A Pentecostal Home on Juliette Road in Stone Mountain
DeKalb United Pentecostal Church sits along Juliette Road in Stone Mountain, Georgia, roughly 30 minutes outside of Atlanta. The congregation gathers under the banner of the United Pentecostal Church International, and it carries the energy of a church that is a community “on the move.” Sunday mornings typically draw about 250 people to worship, and the parking team keeps the front lot moving before directing overflow to the rear.
Pastoral Leadership Rooted in One Family
The church is led by Senior Pastor Myron Wideman, Sr. and his wife, First Lady Toni Wideman, who have been married since 1982 and are parents of three and grandparents of six. Pastor Wideman began his ministry at DeKalb United almost 30 years ago, serving as assistant pastor for seven years before stepping into the senior pastor role, which he has now held for more than two decades. He is an ordained minister with the United Pentecostal Church International and has served as Presbyter of the state of Georgia and as Apostolic Man Coordinator. He also extends his ministry overseas through the Africa A-Team, a network of ministers and volunteers preaching the gospel across the African continent, and he mentors a Spanish outreach ministry in addition to his work at DeKalb United.
The Wideman family continues to shape the staff. Myron Wideman, Jr. and his wife Tanya serve as Associate Pastor and as director of the Information Desk Team. Densley and Dianne Coke round out the pastoral team as Pastoral Assistant and wife.
Sunday Mornings: School First, Then Worship
Sunday School opens the day at 9:00 a.m. for children and adults alike, followed by the main Worship Service at 10:00 a.m. Worship lasts about 90 minutes and blends dynamic singing with anointed preaching. Visitors are welcomed but never pressured to give; the offering is collected primarily for members and regular attendees.
Dress tends toward dressy clothes, but guests are invited to come as they are. Five parking spaces in the front lot are reserved for first-time visitors, and the parking team helps everyone else find a spot. Most services feature a hostess greeting newcomers at the door.
Children and Students Have a Place of Their Own
Children are a centerpiece of the church’s life. Sunday School classes run from 9:00 to 9:45 a.m., with classes grouped by age and grade: Little Lambs (ages 2 to 3), Discoverers (age 4 through kindergarten), J.A.M. or Jesus And Me (grades 1 to 2), King’s Kids (grades 3 to 4), Lion of Judah (grades 5 to 6), Transformers (grades 7 to 8), and S.M.A.S.H., Students Ministering And Serving Him (grades 9 to 12). Donna Madden directs the Children’s Ministry.
During the main worship hour, children in fourth grade and younger are invited to Children’s Church, an interactive, puppet-room environment directed by Jackie Hart. A nursery is available for newborns through age 2 throughout the Sunday morning service.
Teenagers and young adults find a home in Redeemed Youth Ministries, led by Youth Pastors Yolando and Tanisha Parkes. The youth room hosts services twice a month on Fridays at 7:00 p.m., and the ministry also hosts the Winter Youth Conference each February, drawing students from across the state.
Midweek and Friday Rhythms
Wednesday nights at 7:00 p.m. bring the Midweek Service, a Bible study and worship gathering that realigns as much as encourages. Fridays at 7:00 p.m. alternate between the youth service for ages 35 and under and Life Classes for ages 36 and up, each held twice a month as announced.
Music, Media, and the Worship Team
The Music Ministry, led by Music Director David Medina, prepares gatherings that mix ancient and modern, eloquent and simple, familiar and new. Various musical ensembles take part in the morning and evening services. The same director also oversees the church’s Media Team, which handles live-streaming, podcasts and devotionals and works to extend the congregation’s reach through social media.
Men’s, Women’s, Missions and Outreach
Brother’s Keeper, the men’s ministry directed by Richard Kennedy, disciples men of every age and stage through teaching, fellowship and service, and hosts an annual Men’s Conference that draws men from across the country. The Women’s Ministry under Angela Lott emphasizes fellowship, conferences, and community involvement that connect women in transformational relationships and unite them in Christ.
Under Phyllis Dawson, the Missions Ministry funds missionaries and their families each year so that the gospel can be preached in places most members cannot physically reach. Outreach Director Chris Madden oversees the church’s local presence in Stone Mountain and metro Atlanta, including a Transportation Ministry that runs volunteer routes to bring people to church, a Food Bank that provides groceries to families in need (call 770-879-6777 to schedule a pick-up), and a slate of community events such as block parties, door-to-door outreach, concerts, health fairs, prison and hospital visitations, and home Bible studies.
What DeKalb United Believes
DeKalb United Pentecostal Church holds to the standard teachings of the United Pentecostal Church International. Its fundamental doctrine centers on the Bible standard of full salvation: repentance, water baptism by immersion in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and the baptism of the Holy Ghost with the initial sign of speaking with other tongues as the Spirit gives the utterance.
The church teaches that the Bible is the infallible Word of God and the authority for salvation and Christian living. It affirms one God who has revealed Himself as Father, Son and Holy Spirit, with Jesus Christ as God manifested in flesh. Salvation comes by grace through faith based on the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Obeying the gospel means repentance, water baptism in the name of Jesus Christ, and receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit. Christians are called to love God and others, to live holy lives inwardly and outwardly, and to worship joyfully, with the supernatural gifts of the Spirit - including healing - for the church today. The church also looks for the return of Jesus Christ, the final resurrection, and the final judgment.
Giving Options
The church makes giving simple through several channels. Online giving is available, and text-to-give uses the keyword DUPCGIVES sent to 206-859-9405, with Subsplash handling secure payment processing. Cash, checks and on-site credit card gifts are welcomed during services, and gifts may also be mailed to P.O. Box 445, Stone Mountain, GA 30086. A Faith Promise initiative each year encourages members to set biblical, cheerful, sacrificial goals for missions support.
Planning a First Visit
At DUPC, everyone is “all about Jesus.” Visitors are not met with shame or guilt, and no one cares how they are dressed. First-time guests can expect reserved parking up front, a hostess greeting at the door, plenty of singing, and a 90-minute worship service with children’s programming available at every age. Services are livestreamed for those who cannot attend in person, and a video archive holds previous services.
How to Get Connected
Beyond Sunday morning worship, the church offers many doorways in. There is a Baptism request form, a Baby Dedication form, a Prayer Requests page, a place to Share Your Testimony, a Serve form for those who want to join a ministry team, and a short I’m New Survey for first-time guests. The Information Desk in the main foyer answers questions about upcoming events and helps newcomers find their way.