Hawaii Pacific Baptist Convention
Encyclopedia
The Hawaii Pacific Baptist Convention (HPBC) is a group of churches affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention
located in the U.S. state
of Hawaii
and other pacific regions. Headquartered in Honolulu, it is made up of 138 churches on 11 islands in 6 Baptist associations.
, started work in the town of Wahiawa with a Sunday School
which eventually became the First Baptist Church of Wahiawa.
A few Southern Baptist missionaries stopped in Hawaii for short periods of time between 1937 and 1938 but it was not until 1940, when all of the missionaries in China
and Japan
were forced out of these countries, that the International Mission Board
(then known as the Foreign Mission Board) began thinking about opening work in these islands. As these first Baptist missionaries came and surveyed the islands, they concluded 6 percent of the people were nominally Christian.
On December 12, 1940, The Hawaiian Mission of the Foreign Mission Board was formally organized and Wahiawa church was the first church to affiliate. In 1941, the Olivet Baptist Church was constituted
in Honolulu out of the work which was started by layman, Joseph Tyssowski. Southern Baptist missionary, Victor Koon, was called as the pastor
of Olivet.
Twenty-four representatives (called messengers) from 5 churches (Wahiawa, Olivet, Nuuanu, Calvary and Waimea) met at the Baptist Bible School of Hawaii on July 12 and organized the Association of Baptist Churches of Hawaii.
The work spread to the other islands. A group of Christians meeting as the Missionary Bible Church in Waimea
, Kauai
, asked for help, and the Waimea Baptist Church was organized on this foundation in 1943. A Baptist chaplain
stationed on Maui
began a mission which later became the Kahului Baptist Church. A public school teacher, who was converted at the Olivet Baptist Church, began a Sunday School on the island of Molokai
at an unused Buddhist temple. This group became the Kaunakakai Baptist Church. Dr. and Mrs. Charles Leonard felt led to go to Hilo, Hawaii, to open work there and were influential in starting the Kinoole Baptist Church.
Churches were established on each of the main islands of Hawaii. Meeting in school buildings, groups of people studied the Bible, were converted and eventually constituted churches throughout six of the islands. With the help of the Lottie Moon
Christmas
Offering
, sanctuaries soon replaced these temporary meeting places. At the annual meeting of the Association of Baptist Churches of Hawaii, July 21 at Calvary Baptist Church, the organization's name was changed to Hawaii Baptist Convention.
The Baptist Student Union
formed in Manoa
. The Baptist Bible School of Hawaii opened staffed by missionaries appointed by the Foreign Mission Board. The first issue of the Hawaii Baptist; was produced with Joe W. Bailey as volunteer editor. Two acres of land on Heulu Street at Liholiho was purchased for a Baptist secondary School
. The Hawaii Baptist Academy
opened its doors to its first students in 1949. Over 1,100 students are enrolled today from kindergarten through 12th grade. Two campuses are located in Nuuanu Valley on Oahu
.
A 16-acre campsite on the leeward coast of Oahu, the former home of the Waianae Sugar Plantation
manager, was purchased. It was named Puu Kahea Baptist Assembly, "Echoing Hills"; in Hawaiian. With the coming of statehood
to Hawaii, Foreign Mission Board support began to diminish in 1951 and the churches were challenged as never before to reach more adults, to increase in stewardship
, to grow in total dedication to the cause of Christ, and to continue in their missionary outreach. The North American Mission Board
(reorganized from the Home Mission Board in 1997) and other agencies, have continued to help Hawaii Pacific Baptists' missions and ministry opportunities.
In 1955 the first meeting of the HBC executive board met at the Baptist Student Center. The Samoa
Baptist Academy began with 14 volunteer teachers.
In 1979 Wayland Baptist College
opened in Hawaii as their first campus outside of Texas
. In 1981 the College changed its name to Wayland Baptist University.
In 1997 the name changed to the Hawaii Pacific Baptist Convention to represent the territories of the convention.
of 1963 that is no longer adopted by the Southern Baptist Convention.
