Two by Twos

Christian Conventions/Assemblies of Christians
Prominent early preachers (left to right): William Gill, William Irvine, and George Walker.
Classification	Protestant
Orientation	Restorationist
Region	Worldwide
Founder	William Irvine
Origin	1897 Ireland
Members	150,000-600,000 unofficial estimates
Official website	none

Christian Conventions is one of several registered names denoting an international, home-based church which originated in Ireland during the last years of the 19th century.

Christian Conventions is the name which was registered in the United States. In other countries, the church's names include Assemblies of Christians (Canada), The Testimony of Jesus (Britain), Kristna I Sverige (Sweden), and United Christian Conventions (Australia and other nations). Among its members, the church is typically referred to as “The Truth” or “The Way”. Outsiders more often use terms such as “Two-by-Twos”, “No-name Church”, “Cooneyites”, “Workers and Friends”, and other titles.

The church has no official headquarters and claims to publish no documents. Printed invitations to its open gospel meetings are the only written materials which those outside the group are likely to encounter.

Members hold regular weekly worship gatherings in local homes on Sunday and midweek. Church ministers are semi-itinerant and work in pairs (hence the name Two by Twos). The church holds annual regional conventions, and public gospel meetings.

History

Founding

In 1896, William Irvine was sent as a missionary by the interdenominational Faith Mission organisation to southern Ireland. He enjoyed success there, and was promoted to superintendent.

Irvine quickly became dissatisfied with Faith Mission precepts, and in 1897, after only a few months in Ireland, he became convinced he had received a revelation that the manner in which the disciples had been sent out in Matthew chapter 10 was a permanent commandment which should still be observed. In October, he held his first mission outside the scope of his Faith Mission activities in the village of Rathmolyon, where he rejected all established churches and set forth his new ministry and doctrine. It was here that he recruited the first adherents to his new message. Aside from condemning all other churches, Irvine's doctrine included: rejection of church buildings, damnation of all followers of churches outside the new fellowship, rejection of paid ministry, rejection of collections during services and collection boxes, and insistence on “selling all” as a requirement for joining the ministry.

His preaching during this mission influenced others, who began to leave their respective churches and join Irvine to form an initial core of followers. Some of these early adherents would become important members of the new church, including John Long, the Carroll family, John Kelly, Edward Cooney - an influential evangelist from the Church of Ireland, and George Walker (an employee of the Cooney family's fabric business), all of whom eventually “sold all” and joined the new movement as itinerant preachers.

Extract of an article from The Impartial Reporter and Farmers' Journal from 1910 documenting the early phases of the Christian Conventions. The complete article may be viewed here.

Other details to consider

• Both John Long and William Irvine studied Matthew 10 together, discussed the content, and collectively questioned if this was how the ministry should still be.
• John Long had documented his thoughts on Matthew 10, not that they saw it as a commandment, but that they considered the aspect of going by faith, as the disciples were sent in Matthew 10.
• Despite what is mentioned above the year of studying Matthew 10 was 1898.
• William Irvine was encouraging John Long to join the Faith Mission, but John Long asked God for direction regarding this reading of Matt 10, and was convicted to go out in faith rather than join the Faith Mission as William Irvine expected. John Long was the first to go in faith (Matt 10) and William Irvine joined him in this years later.
• William Irvine was not dissatisfied with Faith Mission precepts as mentioned above, and continued to enjoin people to the Faith Mission Prayer Meetings, and ministry, beyond 1897.
• Contrary to what is mentioned above, William Irvine was struggling to win converts until he preached in a mission that had been organised by John Long, with Goodhand Pattison.

Early growth

Newspapers of the day followed the conflicts that arose over Irvine's message. Some hosted debates in their editorial columns. Fueled by fiery speakers such as Irvine and Cooney, membership growth was rapid. In 1900 the Faith Mission ended its support of Irvine and any of its workers found to be participating in the new movement.

As the ranks of its ministry increased, the new church's outreach also expanded. In 1903, the first annual convention was held in Ireland. Later that year, William Irvine, accompanied by Irvine Weir and George Walker, brought his message to North America. Missions to continental Europe, Australia and Asia followed.

