Intro to the Assembly Ministry of George and Betty Geftakys
About us and this site...
Brent T. launched the original website, The Geftakys Assembly, in November, 2002, to expose corruption in the group and to publicly call the leadership in the Assemblies to repentance and action. In January, 2003, George Geftakys was excommunicated from the Fullerton Assembly. The website had accomplished its initial purpose. In March 2003 Brent turned the site over to Steve and Margaret Irons to develop it into a resource for recovery and healing for the wounded. We renamed it Assembly Reflections to convey the change of emphasis. Now we call it "Reflections...on the Assembly, and elements of spiritual abuse".
This "About" section expands on the purpose of the site, its content, and who is involved in running it. For readers from outside the Assembly, there is a brief intro to the Assembly ministry of George and Betty Geftakys - how it began, what it was like, and how it ended. For technical issues, refer to "Site Help" in the nav bar above. Refer to the Site Map for a complete list of articles in each section of the site.
Site content...
George and Betty Geftakys began their Plymouth Brethren-style ministry, known as "The Assembly", in 1970. By the time Y2K arrived, it was becoming evident that what had begun as an idealistic "return to New Testament simplicity" had morphed into a controlling, corrupt system.
By early 2003 everyone was reeling from George and Betty Geftakys's spiritual betrayal and the emerging truth that the dynamics which allowed the cover-up had also allowed many of God's people to be abused over the years. The severity of injury varied widely, depending often on the length, extent, nature and location of people's involvement in the Assembly.
In the library of articles we have tried to present a complete and objective a picture of the Assembly ministry of George and Betty Geftakys, covering its origin and history, its teaching and practice, the final weeks, the current status of groups still meeting independently, personal stories of former members, new directions we've taken since leaving, and creative writing by some of us. Some folks will feel that this site puts the Assembly in too harsh a light, and fails to emphasize the positive aspects. The use of the word 'cult' may be particularly offensive. Others will feel the opposite. Take what seems true to you and is helpful, and leave the rest. Certain things may make more sense to you later.
Spiritual abuse in various forms is all too common among Christian gatherings and ministries. The Elements of Spiritual Abuse section of the site covers how to identify abusive churches and Christian leaders, unethical influence and mind control, clergy sexual abuse, and psychopathology, particularly narcissism. Articles throughout the site pertain to many legalistic and/or abusive Christian groups. Adults who were missionary kids (MK's) and pastor's kids will find many issues in common with Assembly Kids.
The Recovery section addresses social, psychological and spiritual issues as a result of spiritual coercion and betrayal, and the role of apologies. Spiritually abusive systems and/or leaders employ psychological manipulation, whether intentionally or in ignorance. To recover, information is needed on how this works, the residual effects, and how to deal with it. Domestic violence and family abuse are addressed in a separate section.
In regard to spiritual aspect of recovery, a clear understanding of the gospel is the single most important factor. Confusing salvation and sanctification is a common underpinning in performance-based Christian groups. Once the gospel becomes clear, the distorted image of God built up by the coercive group begins to change. Biblical Correctives provides sound Bible teaching on justification and sanctification, as well as many other topics. Material in Faith After Spiritual Betrayal challenges unbelief and reinforces wavering faith.
Refer to the Site Map for a complete list of articles in each section.
We love comments...
We invite readers' contributions and critiques -
click any
"Feedback" or
"Comment" link. (Nothing will published without your consent.) If you
would like to talk or email with someone about the Assembly, feel free to
contact us. Here are links to some of the testimonials and feedback
received about the site.
If you're recovering from a bad church experience (or trying to ;-) we have found that talking to others who've been through something similar helps immensely. Contacting the editors is one way, but live conversations are far better. Take chances and casually refer to something you've read on this site - it's amazing how often you'll discover another survivor.
Some have questioned if there is still a need for this website, especially the sordid details revealed in the "Final Weeks" section. Shouldn't we just forget about the Assembly and move on? Part of the answer to this was articulated by "Moonflower" in April, 2008, in reference to the Assembly bulletin board. She said:
There are some still coming out of the groups, some coming back to God after having left, some who are members of another aberrant religious group, and some may be attending the preaching that is rising up again in CA.