During the 2010 state convention, a recommendation was presented to the messengers to amend the Hawaii Pacific Baptist Convention's Constitution, Article III, Statement of Faith. The change would read, "The Convention shall be founded on a fellowship based on the Holy Bible, Old and New Testaments. Specific doctrinal distinctives are identified in any historic or current Baptist Faith and Message adopted by the Southern Baptist Convention. As of the current Amended Date, any future revision of the Baptist Faith and Message must be reviewed and affirmed by the Hawaii Pacific Baptist Convention for adoption." The recommended amendment will go to a vote in 2011.
Southern Baptist Convention
The Southern Baptist Convention is a United States-based Christian denomination. It is the world's largest Baptist denomination and the largest Protestant body in the United States, with over 16 million members...
located in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
and other pacific regions. Headquartered in Honolulu, it is made up of 138 churches on 11 islands in 6 Baptist associations.
History
Baptist work had its beginning in 1926 when Charles J. McDonald, a laymanLayman
A layperson or layman is a person who is not an expert in a given field of knowledge. The term originally meant a member of the laity, i.e. a non-clergymen, but over the centuries shifted in definition....
, started work in the town of Wahiawa with a Sunday School
Sunday school
Sunday school is the generic name for many different types of religious education pursued on Sundays by various denominations.-England:The first Sunday school may have been opened in 1751 in St. Mary's Church, Nottingham. Another early start was made by Hannah Ball, a native of High Wycombe in...
which eventually became the First Baptist Church of Wahiawa.
A few Southern Baptist missionaries stopped in Hawaii for short periods of time between 1937 and 1938 but it was not until 1940, when all of the missionaries in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
were forced out of these countries, that the International Mission Board
International Mission Board
The International Mission Board is a missionary sending agency affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention which operates in virtually every nation except the United States and Canada...
(then known as the Foreign Mission Board) began thinking about opening work in these islands. As these first Baptist missionaries came and surveyed the islands, they concluded 6 percent of the people were nominally Christian.
On December 12, 1940, The Hawaiian Mission of the Foreign Mission Board was formally organized and Wahiawa church was the first church to affiliate. In 1941, the Olivet Baptist Church was constituted
Constitution
A constitution is a set of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or other organization is governed. These rules together make up, i.e. constitute, what the entity is...
in Honolulu out of the work which was started by layman, Joseph Tyssowski. Southern Baptist missionary, Victor Koon, was called as the pastor
Pastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
of Olivet.
Twenty-four representatives (called messengers) from 5 churches (Wahiawa, Olivet, Nuuanu, Calvary and Waimea) met at the Baptist Bible School of Hawaii on July 12 and organized the Association of Baptist Churches of Hawaii.
The work spread to the other islands. A group of Christians meeting as the Missionary Bible Church in Waimea
Waimea
-Places:United States*Waimea, Hawaii County, Hawaii *Waimea, Kauai County, Hawaii*Waimea Bay, Hawaii on Oahu*Waimea Canyon State Park on Kauai*Waimea Ditch on Kauai*Waimea River on Kauai*Waimea Valley on OahuNew Zealand...
, Kauai
Kauai
Kauai or Kauai, known as Tauai in the ancient Kaua'i dialect, is geologically the oldest of the main Hawaiian Islands. With an area of , it is the fourth largest of the main islands in the Hawaiian archipelago, and the 21st largest island in the United States. Known also as the "Garden Isle",...
, asked for help, and the Waimea Baptist Church was organized on this foundation in 1943. A Baptist chaplain
Chaplain
Traditionally, a chaplain is a minister in a specialized setting such as a priest, pastor, rabbi, or imam or lay representative of a religion attached to a secular institution such as a hospital, prison, military unit, police department, university, or private chapel...
stationed on Maui
Maui
The island of Maui is the second-largest of the Hawaiian Islands at and is the 17th largest island in the United States. Maui is part of the state of Hawaii and is the largest of Maui County's four islands, bigger than Lānai, Kahoolawe, and Molokai. In 2010, Maui had a population of 144,444,...
began a mission which later became the Kahului Baptist Church. A public school teacher, who was converted at the Olivet Baptist Church, began a Sunday School on the island of Molokai
Molokai
Molokai or Molokai is an island in the Hawaiian archipelago. It is 38 by 10 miles in size with a land area of , making it the fifth largest of the main Hawaiian Islands and the 27th largest island in the United States. It lies east of Oahu across the 25-mile wide Kaiwi Channel and north of...
at an unused Buddhist temple. This group became the Kaunakakai Baptist Church. Dr. and Mrs. Charles Leonard felt led to go to Hilo, Hawaii, to open work there and were influential in starting the Kinoole Baptist Church.
