The members of the CMS were under the protection of Hongi Hika, the rangatira (chief) and war leader of the Ngāpuhi iwi (tribe).
The immediate protector of the Paihia mission was the chief, Te Koki, and his wife Ana Hamu, a woman of high rank and the owner of the land occupied by the mission at Paihia.
Williams was appointed to be the leader of the missionary team.
Williams adopted a different approach to missionary work as that applied by Marsden.
Marsden's policy had been to teach useful skills rather than focus on religious instruction.
This approach had little success in fulfilling the aspirations of the CMS as an evangelistic organisation.
Also, in order to obtain essential food, the missionaries had yielded to the pressure to trade in muskets, the item of barter in which Māori showed the greatest interest in order to engage in intertribal warfare during what is known as the Musket Wars.

Williams concentrated on the salvation of souls.
The first baptism occurred in 1825, although it was another 5 years before the second baptism.
Schools were established, which addressed religious instruction, reading and writing and practical skills.
Williams also stopped the trade in muskets, although this had the consequence of reducing trade for food as the Māori withheld the supply of food so as to pressure the missionaries to resume the trade in muskets.
  Eventually the mission began to grow sufficient food for itself.
The Māori eventually came to see that the ban on muskets was the only way to bring an end to the tribal wars, but that took some time.

At first there were several conflicts and confrontations with the Ngāpuhi.
One of the most severe was the confrontation with the chief Tohitapu on 12 January 1824, which was witnessed by other chiefs.
 The incident began when Tohitapu visited the mission.
As the gate was shut, Tohitapu jumped over the fence.
Williams demanded that Tohitapu enter the mission using the gate.
Tohitapu was a chief and a tohunga, skilled in the magic known as makutu.
Tohitapu was offended by William's demand and began a threatening haka flourishing his mere and taiaha.
 Williams faced down this challenge.
Tohitapu then seized a pot, which he claimed as compensation for hurting his foot in jumping over the fence, whereupon Williams seized the pot from Tohitapu.
The incidence continued through the night during which Tohitapu began a karakia or incantation of bewitchment.
Williams had no fear of the karakia.
The next morning Tohitapu and Williams reconciled their differences – Tohitapu remained a supporter of Williams and the mission at Paihia.

This incident and others in which Williams faced down belligerent chiefs, contributed to his growing mana among the Māori by established to the Māori that Williams had a forceful personality, "[a]lthough his capacity to comprehend the indigenous culture was severely constrained by his evangelical Christianity, his obduracy was in some ways an advantage in dealings with the Maori.
From the time of his arrival he refused to be intimidated by the threats and boisterous actions of utu and muru plundering parties".

Kororāreka (Russell) was a provisioning station for whalers and sealers operating in the South Pacific.
Apart from the CMS missionaries, the Europeans in the Bay of Islands were largely involved in servicing the trade at Kororāreka.
On one occasion escaped convicts arrived in the Bay of Islands.
On the morning of 5 January 1827 a brig had arrived, the Wellington, a convict ship from Sydney bound for Norfolk Island.
The convicts had risen, making prisoners of the captain, crew, guard and passengers.
Williams convinced the captains of two whalers in the harbour to fire into and retake the Wellington.
Forty convicts escaped.
Threats were made to shoot Williams, whom the convicts considered instrumental in their capture.
The members of the CMS were under the protection of Hongi Hika, the rangatira (chief) and war leader of the Ngāpuhi iwi (tribe). The immediate protector of the Paihia mission was the chief, Te Koki, and his wife Ana Hamu, a woman of high rank and the owner of the land occupied by the mission at Paihia. Williams was appointed to be the leader of the missionary team. Williams adopted a different approach to missionary work as that applied by Marsden. Marsden's policy had been to teach useful skills rather than focus on religious instruction. This approach had little success in fulfilling the aspirations of the CMS as an evangelistic organisation. Also, in order to obtain essential food, the missionaries had yielded to the pressure to trade in muskets, the item of barter in which Māori showed the greatest interest in order to engage in intertribal warfare during what is known as the Musket Wars.
Williams concentrated on the salvation of souls. The first baptism occurred in 1825, although it was another 5 years before the second baptism. Schools were established, which addressed religious instruction, reading and writing and practical skills. Williams also stopped the trade in muskets, although this had the consequence of reducing trade for food as the Māori withheld the supply of food so as to pressure the missionaries to resume the trade in muskets.   Eventually the mission began to grow sufficient food for itself. The Māori eventually came to see that the ban on muskets was the only way to bring an end to the tribal wars, but that took some time.
At first there were several conflicts and confrontations with the Ngāpuhi. One of the most severe was the confrontation with the chief Tohitapu on 12 January 1824, which was witnessed by other chiefs.  The incident began when Tohitapu visited the mission. As the gate was shut, Tohitapu jumped over the fence. Williams demanded that Tohitapu enter the mission using the gate. Tohitapu was a chief and a tohunga, skilled in the magic known as makutu. Tohitapu was offended by William's demand and began a threatening haka flourishing his mere and taiaha.  Williams faced down this challenge. Tohitapu then seized a pot, which he claimed as compensation for hurting his foot in jumping over the fence, whereupon Williams seized the pot from Tohitapu. The incidence continued through the night during which Tohitapu began a karakia or incantation of bewitchment. Williams had no fear of the karakia. The next morning Tohitapu and Williams reconciled their differences – Tohitapu remained a supporter of Williams and the mission at Paihia.
This incident and others in which Williams faced down belligerent chiefs, contributed to his growing mana among the Māori by established to the Māori that Williams had a forceful personality, "[a]lthough his capacity to comprehend the indigenous culture was severely constrained by his evangelical Christianity, his obduracy was in some ways an advantage in dealings with the Maori. From the time of his arrival he refused to be intimidated by the threats and boisterous actions of utu and muru plundering parties".
Kororāreka (Russell) was a provisioning station for whalers and sealers operating in the South Pacific. Apart from the CMS missionaries, the Europeans in the Bay of Islands were largely involved in servicing the trade at Kororāreka. On one occasion escaped convicts arrived in the Bay of Islands. On the morning of 5 January 1827 a brig had arrived, the Wellington, a convict ship from Sydney bound for Norfolk Island. The convicts had risen, making prisoners of the captain, crew, guard and passengers. Williams convinced the captains of two whalers in the harbour to fire into and retake the Wellington. Forty convicts escaped. Threats were made to shoot Williams, whom the convicts considered instrumental in their capture.
Henry Williams (missionary)