One Year Ago, Today

[Joe Sperling]

Scott mentioned below how he had not thought much about the Assembly since 1985, but when he heard the news about George, etc., he signed onto the BB and a lot of things came rushing back into his memory,
and he realized how much being an AK had shaped his life.

I left in 1980, and I've had some ask how I could still be concerned about the Assembly after all of those years. I believe it has a lot to do with the fact that when I joined the Assembly in 1974 I was in my late teens. In that 6 year span before I left I literally grew up into a man, and much of what I thought had been formed while being a part of the Assembly. During that time I had suffered a couple of very traumatic events, which changed my whole view of my value before the Lord. I finally left in 1980 feeling I was worthless before the Lord, and had left "God's best for me", even though deep inside I also knew that there was something very wrong about the Assembly.

During the following years I always "checked up" on the Assembly. I called Christian Research Institute in about 1983 and they had a small "folder" on the Assembly, and considered them an "aberrant Christian Group". A light went on, but I had no one to talk to about it, and still held to the belief that I had failed God by leaving. Some time later I received a publication called the "Noble Inquirer", which spoke about some of the Assembly's teachings--it was written by a few ex-Assembly people--but receiving that in the mail turned the light on even brighter. I was beginiing to think that maybe there REALLY was something wrong about the place.

It was taking years, but I was beginning to see that my leaving wasn't a "failing", but possibly a "choice" I had made due to my conscience. Finally, one night I decided to call George. I had to confront him, because I was beginning to see that I had been deceived, and hurt, and led astray by his teachings. He answered the phone. "Is this George"? I asked. "Yes. Who's calling please?" I answered "This is Joe Sperling. I used to be a member of the Assembly, but I really got hurt there. I wanted to talk to you about that". His reply was something to the effect that he didn't have time to go into it right now. "Why not George?" I asked. "This is George's brother" was the reply. "I thought you said you were George"?!? I said. "No, this is his brother. I've got to go now". (click) And he hung up the phone. I was incredulous. I called right back and a woman answered. She said George had just left for a meeting. When I asked about his brother she asked why I was asking about him--he hadn't visited for a long time and lived in another state. I was stunned----George had outright lied to me to avoid talking to a former member. When I mentioned this to some people still in the Assembly they refused to believe it, one saying to me"George is a very holy man, why would he need to lie to you?"

But now I KNEW that the Assembly had something very wrong about it, and it's leader wasn't the "holy" man everyone thought he was. Somehow I knew deep inside that one day this would all come to light.
Sometime in 2002 I put in "the assembly" on a search engine and found the Rick Ross site. There were just a few people visiting there at that time. Mark Campbell was posting there, and Brent too. Brent mentioned that he was thinking of setting up a website regarding the Assembly, and shortly thereafter it was in place. The events that followed moved swiftly, and one day in January 2003 I saw the actual excommunication letter for George.

It was the final confirmation. Every lingering doubt, held onto since 1980, evaporated. God had done many things with this "judgement", but one was to confirm to us that had left, that we had left for good reason. There was no reason to "beat ourselves up" for any "perceived" wrong, or to feel in any way that God viewed us in a lesser light for having left. As I looked at the letter of excommunication I looked back on years of doubt, and the long arduous process that had needed to take place to really get "free".

Some do not understand this, and belittle the concept that it could take 20 years to really find freedom from a bondage that had held one for so long. Unraveling deception can take time--maybe 20 years for me because I'm not so bright .  But I know another brother, who when he found the BB, had been wandering  for 20 years also in guilt and self-imposed misery--feeing it wasn't even worth going to church because he was so useless and worthless before the Lord because he "left" the Assembly. He is now attending church after all of this time, and is a bright contributor to the BB. "I will restore onto you the years that the locust has eaten..."

I believe when the Lord did this thing, that it was meant to expose and cleanse, but also to heal the many wandering and wounded sheep outside, under a cloud of doubt and uncertainty. When I look back to the events a year ago all I can say "God is faithful" and "God is good"!!!!

--Joe

[outdeep]

Thank you, Joe for your story.  It is very insightful.

