First Assembly of God stands on East Coliseum Boulevard in Fort Wayne as a multi-generational Assemblies of God congregation rooted in nearly a century of Pentecostal faith. The church is known for two Sunday morning worship services, a Spanish translation feed at the later service, an ASL Deaf Chapel, full next-generation ministries from birth through college, and a Tuesday food pantry that opens its doors to the neighborhood.
A Church Born in the 1930s
In the early 1930s, two groups of Pentecostal believers gathering in homes across Fort Wayne united to form the First Pentecostal Tabernacle on South Calhoun Street. In 1940, the congregation officially affiliated with the Assemblies of God.
Now, nearly a century later, First Assembly of God remains at its current home on East Coliseum Boulevard, continuing to serve and impact the Fort Wayne community. The congregation expresses gratitude for the extraordinary legacy of faith and leadership that has been passed down through generations, and joyfully celebrates all that God has done and continues to do through the church family.
Sundays at 9 and 10:45 AM
First Assembly holds two Sunday morning worship services at 9:00 AM and 10:45 AM. Each service runs about an hour and fifteen minutes, with what the church describes as powerful worship, prayer times, and preaching that is both encouraging and challenging. The services carry the church's signature line, "We accept you for who you are, but love you too much to leave you there."
Spanish translation is available during the 10:45 AM service through the Listen Everywhere app. Each week's sermon is added to a YouTube archive, and services are livestreamed so members who are away can still follow along.
Deaf Chapel in ASL
The Deaf Ministry offers an ASL-interpreted Deaf Chapel at 10:45 AM every Sunday in the Prayer Chapel. The ministry's mission is to minister to the deaf community in their own language, so they may know the Word of God using total communication that creates an environment accessible to everyone. ASL worship and special events at First Assembly are interpreted in sign language.
First Littles and First Kids
Children are at the heart of the church's next-generation ministry. First Littles, for children from birth through age five, meets during both Sunday services and again on Wednesdays at 7:00 PM. The rooms are age-appropriate with hands-on learning through play, music, crafts and snack time, and every volunteer who serves has passed a background check. Parent and Child Dedication is also offered as a follow-up to the Biblical example of Mary and Joseph presenting Jesus at the temple.
First Kids serves Kindergarten through Grade 5 at both Sunday services. Each Sunday, children experience dynamic worship, biblical lessons and games, with most of their time spent in small groups split by grade. On Wednesdays during the group semester, TRANSFORM Groups meet at 7:00 PM. Two specialty programs round out the week for older elementary children: Junior Bible Quiz meets Wednesdays at 7:00 PM in Room 58, and Kids J.A.M., the K-5 choir, rehearses on Wednesday evenings and performs at the fall MERGE service and at Christmas.
First YTH and Student Small Groups
Middle and high school students begin in the main worship service on Sundays. Immediately after worship at 10:45 AM, students in grades 6 through 8 move to the gym for First YTH, a gathering tailored to their age. On Wednesday evenings, students in grades 6 through 12 meet together at 7:00 PM in the Gym for a service built around connection, growing in Jesus and having fun.
On the fourth Sunday of every month, First YTH small groups gather from 6:30 to 8:30 PM. These evenings create a safe space for students and mentors to wrestle with their faith and develop a Biblical worldview.
Young Adults and Chi Alpha on Campus
First Young Adults meets Wednesdays at 7:00 PM with a vision to reach, teach, and equip young adults on and off campus to know Jesus, grow in community, and participate in His mission.
Through Chi Alpha Campus Ministry, First Assembly partners with two local universities. The college ministry meets at Purdue Fort Wayne on Tuesdays at 6:00 PM in WALB and at Indiana Tech on Thursdays at 7:00 PM in Andorfer Chapel. Chi Alpha describes itself as dedicated to serving Jesus, discipling one another, and making lifelong friendships.
