The following women are available to speak at events around New Zealand.
This list is a work in progress – we welcome you to contact us to have you or someone else considered to be on this list – use the form on the Contacts Page
Elizabeth Herr
Church/Organisation: Mount Albert Baptist Church, The People Toolbox
Location: Auckland
Key speaking topics: Preaching: various topics and narrative preaching. Speaking: Body language, self-awareness, The Happiness Effect.
Bio: Elizabeth is a body language specialist, speaking and coach. She draws from a background in Social Science with over 20-years of experience in presenting, coaching, and group facilitation. She specialises in non-verbal communication and personal development and has been a lay preacher at Mount Albert Baptist Church since 2008.
Relevant experiences: Elizabeth is also the founder of The People Toolbox (from 2017), doing workshops at Te Atatu Peninsula Christian Conference and in Mount Albert Baptist Church groups. She was the Women’s Ministry leader at Mount Albert Baptist Church from 2002-2007.
Wendy Budge
Church/Organisation: Rotorua Baptist Church, Bay of Plenty Baptist Association
Location: Rotorua
Key speaking topics: I love to share my faith journey which includes the journey from “Lawyer’s wife to Pastor’s wife” and how God has used, stretched and shaped me through the years. I speak of God’s faithfulness through stories, experiences and scripture. I am strongly pastoral.
Bio: I am a pastor’s spouse, member of the Baptist Women New Zealand board, and part of the New Zealand Bravelove movement. I am a wife and mother of four. I have a real desire to see people, especially women, walk in fullness and wholeness and be all that God has called them to be.
Relevant Experiences: Leading and speaking at many retreats, conferences, women’s ministries and camps, work and church.
Shelley West
Church/Organisation: Whangarei Baptist Church
Location: Whangarei
Key speaking topics: Lament as mission, singleness, community, biblical narratives.
Bio: Serving Jesus with the gift of my life is a constant work on for me. My freedom allows and demands good service to Jesus and his kingdom.
Relevant Experiences: 8 years in my own church, some visiting to others, 2 years in preaching cohort working on rough edges.
Monique Lee
Church/Organisation: Co-Lead Senior Pastor of Manurewa Baptist Church
Location: Auckland, Manurewa
Key speaking topics: Women in Leadership. Book of Revelation. Parenting through a sexualised environment. Christian leadership. Exegetical preaching.
Bio: Wide, mother, daughter, friend, sister, aunty, leader, preacher, driver, photography, reader… Recovering dispensationalist and complementarian, but most importantly called by God.
Relevant Experiences: Pastored for a year at Manurewa Baptist Church, mother of 3 boys. Life-time Christian and church attender.
Karen Warner
Church/Organisation: Baptist Union of New Zealand: National Support Centre Leadership Coordination Director.
Location: Auckland
Key speaking topics: Faith formation – particularly with an intergenerational focus; spirituality with a focus on growing resilient disciples (particularly youth and children); prayer.
Bio: I am currently the Leadership Coordination Director for the Baptist Churches of New Zealand, but was previously the national team leader for Baptist Children and Family Ministries. I have had the privilege of working for our collective of Baptist Churches for over 10 years. My passion is to see churches as places where all ages are valued and welcomed and where they are helping each other, and their local communities know and love Jesus.
Relevant Experiences: Primary school teacher; Children’s pastor; national church leadership roles (Baptist Assembly Council, Baptist Children and Families team leaders, Leadership Coordination Director); school and kindergarten boards, CEC Board.
Helen Brereton
Church/Organisation: Transitions Pastor for the Baptist Union of New Zealand
Location: Nelson
Key speaking topics: Kingdom living, Baptist identity, sabbath
Bio: I am a Baptist pastors with a call to interim and transition ministry. I love Jesus, my whānau, good theology and hot coffee. And I like bush walks, though provoking science fiction, quirky BBC podcasts and Korean food. Seeing people set free from sin and shame, and seeing congregations living into healthy unity – these are the things that bring me wondrous joy.
Relevant Experiences: 12 step recovery, living with ADHD, being a square peg in a round hole.
Carole McMinn
Church/Organisation: Long Bay Baptist Church
Location: Auckland, North Shore
Key speaking topics: Reaching the Chinese people in new Zealand God does heal today.
Bio: I have been an active Christian for 50 years and 35 years ago God put a call on my life as an evangelist. I have run 63 Alpha courses of which 13 have bene in Mandarin. Moved to New Zealand 18 years ago and settled at Long Bay Baptist Church. Have been the Ministry Leader for Evangelism for 10 years and am currently Chair of the Leadership Council. Have been the pastor of the Chinese congregation for last 18 month. This is definitely my Ester moment “For such a time as this”. Have started and work in a healing ministry where I have seen people healed from hopeless terminal illnesses. I am 75 years old and have been married to Keith for 56 years. We raised 7 children, 2 natural and the rest long-term fostered and adopted.
Relevant Experiences: 63 Alpha course over 35 years leading literally hundreds to the Lord. Praying for a whole heap of people who have been supernaturally healed. Leading a Chinese congregation from 11 to 50 people in 18 months. Learning to speak Mandarin.