Churches were established on each of the main islands of Hawaii. Meeting in school buildings, groups of people studied the Bible, were converted and eventually constituted churches throughout six of the islands. With the help of the Lottie Moon
Lottie Moon
Charlotte Digges "Lottie" Moon was a Southern Baptist missionary to China with the Foreign Mission Board who spent nearly forty years living and working in China...
Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
Offering
Offering
Offering may refer to:* Offering, a collection of donations during religious worship, see alms, tithe or charity* Offering, a religious sacrifice of plant, animal or human life* Offering , a part of devotional practice*Phan...
, sanctuaries soon replaced these temporary meeting places. At the annual meeting of the Association of Baptist Churches of Hawaii, July 21 at Calvary Baptist Church, the organization's name was changed to Hawaii Baptist Convention.
The Baptist Student Union
Baptist Student Union
The Baptist Student Union is the traditional name of a college-level organization that can be found on many college campuses in the United States and Canada. As the term BSU became associated with other organizations, many local ministries changed their name...
formed in Manoa
Manoa
thumb|240px|right|Vintage shot of University of Hawaii, Manoa240px|thumb|right|Vintage photo of Manoa ValleyMānoa is a valley and a residential neighborhood of Honolulu CDP of the City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii, United States; the community is approximately three miles east and inland from...
. The Baptist Bible School of Hawaii opened staffed by missionaries appointed by the Foreign Mission Board. The first issue of the Hawaii Baptist; was produced with Joe W. Bailey as volunteer editor. Two acres of land on Heulu Street at Liholiho was purchased for a Baptist secondary School
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
. The Hawaii Baptist Academy
Hawaii Baptist Academy
Hawaii Baptist Academy is a Christian primary and secondary co-educational college preparatory school and serves grades kindergarten to twelve on three campuses. The school is operated by the Hawaii Pacific Baptist Convention.-History:...
opened its doors to its first students in 1949. Over 1,100 students are enrolled today from kindergarten through 12th grade. Two campuses are located in Nuuanu Valley on Oahu
Oahu
Oahu or Oahu , known as "The Gathering Place", is the third largest of the Hawaiian Islands and most populous of the islands in the U.S. state of Hawaii. The state capital Honolulu is located on the southeast coast...
.
A 16-acre campsite on the leeward coast of Oahu, the former home of the Waianae Sugar Plantation
Plantation
A plantation is a long artificially established forest, farm or estate, where crops are grown for sale, often in distant markets rather than for local on-site consumption...
manager, was purchased. It was named Puu Kahea Baptist Assembly, "Echoing Hills"; in Hawaiian. With the coming of statehood
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
to Hawaii, Foreign Mission Board support began to diminish in 1951 and the churches were challenged as never before to reach more adults, to increase in stewardship
Stewardship (theology)
Stewardship is a theological belief that humans are responsible for the world, and should take care of it. It can have political implications, such as in Christian Democracy.-Implications:...
, to grow in total dedication to the cause of Christ, and to continue in their missionary outreach. The North American Mission Board
North American Mission Board
The North American Mission Board is the domestic missions agency of the Southern Baptist Convention. It exists to assist Southern Baptists in their task of fulfilling the Great Commission in the United States, Canada, and their territories through a national strategy for sharing Christ, starting...
(reorganized from the Home Mission Board in 1997) and other agencies, have continued to help Hawaii Pacific Baptists' missions and ministry opportunities.
In 1955 the first meeting of the HBC executive board met at the Baptist Student Center. The Samoa
Samoa
Samoa , officially the Independent State of Samoa, formerly known as Western Samoa is a country encompassing the western part of the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. It became independent from New Zealand in 1962. The two main islands of Samoa are Upolu and one of the biggest islands in...
