News Ngā Pūrongo
Applications Open to Graduate
Auckland Graduation Ceremony – Saturday, 23 May 2026 The Graduation ceremony for our Auckland campus will be held on Saturday, 23 May 2026. Applications for the Auckland Graduation ceremony will close on 10 April 2026.…
New Head of Education Appointed
Laidlaw College is delighted to announce the appointment of Rev Dr Pennie Togiatama as our incoming Head of Education. A proud Niuean, Pennie holds a Doctorate in Education from the University of Auckland and a Masters…
Dr Allen Yeh
Postgraduate Theological Study Opportunity – March 2026 Mission of the Church in the 21st Century Block Course: March 9–13, 2026 Guest Lecturer: Dr. Allen Yeh Join us for a dynamic theological exploration of mission…
Christchurch weather warning - 23 Oct
Due to the state of emergency declared due to the severe (red) weather warning issued for Christchurch on Thursday 23 October 2025, the Christchurch campus will be closed, and classes that were scheduled to run on…
Zero Tuition Fees* for Teacher Education in 2026 at Laidlaw College
We all know the difference that great teachers make, and as part of our commitment to encouraging well-trained teachers into classrooms, Laidlaw College is extending our zero tuition fees offer to all our Primary and…
Christchurch Prayer Group Reunited
On 16 May 2025 current and former members of the Christchurch Prayer Group gathered for a special occasion to mark 50 years since the founding of this group. It was a particular delight to have Rosemary Troughton, a…
Laidlaw College adopts verified digital certifications and awards with My eQuals
Laidlaw College is thrilled to announce they have partnered with My eQuals, a trusted platform for viewing, sharing and verifying tertiary credentials. Graduating students from Laidlaw College and partner colleges…
New Partnership with Vineyard Ministry School
From 2025 Laidlaw College is partnering with Vineyard Ministry School to offer a foundational programme for people who want to explore ministry in their local church or community organisation. Students from all churches…
8,999 handstitched words of women, from the Bible
Women’s Words Project: 8,999 words (plus the stitched signature at its conclusion) Miriam Jessie Fisher This project captured on a 3m wide piece of calico captures all the direct speech by women in the Bible. The work…
Laidlaw remains Category 1 in our latest EER
We are delighted to share that in our latest External Evaluation and Review by NZQA, Laidlaw College retained our Category 1 status, rating ‘highly confident’ on educational performance and ‘highly confident’ on…
Response to Royal Commission into Abuse in Care Report
The report of the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care makes sobering reading for Christians. For each of us, even if our own particular institutions, communities and leaders are not named, there is a need to hear what…
Zero Fees for Teacher Education in 2025 at Laidlaw College*
We all know the difference that great teachers make, and as part of our commitment to encouraging well-trained teachers into classrooms, Laidlaw College is extending our zero tuition fees offer to all our Primary and…
Appointment of Rev. Dr Maja Whitaker as Academic Dean
Laidlaw College is delighted to announce the appointment of Rev. Dr Maja Whitaker (Ngai Tahu) as Academic Dean. Maja joined Laidlaw College in 2021, and has served as Practical Theology Lead, with the School of Theology…
Dedication and Karakia Service, and Public Campus Opening Ceremony
Dedication and Karakia Service On Monday 22 January, staff and students from Laidlaw College and Te Wānanga Ihorangi dedicated our campus to the glory of God. We welcomed the first cohort of students (Graduate Diploma…
In loving memory Fa’anānā Efeso Collins
We are grieving the tragic passing of Fa’anānā Efeso Collins, MP, and our hearts go out to his wife Fia, his mother, his daughters and wider family. Efeso served as a member of Laidlaw’s National Governing Council from…
New Te Reo Māori Diplomas - Te Wānanga Ihorangi
New faith-based Te Reo Māori Diplomas launched in partnership with Te Wānanga Ihorangi On Monday, we were delighted to tautoko the launch of Te Wānanga Ihorangi, a new faith-based Te Reo Māori kaupapa that will be…
The Gospel in Aotearoa – Rev Dr Lyndon Drake's Thoughts
E ngā rangatira, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā tātou. One of the gifts we inherit as we share life in this land of Aotearoa is the story of the land and its peoples. As a Christian and a Māori, I especially appreciate…
