September 23rd 2024.
A woman named Jolyn Mitchell recently came forward to share her story of leaving a secretive Christian church, the Two by Twos, and the emotional and spiritual abuse she experienced there. Jolyn was born into this religious group, which is known for its underground nature and has followers all over the world. The group is led by elders, referred to as "overseers," who preach about God and recruit new members. There are also senior members called "workers" who live with other members and are seen as authority figures.
Jolyn explained that she was a "generational member," as her parents had joined the church before she was born. Women in the group were not allowed to wear makeup or paint their nails, and they were expected to cover up. Jolyn revealed that she decided to speak out after learning that the FBI was investigating hundreds of sexual abuse claims involving the church. She left the group in 2012 and has since become a healthcare administrator in Seattle, Washington.
According to Jolyn, the group operated like many other religions, with regular bible studies and Sunday services in members' homes. They also held conventions a few times a year, where thousands of members would gather at someone's property. However, what set this group apart was the fear they instilled in their members. They were taught that this was the only way to get into heaven, and anyone who left the group would go to hell. Conventions were held at people's homes, and members would spend weeks preparing the grounds for the event.
When Jolyn was 17, she realized she wanted to leave the group and started attending meetings less and less. She noticed that women were treated as second-class citizens, and if they got pregnant before marriage, they would be punished by not being allowed to participate in meetings until after the baby was born. Jolyn also experienced immense shame and pressure from members and workers if they were aware of any "sins" she had committed.
In 2012, Jolyn stopped attending meetings to focus on putting herself through college. She was bombarded with calls from other members trying to get her to stay and asking why she wasn't attending. It wasn't until two years later when she was watching a documentary about a church cult that she realized she had been in a cult herself. She said that people were not happy when she left and that she received many calls and messages from friends and family who were still in the group. Jolyn had to start over and rebuild her life without the support of her former community.
The Two by Twos, also known as "The Church with No Name," was founded in the 1800s and has a non-denominational structure. In recent years, there have been investigations into allegations of sexual abuse within the group, with one former minister in New Zealand being arrested in 2024 on charges of indecent assault. Metro has reached out to the church for comment, but they have not responded. Jolyn's story sheds light on the disturbing reality of emotional and sexual abuse that can occur in secretive religious groups.
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