Church of the Firstborn

I have spent years telling the stories other people would rather leave buried. This time, the story is mine. I grew up in the Church of the First Born, a secluded faith-healing sect that shaped how I understood God, illness, obedience, family, and what could happen when someone questioned the beliefs holding the community together. This is not simply a story from my distant past. The church still stands, it remains active, and people that I am related to continue to attend. Writing this required me to confront the complicated truth that people can be sincere in their faith and still participate in a system that causes harm.

I did not write this to attack God or mock prayer. I wrote it because my faith no longer requires my silence, especially when children’s lives, family relationships, and spiritual authority are involved. This is one of the most personal pieces I have ever shared. It is about where I came from, what the historical record reveals, and why silence so often protects systems more than it protects people.

Read more here:

https://faithfireandtheforgotten.substack.com/p/i-grew-up-in-the-church-of-the-first




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