At Baptist Youth Ministries (BYM), our heart is to see young people follow Jesus and bring His good news into every corner of Aotearoa.
Our mission is clear:
Supporting churches to make disciples who bring about Gospel renewal to people and places.
Our Dream
Our dream is to see a generation of young people who are:
Character – centred on Christ, demonstrating the fruit of the Holy Spirit.
Called – following the lead of the Holy Spirit, to whatever, whoever, and wherever He calls (purpose, people, and place).
Competency – equipped for ministry and mission to bring gospel renewal to people and places.
Who we work with
We believe youth ministry is something we do together — it takes a whole community. That’s why we work alongside:
Senior Leaders – pastors, elders, and church leaders who guide our churches and invest in discipling young people.
Youth Practitioners – youth pastors and leaders who walk closely with young people in their faith journey.
Young People – intermediates, youth, and young adults discovering faith, purpose, and their place in God’s story.
What we do
We don’t just want to talk about discipleship — we hope to create spaces, tools, and opportunities for it to grow. That looks like:
Resourcing – developing resources, guides, and creative tools for churches to disciple young people effectively.
Training – running workshops, retreats, and leadership development for youth pastors and leaders.
Connecting – hosting events, camps, and networks where youth ministries can encourage one another and partner in mission.
Advocacy – supporting youth pastors in their roles and championing young people in the wider church.
Equipping – investing in young leaders, giving them opportunities to serve and step into leadership in their local church and beyond.
5 Keys to Formational Discipleship
We believe every young person can be a disciple of Jesus shaped by these five keys, based on Acts 2:42-47
Biblically engaged - We are people of the Word.
Rhythms of prayer and worship. - We are led by the Spirit.
Active in service and mission - We are partners in God’s mission.
Discipling relationships - We are apprentices of Jesus, discipling each other.
Committed to church community - We are the Body of Christ.
Our Team
We’re a team passionate about equipping youth and leaders, and walking with churches to see young people follow Jesus today.
Ethan Miller
National Youth Catalyst
Ethan Miller is BYM’s National Youth Catalyst, helping youth pastors and churches across Aotearoa equip and inspire young people. With over 13 years in youth ministry, he’s passionate about seeing the next generation encounter Jesus, grow in faith, and step into leadership. Ethan lives in Glenfield, Auckland, and is part of Windsor Park Baptist Church.
Maya Bradley
BYM Coordinator
Maya Bradley is our BYM Coordinator, helping keep everything running smoothly across BYM. From communications to events, she loves seeing young people be discipled. Maya is part of Royal Oak Baptist Church and is passionate about seeing young people grow in their faith and step confidently into leadership.
He Rito
He Rito is a Māori concept gifted to us to use by Sean Delany of Te Whāriki. Below you will find it’s powerful meaning and its relevance for Baptist churches, and all the young people within them.
At the centre of the harakeke (flax) bush, the rito (young shoots) grow up protected and supported by the outer leaves (the awhi rito and tūpuna). Their pakiaka (roots) intertwine with other harakeke bushes, supporting and holding one another up. Māori use harakeke as a metaphor for the concept of whānau (family), with the rito considered as the child or young person, supported by their parents and grandparents.
Hutia te rito ō te harakeke, kei whea te korimako e kō? Ka rere ki uta, ka rere ki tai. Kī mai koe ki au, he aha te mea nui i te ao? Māku e kī atu, He tangata! He tangata! He tangata!
If you pluck out the flax shoot, where will the bellbird sing? It will fly in-land, it will fly seawards. If you ask me, what is the most important thing in the world? I will reply, People! People! People!
This Māori whakataukī describes what happens when the rito is not protected. Simply put, the harakeke will not survive. Similarly, if a whānau ceases to produce and nurture children, it too will die. The saying is an affirmation of the value of people and the whānau which produces and nurtures them.
This beautiful whakataukī couldn’t be truer for our Baptist whānau. One of the greatest roles of God’s people is passing the torch of faith from one generation to the next. To disciple, guide, protect, and nurture the faith of the young so that they may know and live with God. That they may experience His love, goodness, and grace as well as ever-increasing fruit of the Holy Spirit at work in their lives.
He Rito is a concept that guides all of our young people, from our babies to our young adults. If you’re keen to know more about children and families and the other awesome work happening in local churches with young people, check out the He Rito webpage below.
This is our hope for our young people, our churches, and the future of our movement of Baptist churches throughout Aotearoa New Zealand.
We are an entity of the Baptist Union of New Zealand, we work directly for and alongside Baptist churches across Aotearoa to support, equip, and inspire young people and those who lead them in faith and mission.
