History of Life Tabernacle

The late Rev James Dallas started the Church at Devas Youth Club, Stormont Road , Battersea as an extension Sunday School of Calvary Temple. A group of approximately 15 members of Calvary Temple progressed to become a church at St. Peter’s Hall, Plough Road.

When the church had to leave St. Peter’s Hall they had nowhere to go but at that last service they marched around and sang “Onward Christian Soldiers.” They left with an assurance that God was in control. They spent a few months in St. John , CofE, St. John’s Hill, Battersea. It was not long after that, they were offered a beautiful Church of England building to use – that was St. Mary-le-Park. The music for the church consisted of Pastor Dallas on the accordion, Bro. Stan Brown on bass guitar and Bro. Leroy Francis on rhythm guitar, who did well considering he was tone deaf at the time.

After several years the Lord opened a door for them to purchase 32 Battersea Park Road . It was called Battersea Tabernacle at the time. The original building seated 1,000 members built by C H Spurgeon but it was unfortunately bombed during the war. All that was left of the original building was the School hall. The church was purchased for £25,000 by Pastor James Dallas and 20 members who gave sacrificially in order to do this. Today Life Tabernacle is an established International Church consisting of over 35 different nationalities. It has a Pastoral Team of eight, Church Board of 6, 30 different departments, a Latino Fellowship, a Korean Fellowship, New Life Christian Fellowship, East London Fellowship and Mitcham Fellowship. The Senior Pastor, Rev Leroy Francis was appointed in March 2000 and elected as General Superintendent of the United Pentecostal Church of Great Britain and Ireland in 2002.

Battersea Park Tabernacle

Battersea Baptist Park, the name by which the church was previously known is situated on a plot of land at the back of Battersea Park. The building was erected under the auspices of the London Baptist Association. The Association Donated £1,000 toward the building. The President (1870) Pastor C. H. Spurgeon undertook with his friends to find the rest of the money. The building is in reality only a schoolroom, it being the design of the Association that the ground in front should be used for the erecting of a larger structure when needed. The building was opened on the 18th of January 1870 when to a crowded audience Pastor C. H. Spurgeon preached.