The Firstborn Laestadianism

Firstborn Laestadians are a subgroup within the Laestadian Lutheran revival movement. The Firstborn prioritize traditionalism and conservative pietistic ideals. They seek to avoid "worldly pleasures." The name "Firstborn" derives from the Bible's Epistle to the Hebrews, Heb. 12:23, which mentions "the church of the firstborn."

The Laestadian movement splintered into three groups around the twentieth century, one of which was the Firstborn. To this day, the Firstborns consider their mother congregation to be located in the Swedish Lapland where the Laestadian movement began.

There are no official statistics on membership. However, one study in 2016 estimated there were 31,000 members worldwide, with the majority in the United States.

In Sweden, Firstborn Laestadians are often known as "West Laestadians." They adopt a more critical attitude towards the Church of Sweden than other Laestadian groups.

In the US and Canada, the Firstborn organized as the Old Apostolic Lutheran Church around the turn of the twentieth century. There are congregations in Alaska, British Columbia, Washington state, Wyoming, Montana, South Dakota, North Dakota, Minnesota, Michigan, Ontario, Delaware, North Carolina, New York, Washington, D.C., and Connecticut. The Firstborn are the largest Laestadian subgroup in the US.

There are also many Firstborn Laestadian congregations in Finland and Norway and one congregation in Denmark. There is some activity in Russia, Estonia, Latvia, the Netherlands, Germany and Great Britain.

American and Canadian congregations always use the King James Version of the Bible. In Finland, the Finnish Bible of 1776 is used. Both Bible versions are based on the Textus Receptus. Churches regularly recite sermons originally by Laestadius himself.

The Christmas meeting in Gällivare, Sweden, is the most important annual event for Firstborn Laestadians.