Baptist Academy began with 14 volunteer teachers.
In 1979 Wayland Baptist College
Wayland Baptist University
Wayland Baptist University is private, coeducational Baptist university based in Plainview, Texas, U.S.A. Wayland Baptist has a total of fourteen campuses in four additional Texas cities, five other states, and the country of Kenya. On August 31, 1908, the university was chartered by the state of...
opened in Hawaii as their first campus outside of Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. In 1981 the College changed its name to Wayland Baptist University.
In 1997 the name changed to the Hawaii Pacific Baptist Convention to represent the territories of the convention.
Doctrinal Beliefs
The Hawaii Pacific Baptist Convention currently affirms the Baptist Faith and MessageBaptist Faith and Message
The Baptist Faith and Message is the confession of faith of the Southern Baptist Convention . It summarizes key Southern Baptist thought in the areas of the Bible and its authority, the nature of God as expressed by the Trinity, the spiritual condition of man, God's plan of grace and salvation,...
of 1963 that is no longer adopted by the Southern Baptist Convention.
During the 2010 state convention, a recommendation was presented to the messengers to amend the Hawaii Pacific Baptist Convention's Constitution, Article III, Statement of Faith. The change would read, "The Convention shall be founded on a fellowship based on the Holy Bible, Old and New Testaments. Specific doctrinal distinctives are identified in any historic or current Baptist Faith and Message adopted by the Southern Baptist Convention. As of the current Amended Date, any future revision of the Baptist Faith and Message must be reviewed and affirmed by the Hawaii Pacific Baptist Convention for adoption." The recommended amendment will go to a vote in 2011.
Presidents
- Dr. Chester R. Young, Sr. (1952-1954)
- Patsor Ernest Mosley (1966-1967)
- Dan Liu (1967-1968)
- Mori Hiratani (1968-1970)
- Dr. Daniel Hen Chong Kong (early 1970s)
- Dr. W.C. Garland (1984-1986)
- Cliff Hoff (1986-1988)
- Donna Farr (1988-1990)
- Pastor Kenneth Newman (1990-1992)
- Paul Oyer (1992-1994)
- Paul Kaneshiro (1994-1996)
- George Moyer (1996-1998)
- Pastor Steve Murphy (1998-2000)
- George Iwahiro (2000–2002)
- Pastor Dan Van Alstine (2002-2004)
- Ken Sakai (2004–2006)
- Pastor Duane McDaniel (2006-2007)
- Pastor Robert Miller (2007–2009)
- Walt Agena (2009–Present)
Big Island Baptist Association
- Cornerstone Christian Fellowship
- Cornerstone Christian Fellowship North Kona
- Cornerstone Christian Fellowship South Kona
- Faith Baptist Mission
- First Baptist Church of Waimea
- Hamakua Baptist Church
- Hilo Baptist Church
- Hilo Korean Christian Church
- Kaumana Drive Baptist Church
- Kinoole Baptist Church
- Kohala Baptist Church
- Kona Baptist Church
- Ocean View Filipino
- Ocean View Baptist Mission
- Pahala Baptist Bible Mission
- Paradise Park Church
- Puna Baptist Church
- Puuanahulu Baptist Church
- Sonshine Baptist Mission
- Waiakea Uka Bible Church
- Waikoloa Baptist Church
Garden Island Baptist Association
- Eleele Baptist Church
- Gospel Harvest Baptist Church
- Kapaa Baptist Mission
- Lihue Baptist Church
- Southside Baptist Mission
- Waimea Baptist Church
Guam Baptist Association
- Calvary Baptist Church
- Chuukese Christian Fellowship
- Guam First Baptist Church
- Marianas Baptist Church
- Saipan Good Baptist Church
- Tamuning Christian Fellowship
- Yigo Mission
Maui County Baptist Association
- Kaanapali Beach Ministries
- Kahului Baptist Church
- Kaunakakai Baptist Church
- Kihei Baptist Chapel
- Lahaina Baptist Church
- Lanai Baptist Church
- Maui First Korean Baptist Church
- Maui Philippine Baptist Church
- Pukalani Baptist Church
- Valley Isle Fellowship
Oahu Baptist Association
- Abundant Life Christian Fellowship
- Agape Mission Baptist Church
- Aina Haina Baptist Church
- All Nations Fellowship
- All People Mission Church
- Antioch Baptist Church of Hawaii
- Bethel Korean Baptist Church
- Central Baptist ChurchCentral Baptist Church (Honolulu, HI)Central Baptist Church is a Southern Baptist Church in the Makiki neighborhood in the city of Honolulu.-History:Central Baptist Church was constituted on April 1, 1951...