Senior Adults on Wednesdays and Sundays
Senior Adults have a full weekly calendar. In His Presence meets Wednesdays at 10:00 AM in Room 37. A luncheon gathers in the Gym on the second and fourth Thursdays at 11:30 AM. Seeking After God meets Sundays at 9:00 AM in Room 45. The ministry's vision is to help adults turn their life success into significance through fun, fellowship and service to others.
Groups, Growth Track and the Next Steps Path
First Assembly's small-group ministry is built on a simple purpose: to bring people together. Small groups meet off site with a topic at their center, while large groups meet on site and never close for capacity. Classes go deeper into scripture or specific topics and run on Sunday mornings or Wednesday nights. The fall semester of groups runs September through November.
Growth Track is the church's three-part monthly experience, held on the first four Sundays of each month at 9:00 AM. Step One covers following Jesus and connecting to the church. Step Two introduces the First Assembly story, beliefs and family, with the option to become a member. Step Three uses personality and gift assessments to help each person discover their God-given purpose. Step Four walks through those results and matches each new leader with a place to serve. Other Next Steps classes include Fresh Start (six-week sessions), Financial Freedom Express and the Water Baptism Class.
Water Baptism
Water Baptism is treated as an outward confession of an inward decision, a public command for every believer who confesses Christ, and a symbolic burial and resurrection. The church teaches that baptism is not a prerequisite to salvation. Baptism does not get a person to heaven; it announces to their friends that they are headed to heaven. Baptism is performed by immersion in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, and services are offered several times a year.
Pray First
Prayer is woven into the rhythm of the church year through the Pray First Initiative. On the first Sunday night of every month, the congregation gathers at 6:00 PM in the Sanctuary for a prayer meeting. During the breaks between First Groups semesters, Wednesday evenings shift to gatherings in the Sanctuary at 7:00 PM, blending prayer, worship and altar response. Children are welcome in the Sanctuary during these meetings. Fasting resources are also offered as a companion practice to prayer.
Kingdom Builders and Global Mission
Kingdom Builders is a separate giving initiative, beyond the tithe, that funds global and local missions, next-generation leaders and facility expansion. The fund is divided into five lanes: Global Impact (47 percent), National Impact (10 percent), Local Impact (15 percent), Next Generation (10 percent) and FAFW Expansion (18 percent).
Among the partners funded through these lanes are missionaries in Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe, Eurasia, Latin America Caribbean, Northern Asia and the United States. Two annual mission trips are open to specific demographics, including a young-adult trip to Botswana and a youth trip to El Salvador. National Impact partners include Convoy of Hope and Indiana Adult & Teen Challenge, while Local Impact supports Community Care, Love Our Schools, A Hope Center and International House.
Local Care and the Tuesday Food Pantry
The church opens its food pantry on Tuesdays from 2:00 to 4:00 PM, with guests entering through Door 16. The food pantry is one piece of the Local Impact lane of Kingdom Builders, which also supports women, immigrants, college students, those struggling with addiction, and projects like wheelchair ramps and teacher appreciation initiatives.
Planning a Sunday Visit
First-time guests are greeted by a welcome team, with free coffee at The Hub in the main lobby. The Welcome Center is the place to stop for any questions about next steps. Visitor parking is on the right, before the canopy, along the Main Entrance on W. Washington Center Rd.
Children from birth through fifth grade can be checked in at the Kids Check-In area; first-time check-in can take a few minutes, so the church recommends arriving fifteen minutes before the service starts. Middle and high school students begin in the main service and then head to their own environments.
Church offices are open Monday through Thursday from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM, also through Door 16. Giving is available online, by text to 260-560-1400, by dropping a giving envelope in one of the Sanctuary's giving towers, or by mailing a check to the church office.
Leadership
Lead Pastors Rob and Rhonda Haslett have served in ministry together for thirty years. Rob joined the First Assembly staff in 2016 as Discipleship Pastor and was appointed Lead Pastor in 2019. Rhonda serves as Discover Pastor. Together they bring a background in youth and children's ministry. Raiden Hartman serves as Resident Pastor. Braeden McIntire leads the Worship team.