Thought I didn't leave solely because of Steve Irons leaving (we were considering leaving earlier), but we left during the exodus of 1990.  We had lots of support so we knew clearly why we left.

I am out of the Assembly longer than I have been in it.  I also live on the other side of the country.  Yet, for some reason I have continually had more interest in people of the Assembly than I have in any of the subsequent churches I have attended.

I often wondered why this was.  Why, when I had nothing to do, would I type "Geftakys" into Yahoo thoughout the years?

I guess because the Assembly was at such a critical, formative time in my life where I made most of my major life decisions.  Possibly because we lived in such tight community and created our own world forcing deeper bonding between us.  Maybe its just because for 12 years these people became my new family and leaving has all the emotions and broken bonds of a divorse?  Who knows?  

Whatever the case, when everything fell last year, I was amazed.

I learned something from this too.  For years, we thought we could help the Assembly through reason, sharing Scripture and talk.  None of these things helped those in the Assembly because the leadership controlled all of the variables.  They had the last word on Scripture, talk, and reason.   This is why, while the Noble Inquier may have helped a few on the outskirts, it was merely a lobbed ball that the leadership hit out of the ballpark.

At first, I wasn't completely comfortable with Brent's "you're goi'n down, Goldberg" WWF style.  But, I realize now that this was exactly what needed to be done.  Many have tried to "keep to the rules" and talk politely.  Many had tried to tell their story and reason with Scripture and confront.  As a result, they were demonized, ridiculed, and refuted.  The web site, on the other hand, held forth the smoking gun for all to see.  And no matter what the leadership did, it wouldn't go away.

I look forward to our trip to California in June/July as we will probably hook up with many I haven't seen in years.

-Dave


P.S.:  The concept of blogging has come in vogue in the last six months.  Brent was a blogger before blogging was cool.  Blogs (short for weB LOG) confronted many strongholds such as the New York Times, liberal media, etc.

[editor]

I learned something from this too.  For years, we thought we could help the Assembly through reason, sharing Scripture and talk.  None of these things helped those in the Assembly because the leadership controlled all of the variables.  They had the last word on Scripture, talk, and reason.  This is why, while the Noble Inquier may have helped a few on the outskirts, it was merely a lobbed ball that the leadership hit out of the ballpark.

At first, I wasn't completely comfortable with Brent's "you're goi'n down, Goldberg" WWF style.  But, I realize now that this was exactly what needed to be done.  Many have tried to "keep to the rules" and talk politely.  Many had tried to tell their story and reason with Scripture and confront.  As a result, they were demonized, ridiculed, and refuted.  The web site, on the other hand, held forth the smoking gun for all to see.  And no matter what the leadership did, it wouldn't go away.

I look forward to our trip to California in June/July as we will probably hook up with many I haven't seen in years.

-Dave


P.S.:  The concept of blogging has come in vogue in the last six months.  Brent was a blogger before blogging was cool.  Blogs (short for weB LOG) confronted many strongholds such as the New York Times, liberal media, etc.

Dave,

Thank you for explaining why I did what I did, in a better way than I could do it myself!

As you put it, we needed to play the game by different rules, as George's rules were not fair and allowed cheating on one side (theirs) but penalized the other side for fair play.

For example, according to George's rules (Code of Silence), Margaret Irons was a witch.  This is a slanderous lie, but it got George a first down, and called back the touchdown that Steve scored during his confrontation at the end of his service to George.

In the "new" rules that I played by,  we locked the stadium doors and knocked the bastards (oops) on their rear-ends and ran for touchdown after touchdown.  Mostly, they didn't even try to play defense, because they had never been hit like that before.  My son's 14-0 football team had this experience plenty of times this year.  "Tougher," teams, with bigger players were supposed to beat us, but they had never been hit hard before, and they played scared after one or two plays.  Football is a rough game, but there are rules.  All we did was apply the same rules to both sides, and the team with the better players (in this case the truth, not the people) won.