- Chinese Baptist Church
- Cornerstone Fellowship
- Cornerstone Korean Baptist Church
- Dong Tam Baptist Church
- Enchanted Lake Baptist Mission
- Ewa Beach Baptist Church
- Faith Baptist Church
- Fellowship Baptist Church
- Filipino International Baptist Church
- First Baptist Church Haleiwa
- First Baptist Church of Nanakuli
- First Baptist Church of Pearl City
- First Baptist Church of Wahiawa
- First Baptist Church of Waimanalo
- First Southern Baptist Church of Pearl Harbor
- Halawa Heights Baptist Church
- Haleiwa Filipino Mission
- Hawaii Bhansok Baptist Church
- Hawaii Chinese Baptist Church
- Hawaii Christian Baptist Church
- Hawaii Hope Mission Baptist Church
- Hawaii Kai Church
- Honolulu Russian Baptist Church
- Iglesia Amistad
- International Baptist Fellowship
- Kahaluu Baptist Church
- Kailua Baptist Church
- Kailua First Korean Baptist Church
- Kalihi Baptist Church
- Khemaras Center
- Korean Baptist Church of Pearl Harbor
- Korean Baptist Church of Waikiki
- Makaha Valley Chapel
- Makakilo Baptist Church
- Mililani Baptist Church
- Mililani Fil-Am Baptist Church
- Mililani Korean Baptist Church
- Mt. Kaala Baptist Church
- Mountain View Community Church
- New Community Baptist Church
- New Covenant Baptist Church
- New Life Christian Church
- North Windward Baptist Chapel
- Nuuanu Baptist Church
- Nuuanu Chuukese Congregation
- Ohana Mission Baptist Church
- OlaNui!
- Olive Baptist Church
- Olivet Baptist Church
- Pali View Baptist Church
- Palisades Baptist Church
- Pawaa Community Church
- The Gathering
- University Avenue Baptist Church
- Village Park Baptist Church
- Waialae Baptist Church
- Waianae Baptist Church
- Waikiki Baptist Church
- Waipahu Community Christian
- Waipio Community Baptist Church
- West Oahu Community Church
South Pacific Baptist Association
- Emmanuel Baptist Church
- Fagalii Baptist Church
- Falemuaga Baptist Church
- Faleniu Baptist Church
- First Chinese Baptist Church of American Samoa
- Happy Valley Baptist Church
- Pago Pago Baptist Church
- Samoa Korean Baptist Church
- Seafarers' Christian Fellowship
- Tafuna Baptist Church
Western Pacific Baptist Churches
- Koza Baptist Church (Okinawa)
- Seoul International Baptist Church (Korea)
Affiliated Organizations
- Hawaii Baptist AcademyHawaii Baptist AcademyHawaii Baptist Academy is a Christian primary and secondary co-educational college preparatory school and serves grades kindergarten to twelve on three campuses. The school is operated by the Hawaii Pacific Baptist Convention.-History:...
: A Christ-centered K-12 education ministry to children - Puu Kahea Conference Center: the conference center offers retreat and educational opportunities for churches and other organizations
- Wayland Baptist UniversityWayland Baptist UniversityWayland Baptist University is private, coeducational Baptist university based in Plainview, Texas, U.S.A. Wayland Baptist has a total of fourteen campuses in four additional Texas cities, five other states, and the country of Kenya. On August 31, 1908, the university was chartered by the state of...
: To educate students (undergraduate and graduate) in an academically challenging, learning-focused and distinctively Christian environment for professional success, lifelong learning, and service to God and humankind.