Stand Here with Me

An old part of my heart came tumbling back to me tonight, like a ton of bricks falling from a ten-story building.

I’ll give you everything I am
and still fall short of what You’ve done for me

An old, old prayer answered. Old, buried in the recesses of my heart for at least three years, maybe longer. And it made me cry.

The Assembly is dead. Long live Jesus Christ.

from RickRoss.com, January 21, 2003

George Geftakys, a former Baptist minister, has led an obscure group based in Fullerton, California called "the assembly" since 1971.

In 1992 this relatively small group, which has been called a "cult," received attention within the book Churches That Abuse, by Ronald Enroth. Enroth is a professor of Sociology at Westmont College.

Geftakys drew his followers largely from college and university campuses within California. Many members stayed on for years raising their children within the group.

However, over the last three decades assembly members have been excommunicated, many walked away, while some were professionally "deprogrammed," when concerned parents intervened.

Enroth quoted one member that concluded, "You don't have a relationship with George unless George dominates." And according to a "written code" the assembly's work "is not conducted on the basis of democracy."

George Geftakys effectively became a dictator. And the assembly in many ways became the Geftakys family business.

Then came the troubles.

First, George's son David Geftakys, who had been given a comfortable salaried position in the group, was exposed as a wife beater and abusive father. Eventually, this behavior became a police concern and a matter of public record.

Geftakys struggled with this situation amidst escalating controversy within the group. It became increasingly difficult for the assembly leader to simultaneously uphold the group's rigid rules, while his son broke them.

But far more serious concerns regarding George Geftakys' own conduct are now an issue. Geftakys, who is married and in his seventies, has been exposed for what appears to be adultery and seeming sexual misconduct.

According to a posted statement attributed to assembly "elders and leading brothers in Fullerton" the fallen leader has now been excommunicated.

Their statement says, "The excommunication is for initiating, encouraging and engaging in immoral and unseemly relationships with several sisters for over the past 20 years." And that Geftakys "repeatedly lied...and deceived...with regard to these relationships and continues to deny any responsibility for them."

According to the statement "George Geftakys...is not welcome at the Lord's Supper or at any assembly meeting or gathering until there is a full and complete clearing of these matters." And "Due to our brother's spiritual condition, we are also withdrawing all support for he and his wife’s personal needs."

Can followers so easily dispossess and dethrone a "cult leader"?

[snip]

What will happen now to George Geftakys?

That is, what changes actually occur at the assembly and will some new form of leadership eventually replace the old regime? Will there be a new dictator, or will democratic reforms produce meaningful accountability? Maybe the group [will] just fold?

My personal opinion is, who cares what happens to George Geftakys? I certainly don't. I'm sure there are Christians in Fullerton CA who will reach out to him. That was not my prayer, or my concern.

At some point, The Assembly "invaded" Missouri. The Assembly led one of my friends, who was hurting, into its clutches. I just dug out my old handwritten journals from 1999, and cried when I read what I'd written. Stories of conversations about legalism (following "laws" instead of understanding grace), and being frustrated because my friend - who taught me what grace is - was not listening to me. Concerns, prayers for my friend to realize that even I, a new Christian, could see the dubious goings-on and questionable issues in this all-encompassing organization.

In this life that I live
I hope I can give love unselfishly

God has laid it on my heart to hunt him down lately. It's been bugging me in a big way. And then, this. I started my Google searching tonight for "study guides" (if you can call them that) on Tim LaHaye's book Left Behind in order to lead a study on CreedPit.com. With my long and winding search I ended up tripping on info about cults, which led to this news blurb, which reminded me that this was the group he'd been led to.

Yeah, total coincidence.

Oops. Except that I don't believe in coincidences.

I’ve learned the world is bigger than me
You’re my daily dose of reality

It was a startling moment. I found my way to a website about the group, and started reading "survivor stories." My heart broke. I realized so many things tonight. They are just sitting against my skin like a barely-controlled knife blade. If I move too quickly, they might cut. There would definitely be loss of blood.

You stand here with me

Never have I had such an imprecatory prayer answered in such a mighty way. Never did I truly believe that God heard my tiny, pitiful cries. After all, I thought, how can grace win in the face of legalism? Legalism drags at me, it drags at everyone I know. Grace is the most foreign concept to a human brain that there is. How can it possibly win?

On and on we sing
On and on we sing
'Cause You stand here with me

I don't have the answers. And I can live with that.

Praise God,
michelle

Posted by Michelle at January 23, 2003 09:53 PM