The Two by Twos are believed to be a large network of house churches, although this is not the name its members would use.
Members prefer to refer to their movement without attaching a label to it, or they might refer to it as "The Truth" or "The Way", and sometimes as "Workers and Friends". Where they have seen a need to use a name, the name is used for registration purposes, and is not something that its members would use or even know about.
In the United States, they have been registered as "Christian Conventions". Elsewhere, for registration purposes, they have used "The Testimony of Jesus" in the United Kingdom, "United Christian Conventions" in Australia, and "Assemblies of Christians" in Canada.
Since they have avoided the use of names to refer to themselves, they are largely known by the names given them by outsiders. They are commonly referred to as the "Two by Twos" because church ministers work in groups of two, often going door to door to invite people to services. Because of their tendency, in the past at least, to wear black socks, they have also been known as "The Black Stockings."
Among Christian scholars, they are sometimes referred to as the "Church with No Name" or the "No-name Church", given the absence of an official name for the group.
Other names that have been used for the network have included "Christian Conventions", "Christians Anonymous", "Disciples of Jesus" or "People on The Way". They are also known as "Cooneyites" for an early leader of the movement.
Its founding is placed in Ireland in 1897, and William Irvine is considered to be the movement's founder. Irvine was sent from Scotland to Ireland as a missionary for Faith Mission, a Holiness movement, in 1896. Irvine quickly became displeased with Faith Mission, particularly with its cooperation with other churches in southern Ireland. There was also friction over its Holiness teachings.
Irvine began teaching independently, gathering followers rather than planting Faith Mission congregations. His goal was to restore the primitive Church of the New Testament. He held a series of mission meetings in which he rejected the authority of all established churches, condemned the use of church buildings, as well as the concept of a paid ministry and collecting contributions during church services. He also required that those seeking to join the ministry sell all that they have, and stated that followers of churches outside of his new fellowship were damned.
Besides Irvine, other early leaders of the church were John Carroll, John Long, John Kelly, Edward Cooney, and George Walker, each of whom sold all that they had in order to serve as itinerant preachers.
The movement quickly spread from Ireland to the United Kingdom. In 1903, Irvine and Walker took their message to North America. The European continent, Australia, and Asia soon followed.
By 1904, the movement had dropped its requirement to sell all, and a distinction was made between those who chose to become itinerant preachers, called workers, and those who were now allowed to retain their homes and property, called friends. Home meetings were presided over by elders, who was usually the householder, and this soon became the norm.
A hierarchy formed in which Irvine and his trusted associates were designated overseers, and workers were assigned a geographical region in which they coordinated the movement's ministry. This was resented by some, who came to regard Irvine's activities within their geographical field as interference.
Irvine also began to change his theology, indicating that a new era was at hand in which there would be no place for the ministry and the hierarchy. This led to a break within the movement when Irvine was excluded from speaking in a growing number of regions, and he was ousted in 1914.
Cooney adhered to the original, unfettered, preaching style of the itinerant ministry, moving about wherever he felt that he was needed, largely ignoring or criticizing the regional head workers.
When Cooney was expelled in 1928, he took a large number of followers with him, including some of the early workers. Today, the term "Cooneyite" refers to the group that separated or were ousted along with Cooney.
Reliable information about the movement is hard to come by, as the movement publishes very little. Rather than meeting in established churches, they meet in homes or temporary rented spaces.
Because of this, most of the sites listed in this category are likely to have been created by former members, or by other Christian denominations, many of which are critical of the movement. Because the movement uses no names, it is difficult to determine which of the websites that seem to be related to the movement truly are. Sites critical of the movement are also appropriate in this category.