In 1904, it was noted that the requirement to “sell all” was no longer mentioned in sermons. A two-tiered system was instituted, whereby a distinction was made between homeless itinerant missionaries (called “workers”), and those who were now allowed to retain homes and jobs (called “friends” or “saints”). Weekly home meetings began to be held, presided over by “elders” (usually the householder). During the next few years, this change became universal. The group continued to grow rapidly, and held regular annual conventions lasting several weeks at a time. Irvine travelled widely during this period, attending conventions and preaching worldwide, and began sending workers from the British Isles to follow up and expand interest in various areas.

A hierarchy developed, wherein senior “workers” in various regions took charge in coordinating the efforts of the ministry within their geographical areas. Irvine turned to his most trusted associates to head these spheres as “Overseers” or “Head Workers”. These included William and Jack Carroll, George Walker and Willie Gill. William Irvine continued to have the ultimate say over both their conduct and finances, and his activities within their fields became regarded as “interference”.

Schism

William Irvine's progressive revelation continued to evolve over this time, and eschatological themes began to be noted in sermons. By 1914 he had begun to preach that the Age of Grace, during which his “Alpha Gospel” had been proclaimed, was coming to a close. As his message turned towards indicating a new era, which held no place for the ministry and hierarchy that had rapidly grown up around the “Alpha Gospel,” resentment arose on the part of several Overseers.

Australian overseer John Hardie broke with Irvine, and excluded him from speaking at the South Australia convention in late 1913. As 1914 progressed, he was excluded from speaking in a growing number of regions, as more Overseers broke away from him. There were many excommunications of Irvine loyalists in various fields during the following years, and by 1919, the split was final, with Irvine moving to Jerusalem and transmitting his “Omega Message” to his core followers from there. The majority of members continued following the Overseers. Few outside the leadership knew the details behind Irvine's disappearance from the scene, as no public mention of the split seems to have been made.

A second division occurred in 1928 when Edward Cooney was expelled for criticizing the hierarchy and other elements that had arisen within the group, and which he saw as serious deviations from the group's original message. Cooney himself adhered to the earlier, unfettered itinerant ministry, moving about wherever he felt he was needed. He rejected the appointment of head workers to geographic regions and the “Living Witness” doctrine (see Doctrine and practice, below). Cooney's loyal supporters joined him, including some of the early workers, and they stayed faithful to what they perceived to be the original tenets. Because of Cooney's prominence in the early growth of the church, onlookers in many areas had labeled the entire group as Cooneyites, a term that is still used, mostly to designate the group that separated (or were excommunicated) along with Edward Cooney, and who continue as an independent group.

Consolidation

Little mention was made of these schisms, and many people both inside and outside the group were completely unaware of what had occurred. Within the larger sect under the overseers, supporters of Irvine, and later Cooney, were either coaxed into abandoning those loyalties, or put out of the fellowship. Among these were the early workers May Carroll (who eventually abandoned Irvine) and Irvine Weir (one of the first workers in North America, who was excommunicated for continued contact with Cooney). Agreements between the senior Overseers also put limitations on operating outside of their respective geographical spheres.

Evangelical outreach also began to change, with the public preaching of the early days increasingly replaced with “Gospel Meetings”, which were attended only by members and interested invitees.

Doctrine and practices

Basic tenets

The group's fundamental belief is “The church in the home, and the ministry without a home”. Insistence on an unsalaried, homeless ministry and meetings being held in members' homes, rather than church buildings, has been a constant theme from the group's earliest years.

Terminology

The following are some of the common terms used by the group, and a definition of each in the sense most commonly intended and understood by members of the group.

• Church - generally, a small, local congregation that meets in a home; can refer to a larger group of believers or to the group as a whole. This term is never used to refer to a building, except when referring to church buildings of other denominations, or occasionally when speaking metaphorically. Used colloquially when talking to strangers to refer to one's Sunday/Wednesday activity, e.g., “I'll be at church until midday.”
• Meeting - formal religious gatherings.
• Field - a geographical region to which workers have been assigned (similar to parish).
• Mission - a series of larger meetings known as gospel meetings (see above).
• Friend, Saint - adherent or member. Collectively “the friends,” or “the saints”.
• Profess - to make a public declaration of one's willingess to to become a member.
• Bishop, Elder, Deacon - a leader of a church. Normally the male head of the house in which meetings are held. The bishop/elder is usually the person in charge of calling the start of the meeting. The deacon is considered to be an alternate to the elder in some areas.
• Worker, Servant, Apostle - terms used to denote the group's semi-itinerant, homeless ministers. These are generally unmarried (there have been a few cases in the past where married couples had been allowed to enter the ministry), and do not have any formal training. Workers go out in pairs (hence the term “Two by Two”), consisting of a more experienced worker with a junior companion.
• Head Worker, Overseer - the senior worker in charge of a geographic area.