Although the truth of the Assembly groups came out on one particular date, we are processing the information at different rates, because some of us were totally kept in the dark regarding certain events and behaviors. And I think we should be aware that it has affected us. I think it will take us a loooooong time to sort through everything that transpired in the Assembly groups and how it affected us and our families. We are not going to change overnight and, like abused children, will carry certain scars for the rest of our lives, whether we were the abused or the abuser.
Having the pieces to the puzzle is necessary in order to make sense of what happened. It is our hope that all the information and resources presented on this website, including the "Final Weeks" section, may help those who have been hurt to find their way more quickly than we did to understanding and recovery.
Inquiries also continue to arrive from folks who for one reason or another are just now becoming alarmed about the Assemblies and/or the Geftakys ministry - visitors to continuing Assemblies, folks in home churches who recognize warning signs, overseas ministries that have a brush with George or a continuing Assembly, people who are in a relationship with a former Assembly member, etc. This internet resource is needed for the foreseeable future.
Current site administration....
We, Steve and Margaret Irons, were former leaders in the Geftakys ministry. It is crushing to realize that what we gave our lives to for twenty years was wrong on so many levels. We are deeply grieved for the damage we perpetrated on others. Our work on this website is our effort to try to make amends in some small way and contribute toward the recovery of those who have been abused. (Below is the short version of how we got involved with George and how we came to leave the Assembly in 1990.)
In 2003-2004 Steve redesigned and expanded the site, adding many articles, especially to "Assembly Teaching and Practice" and "Biblical Correctives". Due to heavy responsibilities at work and at church he is no longer actively engaged in the day to day administration. Margaret developed the focus on recovery from spiritual abuse and now maintains the site.
Mark Campbell, a former leader in the Assembly for almost twenty years as well, assists in responding to emails and adds his comments to new articles. Mark developed "Letters to Wounded Pilgrims" originally on the Assembly bulletin board; we have included the letters on this site in the Recovery section. He also wrote the articles, "False Holiness" and "Defense Mechanisms of Addicts".
More about the Irons.... Back in 1969, we, Steve and Margaret, began to follow George Geftakys as he preached at various Brethren and "overcomer" groups in Southern California who were influenced by the teachings of the Plymouth Brethren, T. Austin Sparks and Bahkt Singh. Within two years George and Betty Geftakys formed their own group in Fullerton, California to exemplify the New Testament "pattern" for worship and ministry as they saw it. The gathering was called the "Assembly", as was common among the Plymouth Brethren, and was organized in the standard PB manner. Over time a number of such gatherings were raised up across the country, as well as in Canada and abroad. Bakht Singh preached in the Assemblies occasionally on his visits to the USA, until about 1975.
Towards the end of the 1980's our son, Lee, a student at UCLA, began to question George's teaching on salvation after reading the writings of many early Reformers such as Martin Luther and John Owen. After several encounters with George and Leading brothers in which he raised his concerns and sought dialogue, Lee was slandered and excommunicated from the very Assembly in which he had grown up.
This event, along with a litany of other heart-rending stories told by those driven out from the Assemblies in years past, raised such a loud alarm in our hearts that we left George's ministry in the spring of 1990. We had begun to realize that the cancer of emotional and spiritual abuse, legalism, and authoritarianism was in an advanced stage of development throughout the Assemblies. After we left the Assembly in March of 1990 Steve wrote about the circumstances of our leaving, and problems with the Geftakys ministry.
Life was painful and sad for awhile. We had agonizing questions, family issues, spiritual turmoil, and an aching void....But God is good, and we are now living again in the joy of our salvation, and in happy fellowship and service at Christ Reformed Church in Anaheim, CA.
Dr. Harold Bussell, who wrote "Why Evangelicals Are Vulnerable to Cults" and "Checks on Power and Authority in the New Testament", asserts that a clear understanding of the gospel is the single most important issue in recovery and immunity to further cultic involvement. We have found that Reformed teaching has done this for us and has been most helpful in getting over works-based righteousness. But we don't want to overpower this website with our Reformed perspective - we know that in some evangelical circles it is anathema. Our purpose is not to stir up that debate. The bottom line is that the grace and love of God in Christ makes all the difference, no matter what "flavor" it comes in.
We felt resolved about the past until the events surrounding George's excommunication in 2003 re-engaged us. The information that came out was enlightening because we no longer had to wonder if our evaluation of the Geftakys ministry had been uncharitable. Tragically, the situation was proven to be worse than we had ever dreamed.