IntroConcerns

Current Concerns

Although most of the Assemblies have disbanded, concerns remain about the following matters. (Click Glossary link at left for definitions of Assembly terminology.)

George Geftakys

George Geftakys has not admitted or repented of his immoral behavior, nor of failing to stop his son's domestic violence. He gave at least one seminar to several Assemblies that were still loyal to him for a time, and is conducting a weekly Bible study and Sunday meeting in his home in Redlands, CA. G. Geftakys has apparently begun all over again with a few folks who followed him out of the Riverside Assembly--after being disciplined by the elders of three churches and the majority of his own Assemblies for immoral and unethical behavior. People are cautioned to beware of his aberrant teaching, his bent for taking over other ministries, his appeals for financial support for himself and his son David, as well as other issues addressed elsewhere on this site.

Women are also cautioned against his romantic advances. His entre is to seek assistance in some way, such as organizing his library. This leads to spending a lot of time together, taking breaks to go for coffee, accompanying him to meetings, etc. He begins to mention how God has spoken to him about her, and push for immoral intimacies.

Continuing Assemblies

Many, if not most, of the folks in the dozen or so Assemblies that continue to meet may be sincere. But abusive practices and teaching are still in place, as attested by a college student who came into the group several years after George's excommunication, and left a year and a half later. The leaders have not issued meaningful statements of repentance and most of the folks who have told their personal stories of abuse have not yet received meaningful apologies. A note of warning: Women and children are especially at risk, due to the misogynistic nature of the Assemblies.

These Assemblies are still conducting outreaches to recruit new members,, such as Bible studies on college campuses and concerts by Remedy Drive, the Assembly band. Most of the groups continue to perpetrate milieu control by forbidding people to read this website or speak with former members. They are very secretive about their previous association with the Geftakys ministry and claim to be "just a gathering of Christians".

Other Former Assembly Leaders

We are also concerned about former Assembly leaders who are no longer in association with an existing Assembly, but who are becoming involved in other churches. Some of these people are still motivated by the elitist Assembly mindset, feeling that they know the Bible better and have greater vision of what the church should be than other Christians.

They are often well-received, because they appear to be very spiritual, model Christians, who are willing to take on responsibility in the church. Pastors concerned about the spiritual commitment of their congregations may be delighted with these new people and be inclined to put them in positions of influence as Bible study leaders, Sunday school teacher, and mentors.

But these are men who did not leave the Assembly because they discerned error. They left because their congregations dwindled after the revelations of G. Geftakys' moral failure.

Some of these leaders attempted to keep their Assemblies going, but were forced to step down by the members. Two examples are Omaha, NE, and the San Fernando Valley, CA. They did not understand that their leadership was harmful.

Our concern is that unless these men have repudiated the abuses, humbly mended the relationships they have left behind, and have corrected their doctrine of salvation and the church, they will bring into a new church the spiritual elitism and performance-based spirituality of the Assembly.

(Back to top) Next: Challenges Facing Former Members

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