George and Betty Geftakys Post-Assembly
After George Geftakys was excommunicated from his own Fullerton Assembly in January of 2003, most of the Geftakys Assemblies severed connections with him and disintegrated, some slowly, some quickly. A few of the groups remained loyal to him for awhile, including the Riverside Assembly, under the leadership of Mike Almanzor.
After George and Betty sold their home in Fullerton and relocated to Plymouth Village, a Baptist assisted living location in Redlands, they began fellowshipping at the continuing Assembly in Riverside. George taught the weekly Bible study and gave "stated ministry" on Sunday afternoons.
Spring of 2007 George had a falling out with the Riverside group, and was no longer allowed to teach or preach. He left the group and took about half the people with him to start something Sunday worship and a weekly Bible study in his home.
He was like the Robert Duvall character in the movie, "The Apostle." He was the energizer bunny who just kept going, even though he had not admitted or repented of his immoral behavior, nor of failing to stop his son's domestic violence. He began his ministry all over again with Bible studies and Sunday meetings in his home, with a nucleus from the Riverside meeting. This after being disciplined by the elders of three churches and the majority of his own Assemblies for immoral and unethical behavior.
Spring 2008 David Miller, from the San Francisco Assembly, came down to be George's right-hand man. David was involved in witnessing and recruiting, on college campuses. David and his wife were living communally with at least one other adult in their home. They were implementing Assembly child-training methods, including mat training.
George preached at a conference in Tanzania. He was invited by Herbert, who is involved in a ministry that builds orphanages. Apparently George was attempting to gain a position of influence in that ministry:
It was reported that, "GG wanted [money] to pay for him to go to Africa because he had no money. [When that didn't happen] GG somehow found the cash to buy a $2,000.00 ticket. He made Herbert set up conferences he could preach at, and the word that came back was that hundreds have come to the Lord. They [George and Betty] acted as if they have no money at all, yet I have heard GG speak about his investment counselor and how well his investments have been doing."
April 3, 2008 A former SLO Assembly member commented, "It comes as no surprise that he hasn't stopped. I guess Herbert came along after you left. He came to the USA a couple of times, usually with Samuel (they came to SLO in 2000). Herbert didn't have the same swagger that Samuel did, he still had some appearance of 'innocence' about him....perhaps George was still drawing him into his delusion...but maybe I just didn't see what he was really like."
Brian Tucker had this to say on the Assemblyboard:
"George is very likely to swagger around boasting about his past 'accomplishments', with all the usual embellishments... and if they are duly impressed by his tall tales, he will at some point start trying to use his fabricated prestige to gain influence and control over the people around him.
After that, he will certainly have no qualms about exploiting them as much as possible. This is what a narcissistic personality does. He will always believe, with total confidence, that he is fully entitled to whatever he can extract from those around him, and confidence can be very convincing.
I am planning to write a letter to the management of that retirement community. I would imagine they would be at least somewhat concerned about the effect someone like George could have on the stability and reputation of their community--at least concerned enough to keep an eye out. I would encourage others to write a letter also. The more letters they get, the more seriously they will take them. Here is their contact info:
Plymouth Village
900 Salem Drive
Redlands, CA 92373-6189
909-793-9195George and Betty's home address is 242 Carver Circle in Plymouth Village, Redlands, CA 92373-8503."
May 1, 2008 From the Assembly bulletin board, Garrett said,
"Last Sunday on the way home from a men’s retreat, I pulled off the freeway to look at historical houses in the city of Redlands. To my surprise I drove right past the retirement community where George and Betty live. My curiosity was piqued. I made a u turn, parked my car in front of the community center and went in.
Immediately to the left of the main entrance there is a 6x18 feet display case. The display case contained “small” pictures of children in their native lands, and missionary artifacts were displayed. I emphasize “small” because there was one “big” picture. Of course you guessed it. A “big” picture of George in Africa was prominently displayed for all to see. See the picture, look at the man and be in wonderment!!!!! I dropped my head, chuckled to myself and walked out.
The glorious truth is that the “big” picture, the un-readable books that can’t sell on E-bay, the vain babbling on the outdated cassettes that fill up the recycling bins, will all burn and nothing will remain. Come, Jesus, Come!"
