What is the Two by Twos, the secretive sect linked to a National MP? – The Front Page
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A secretive religious sect. An FBI investigation. A sitting National MP.
The fringe, home-based Christian movement commonly known as the Two by Twos is being looked into by multiple agencies after allegations of child sexual abuse came to light.
A BBC investigation revealed the alleged abuse spanned decades within the organisation, which is believed to have up to 100,000 members worldwide.
One of those members is National Party MP Hamish Campbell, who at first downplayed his connection, saying it was “through family”. He’s since admitted to the Herald that he is a bona fide member.
“I am a member of a small Christian group who meet in people’s homes on Sundays rather than go to church. I have hosted a small number of meetings at my home,” Campbell said.
But what is this secretive, off-grid ministry?
The sect can be traced back to the late 1800s. It does not own property, publish a leadership structure, or keep public records. It is not a registered charity, and its ministers are volunteers who travel in pairs – a potential reason for its moniker.
While it’s commonly known as the Two by Twos, or 2×2, by outsiders, it’s also been referred to as The Truth, The Way, Jesus People, The Fold, and The Friends, among other names.
Herald senior crime reporter Anna Leask told The Front Page it was founded by a Scottish missionary, William Irvine, who’d become disillusioned with the church he was with.
“He wanted to return to an ancient rendition of the Bible teachings. That simple life of poverty, homelessness, itinerant preaching, and spreading the word [of God]. The church doesn’t have a name and doesn’t have buildings. He was very opposed to those because he believed that you don’t need a building to be saved, you don’t need a name.
“Effectively, they’re just fundamentalist Christians who believe that if you are not a member, you will not get into heaven. It will be decided when you die whether you go to heaven or hell based on service, what you’ve done during your life, and the work you’ve done for God.
“The preachers are itinerant, they move from house to house, they get looked after by the body of the church, who are known as ‘friends’, and they get everything paid for,” she said.
Leask said their main meeting is on a Sunday, called “house church”.
“That’s held at the home of an elder, one of the men in the group. On Wednesdays and Sunday nights, there is a gospel meeting, and that’s when the preachers run sort of a prayer meeting, and everyone goes along and listens to them,” she said.
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