Recommended Resources
Presented by Pumpkin Cottage Ministry Resources, the page offers an outsider’s profile of the two by twos fellowship, but one that strives to present an objective view of the group, from its formation by William Irvine,, who was soon joined by John Long, Edward Cooney, and others, going on to discuss Irvine’s fall from grace and excommunication, as well as the later ouster of Clooney and a division within the group.
http://www.lectionarystudies.com/sects5.html
Cult to Christ: The Church With No Name
Elizabeth Coleman was raised in what she now terms a secretive cult that claims exclusive origin from the New Testament apostolic ministry. A fourth-generation member, she left the church after determining that it was based on a lie. A synopsis of her book is presented, along with biographical information, and a description of the Two by Twos, from her perspective. Other resources include reviews and photographs.
http://www.culttochristbook.com/
Meeting in Wappingers Falls, New York, No Name Church is a non-denominational Christian church, which began as a home Bible study group. A brief history and profile of the church are given, along with a calendar of events, service schedules, and administrative schedules. A statement of beliefs is presented, along with the role of the Bible, a plan of salvation, and the significance of prayer. Audio recordings of Sunday sermons may be downloaded.
http://www.thenonamechurch.com/
Maintained by current or former members of the 2x2 fellowship, the site seeks to be a place where members can question their participation in the two-by-twos, with the goal of encouraging them to leave the fellowship. Although participation in the site requires a membership, general information about the site, its mentorship program and length of support, duties, and behaviors, as well as a user guide.
https://questioningfriends.com/
Operated by a former member of the nameless church that is sometimes referred to a The Truth, The Way, the 2x2s, Friends and Workers Fellowship, Cooneyites, the No-Name Church, and other labels, the site is largely objective in its tone, offering a profile of the group, its founder, organizational structure, and meetings, as well as a history of the fellowship, photographs, and recommended publications on the subject.
http://www.tellingthetruth.info/
TLC publishes documents and testimonies from former members of the worldwide, non-denominational Christian fellowship that takes no official name, but is known variously as The Truth, The Meetings, The Way, Friends and Workers Fellowship, Two-by-Twos, Cooneyites, The Fold, and others. Documents include the reasons given by former members for leaving, exit letters, and other writings. A history and profile of the group is included.
http://www.thelibertyconnection.info/
Pertaining to the 2x2 Church, sometimes known as “The Truth,” the site offers a contrary perspective to the movement. Several books in opposition to the Two by Twos are reviewed, and articles critical of the church’s beliefs and practices, statements of church leaders, and scandals that are associated with the movement or one or more of its leaders are included. Video of two-by-two meetings is included, although it is unclear whether they are legitimate.
http://www.thelyingtruth.info/
Taking its name from the New Testament references to the Early Church, the church meets at the historic Savoy Sanctuary in Savoy, Texas, where services are led by men of the church, rather than by a hired pastor, and each Sunday service is followed by a shared meal, while midweek services are held in small groups who meet in private homes. Sample sermons from various men of the congregation may be viewed or heard online.
http://followtheway.org/
Created by Research and Information Services, a non-profit corporation that publishes books related to three interconnected and nameless sects that meet in homes rather than churches, the largest of which is often referred to as “The Truth.” A history of the movement, from its origins in Ireland to its expansion throughout the world, is given, including biographies of its founders and early leaders, and several articles related to the two by twos.
http://www.workersect.org/
Truth Meetings Board (The Truth)
Hosted by ProBoards, the online forum discusses home church meetings, a two-by-two ministry known as “The Work,” annual conventions held on farms, and a Christian fellowship without a name, one that was founded by William Irvine, George Walker, John Hardie, Willie Jamieson, and Jack Carroll. Maintained by an administrator and moderators, the site requires registration in order to participate in discussions.
http://professing.proboards.com/
Created by people who claim to be victims or survivors of the fellowship of Friends and Workers, particularly child sexual abuse. Survivor stories are posted to the site, and a list of convicted sex offenders who have been associated with the sect are included, along with a definition of child sex abuse, including its effects, statistics, and other information. Letters from Friends and Workers in the United States are included.
https://wingsfortruth.info/
