'Kristin's' Letter of Concern to Scott Testa and Jim McCallister
May 3, 2003
Dear Scott/Jim,
I am writing this letter because I believe God has put this burden on my heart and wants me to do it. I wish to obey Him, as I believe you do as well. This is not a letter of accusation, but a letter of burdened concern.
It has come to my attention that, as a shepherd and leader of God’s people, you are doing at least one of the following: allowing George Geftakys to be in meetings in San Francisco, allowing him to break bread in worship with you, and/or allowing or inviting him to preach. I do not know which of these things you are actually doing, and under ordinary circumstances, it would be none of my business to interfere with the proceedings of the gathering there in San Francisco. However, because you may be doing one or all of these things. I now believe that I have a responsibility before God to at least write this letter to you.
This is a very serious matter. I know the truth first-hand about George’s aberrant behavior and dubious present spiritual and moral condition. Before I continue, please forgive me for my own involvement in such sinful behavior. It was abominable. I am deeply ashamed and will be dealing with the consequences for years to come.
Because I don’t know what you know, and I know you are not afraid of knowing and examining the truth, I feel responsible to briefly tell you the truth about my relationship with George. It was intimate, immoral, physical and sexual; he acknowledged that to me himself when I confronted him in the month of December 2002. My relationship with him took place between the fall of 1999 and the spring of 2001; it had been the first serious relationship I had ever had with a man, and he knew this. I had confessed my sinful relationship with George to Betty and to certain elders during August and September 2001, at which point the relationship with George was already over. I did tell one elder that George had kissed and touched me. My mistake was that I did not confess the full details of the relationship (George had told me he loved me and asked me to marry him when the day came that Betty would be gone, for instance; I did not divulge this to the brothers). In December 2002, over a year later, George told me that he had told an inquirer that he had never laid a hand on me, which was a lie, so I confronted George and he acknowledged to me the immorality and physical and sexual nature of our former relationship. At that point he also asked my forgiveness, and I asked his, but since that time I have come to question his sincerity as he now denies (lies about) the allegations to others who confront him.
I write to you now with a three-fold concern:
First, my concern is for the women there in your assembly.
I believe that George could be a threat to the women there, given that he is excellent at psychologically and emotionally controlling and manipulating people to get what he wants. Women are especially vulnerable to such behavior because they are easily deceived. It may seem preposterous that a 75-year-old man is still a threat to sisters, but the fact that he was 72 when I was in an immoral relationship with him (I was 24) was a reason for many people at the time to excuse our questionable behavior. I was a man-pleaser and George manipulated me in that sin, leading me to believe that I was doing God’s will and serving God by being in this immoral relationship with him. I foolishly trusted him. I am not the first woman he has done this to. He has been carrying on this behavior secretly for many many years; he needs to repent, and he needs help. The sisters in San Francisco are not safe. Your daughters are not safe. If you are going to continue to allow him to fellowship with you in San Francisco, I caution you not to leave him alone with any woman or girl. To allow him to continue in relationship with God’s people, and particularly women under your care, is (in my opinion) completely irresponsible and shows a blatant lack of true concern for the flock.
Second, my concern is for the spiritual integrity of the gathering of God’s people in San Francisco.
How can there be true testimony to Jesus Christ if you are tolerating known sin in your midst? How could God possibly get His glory there? There are many dear people up there who just want to serve Jesus Christ, but if you are harboring a deceitful and immoral man in your midst, how can God bless that gathering? Innocent people, some of my friends, will be unnecessarily hurt. Perhaps it will not be manifest immediately, or perhaps it will; however, eternity will reveal every consequence, ultimately. It is a very serious thing to receive a man into fellowship who you know is lying about his immoral relationships. Pr. 24.12. I believe the gathering is presently in a dangerous position if you are receiving George there. I am very willing to talk to you and/or George about the allegations against him, as long as there are witnesses to the discussion. I would be very willing to confront George personally about these matters; I have already tried to do so again in January 2003 (this time with a witness) and was denied.
Finally, my concern is for the soul of George himself.
As long as you continue to receive him and accept his lies and justifications, you are not helping him to repent. Liars will be left outside the kingdom, and I believe that God is trying to help George to turn from his lies. Please prayerfully consider that you may be hindering the work that God is trying to do, and your behavior then is not true brotherly love for George.
Surely you have great responsibility before God for all that you know and for your behavior as you shepherd the flock in San Francisco. Brother, I give to you as encouragement to do the right thing, I Jn. 3.18. Please know that I send this letter with much prayer.
[A concerned sister]
