Faith, Healing, and Controversy

The small town of Rocky, Oklahoma, holds a deep tie to a distinctive faith tradition in American religious history — the General Assembly and Church of the Firstborn, often called simply the Church of the Firstborn. Over the decades, it has become widely known for its practice of faith healing and for the controversies surrounding medical neglect in some congregations. Behind the headlines lies a quieter, more complex history — one rooted in frontier religion, local leadership, and deeply held conviction.

The Church of the Firstborn traces its roots to the late 19th century, when leaders such as John N. Burton, Elias Brewer, and David T. McDonald began preaching a literal interpretation of the New Testament and the belief that God — not doctors — should be trusted with healing.

By 1902, minister Jim Hays helped establish congregations in Rocky and Fay, Oklahoma, which remain historic centers of the movement.

Rocky soon became one of the most active congregations in the state. In the 1980s, elder James Dobbs became the public voice of the church, defending its practices during a wave of media scrutiny.

“The thing we’d like to do is live our religion in peace.” — Elder James Dobbs, Rocky, 1982

But peace was hard to keep. That same year, The Oklahoman covered multiple child and maternal deaths linked to faith-healing practices.

“It’s who you put your trust in: the Lord over the physician …” — Joe Fite, Rocky preacher, 1982

Beliefs and practices

• Faith Healing: Members are urged to pray, anoint with oil, and lay hands on the sick rather than seek doctors.
• Unprogrammed Worship: Services include spontaneous testimony, prophecy, and tongues.
• Local Leadership: Elders are chosen from within, without denominational hierarchy.
• Literal Scripture: Passages like James 5:14 are treated as direct, binding instruction.

These convictions shaped everyday life — from childbirth to emergencies — and often set Rocky apart from surrounding communities.

Timeline of key events

• Late 1800s — Early leaders Burton, Brewer, McDonald spread teachings in Missouri and Kansas.
• 1880 — McDonald dies; Marion Reece becomes central figure.
• c. 1902 — Jim Hays plants churches in Rocky and Fay.
• Sept. 26, 1982 — Church of the First Born Members Stand By Beliefs published statewide.
• Nov. 20, 1982 — Midwives, Parents Charged in Death Of Newborn Baby.
• Nov. 21, 1982 — The Question: How Far Does Religious Freedom Extend? features Elder Dobbs.
• Apr. 21, 2008 — Elder Dobbs’s obituary notes his service at the Rocky congregation.

FAQ: Common questions about the Church of the Firstborn

Do they officially forbid doctors?
Elders have publicly stated there is no explicit rule against seeing a doctor. However, cultural and spiritual pressure strongly encourages members to rely solely on prayer.

How are elders chosen?
There is no central authority. Local congregations appoint elders by consensus and spiritual recognition.

Why the controversy?
Oklahoma’s medical examiners linked at least ten maternal deaths since 1970 to preventable complications within the church community. Newborn deaths, such as that of Trent Clyde Barnes in 1982, were labeled homicides due to withheld medical care.

Rocky’s congregation remains active today, though smaller than in its peak years. Its story is one of devotion and controversy — a faith that sustained generations but also cost lives.

I grew up in this faith. Elder Dobbs’s line — “live our religion in peace” — was more than a quote in the paper; it was the quiet heartbeat of my childhood. Yet peace often collided with tragedy. I saw the prayers, the faith, the tears — and I also saw the silence that followed when those prayers weren’t enough.

This is the complicated legacy of Rocky: a people trying to live wholly by faith, and the undeniable consequences of those choices. Remembering that history means holding space for both.