Ministry

The church holds that faith and salvation can only be obtained by hearing the word preached directly its ministers (typically called workers), and by observing their sacrificial lives. During the early years, this requirement was referred to as the “Living Witness Doctrine,” though that term is no longer used. The minister must be heard and observed in person, rather than by broadcasts, recordings, books or tracts, or other indirect communication. The church's ministerial structure is based on Jesus' instructions to his apostles found in Matthew Chapter 10, verses 8-16. The church holds that its ministers

• Should not remain in a specific location
• Should travel in pairs
• Should take minimal worldly possessions, but instead
• Should rely on hospitality and generosity

Thus the ministry is homeless, travelling, and receives its income through support from members. Church buildings are seen as inconsistent with biblical Christianity. The group typically conducts meetings in homes.

The option of entering the ministry is theoretically open to every baptised member, although it has been many decades since married people were accepted into the ministry. Female workers operate in the same manner as male workers. However, they may not rise to the position of head worker, do not lead meetings when a male worker is present, and occupy a lower rank than the male workers.

Workers do not engage in any formal religious training. Head workers pair new workers with senior companions until deemed ready to move beyond a junior position. Workers organize groups for home meetings, appoint elders for leading the meetings, and decide controversies among members. Workers are not registered marriage celebrants, but give sermons and prayers at members' weddings if requested. They officiate at the funerals of members.

Gatherings

The group holds several types of gathering, in various locations throughout the year. Quietness is encouraged in preparation beforehand and for reflection afterward.

• Gospel Meeting: this is the gathering most likely to be publicized and open to attendance by outsiders. It was once common for Gospel Meetings to be held in tents, which the workers would set up as they traveled about, but these meetings are now usually held in a rented hall, classroom, or similar public venue. Gospel Meetings are held specifically to attract new members, although professing members typically comprise the bulk of the attendees. This type of meeting consists of a quiet period, congregational singing using a special version of their hymnal (often accompanied by piano), and sermons delivered by the workers. Gospel Meetings are not regularly scheduled events, but are only held when a worker feels there may be people in the region who would be interested in their message.
• Sunday Morning Meeting: participation in this meeting is generally restricted to members. It is usually held in the home of an elder, and consists of a capella singing from the regular hymnal, partaking of the emblems (a piece of leavened bread and a cup of wine or grape juice) by members in good standing, prayer, and a sharing of testimonies.
• Bible Study: participation in this meeting is generally restricted to members, and is also usually held in the home of an elder. Members are assigned a list of Bible verses or a topic of study for consideration during the week, for discussion at the next meeting. As the meeting progresses, each member shares an interpretation or thoughts regarding the scripture or topic. The Bible Study meeting also includes a capella singing from the regular hymnal and prayers.
• Union Meeting: restricted to approved members, this is a gathering of several congregations, and follows the format of the Sunday Morning meetings.
• Special Meeting: restricted to approved members, a Special Meeting is a gathering of members from a large area, and is often held in a rented hall. This meeting lasts an entire day, and includes sermons by local and visiting workers. The sermons are interspersed with prayers, a capella singing, and testimonies.
• Convention: generally restricted to approved members, although outsiders are sometimes permitted to attend certain portions. These annual events are attended by members from within a larger geographical area than for the Special Meetings. Conventions are held over several days, usually in rural areas on properties with facilities to handle housing, feeding, and other necessities for those who attend. These services generally follow the format used for Special Meetings.
• Workers Meeting: generally restricted to workers and certain invited members. This meeting is used to disseminate instructions from senior workers, and to issue decisions about controversial matters. They are held during Conventions, or as is deemed necessary. These meetings include prayer and statements by the senior workers in attendance.

