Eyewitnesses To The Farce
The Repentance of Brother George, as told by some of his victims.
As an outside observer, with inside knowledge and a deep concern that Jesus Christ be glorified in the matter, I would like to relate the story of George Geftakys' sham repentance. This occurred on Saturday, December 21, 2002 at the Sand's Motel Conference Room, in San Luis Obispo, CA. I do not apologize for the sarcastic tone, as the ridiculous nature of the event requires it.
First, meet the cast:
The Outsiders
Brent T.---follower of George Geftakys for seventeen years. Eight years as a "Doorkeeper," Participant on four Assembly evangelistic teams, lived with David Geftakys, and next door to them for 6 years. Left the Assembly in June of 2000. Secretly excommunicated in April of 2002.
Suzie T.--Wife of Brent, for sixteen years. Also excommunicated.
Kirk C.---Served as a leading brother in the SLO Assembly for nineteen years, was a member for twenty. Writer of a number of articles and letters, designed to entreat the leaders. These are soon to be featured on this website. Left the Assembly in 2001, mainly for reasons associated with our topic in this article.
Lynda C.--Wife of Kirk, for twelve years.
A. D.--Member of the Assembly for five years. Lived in the Geftakys, Zach, and Lehmkuhl brothers' training homes. Left the Assembly in 2001, for the same basic issues mentioned here.
Rachel--Wife of A. D. Was in the Assembly for five months, and left due to good sense and a general lack of patience with false teachers and hypocrites.
Eric B.--Member of San Fernando Valley Assembly for twenty years. Left due to these issues and a host of other good reasons, which are mentioned elsewhere on this website. Was fired by his boss, an Assembly worker named Tim McCarthy, (called Tom by some) when he announced his departure from the gathering for good reason.
Heidi J.--Off and On Member of the SLO Assembly for many years. Close friend of Judy Geftakys during the last few years of abuse, prior to and after Judy's departure from her physically violent, abusive husband, David Geftakys, a full time servant in his family's ministry.
Aaron C.--Member of SLO Assembly for more than a decade. Left in 2000 for many reasons, not the least of which was the hypocrisy and abuse committed by David Geftakys and the other leaders under him.
Robert K.---fourteen year member of SLO Assembly, seven years as a doorkeeper. Participant on two evangelistic teams, author of several letters and essays designed to entreat the leadership. Left due to the abuse perpetrated by the Geftakys family.
Notable Absentees
Judy Geftakys and Rachel Steepleton (Geftakys). These were not invited, or informed by the Repentor, George Geftakys. They have no idea what George was repenting of, but everyone else knows that George was going to explain to his followers why he covered up his son David's nasty habit of wife beating, among other vices.
The Leadership:
Jeff Lehmkuhl, Roberto Sanchez, Danny Edwards, George Geftakys, Tim Geftakys, Scott Testa, and Wes Cohen: play the Leading Brothers, elders and Workers.
The Doorkeepers:
Played by stand-ins. They don't play a major role in this play.
Prelude: twenty five years of abuse, by David Geftakys. Known by George, Betty and many others. Read about it here.
First Scene: Many people try to say something, do something and tell the truth. Some are ignored, many are slandered, a few are excommunicated and shunned.
Second scene: David Geftakys is moved from Assembly to Assembly, and given complete control of the finances. He is the senior Brother in each place, and lord's it over everyone under him. He is promoted many times and is given much credit for having great vision and knowledge. He teaches couple's, single's, father's and Leading Brothers' classes and is one of the main speaker at the West Coast Conference. All the while, his father, mother, brother, and many of their servants know the truth.
Third scene: Many people read about these things on the Internet, become disgusted and leave. Rachel comes forward and tells her story, which is devastating, because up until that point, the official Assembly slogan was, "It never happened, there are no witnesses."
Fourth scene: Saturday, December 14, 2002. Two Workers in the Assembly step forward as witnesses. At this time, there are well over a dozen people who are witnesses, but when these two speak up, a new plot must be hatched in order to continue the many activities of George's house. After careful planning, it is decided that George will travel to SLO and say some words to his followers in order to maintain control. George does not ever attempt to contact Rachel or Judy, who are the main victims of the abuse, and who were called liars for saying that it took place.
Fifth scene: The Outsiders show up at the repentance meeting and are not allowed in. Several of them make eye contact with Brother George, who is at the door. He gets a sheepish look on his face and slinks into the room, and does not come out at all, even though those he offended are outside, wanting to see restoration take place. The outsiders explain that they have all been offended by George, and the other leading brothers. They reason, that since repentance is supposed to happening that very night, they should be able to hear it. The Leading Brothers stand in the doorway and refuse entrance. One of them, Jeff Lehmkuhl, even slams the door in the face of a few saints who try to exit. The saints, George's audience for his repentance, are essentially locked in the conference room. A hymn was struck up by the saints and the outsiders stood outside, praying and talking to the doorkeepers.
None of the victims, or the people who were offended by the years of abuse, deception and lies were apologized to, nor did they get to hear their chief abuser apologize. The only ones who did hear about George's repentance were people that had no idea what was going on. This repentance is simply a ploy to keep the remaining sheep locked in the pen, so that the wolves may feed. Anyone who stays on after learning about this has no one to blame, save themselves, for what they suffer.
The closing scene depicts several leading brothers saying, "Praise the Lord, let's pray that the Lord preserves His testimony," or something like that.
We don't know exactly what was said by George.
2 Cor 7:9 Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. {after...: or, according to God} 10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death. 11 For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, [what] clearing of yourselves, yea, [what] indignation, yea, [what] fear, yea, [what] vehement desire, yea, [what] zeal, yea, [what] revenge! In all [things] ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter.
The only carefulness we saw that night was the Leading Brothers being careful not to let us in. We did see fear. George appeared quite fearful, along with all those followers of his that saw the outsiders walk up. At no time, before or after, did anyone think that these men were clear in the matter, as the passage above so clearly states.
The Outsiders