Dave Sable commented, "I'm betting it is that picture of George with the Masai warriors. He boasted about that because 'most Masai warriors don't let their picture be taken, but they were willing to take them with me.' It strengthened his argument about his impact in Africa because when he went on the safari, he saw the "big three" animals - lion and two others).
He reported that his guide kept saying, 'Great is the God of Geftakys,' because this was so unusual. Goes to show the massive impact his ministry had upon the continent. **Roll Eyes** Tom and I have a bet he really got those pictures from a stand where you could pay $10 to get a picture taken with Masai warriors."
May 5, 2008 The Redlands Daily Facts newspaper published an article about a multi-cultural festival at Plymouth Village, where George and Betty Geftakys live. George is still up to his old ways of misrepresenting the facts. He claimed he was a native of Greece and apparently recited the Lord's prayer in Greek!
"Anonymous" commented, "I find it interesting that George recited the Lord’s prayer in Greek, because he does not speak Greek. His mother was German so the language spoken at home was German, not Greek. He spoke no Greek except what he picked up along the way, which we all remember was awkward. Do you suppose he made up the Lord’s prayer or just attempted it from his Greek Lexicon?" [Ed. note: Maybe he memorized it from audio files available on the web? Is it likely he's that techie..?]
Brent T. commented: "Well, I did something I didn't think I would ever do again...I went ahead an emailed George's retirement village and warned them about him. I referred them to the website, so don't be surprised to hear from someone from there. George is collecting money from these poor people, and they think he's Greek? Oh my."
The Redlands Daily Facts newspaper recently interviewed some folks at Plymouth Village who were playing the Wii. Betty G. was among them. Apparently Betty's favorite is Wii tennis - pretty amazing for an eighty-four year old!
REDLANDS - It is a bright and beautiful morning, and Plymouth Village activity and fitness coordinator Shannon Roundtree is losing at tennis. Her opponent, Betty Geftakys, swings her arm with the all the experience of her years playing tennis socially. Bill Prigger watches the two women compete next to the pool table, lit by the dim light overhead...
"You can enjoy recreational activities right here," said Roundtree, who said the Village has had the system for about a year. The Wii is available for residents to play every day. Roundtree said that on Thursdays a group of people play bowling every week.
"You can exercise and have the same kinds of fun as you did before," Geftakys said. She said she enjoys playing tennis and bowling the most, and plays often. "This gives me the opportunity to do these kinds of things with the capacity that age has given me," she said. "I always feel better after I do it," she said.
"Especially when she plays and beats me," Roundtree said.
Geftakys said that she enjoys the Wii because she gets exercise playing it, the game also makes her think, in contrast to just exercising on a treadmill. "On here, you're stimulated to do better," she said.
Website Readers Comnments:
Anonymous: The 'playing tennis socially for years' makes me laugh because it is such a blatant lie. She says it as if she played until old age prevented it, when the reality is, any tennis she played was pre-1970.
It's also ironic to me that on this website there all these people who have had struggles, pain, and heartache at the hands of this woman and her husband. She lived for so long in this world where she was the queen bee, and now here she is simply playing Wii in a senior retirement center! Bizarre!
I think that during the Assembly, the power was like a drug addiction for her. I think she desperately craved what was eating her alive. She couldn't walk away from meddling in people's lives because it gave her that rush of power, but she had to balance a complicated facade to do so. I think now the Wii gives her some distraction.
I also think this is how she copes with George. I wonder if she actually has fun. Hmm. Strange thought!
It's humorous, sad, and infuriating. I wish Betty were able to understand how much good she could be doing if she would try to make things right with people.
R.C. commented: Regarding Betty's latest diversion, and the Geftakys' 'Plymouth House' in the land of gracious living, this is our tithe-dollars at work. They are living this dream life compliments of the people they hurt. Is it ever going to end? Their smug attitude is intolerable.
August 10, 2014 George Geftakys died after suffering a stroke and a fall. He is buried at Riverside National Cemetery.
Betty Geftakys died May 29, 2022. It's the end of an era.
