After we left the Assembly in 1990, we went to Creek Park Community Church in La Mirada, CA.  There, I met a godly man who was an elder named Lenny.

Lenny had a successful manufacturing business, treated his employees well and was a POW in WWII.   You never had a short conversation with Lenny as he always had a gracious word about the how the Lord was sovereignly using you for His glory.  He was one of the most affirming and gracious man I had ever met.

I remember one of the first time I saw Lenny.  He was pushing a dust mop around the cafeteria after a Sunday night fellowship.  I watched in awe thinking "I would never see an elder in the Assembly, let alone George, pushing a mop after a fellowship."

Over the course of time, I found out that Lenny had met George.  Lenny, who is from and lives in Whitter, had talked to him before.  When I asked him how he knew George he said,  "well, a few of us from the Whittier church went over to talk to him.  We told him to get a job."

Lenny never mentioned to me the added element of George's extra-curricular activities with his Whittier neighbor.  I think that was part of Lenny's gracious character.  (Though it is possible that he just didn't know about it).

It's rather enlightening to compare the behavior of these two different elders (George and Lenny).  Lenny helped me see in the flesh that not everyone is like George.  God indeed forms those who are truly His gracious servants.

Find people who are truly godly, gracious, compassionate, and kind.  Imitate their faith.

That would be a nice find, but, I am sad to say, I am suspicious of all pastors and elders.  
Heh, I take the promise John 2:24-25
"But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men,  And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man. "
I wish Jesus were here on earth, I think he's about the only person I could totally trust.
I suppose you'd say to me that the life and spirit of Jesus is here on earth.  As Bonhoffer said, "The life of Jesus Christ on the earth has not ended, but is continued on in his disciples." At one time, I thought I saw that, but it turned out to be a hoax.  Could it really be so?  It would be nice.

Never once did God speak to you while with those people?  Did he speak to you any other times?
No doubt that deceit occurred, but there were some things that could not have been arranged by the leading bro's.  
I still believe in God and in Jesus Christ.  I'm not turning from him.  Its just men that are suspect.  Jesus was the only one who always did that which pleased the Father and who died for my sins.  

Thank you verne, that was encouraging.  I want to be clear on one thing, should we put our trust in men?  I don't mean, put our trust in as in eternal salvation, but should we listen to men, be taught by men, follow similar practise as other men? That'd be hard for me to do.  

Thanks verne. I hope so too.  

What about In-N-Out Burger, at least they have scripture references on their packaging:

Soda Cup: John 3:16
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Shake Cup: Proverbs 3:5
Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

Water Cup: John 14:6
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Hamburger: Revelation 3:20
Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

Double-Double: Nahum 1:7
The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.

Has anybody found any others?

I found out something very interesting while reading
last night. I was reading a small book by Kenneth Wuest,
who actually has a Bible translation that is very good--
he was scholar and theologian. The book I was reading was
a Greek word study in 2 Peter.

When it speaks of the false teachers it says they will "secretly bring in damnable heresies". It was interesting because when you read that you think of some extreme heresy. But Wuest says the translation literally means they will "come up alongside the truth". In other words they will preach much of the truth, but bring in error in a "secret, covered" way. Their error will be intermingled with the truth, making it harder to discern what is really wrong. When you think of it, Paul says "from among yourselves they will arise". Now how would that be possible amongst true Christians unless it was brought in
"secretly"? At first almost unrecognizable, but then after time a full blown heresy.

George taught much of the truth. Much of what he said was "right on" according to what we all accept as Christian doctrine. That would hold you in place. "Well, George teaches the Trinity, Jesus is God, The virgin birth, etc.--he must be a true preacher of God." But what if he could bring in enough falsity and error mixed with the truth to stumble many believers? What if the enemy used him in this way?

The same passage speaks of these teachers "entrapping" people who have "just escaped the evil in the world ". It's as if he grabs them before they have truly been instructed in the ways of Grace, and deceives them with a truth that isn't quite the truth. It looks like it enough to fool a new believer, but it is mixed with error.
this is exactly what happened to me. I was saved, and really pretty stupid, saw a sign for a Bible Study and started going to Assembly meetings. I always knew inside something "wasn't quite right" and wanted to escape it, but the truth that was there held me as I fought against the error. There was just enough truth to fool me, but enough error to throw on the warning light.

Many of these teachers make themselves known fairly quickly and veer way away from the truth. Many of them
are not Christians at all. I believe George is a Christian and
is saved. But I do believe that he allowed himself to be instructed in error. He veered into the error mentioned in Galatians, "having begun in the Spirit, are you now perfected in the flesh?" And by doing so he "enslaved"  many people in his legalistic system. His "heresy" damaged many lives as is seen by the testimonies on this Bulletin Board and in other places.

And I feel when he was "excommunicated" many in the Assemblies were made to realize that what they had suspected all along was true. There WAS something wrong with the place. I think this was an Exodus of freedom for many---actually relieved that they could finally go. They had been deceived into believing the Assembly was God's "only will for them" and to leave was to disobey God. For others a deep feeling of being "ripped off" immediately set in. And for the few a feeling of  sadness that their positions of authority were now jeopardized.

And I believe that is how people could believe something was "God's will" up to the time of the "excommunication". Manipulation through deceit, and a counterfeit system that "looked" very much like what is real, but shrouding error. This system kept many in bondage even up to the very end.

What is a shame are the one's who want to continue this system. It's like someone who has been in Federal prison for twenty years. They get out and don't know what to do. They are so used to prison life they almost prefer it. They are "taken care of", don't have to think for themselves, and are slaves to the system. Many of them commit crimes right away so they can return. Inside they feel "safe" and can be heads of gangs and have some authority. They actually prefer the "cell" to the freedom "outside". And such are those who seek to continue a system that is filled with legalism and control. Thank God for what he has done in revealing the Assembly for what it really is.

-Joe