One of the biggest problems that my critics have with me is that they have an incorrect idea about what is "Christian" behavior.  They think that we should all have nicely combed hair, speak softly, and never, ever carry a big stick.  When someone hits us, we should turn the other cheek, etc.

Well, that's true, to an extent.  God was hardly a pascifist in the Old Testament.  Israel was emphatically told NOT to turn the other cheek.  Instead, they were told to kill everyone.  

Then,  at the incarnation, Jesus' peaceful, meek character threw everyone for a loop.  They expected Him to start restoring the kingdom, and were ready to take up arms and fight.  

This was the only time, that God turned the other cheek.

The next time He visits, He is going to bring violence beyond all comprehension.  In fact, His ever building wrath is going to be poured out, and people are going to be destroyed.  It's going to be horrible, terrifying, and devastating.  There won't be any cheek turning.  I suppose Christ won't be acting like a christian when He returns?

Remaining passive, when one has full knowledge of evil taking place, and when one has the ability to stop it, is wicked.  In the legal world, this is known as being an accomplice.  Imagine this:

"Your honor,  the accused was a minister of the gospel, a servant of God.  Although I knew he was running a prostitution ring with 11 year old girls, I couldn't say anything, because I am a christian.  I have been praying, however.  Please rest assured that God is on the job."

The judge says,  "So, you're trying to tell me that it didn't bother you that 2 dozen little girls had their lives completely ruined by this man, and that you knew about it and did nothing because it was against your religion?"

I think you get the picture.  With George, it was not quite as bad as the example above.  However, since I knew what was going on, and knew that no one else was going to do anything about it, I decided that I wasn't going to play with a handicap.  These guys were going to get tackled, rushed, and blocked hard. I wasn't going to politely speak in private, or agree to be quiet.

The rest is recent history.

The reason I stepped away from the website, is because the game has changed and my role as a player is not needed in the same way as before.  However, I predict that there will be a need for a little less combed hair and politeness from time to time.

Brent

[vernecarty]

 For years, we thought we could help the Assembly through reason, sharing Scripture and talk.

A fatal mistake when you are dealing with spiritual darkness. In such a situation reason has no leverage and if you attempt to employ it you will bleed. Remember Keith Green's "No Compromise" album?
When dealing with spiritual darkness, as with physical, you command the light to shine...relentlessly! NOTHING else is effective. That is exactly what Brent did.
Satan will ultimately be destroyed by the brightness of our Saviour's appearing....
(2 Thess. 2:
Verne



We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.
I John 5:18  

[Oscar]

Hi all,

Dave and Brent have it right.  We played by the rules they made for us.  They respected no rules at all except for 1. Keep control at all costs. 2. Do whatever is need to achieve 1.

When we tried to address them through the Nobel Inquirer they just laughed and trashed it.  Dave wrote a good article addressing contradictions in GG's teaching.  It was about the fact that GG taught that you could not lose your salvation, but you could end up in the lake of fire.  

When Steve left, he wrote some excellent articles analyzing the many weird ideas taught by GG.  We enjoyed reading them, as they confirmed and fleshed out what we already believed.  I don't think anyone inside the assembly system was convinced by them, if they read them at all.

What Brent did was to go on the offensive, as he said.  He called people and asked questions.  I learned something from this.

Last semester I spoke to a professer at Talbot who is also a pastor.  He is having trouble with a guy like GG who is starting up his own little cult, and has about 100 victims in his group.

I told him what this website had accomplished and how GG was exposed.  He was very interested.  Maybe this technology will weaken some cultic groups.  If people can read anonymously, the Rule of Silence won't work.  Human nature is human nature...and people are curious.

Brent, you have my heartfelt thanks for what you have done.