Co-location with Equippers College: Laidlaw@Manukau is on the move
After almost nine years based in Amersham Way, Manukau, Laidlaw College is delighted to announce that we are relocating our Manukau learning hub down the road to Equippers College, 13 Gladding Place, Manukau. Our…
HONOURING A LIFE OF SERVICE - JUDGE ARNOLD TURNER, CMG
On 1 July 2023, Judge Arnold Turner, CMG, passed away at the age of 96. Judge Turner had a long association with Laidlaw College since he was led, as a young man, to personal faith in Christ through Andrew Johnston, the…
Rev. Dr Mark Keown takes up new role of Director of Evangelistic Leadership
We are pleased to share the news that Rev. Dr Mark Keown , Senior Lecturer in New Testament, has taken up a new role of Director of Evangelistic Leadership focusing on evangelism and the Gospel in Aotearoa. The role is…
Our 100th Auckland Graduation
On Saturday 10 June 2023, students, faculty, staff, friends, whānau, and supporters gathered to celebrate those who have completed Laidlaw qualifications at our Graduation ceremony for Tāmaki Makaurau. This was a…
Centenary Celebration Event
It was a delight to welcome alumni back to the Henderson campus on 14-15 April for a two-day Centenary Celebration. We were joined by a number of Australia-based graduates (and a current distance student), a…
Laidlaw College celebrates a hundred years of education, impact and faithfulness
Te Wānanga Amorangi, Laidlaw College, is holding a Centenary Celebration on Friday 14 – Saturday 15 April 2023. This will conclude a year of events and commemorations to mark a hundred years of Christian higher…
Auckland Weather Update (Cyclone Gabrielle)
Kia ora koutou, Laidlaw whānau, We hope you’re keeping dry and warm as we wait for Cyclone Gabrielle to fully arrive. As a College team, we’re praying for all of you – for safety, a deep sense of peace, and for…
Auckland Floods Update, 2023
E Laidlaw whānau, We hope you and your household are doing okay in the middle of the storms. We’ve heard from a number in our community who have been affected by flooding. If you also find yourself in this situation,…
Laidlaw offers a postgraduate programme with a focus on Theological Education
The vocation of teaching is complex in our current cultural moment. Christian teachers have to be aware of current best practice in the classroom and the conversations shaping the way we understand faith and…
Our 99th Auckland Graduation
Family and friends packed out Church Unlimited on Saturday 29 October to celebrate the achievements of Laidlaw College’s most recent graduates at our 99th Auckland Graduation Ceremony. Graduates and family members…
Laidlaw offers Ministry Supervision postgraduate qualification
As ministry in the contemporary world becomes increasingly complex, regular access to professional supervision is vital. However, qualified supervisors with experience in Christian ministry and theological grounding can…
Australian College of Theology gains University Status
Laidlaw College are delighted to congratulate the Australian College of Theology (ACT) on gaining recognition as a University College by the Australian Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA). University…
Online Alumni Gatherings
It was a delight to connect over Zoom with alumni from around the world and within New Zealand at online gatherings in September this year. We ran two programmes to cater for world time zones, with different speakers at…
Queen Elizabeth II Memorial Day
At 2pm today, a minute of silence will be kept across Aotearoa New Zealand, to remember the life and reign of Her Late Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II. Amidst all the pageantry, amidst the private grief of a family who have…
Laidlaw Centre for Church Leadership hosts Mark Sayers in June
Laidlaw Centre for Church Leadership has the privilege of hosting Mark Sayers at the end of June for a special lunch for Pastors and Leaders of Christian organisations. The events will be held in Auckland, Wellington…
Auckland Graduation Postponed
With disappointment, we have decided to postpone the Auckland Graduation ceremony planned for 21 May, to 29 October 2022. Due to the uncertainty of restrictions that we have faced in the first quarter of the year it has…
Engage Breakfast with Dr Myk Habets
At our Engage breakfast in February we heard from Dr Myk Habets, from the School of Theology. Myk has published extensively on Spirit Christology and a theological movement called Third Article Theology—or…