Unpublished doctrine

Since church leaders hold that the Bible is the prirmary source of doctrine, specific church doctrines are not published. The church believes in personal salvation by free choice. Each adult member is responsible for his or her own standing with God. Members are encouraged to attend meetings, and to speak at them. Significant weight is given to the thoughts of workers, especially more senior workers. Such speech is considered to be guided by God;. the practical effect of this belief, is to create an atmosphere of general respect for each others' opinions. Members with doubts are often urged to pray for guidance and read their Bibles, rather than seeking a definitive answer from an authority. Thus doctrines may vary between different regions, different groups, and different members. For example, in some areas alcohol is forbidden, and in other areas fermented wine is used in Sunday meetings; in some areas people who have divorced and remarried are not allowed to take part in meetings, while in others they may participate. In most gatherings, members typically abstain from television sets in the home, drinking, smoking, and use of recreational drugs.

Baptism

Baptism by one of their ministers is considered a necessary step for full participation as a member in the group. Candidates approved by the local “workers” are baptised by immersion.

Christology

Since the group's inception, it has rejected the doctrine of the Trinity. Though they believe in the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, they have a unitarian view of Christ. The Holy Ghost is held as an attitude or force from God. Jesus is preached as God's son, a fully human, even god-like (i.e., “divine,” though not God Himself), figure who came to earth to establish a way of ministry and salvation.

Restorationism

Many church members hold to a long-standing view that it has no earthly founder, and that it originated directly with Christ during the first century AD. However, members have begun to make more frequent statements that hint either at a beginning during the closing years of the nineteenth century or at a notable resurgence around that time.

Organization, records

Members of the church have claimed that it does not have a formal organization. No headquarters are currently maintained and the church remains unincorporated in most, if not all, areas. No accounting to the membership is made of funds collected or spent. Property and funds are handled through stewardships, trusts, cash transactions and similar means. Some leaders in the group have actively discouraged the keeping of records, even to the extent of encouraging such to be destroyed.

Hierarchy

Control rests in the hands of a small group of senior male Overseers, each of whom exercises authority over a specific geographic region. Within the sphere controlled by each senior Overseer are junior male Head Workers who hold overseership of a single state, province or similar area. In turn, each Head Worker assigns companions and fields to the Workers within his domain. The more experienced of the pair of Workers has authority over the junior companion. Each pair of Workers has charge over several local meetings within the field assigned to them. Elders who host the local meetings in their homes report to the Workers. Correspondence, such as reporting, financing matters, and other instructions are channeled via this hierarchy.

Church name

Although initially no official name was taken by the group, during the First and Second World Wars, conscientious objector status was sought for ministers and other members, which required registration. Various names were registered when required, though these registrations were done without a formal announcement to the membership. Today, few members are aware that the group has official names, or that these names are used for church business. Registered names vary from nation to nation. Even so, the group today represents itself as nondenominational and without a name. In 1995, controversy arose in Alberta, Canada when part of the group incorporated as the “Alberta Society Of Christian Assemblies” for unspecified purposes. This particular entity was dissolved in 1996 after its existence became generally known.

Though Overseers and Head Workers occasionally use these names for official business, most members have never associated themselves to any formal name. Instead, they describe members as “the saints” or “the friends”. To reference their beliefs, they commonly use terms such as “the truth” or “the way”.

Hymnals

By 1909, the church had compiled its first hymnal, titled The Go-Preacher's Hymn Book and containing 125 hymns. The present hymnal, Hymns Old and New, was first published in 1913 with several subsequent editions; it contains 412 hymns, many of which were written or adapted by members of the church. A second hymnal, also titled Hymns Old and New, is used during gospel meetings. This smaller collection contains words without musical notation.