God bless,
Thomas Maddux

[vernecarty]

When Steve left, he wrote some excellent articles analyzing the many weird ideas taught by GG. Thomas Maddux

I want to ask a simple question and that most sincerely. Tom the operative phrase here is when Steve left .
Why is it that only after leaving that so many of us brought critical faculty to bear on what we had been listening to and at least tacitly agreeing with for so many years?
Did we all suddenly become smarter after our departure?
More discerning? What was it?
After all George just kept saying the same things he had said in all our hearing for years and we never moved to challenge the validity of any of it; at least most of us did not. We did all our talking after our departure...!
I have often wondered what I would have done had I been present when George opened his Bible and decalred that man was created on the 7 'th day...
I can guess what answer will quickly come to mind. Resist it, Really think about this, please...
Verne
p.s I do realise there are some people who still maintain there is nothing wrong with what George Geftakys taught...you are excused....

[Nancy Newswander]

Verne,

Many of us asked questions, challenged what was being preached, and made it known that we did not agree with what George was saying.  I would talk to Roger Grant about George's sensational "prophetic" predictions after a weekend at the Midwest Seminar, only to be treated as if I was spiritually inferior - lacking the "vision".  I addressed George's behavior as not being Christlike - only to be told by a LB in the midwest to "be careful" what you say about the Lord's servant.  I was labeled as a problem and told that I was divisive - I had a critical spirit.  

My experience is not unique.  Verne, many of us questioned and spoke up over and over again.  My problem, you see, was that I wasn't saying the Selfer's Prayer enough, right?  

I don't really know why it is that now I see what I chose not to see for years.  Those still "in" are under that fog that has lifted from so many of us.  

But I just want to be clear that many of us spoke up while we were still involved in the assembly.

[Scott McCumber]

When Steve left, he wrote some excellent articles analyzing the many weird ideas taught by GG. Thomas Maddux

I want to ask a simple question and that most sincerely. Tom the operative phrase here is when Steve left .
Why is it that only after leaving that so many of us brought critical faculty to bear on what we had been listening to and at least tacitly agreeing with for so many years?
Did we all suddenly become smarter after our departure?
More discerning? What was it?
After all George just kept saying the same things he had said in all our hearing for years and we never moved to challenge the validity of any of it; at least most of us did not. We did all our talking after our departure...!
I have often wondered what I would have done had I been present when George opened his Bible and decalred that man was created on the 7 'th day...
I can guess what answer will quickly come to mind. Resist it, Really think about this, please...
Verne
p.s I do realise there are some people who still maintain there is nothing wrong with what George Geftakys taught...you are excused....

Verne,

Many spoke up. Remember that many left in the late 80's early 90's. LB's, workers, etc.

It was their time. They quit resisting. They'd had enough. They saw the light. Etc. Etc. Etc.

In an abusive situation such as domestic violence it is inconceivable to someone who is not in the situation that the abused person remains in their circumstance. But eventually they get out. When it is their time.

And every situation is different and every person is different so everyone's time is different.

I know women who left after being struck once and they never went back. I also know a woman who literally escaped in a Hollywood type chase as her abusive husband drove his car across the courthouse grounds in Tuscola. She crawled through a basement window in her house and barely beat him to the doors of the courthouse. This was after about 15-20 years of the most horrible abuse you can imagine.

The Assembly situation is not exactly the same as a domestic violence situation but there are many parallels. When asking, "why didn't you leave earlier" or "why didn't you say something sooner" you are going to have to accept the fact that their is no satisfactory, pat answer that covers everyone you ask that of. I guess you'll have to rest in the truth that God is ultimately in control and He always has been.

More will leave. When it is their time.

Scott

[editor]

Verne,

Many of us asked questions, challenged what was being preached, and made it known that we did not agree with what George was saying.  I would talk to Roger Grant about George's sensational "prophetic" predictions after a weekend at the Midwest Seminar, only to be treated as if I was spiritually inferior - lacking the "vision".  I addressed George's behavior as not being Christlike - only to be told by a LB in the midwest to "be careful" what you say about the Lord's servant.  I was labeled as a problem and told that I was divisive - I had a critical spirit.  

My experience is not unique.  Verne, many of us questioned and spoke up over and over again.  My problem, you see, was that I wasn't saying the Selfer's Prayer enough, right?  

I don't really know why it is that now I see what I chose not to see for years.  Those still "in" are under that fog that has lifted from so many of us.  

But I just want to be clear that many of us spoke up while we were still involved in the assembly.