Welcome to Laidlaw College in 2022
Kia ora e te whānau Nau mai haere mai – welcome to Laidlaw College in 2022! You’re joining this community, or continuing your studies, at a particularly significant time in Laidaw’s history. One hundred…
Laidlaw's redeveloped Diploma in Christian Studies approved
Laidlaw College’s Diploma in Christian Studies has long provided many students with a firm foundation in the Bible, theology and spiritual formation – and for internship students, the basics of Christian leadership and…
Prayer for Tonga
Ko e 'Otua mo Tonga ko hoku tofi'a - God and Tonga are my inheritance Malo e lelei, Our thoughts and hearts are with our Tongan students and alumni and all those who have been affected by the recent events in the island…
Exciting News from the School of Theology
After a couple of years consulting, seeking input, collaborating and meeting strict external requirements, the School of Theology is pleased to announce that from 2022 the following new programmes have been approved for…
Missions Month at Laidlaw
What is God doing in the world, and what is our part in that mission? These were the questions we invited our Laidlaw community to consider during our “Missions Month" in September. Lockdown restrictions moved us from…
Laidlaw Communal Lament
Lament is Christian worship that expresses our hurt, despair, and confusion to God. In our cry of lament, we ask God to change us and to change our circumstances. Lament honestly recognises how we are and invites Jesus…
Mental Health Awareness week
With a special focus on Mental Health Awareness this week, we wanted to offer our community some thoughts, reflections, and encouragements around how to engage with this sometimes delicate subject. We are fearfully and…
Roshan Allpress on Sabbatical Leave
National Principal, Dr Roshan Allpress will be on sabbatical from mid October 2021 until June 2022. Roshan has led Laidlaw since the start of 2017, and the focus of his leave will be primarily completing a book project…
Te Wiki o te reo Māori
Tēnā koutou katoa. Ngā mihi nui kia koutou i roto i te rangaimārie o Ihowa o ngā mano. He pānui tēnei e pā ana ki te wiki whakanui o te reo Māori, kua hipa atu rā. Last week, Laidlaw College joined with the rest of…
I Am with You
Living through a global pandemic is troubling, and for some of us it is a source of deep anxiety. I hope this very brief reflection will prove comforting to those who are feeling anxious. It is a reminder of one of the…
A faith of tensions
As lockdown continues for those in Auckland, and not just for the first time, we grow weary. For some it is a time of enjoyment, rest and relaxation, and for others it is stressful, anxiety-inducing, and chaotic. The…
Alumni High Tea
It was a delight to reconnect with former staff and students at two Alumni High Tea events on consecutive Saturdays in August at our Henderson and Christchurch campuses. It was an afternoon of story telling, with…
Pausing to mark a significant day
On 14 July, staff gathered to pray almost 100 years to the day when the provisional Board of Directors met on 18 July 1921 and resolved to establish a Bible Training Institute in New Zealand. That significant meeting…
Laidlaw Winter Sessions 2021
“I loved being in such an inspiring environment”. “The speakers were all really good”. “Everything was so well done”. - Attendee feedback We were delighted to have a full house at this year’s Winter Sessions, and…
Inaugural School Leavers Conference
It was a great pleasure to host around 40 school leavers and their teachers for our inaugural student conference, UP, on Thursday 24 June. Students from both Elim Christian Schools in Mt Albert and Botany, and…
Moving to a Healthy Model of Ministry
Sustain - Women in Leadership Event Dr Maja Whitaker was the guest speaker at a Sustain: Women in Leadership gathering at the Henderson campus on 24 June. Speaking out of her own experience as a pastor,…
Laidlaw Graduation, Auckland
Around 1,000 friends and whānau packed into Church Unlimited in Auckland on Saturday 22 May to celebrate Laidlaw College’s 2019 and 2020 Graduates. After two lockdowns and two ceremony cancellations for…
Chris Marshall Visit
Laidlaw was treated to an extended visit from its former New Testament lecturer, Professor Chris Marshall on April 13, 14, and 15. Chris completed a PhD through King’s College, London, in the early 1980s, supervised by…