See also

• Cooneyites
• Edward Cooney
• William Irvine

References

• Alberta Report. Edmonton, Alberta.
• Beit-Halahmi, Benjamin. 1993. The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Active New Religions, Sects, and Cults. New York: Rosen Publishing Group. ISBN 978-0-8239258-6-5
• The Bellingham Herald. Bellingham, Washington (state).
• The Calgary Herald. Calgary, Alberta.
• Dair Rioga Local History Group, Mallon and Greaney editors. 2005. All in Good Faith: A History of Christianity in Enfield, Rathmolyon, Rathcore and Associated Areas. Ireland: Dair Rioga Local History Group and the Meath Leader under the NRDP Programme of the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs / National Development Plan.
• Daniel, Kevin N. 1993. Reinventing the Truth: Historical Claims of One of the World's Largest Nameless Sects. Bend, Oregon: Research and Information Services, Inc. ISBN 978-0-9639419-0-9
• Enroth, Ronald M. 1992. Churches That Abuse. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House. ISBN 0-310-53299-X
• Fortt, Lloyd. 1994. A Search for the Truth: The Workers' Words Exposed. Bend, Oregon: Research and Information Services, Inc. ISBN 978-0-9639419-2-3
• Govan, John George. August 1901, Bright Words, Faith Mission (Rothesay, Scotland).
• 1987. Hymns Old and New. Basingstoke, Hants (U.K.): R.L. Allan and Son.
• Ideas. Manchester, England.
• The Impartial Reporter and Farmers' Journal. Enniskillen (County Fermanagh), Northern Ireland.
• The Irish Presbyterian. Belfast, Northern Ireland.
• Irvine, Wm. C. (editor). 1929. Heresies Exposed. Tenth edition. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers (reprint by Kessinger Publishing). ISBN 978-0-7661426-9-5
• Jaenen, Cornelius J. 2003. The Apostles' Doctrine and Fellowship: A documentary history of the early church and restorationist movements. Ottawa: Legas Publishing. ISBN 1-894508-48-3
• Johnson, Benton, “Christians in Hiding: The 'No Name' Sect,” published in M.J. Neitz and M.S. Goldman, Eds. 1995. Sex, Lies and Sanctity: Religion and Deviance in Contemporary North America, vol. 5. Greenwich, Connecticut: JAI Press. ISBN 978-1-5593890-4-4
• Lewis, James R. 1998. The Encyclopedia of Cults, Sects and New Religions. Amherst, New York: Prometheus Books. ISBN 1-57392-222-6
• McClure, W.J. July 1907. “Letter to the Editor,” The Treasury. New Zealand.
• The Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles, California.
• Melton, J. Gordon. 1991. “The Two-By-Two's,” Encyclopedia of American Religions. Third edition. Detroit, Michigan: Gale Research, Inc. pgs. 507-509. ISBN 978-0-8103690-3-0
• Nervig, Casper B. 1941. Christian Truth and Religious Delusions. Minneapolis, Minnesota: Augsburg Publishing House (reprint by Kessinger Publishing). ISBN 978-1-4191732-8-8
• The Newtownards Chronicle. Newtownards (County Down), Northern Ireland.
• The New York Times. New York, New York. 6 August 1909
• Parker, Doug and Helen. 1982. The Secret Sect. Sydney, Australia: Macarthur Press Pty. Ltd. ISBN 0-9593398-0-9
• Roberts, Patricia. 1990. The Life and Ministry of Edward Cooney 1867-1960. Enniskillen, Northern Ireland: Wm. Trimble, Ltd. ISBN 978-0-9510109-4-5
• The Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington (state).
• The Sunday Sun. Williamson County, Texas.
• The Walla Walla Union Bulletin. Walla Walla, Washington (state).

Further reading

• Chapman, Daurelle. 1993. Reflections. The Workers, the Gospel and the Nameless House Sect. Bend, Oregon: Research and Information Services, Inc. ISBN 978-0-9639419-1-6
• Govan, I. R. 1938. Spirit of Revival. Biography of J.G. Govan. London: The Faith mission and Marshall, Morgan & Scott.
• Lewis, Kathleen. 2004. The Church Without a Name. Global Publishing. ISBN 978-0-9746565-4-0
• Piepkorn, Arthur Carl. 1979. "Christian Fellowship (People on "The Way," Disciples of Jesus, Friends, "Two-By-Twos") pg 58-62 in Profiles in Belief: The Religious Bodies of the United States and Canada Volume IV: Evangelical, Fundamentalist, and other Christian Bodies. San Francisco: Harper & Row. ISBN 978-9-9936188-2-9
• Roberts, Patricia. 1991. Selected Letters Hymns and Poems of Edward Cooney. Enniskillen, Northern Ireland: Wm. Trimble, Ltd. ISBN 978-0-9510109-4-5
• Williston, Robert C. S. 2007. Making the Way Straight. Lulu ISBN 978-1-4357020-3-5

External links

The group has no official website. The sites listed below are maintained by individuals, and reflect a variety of views.

• Topics in Bible
• ApologeticsIndex Overview
• R.I.S. - Overview
• Ministering to former members of 2x2s
• Telling The Truth
• Truth Archive
• W.I.N.G.S. For Truth
• TLT