I think it is safe to say, given the revolving door of "fellowship," that the majority of people did indeed speak up.  

However, most people spoke up in private, and only once or twice.  How I wish I could go back about 10 years, and speak up in public.  Call the man on the carpet right in the middle of his own meeting!  That would be fun.

I would just have to look out for a few of the larger doorkeepers.....

What is needed in order to deal with a guy like Geftakys is to wage war.  We need to purpose to fight, with a goal towards hurting, and ulitmately defeating those that pollute The Faith.  Yes, we need to land blows, not merely beat the air.

The thing is, it isn't against a man that we have our battle.  It is against the spiritual wickedness that takes advantage of the false teaching and bondage.  If it was merely a human battle, then physical means would suffice.

What I am learning is that it is important to be careful about human collateral damage, when our fight is against principalities and powers.  I suppose not all of it can be helped, as we mostly don't come into something like this with a lot of prior experience.

I often wondered how Paul would have handled it?   I concluded that he would have written things, that didn't mince words, and to call a spade a spade.

Brent

[Oscar]

When Steve left, he wrote some excellent articles analyzing the many weird ideas taught by GG. Thomas Maddux

I want to ask a simple question and that most sincerely. Tom the operative phrase here is when Steve left .
Why is it that only after leaving that so many of us brought critical faculty to bear on what we had been listening to and at least tacitly agreeing with for so many years?
Did we all suddenly become smarter after our departure?
More discerning? What was it?
After all George just kept saying the same things he had said in all our hearing for years and we never moved to challenge the validity of any of it; at least most of us did not. We did all our talking after our departure...!
I have often wondered what I would have done had I been present when George opened his Bible and decalred that man was created on the 7 'th day...
I can guess what answer will quickly come to mind. Resist it, Really think about this, please...
Verne
p.s I do realise there are some people who still maintain there is nothing wrong with what George Geftakys taught...you are excused....

Verne,

As others have shed quite a bit of light on your question already, I will just float a couple of ideas.

1. Remember that the fundamental force that keeps people in cults is emotional, not intellectual.  As long as the emotional needs are "met", the mind doesn't get too involved.
When emotional pain becomes strong, we wake up and start thinking again.

2. In my case, I was afraid that I would "stumble the little ones".
I realize now that this was planted in my thoughts by GG's ministry, but at the time it was a very real fear.

3. As others have said, many of us did speak up.  Steve Irons and I confronted GG about lying in 1970!  He denied it at the time, then ridiculed us later, (arrogant puppies was his term).  We were young, idealistic, and we thought GG had the answers to our questions.  His arrogance against our insecurities and inexperience...we lost.

I spent quite a bit of time in trouble with GG over various disagreements through the years.  I got "hammered" emotionally in LB meetings again and again.  My suppressed anger began to show up as depression and the "blickets".  

Finally I realized I had to get out.

4. Cult researchers have written about something they call "Equity Salvaging".  You have put so much effort into the group for so many years that you hope against hope that it will get better.  It is only when you see that it is hopeless that you leave.

God bless,

Thomas Maddux

[vernecarty]

Tom and others thank you so much for your insightful responses.
I have sometimes wrestled with the thought that I sometimes over-compensate for my own former cowardice. May God give us all grace to always stand for righteousness no matter what the cost. I have recently had the occasion to put my money where my mouth has been...it is not easy let me tell you...you pay a price...

Verne,

Many of us asked questions, challenged what was being preached, and made it known that we did not agree with what George was saying.  I would talk to Roger Grant about George's sensational "prophetic" predictions after a weekend at the Midwest Seminar, only to be treated as if I was spiritually inferior - lacking the "vision".  I addressed George's behavior as not being Christlike - only to be told by a LB in the midwest to "be careful" what you say about the Lord's servant.  I was labeled as a problem and told that I was divisive - I had a critical spirit.  

My experience is not unique.  Verne, many of us questioned and spoke up over and over again.  My problem, you see, was that I wasn't saying the Selfer's Prayer enough, right?  

