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The “Two by Twos” is a religious group founded around 1897 by Scotsman William Irvine. They have consistently held beliefs contrary to sound doctrine, similar to their theological relatives, the Cooneyites.
Initially, Irvine was sent to County Tipperary, Ireland, by the evangelical Faith Mission. However, after Irvine instructed his new converts to completely separate themselves from the world, the Faith Mission distanced itself from him. Based on Mark 6:7, Irvine believed that followers of Jesus should go out in pairs, preaching as the original disciples did, and that they should possess only one change of clothes (Matthew 10:9-10). Convinced that they were the sole adherents of the correct path to making disciples, Irvine’s followers decided their denomination should remain nameless. Consequently, outsiders coined various names for them: Two by Twos, the No-Name Church, Go-Preachers, Tramp Preachers, Christians Anonymous, Irvinites, Friends and Workers, among others.
Those who followed Irvine sold all their possessions to support him, believing him to be the Prophet foretold in Deuteronomy 18:18–19. Irvine then required all his followers to become itinerant ministers and preach in pairs. Edward Cooney, for instance, sold his share in a family business and became a wandering “tramp preacher.” Cooney’s speeches were contentious and antagonistic toward established churches, as he asserted that members of all other churches were destined for hell, and he condemned all ministers who received a salary or any financial aid.
Both Irvine and Cooney were eventually ousted from the group by subsequent leaders. Nevertheless, they each retained loyal followers. Irvine’s supporters are now known as the “Little Ones” or the “Message People.” Cooney’s followers continued to uphold his beliefs.Faithful to what they believed to be the original tenets of the faith. Today, the term Cooneyites refers to those members who continue to follow Cooney’s version of Irvine’s doctrine.
In order to conduct official business, the Two by Twos register names including “Christian Conventions” (U.S.), “Assemblies of Christians” (Canada), “The Testimony of Jesus” (U.K.), and “United Christian Conventions” (Australia). However, most members do not associate a formal name with the church, referring to it as “The Truth,” “The Way,” “The Jesus Way,” or “The Lowly Way.” They meet weekly in homes and do not have any church buildings. Since there are no official records for this secretive group, membership numbers can only be estimated. Depending on the source, worldwide membership in the Two by Twos ranges from 80,000 to around 400,000.
The Two by Twos do not publish doctrinal statements or any literature except a hymn book. They use only the King James Bible in their services. Here are some of their core teachings:
The Two by Twos are anti-Trinitarian. The Holy Spirit is perceived as an attitude or force from God. Jesus is a fully human figure who came to earth to establish a way of ministry and salvation, but He is not God Himself. The Two by Twos believe that Jesus overcame His own flesh. Great stress is laid upon following the example of Jesus but less emphasis on Jesus as Savior—Jesus’ life is more important than His death. The Bible teaches that the Holy Spirit is a Person of the Godhead «And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: », (John 16:8) and that Jesus is not just a good example but is the One in whom “all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form” «For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. », (Colossians 2:9).
The Two by Twos
and Cooneyites teach that their workers are God’s direct apostles today. Their word is as authoritative as the Bible. Followers of these “apostles” do not share the message themselves with others; their task is to bring people to the “gospel meetings” and hear the “truth” preached firsthand from a worker/apostle. In contrast, the Bible teaches that there were twelve apostles «And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. », (Revelation 21:14) who completed their mission in the first century. No one today can claim that their own extemporaneous speech is directly from God.
The Two by Twos and Cooneyites teach that salvation must be earned. A person must be baptized, uphold the group’s standards, faithfully follow “the way,” and maintain personal worthiness. Salvation is determined at death, is conditional upon works, and is therefore not secure. Sanctification comes before justification. The Bible, in contrast, teaches that we are saved by grace through faith, apart from our own works (Ephesians 2:8-9).
The Two by Twos and Cooneyites reject biblical doctrines of predestination, original sin, justification by faith alone, and Christ’s redemption as the sole basis of salvation. Furthermore, the Two by Twos and the Cooneyites are extremely exclusive. Only they represent the direct historical continuation of the New Testament church. All other churches and ministries are false, according to the Two by Twos. Salvation is only obtainable through them. The Word of God (the KJV Bible) can only be effective for salvation if it is heard straight from the mouth of a Cooneyite preacher. No one can experience the new birth without the human agency of their own preachers. Anyone baptized by any other church must be re-baptized by a Cooneyite.
As sincere and forceful as the Two b
Although the Two by Twos and Cooneyites are known for the sacrifices made by their “tramp preachers,” they propagate a distorted gospel and misguide unsuspecting individuals. They display several characteristics of a cult, such as rejecting fundamental Christian beliefs, claiming exclusive possession of “the truth,” and asserting that salvation is contingent on loyalty to their leaders.
