A fundamental faith healing sect with a history rooted in the late 19th-century American religious landscape.
The General Assembly and Church of the First Born, often abbreviated as “Church of the First Born,” is a fundamentalist Christian sect known for its practices and beliefs centered around faith healing. This group is distinct from the Latter-Day Saints and other Mormon fundamentalist groups that might share similar names like “Firstborn.”
The church traces its origins back to the 19th century, with its baptismal lineage attributed to David McDonald, who was baptized and ordained in the 1870s in Otoe County, Nebraska. McDonald, alongside other key figures such as Marion Reece, a Civil War veteran, and John N. Burton, played a critical role in the establishment and expansion of the church. They claimed divine gifts, including healing and the purported ability to raise the dead. Following McDonald’s relocation to Kansas, he, together with Reece and others, initiated a religious movement known as “The Followers of Christ.”
By the 1880s, several hundred members had formed in Kansas, typically meeting in homes or schoolhouses. After McDonald’s death in 1892, Reece continued to establish churches throughout Oklahoma, leading to about 100 churches that can trace their origins back to his efforts. The church’s headquarters is now in Hohenwald, Tennessee, under the pastoral leadership of Debbie Landers.
The Church of the First Born is primarily recognized for its staunch advocacy of faith healing, a belief that has often led to controversial and tragic outcomes. The members of the church typically avoid conventional medical treatment for illnesses, based on the belief that true healing can be achieved through divine intervention alone. This stance has resulted in numerous legal cases, especially when children of church members have died from treatable conditions. In several cases throughout the 2010s, parents were convicted of manslaughter and other charges related to the preventable deaths of their children due to medical neglect.
This rejection of modern medicine allows for an acceptance of only minimal medical interventions such as the use of first-aid, eyeglasses, and hearing aids, which are likened to biblical references to the use of crutches by the lame. Church doctrine suggests that the use of such aids does not signify a lack of faith, unlike more substantial medical treatments.
Furthermore, the church has sought religious exemptions for its members from compulsory military service, reinforcing its distinct doctrinal standing and community practices. The request for recognition was submitted during World War I, highlighting the church’s long-standing commitment to its beliefs and its efforts to protect them through legal means.
Today, the General Assembly and Church of the First Born continues to function with a network of churches, particularly in the United States. It conducts various ministries, including men’s, women’s, and youth ministries, and holds regular Sunday services and Wednesday evening meetings. The church’s continued influence is a poignant example of a religious group with deep-rooted beliefs in the power of faith and prayer over traditional medical intervention, a stance that continues to affect its members’ lives and interactions with wider society.
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