I don't really know why it is that now I see what I chose not to see for years.  Those still "in" are under that fog that has lifted from so many of us.  

But I just want to be clear that many of us spoke up while we were still involved in the assembly.

I think it is safe to say, given the revolving door of "fellowship," that the majority of people did indeed speak up.  

However, most people spoke up in private, and only once or twice.  How I wish I could go back about 10 years, and speak up in public.  Call the man on the carpet right in the middle of his own meeting!  That would be fun.

I would just have to look out for a few of the larger doorkeepers.....

Brent

I've got your back my friend...none of 'em would have been big enough...  


Nancy's observation is why I started the "Why Leaders Are Resposnible Thread". George could have never done it without them. Never!!  
Verne

[vernecarty]

Hello everyone

One year ago, today, things were starting to get pretty interesting.  This is what I posted on the web then.  I read it for the first time in about a year, just a few minutes ago, and I think it still has relevance today.

http://geftakysassembly.com/Outsidersperspective.html

Where were you, and what was going through your mind during the spiritual tornado that hit us a year ago?

Brent

I was still in blissful ignorance reagarding how bad things had become in the Geftakys kingdom. Having left back in 1989  I had become happily married (the Lord gave me a remarkable treasure), and was joyfully attending and serving in a C &MA church in Champaign.

There is life after Geftakys!!  

I went to one Midwest Seminar meeting a few years ago where George was rambling on about "the flame of the lilly" and I thought that he had completely lost it. I left after twenty minutes, amazed that so many people were actually sitting and listening to this. I felt a profound sadness and pity that I could not quite describe nor fully understand at the time. I had maintained contact and good fellowship and friendship with Paul Hohulin, a former worker with whom I went to Africa in 2002, and would also occasionally talk to Wayne Matthews who was a leader in the Champaign gathering. Paul Hohulin told me about the website I think sometime in March and the first things I read were Judy and Rachel's account....you know the rest...
Verne


ps. Oops! I just noticed that I registered in the BB on January 12 2003 so one year ago I was already in the thick of it! My how time flies!!
Yep! My first post (now deleted) was on January 12 under the title of "Finally".
I wonder what I said...hmmmnn!  

[summer007]

I shudder to think of Verne in the Meeting when 7th day was taught. I also wonder how long it would of taken me after ceasing to breathe for a second to bolt for the door in Flight and Fright...And Brent had you not taken Action do you think things would just be Business as Usual or do you think Delieverence would of come from someone else??This is Our Time ..Our Term here on Earth..If we Fail to Speak Out...God will bring Delieverence from someone else!!! If you have Fainted with the Footman.What will you do in the Floodgates of Jordan..Time to Speak for those Appointed to Death or to Weak/Beat-Up to Speak for themselves.....

[M2]

I shudder to think of Verne in the Meeting when 7th day was taught. I also wonder how long it would of taken me after ceasing to breathe for a second to bolt for the door in Flight and Fright...And Brent had you not taken Action do you think things would just be Business as Usual or do you think Delieverence would of come from someone else??This is Our Time ..Our Term here on Earth..If we Fail to Speak Out...God will bring Delieverence from someone else!!! If you have Fainted with the Footman.What will you do in the Floodgates of Jordan..Time to Speak for those Appointed to Death or to Weak/Beat-Up to Speak for themselves.....

Summer,

Two years ago mid-February at the last ECC, TimG spoke of his leanings towards a 'super-human' Christ belief. 3 assemblies were present at that time. I wonder if you and Verne had been there how you would have re-acted. In the past year I have questioned a number of people, including the local LBs here, and, except for Claude and myself, no on remembers TimG saying such a thing. What does that tell you of our spiritual condition. I include myself, because though we (Claude and I) queried Tim after the meeting, we excused him by saying something like 'he is influenced by his dad'. That should have turned the light on, don't you think?

Marcia

[summer007]

I may be Flattering myself thinking I would of bolted...I too could of been too Dazed and Confused to have Notice...I just hope that would'nt of been the Case..Maybe I would of just slipped out the back Jack...and noone would of noticed...