Engage Breakfast with Jim McInnes
At our latest Laidlaw Centre for Church Leadership Engage breakfast we had the privilege of hearing from Laidlaw MTh graduate Jim McInnes. He returned to New Zealand after six years on staff with The Vine Church in Hong…
Introducing Carmia Issachsen
We are thrilled to welcome Carmia to our Counselling Team! She joined us as a groups coordinator at our Henderson campus in Feb this year, after graduating from the Bachelor of Counselling at Laidlaw in 2020. Carmia…
Celebrating 99 Years
In the years following World War 1, a group of Christian businessmen (including Robert Laidlaw, founder of the Farmers Trading Company) noticed a need for a Bible Institute that offered sound, solid Bible teaching. Many…
Introducing Maja Whitaker
We are delighted to welcome Maja Whitaker to Laidlaw College, as our new practical theology lecturer. Based at our Christchurch campus, Maja will be overseeing our growing relationships with partner churches, crafting…
Introducing Kate Elder
We are excited to welcome Kate Elder to our Education Team at our Christchurch campus. With 35 years’ experience in NZ schools, Kate brings not only a wealth of knowledge, but a passion and enthusiasm for education. “My…
Introducing Ness Johnson
We are delighted to welcome Ness Johnson to our Theology Team. As our new Manager of the School of Theology her primary role is to ensure the smooth running of the School of Theology for students and lecturers, in…
Introducing Sharon Cartwright
Our Student Support Team are excited to introduce Sharon Cartwright ! Sharon joined us this month as an Advisor for our ARISE interns. She provides a friendly ear and encouragement, assisting students to navigate…
Christchurch Graduation Ceremony
The highlight of our year is Graduation. It’s a special time of celebrating the hard work of our graduands as they gain their qualification. Together we have journeyed with each other through lecture’s and community…
Celebrating David Crawley
Memories and tributes flowed as colleagues, students, family and friends gathered recently to honour David Crawley’s 34-year teaching career at BCNZ/Laidlaw College. “Wise, gentle, unflappable, mentor, kind, genuine,…
Celebrating with our 2019 Auckland Graduates
Family, friends, and staff gathered last night at our Henderson campus to celebrate our 2019 Auckland Graduates. COVID restrictions saw our planned Graduation ceremony in Auckland cancelled twice this year. We didn’t…
Counselling 20 Year Reunion Celebration
Stories, laughter and tributes flowed as we celebrated 20 years of Laidlaw’s Counselling programme in Auckland last Saturday. Alumni spanning two decades gathered over dinner at the Henderson campus to catch up and…
New look Encounter is out
We are excited to introduce a new look for our Encounter newsletter - which we hope you will enjoy reading. This edition draws specially on our inaugural Winter Sessions Ngā Kōrero o Takurua, an Online Conference…
Summer School at Laidlaw – 2020/2021
Invest some time this summer into deepening and enriching your understanding of Scripture. Take a Laidlaw summer school course by distance from the comfort of your own home! 23 November 2020 – 19 February 2021 Level 5…
Resource for Church and Ministry Leaders
Response to Crisis Resource Guide “Another lockdown … when?” Whether it is Auckland facing a level 2.5 lockdown or the rest of the country at level 2, feelings of uncertainty swirl. We reach for Google maps to…
A Tribute to Raymond Mok
The Laidlaw community is grieving the passing of Raymond Mok, one of our students on 30 August 2020. Raymond began studies in our Counselling programme in 2018, motivated by a passion to help people. He lived with a…
Special Edition Stimulus
In a normal year, Stimulus is published in June and December. However, as you know, this is no normal year. As such, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit us, the Stimulus editorial team decided to put together a special…
Interview with John Lennox
Professor John Lennox has spent a lifetime engaging at the interface of science and faith. An Emeritus Professor of Mathematics at the University of Oxford and Fellow of Green Templeton College, he is the author of…
Honouring Tim Meadowcroft
It was a privilege to honour Tim Meadowcroft with this collection of essays on his retirement. The title of the book, Holding Forth the Word of Life , is from Phil 2:16 and is the Laidlaw College motto (forming…
“Everybody has a story – so let’s tell it!”
