Our Story
In 1974, a group of young people set out to do something radical in Dothan, Alabama… plant a church. Inspired by the Jesus Movement, they began meeting in homes, focusing on how to live church out biblically. Within a year of planting, DCF began to experience significant growth, with people moving to the city just to be a part of what was happening. Eventually DCF merged with another fellowship, Dothan Covenant Church forming the congregation we know today.
Throughout the 1980’s, DCF connected with various international leaders who helped build into the foundations a deep sense of community, an openness to the Holy Spirit, and a mandate to reach the nations, without losing focus on the local body of Christ.
In early 2010, through DCF’s relationship with NCMI, David and Karen Hale stepped into the role of Lead Elders/Pastors. David & Karen have brought over 20 years of leadership experience, a heart for authentic relationships, and an intentionality in creating space for God’s people to walk into all the fullness He has for them. Building upon a rich heritage and history, God is continually doing new things here at DCF.
Our Leadership
Through the course of history, the church has adopted numerous titles and positions to define church leadership. However, the Bible only speaks of two…elders and deacons. The word “elder” is used interchangeably with overseer and shepherd (or pastor) and describes the same office/person. Elders are the highest human authority within a local church and they are responsible for leading and governing the church (setting direction, establishing doctrine, exercising discipline) as they faithfully follow Jesus Christ – the Head of the Church. Even though the husband is ordained as the elder, we believe both the husband and his wife are called into this expression of church leadership together. As the need arises, elders appoint deacons to assist them in leading the church.
Her passion is for ladies ministry and to see peoples lives transformed through encountering grace and the Holy Spirit.
Our Mission
What We Believe
- We believe the Bible to be the inspired, the only infallible, authoritative, inerrant Word of God. (II Timothy 3:15; II Peter 1:21).
- We believe there is one God, creator of all things visible and invisible, eternally existent in three persons – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. (Genesis 1:1-2; Matthew 28:19; John 1: 1-5, 14; John 10:30)
- We believe in the deity and lordship of Jesus Christ, the only begotten son of the Father, (Matthew 16:16); His virgin birth (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23; Luke 1:35); His sinless life (Hebrews 4:15; Hebrews 7:26); His miracles (John 2:11); His vicarious and atoning death (I Corinthians 15:3; Ephesians 1:7; Hebrews 2:9); His resurrection (John 11:25; I Corinthians 15:4); His Ascension to the right hand of the Father (Mark 16:19); and His personal return in power and glory. (Acts 1:11; Revelation 19:11).
- We believe in the absolute necessity of regeneration by the Holy Spirit for salvation because of the exceeding sinfulness of human nature; and that people are justified on the single ground of faith in the shed blood of Christ and that only by God’s grace and through faith alone are we saved. (John 3:16-19; John 5:24; Romans 3:23; Romans 5:8-9; Ephesians 2:8-10; Titus 3:5).
- We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost; they that are saved unto the resurrection of life, and they that are lost unto the resurrection of damnation. (John 5:28-29). We believe in the spiritual unity of believers in our Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 8:9; I Corinthians 12:12-14; Galatians 3:26-28).
- We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit, by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled with power to be His witness and to live a godly and victorious life. (Acts 1:8; Matthew 3:11; Romans 8:13-14; I Corinthians 3:16; I Corinthians 6:19-20; Ephesians 4:30; Ephesians 5:18).
- We believe that all Christians are called to a life of holiness and service to the Lord Jesus Christ and that each Christian is part of the Priesthood of all believers. (I Peter 2:5, 9).
Our Associations
The early church, described in the New Testament, provides a model in which God raises certain leaders up to go beyond their local church ministry. The local churches recognized God’s call on their lives and released them to minister in other churches. Some of these ministers were called by the Lord as Apostles or the “sent ones” as the word means in the original texts.
New Covenant Ministries International (also known as NCMI) is a global apostolic team of such men and women who receive funding primarily through relating churches while respecting the autonomy of the local church. Their role and connection to Dothan Christian Fellowship is to strengthen, equip, and encourage healthy foundations in our local church and its leaders.
… Along comes this idea called GRACE to updend all that “as you reap, so you will sow” stuff. Grace defies reason and logic. Love interrupts the consequences of your actions, which in my case is very good news indeed, because I’ve done a lot of stupid stuff.
Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me–watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.
A man can no more take in a supply of grace for the future than he can eat enough today to last him for the next 6 months, nor can he inhale sufficient air into his lungs with one breath to sustain life for a week to come. We are permitted to draw upon God’s store of grace from day to day as we need it..