. 10:16; Matt. 26:26-29; Matt. 28:20; 1 Cor. 11:18-20; 1 Cor. 11:24-25,28.

  • The Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ

    We believe in the literal resurrection of the crucified body of our Lord, and His bodily ascension into Heaven, where He now is at the right hand of God as our High Priest, Mediator, Propitiation, Intercessor, and Advocate.

    Mark 16:5-7; Matt. 28:5-7; John 20:27; Luke 24:36-40; 50-51; Acts 1:9-10; Heb. 8:1; 9:15; Rom. 8:34; 1 John 2:1; Heb 1:3.

  • The Lord’s Second Coming

    We believe that at this present time the Lord is taking out a people for His name, and those who receive Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour will one day see Him face to face. We believe that Jesus rose bodily the “third day according to the Scriptures,” that one day this same Jesus shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first; then the living in Christ, “which are alive and remain, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” We believe that true born again believers must all appear before the Judgement Seat of Christ, where everyone will receive rewards or loss of rewards for the things done in his body, according to that he has done, whether it be good or bad. We believe in the personal return of Christ to earth following the Great Tribulation for the purpose of setting up His Kingdom which is a thousand year reign.

    Acts 2:39; Acts 15:14; John 1:12-13; Eph. 3:15; 1 Thes. 4:13-18; 1 Cor. 15:51-52; 2 Cor. 5:10; 1 Cor. 3:11-15; Rom. 14:10; 1 Pet. 4:17-18; Acts 1:11; Zech. 14:4; Matt. 24:29-31; Luke 21:25-31; Rev. 20:3-6.

  • Satan

    We believe that Satan was once holy, and enjoyed heavenly honours, but though pride and ambition to be as the Almighty, fell and drew after him a host of angels; that he is now the malignant prince of the power of the air, and the unholy god of this world. We hold him to be: man’s great tempter; the enemy of God and His Christ; the accuser of the saints; the author of all false religions; the chief power behind the present apostasy; the lord of the antichrist; and the author of all the powers of darkness. We believe he is destined to final defeat at the hands of God’s own Son; and will face the judgement of an eternal justice in the Lake of Fire, a place prepared for him and his angels.

    Isa. 14:12-15; Ezek. 28:14-17; Rev. 12:9; Jude 6; 2 Pet. 2:4; Eph. 2:2; John 14:30; 1 Thes. 3:5; Matt. 4:1-3; 1 Pet. 5:8; 1 John 3:8; Matt. 13:25,37,39; Luke 22:3-4; Rev. 12:10; 2 Cor. 11:13-15; Mark 13:21-22; 1 John 4:3; 2 John 7; 1 John 2:22; Rev. 13:13-14; 2 Thes. 2:8-11; Rev. 19:11-21; Rev. 12:7-9; Rev. 20:1-3; Rev. 20:10; Matt. 25:41.

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