In March 2020 Laidlaw College hosted Rev Dr Paul Beasley-Murray, well-known British Baptist minister with an international reputation as a preacher, author, and blogger. While at Laidlaw to teach a post-graduate course…
Extra Resources During Lockdown
Various organisations and groups have opened up access to their resources during this difficult time. Here's a collated list of Extra Resources During Lockdown . Note that not all resources from these providers are…
A Special Message to our Graduates
On Saturday 4 April, at our Auckland Graduation, you would have been joining your classmates, lecturers, whānau and friends to celebrate the completion of your programme of study at…
COVID-19 Response Updates
All updates are at www.laidlaw.ac.nz/covid19
LAIDLAW’S AUCKLAND GRADUATION CEREMONY CANCELLED
Laidlaw College’s Auckland Graduation ceremony scheduled for 4 April 2020 has been cancelled due to the current restrictions on large gatherings. This includes Graduation connected events – the Pasifika Graduands’…
COVID-19 Reflections
In the face of a fear-inducing pandemic, Christ and Christian communities have much to offer. In the early centuries of the Church, Christians stood out amongst contemporaries for their response to the epidemics that…
Covid-19: Important Information for the Laidlaw Community
Click here for the latest updates from Laidlaw on COVID-19 Response. With the developments over the last few days regarding Coronavirus (Covid-19), we are taking next steps as a College to protect our community, prepare…
Academic Leadership Opportunities
Laidlaw College is looking for up to two new people to join our academic leadership and administration team in Auckland. If you’re a high-capacity leader, love managing collaborative teams, thrive in complex compliance…
Coronavirus Outbreak Message
Message from the National Principal to the Laidlaw community regarding the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak You will be well aware from media reports of the outbreak of a new type of Coronavirus, known as COVID-19. New…
First Students Welcomed to One-Year Graduate Diploma in Education (Secondary)
On Monday 20 January we welcomed the first students for the one-year Graduate Diploma in Education (Secondary) - our brand new Programme in Teacher Education. This one-year Graduate Diploma provides a professional…
New teacher education programmes approved for Laidlaw College
MEDIA RELEASE Download full media release (including contact details) Te Wānanga Amorangi Laidlaw College is pleased to announce it is one of the first providers in the country to receive approval from Matatū…
Watch Now! Public Lectures with Prof Craig Keener
The Plausibility of Miracles in a Materialistic Age Laidlaw College was delighted to host New Testament scholar and author, Professor Craig Keener, at our Henderson campus in September 2019. During that time,…
March 2020 Block Courses
Laidlaw College is offering a range of block courses during March 2020 based at its Henderson campus. While the teaching part of the course is blocked, there will be readings and assignments throughout the semester for…
Advent Readings
Laidlaw College is delighted to be able to offer an Advent resource to churches and individuals for use during the four weeks before Christmas. During the Advent season the Church traditionally remembers Christ’s first…
Watch Now! A Strange Beauty
We live in a world of beauty. Beauty is all around us, in nature, artwork, sculpture, and music. Modern conceptions of beauty have tended to diminish beauty, confine it and reduce the scope of the beautiful to that of…
New Monthly Research Seminars
As a part of Laidlaw’s commitment to relevant, gospel-centred, innovative research, the School of Theology has introduced a monthly research seminar. On the second Wednesday of each month, faculty gather to hear…
Summer Semester Courses at Laidlaw
Invest some time this summer into deepening and enriching your understanding of Scripture. Take a Laidlaw summer school course by distance from the comfort of your own home! Semester Dates (25 November 2019 – 21…
Open Nights in Henderson, Manukau and Christchurch!
