Assemblies Of The First Born
Charity 1156317
Overview
Summary
Assemblies Of The First Born appears to be a church-centred charitable network rather than a single local congregation. Its role combines religious practice, a distributed UK presence, international church relationships and stated support for people across life stages and vulnerability. The available evidence suggests that buildings, departments and training may be key parts of its operating model, but it does not yet show how charitable support is delivered in practice, at which sites, or with which community partners.
Operational geography
Evidence and reasoning
Supporting evidence
Sparkbrook and Balsall Heath East
Confidence: high
Direct current official-site evidence identifies an AFB church in Sparkbrook and sets out regular worship, teaching, prayer, youth and open-door activities there. The listed Great Barr congregation is also currently worshipping at this Birmingham site, reinforcing this as an active delivery site.
- Assemblies of the First Born official website — Birmingham church page
Direct evidence: AFB lists its church in Sparkbrook, Birmingham. It publishes a weekly programme including Sunday adult and children's teaching and worship, prayer and Bible teaching, open-door sessions, and youth ministry. - Assemblies of the First Born official website — Great Barr, Birmingham church page
Direct evidence: the Great Barr congregation states that it is currently worshipping at an AFB church in Birmingham, with Sunday school, worship, prayer meetings and Bible study listed. - Assemblies of the First Born official website — Training and Development Department
Direct evidence: the organisation identifies an AFB church in Birmingham as host of its annual 'Check urself b4 u wreck urself' youth conference.
Lozells
Confidence: medium
The official current church directory identifies an Assemblies of the First Born church in Lozells, Birmingham. This is evidence of a church presence, although the page provides less current detail about its regular programme than the Sparkbrook page.
- Assemblies of the First Born official website — Aston, Birmingham church page
Direct evidence: AFB lists 'The Assemblies of the First Born Church' in Lozells, Birmingham, under its churches, with a named leader. - Birmingham City Council — Urban Centres Background Paper
Direct evidence supporting site identification: the Council document identifies a church and hall in Lozells.
Remaining uncertainties
- The evidence supports an active church site in Sparkbrook and a listed church site in Lozells. It does not establish the size of their service catchments or show that the organisation delivers routine services across Birmingham as a whole.
- Although the organisation labels one congregation 'Great Barr - Birmingham', its official page says that it currently worships at a church in Sparkbrook. There is therefore no evidence sufficient to record Great Barr as a current separate operational area.
- The official directory labels the Lozells congregation 'Aston - Birmingham', but identifies it as being in Lozells. The operational area has been recorded as Lozells rather than based on the congregation name.
- The organisation's overall footprint is interpreted as international because its official directory lists churches in the United States and the Charity Commission describes three associated US churches. However, 'associated' does not by itself demonstrate that all US sites are directly controlled or delivered by the registered UK charity.
- No current evidence was found of external partnerships that materially extend the organisation's Birmingham operational geography. The Great Barr congregation's use of the Sparkbrook site is an internal co-location arrangement rather than evidenced external partnership delivery.
Additional evidence needed
- A current annual report, operational report or service timetable confirming which Birmingham congregations and community activities were active during the latest reporting period.
- Information on attendance, beneficiary origin, outreach routes and any off-site delivery to determine whether Birmingham activity is principally neighbourhood-based or has a wider citywide catchment.
- Confirmation of the legal and operational relationship between the registered charity and the US associated churches, to distinguish international direct operations from an international church network.
- Current evidence of any external Birmingham delivery partners, venue partners or referral arrangements.
Areas of work
- Education/training
- General Charitable Purposes
- Religious Activities
- The Prevention Or Relief Of Poverty
Who they help
- The General Public/mankind
How they help
- Provides Buildings/facilities/open Space
- Provides Services
Discoveries involving this organisation
The Atlas has not published any Discoveries involving this organisation yet.
Observations
A distributed church network with an international edge
The organisation appears to operate through a network of congregations, with fourteen churches across the UK and three associated churches in the USA, rather than solely from its Battersea headquarters. The US churches may extend relationships and shared identity beyond the charity's formal UK footprint.
Why it matters
This suggests that its local civic role may vary substantially by congregation, while strategy, doctrine and resources may be coordinated across a wider network.
Show evidence
“Assemblies of the First Born is a registered UK charity with fourteen churches throughout the UK and three associated churches in the USA.”
Source:Organisation“The website lists churches in Birmingham, London, Bristol, Croydon, Derby, Luton, Nottingham, Swindon and Walsall, alongside churches in New York and Florida.”
Source:Organisation
Faith is the core purpose; wider support is framed through it
Relief of poverty, education and support for vulnerable groups appear to sit within a religious mission rather than as separately defined service programmes. The organisation may therefore combine pastoral, practical and community-facing support through church life.
Why it matters
This helps distinguish the organisation from a general-purpose welfare provider and suggests that understanding its civic contribution requires attention to congregational relationships and religious practice.
Show evidence
“The objects are for the advancement of the Christian faith according to the rites and doctrines of the Church of the Assemblies of the First Born.”
Source:Charity Commission“The charity seeks to deliver the gospel of Jesus Christ in a manner which supports children, young people, adults, the elderly, other vulnerable groups and the wider community.”
Source:Organisation
Buildings may be a significant community asset
The combination of multiple churches and a stated provision of buildings, facilities and open space suggests that physical premises may be an important channel for the organisation's charitable activity, not merely places of worship.
Why it matters
Church buildings could create opportunities for local partnerships, neighbourhood activity and shared use, particularly where other accessible community space is limited.
Show evidence
“The charity helps by providing buildings, facilities and open space.”
Source:Charity Commission“The organisation has fourteen churches throughout the UK.”
Source:Organisation
- Which congregations provide practical charitable services beyond worship and pastoral support.
- Whether premises are shared with community groups or used primarily by church members.
- How the UK charity relates operationally and financially to the associated US churches.
Remaining uncertainties
- Recent annual reports or trustee reports describing activities, expenditure, beneficiaries and outcomes by location.
- Information on local partnerships, room hire or community use of church premises.
- Details of programmes delivered by the youth, training, missions, men's and women's departments.
Additional evidence needed
Charity Commission profile
Activities
ASSEMBLIES OF THE FIRST BORN IS A REGISTERED UK CHARITY WITH FOURTEEN CHURCHES THROUGHOUT THE UK AND THREE ASSOCIATED CHURCHES IN THE USA. WE SEEK TO DELIVER THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST IN A MANNER WHICH SUPPORTS THE NEEDS OF CHILDREN, YOUNG PEOPLE, ADULTS, THE ELDERLY, OTHER VULNERABLE GROUPS AND THE WIDER COMMUNITY AT LARGE.
Charity objects
THE OBJECTS OF THE CHARITY SHALL BE FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC ACCORDING TO THE RITES AND DOCTRINES OF THE CHURCH OF THE ASSEMBLIES OF THE FIRST BORN ("THE CHURCH") AND TO FURTHER SUCH EXCLUSIVELY CHARITABLE RELIGIOUS PURPOSES ACCORDING TO ENGLISH LAW AS THE TRUSTEES SHALL FROM TIME TO TIME DIRECT IN ANY PART OF THE WORLD.