Our History

During the 1920’s, the Jeffreys brothers would regularly hold evangelistic missions up and down the country. When the two brothers came to Dudley Town Hall in 1930 during a series of meetings which lasted from 24 March to 7 April, among the converts to this fast-growing stream of Christianity called pentecostalism were the young couple Joseph and Kate Giles. Just a few years later, it was agreed that there was a need for a pentecostal church in the town, so, the recently-married couple started up the fellowship. It was quite a difficult time, economically-speaking, but they found that God always provided and they “never went without”. Although the church consisted of around 30-40 members meeting in the loft, nicknamed, ‘the upper room’ of a house in Cross Street, one of the town’s first pentecostal congregations in Dudley was born.

Over the next few years and decades the church grew and moved once to Park Road and then five years later to a wooden building in 1953 which they named the “Salop Street Mission”. By this time, there were a few hundred attending church and Pastor Giles’ preaching was becoming renown around the UK. The Sunday School alone had over two hundred children participating.

Sadly in 1973, Joseph Giles passed away. It was a great loss to the church as he had pastored for 42 years. However, the effects of his ministry lived on and the congregation eventually outgrew the building. It was decided to build a bigger church with better facilities on a plot of land across the road. In 1976 the current home of Dudley Christian Fellowship was constructed. The new building had offices, a creche and kitchen aswell as a bigger hall.

Subsequent pastors included Brian Downward, Gerald Chamberlain (Gerald’s son Paul pastors Calvary Church, Kingswinford), Brian Hewitt, Mike Hallaway, Kevin Coley and Willie Watt. Other former DCFers include David Raybould (who went on to pioneer Summer St church in Kingswinford), Brian Payton (leader at the People’s Mission, Netherton), Jeremy Payton and Martin Coleman (pastor of The Bridge Church, Chepstow) .

In 2010 Pastor Joe Hayes joined the church as pastor along with his wife Lizzie and children Emmie and Kieran and the church again began looking to expand the facilities to house the growing number of members.

One of the most exciting moves in recent years has been the acquisition of the British Oak pub next to our current premises in August 2003. Renamed “The DCF Centre“, it has effectively doubled the size of the church’s facilities. The renovation of the Centre is ongoing. New ministries have been launched in the new site.

Church attendance on both Sunday’s services currently totals around 100 although DCF reaches out to a much wider number through our various ministries on a weekly basis. We are excited to think what lies ahead for us as a church….