Study to connect faith and calling! Explore your study options at Laidlaw College’s Open Nights in September! Henderson, Manukau & Christchurch: Wednesday 11 September 7.00-8.30 pm If you are interested in…
WATCH NOW: “Can we trust the New Testament? A history of how the NT came to us”
Dr Dirk Jongkind gave a public lecture at Laidlaw’s Henderson campus on 10 April 2019 on the reliability of the text of the New Testament. Dirk is Academic Vice Principal at Tyndale House in Cambridge, UK, a fellow of…
Laidlaw College announces new Head of Theology
Laidlaw College is pleased to announce that we have appointed Dr Myk Habets as our new Head of Theology, commencing in Semester Two 2019. Myk is an alumnus of Laidlaw College, with a Bachelor of Ministries and a Masters…
Christchurch shootings
We are in shock and grief over the events in Christchurch. Read a letter of response from our National Principal, Dr Roshan Allpress . Acknowledging the need for Christian leaders to respond with love to our…
WATCH NOW: JESUS IN A WORLD OF COLLIDING EMPIRES
At the time of Christ, world politics was an ebb and flow of colliding empires and forces. The world knew only dynastic succession and rule by force. Israel was swept up in this world. Her expectations of deliverance,…
WATCH NOW: HOSPITALITY AND HOPE
Krish Kandiah spoke at a public lecture in October on the biblical mandate for the church to care about vulnerable children. Krish is the Founding Director of Home for Good, a young charity in the UK seeking to make a…
Watch Now: The Christian Response to Terrorism and how we Respond Theologically
We were privileged to hear from Canon Andrew White at a public lecture on 6 November 2018 at Laidlaw’s Henderson campus. For more than a decade Andrew pastored one of the largest churches in Iraq, St George’s Church in…
Latest edition of Encounter is out!
Our latest edition of Laidlaw’s Encounter newsletter is now out. In this edition we take a look at our call as Christians to be engaged in the renewal of our world, and read the stories of some of our graduates who are…
Laidlaw to train primary school teachers in Christchurch from 2019
Laidlaw College has received approval from the Education Council to deliver our three-year Bachelor of Teaching (Primary) in Christchurch from 2019. After long years of waiting for a moratorium on new delivery sites to…
Open Days in Henderson, Manukau and Christchurch!
Study to connect faith and calling! Explore your study options at Laidlaw College’s Open Days in October! Henderson: Wednesday 24 October | 4-8 pm Manukau & Christchurch: Thursday 25 October | 4-8 pm If you are…
Watch Now: Silent Suffering: Encouragement in the Midst of the Pain of Life from Job, Lamentations, and Psalms
Scholar and author Dr Tremper Longman III gave an excellent public lecture at Laidlaw’s Henderson campus in August. In the lecture he opened the Scriptures to look at passages of lament in Job, Lamentations and Psalms…
Watch Now: Cultural Engagement in Difficult Times – Dr Darrell Bock
Laidlaw College hosted renowned New Testament scholar, Dr Darrell Bock, for a day of lectures on 17 July 2018. Dr Bock is one of the world’s leading NT scholars with a special interest in cultural engagement. About the…
Summer Semester Courses at Laidlaw
Invest some time this summer into deepening and enriching your understanding of Scripture. Take a Laidlaw summer school course by distance from the comfort of your own home! Semester Dates (26 November 2018 – 22…