Christianity Today With Attached Letter by Lloyd Fortt

Christianity Today

May 18, 1992 ~ Page 6

SECTS

The Church with No Name

Ray Miller and John Guy spent much of last summer knocking on doors in Isle of Wight County, Virginia, inviting residents to gospel meetings held in a small, rented building on U.S. 258. Though many people flatly turned them down, an estimated 60 men, women, and children attended special Friday and Sunday afternoon meetings, some coming from as far away as 50 miles. They became a church of sorts - a church with no formal name, no written church creed, no headquarters or real property, and no elected officials.

Yet a network of such house churches has spread across the U.S., and possibly worldwide. Numbers are hard to establish, but experts say there could be between 100,000 and 600,000 people affiliated with what is often called, "The No-name Fellowship."

"Names are seen as divisions," explains Miller. "There is no other name greater than the name of God."

But cult researchers say the group is actually known by several names, including the "Nameless House Sect," the "Two-by-Twos" (so named because their lay leaders always travel in pairs), "The Way" (not to be confused with The Way International), and "The Cooneyites" (from an early founder).

"Very little has been written about this obscure worldwide church," says Westmont College professor and cult expert Ronald Enroth in his new book, Churches that Abuse. But Enroth says the group has gained a reputation for potentially aberrant Christian behavior. "The Two-by-Two's impose a restrictive and rigorous lifestyle on the membership," Enroth says. Children are physically disciplined from the time they are a few months old; women shun makeup and dress modestly; only the King James Version of the Bible is accepted.

Historical information traces the group to Scotsman William Irvine, who came to Ireland in 1896 and founded a movement named "Tramp Preachers." He was later joined by Edward Cooney, whose fiery style and popularity earned the group the name Cooneyites.

Currently the No-name Fellowship meets on a larger, more organized scale, holding annual state conventions, which top 1,000 in attendance. The gatherings are held on large farms that have a river or farm pond nearby, which is used to baptize members.

By Jody R. Snider.

CHRISTIANITY TODAY P. 62

Letter sent by Lloyd Fortt to:

Joseph L. Maxwell Assistant News Editor
465 Gundersen Drive
Carol Stream, Ill.60188

Letter:

Joseph L. Maxwell
(Assistant News Editor)
CHRISTIANITY TODAY
465 Gundersen Drive,
Carol Stream, Illinois
60188
Monday, October 12, 1992

Dear Joseph:

In your May 18 1992 issue, on page 62 appears an article entitled, “The Church with No Name.” I wish to inform you that as a former member of that group (one born in it), I am concerned by the articles ambiguous nature. It states, “Very little has been written about this obscure worldwide church,” as it quotes Ronald Enroth. Just in case you are unaware, your own senior editor, James I. Packer, wrote the forward article that is contained within the history book entitled, “THE SECRET SECT” by Doug and Helen Parker. Additional books are currently available on this group. I will enclose a resource list and addresses with this letter.

The reason that I am so concerned is because those of us who God has delivered from a very destructive cult, keep screaming out for the Christian Church to hear us. Meanwhile, reporters go on fact finding missions, listen to the things the members of the cult tell them, and print articles that do not tell the actual facts that surround the group on the theological level.

Daily, members of the cult drop out of it, or are “put out” of it, and are destitute for a place to turn because the Christian Church knows so little about them, and continues to carry the idea that the group is a Christian denomination that has strange ways. I have tried, as many others, to reach out to help the fallout former members that we get to know of, but with a sad lack of training or knowledge such as exists within the Christian Church.

We weep as we watch them slip through our fingers, and turn from religion altogether in most cases, because of the brainwashing they got within that group.

Here is a quote of one of the group’s senior “Workers” that should alert you to the DISHONESTY that emits outside and inside “the church with no name” which calls itself by many names.

“It depends who we are talking to whether we believe in the Trinity or not.”                                                [ Dale Bors,

[Sacramento CA 1979]   Quotations By Workers, page 2

---

The booklet named in the above quote, “QUOTATIONS BY WORKERS,” is available through Threshing Floor Ministries. It contains some 45 pages of quotes of prominent “ministers” of the group. I even taped them in action, if there should be yet further doubt, and I would gladly send you a free copy of that tape, transcript and all.

Here is another quote about another of your senior editors, the greatly respected evangelist, Billy Graham;

“Billy Graham is representing the false gospel and is doing it to become a millionaire. We must shun this so called gospel. We must be very careful here in the New England area since this false prophet is coming to Hartford. We will reach the world before he does! We estimate our numbers to be about 450,000 for the United States and 600,000 to 700,000 worldwide.”
                                                                    
[conversation with senior workers may 12 1985] QBW P.30

Please, won’t somebody listen to us?

Sincerely, in Christ

Lloyd Fortt
(Address Removed)

Personal Comments from Lloyd:

They never so much as acknowledged receipt of my letter to this day.  You have my permission to post my letter with this article.