George Geftakys
Posted by:
joe sperling
()
Date: November 06, 2002 12:10AM
David---I was interested when you were asking if the Valley Assembly was still small. I attended the Valley Assembly a
long time ago(1975-1980). It wasn't called an "Assembly" yet--
we would drive to Fullerton for worship, but did have our own Bible studies, etc. during the week. But I remember leaving for
about a year, and then returning one night to a Bible study. I was amazed to see that the same exact people were there--no new editions at all. That should have served as a warning to me, but I rejoined just the same. The Assembly defense for this has always been "Despise not the day of small things", but what it really was was a stagnation and holding back of the Spirit's power through legalism and "works". I remember one night I invited a girl we had met going door to door. Her name was Dolly and she was a young black girl absolutely filled with joy. She radiated joy like the sun. When she met us at the door she said "Children of God!! Praise the Lord!" I invited her to a tape study at the house. It was amazing to see the joy completely drain out of her as George's voice went on about the gifts of the Spirit not being for today, and his warnings about "losing out". I wanted to jump up and turn the tape off and yell "Dolly, leave now while there's still time!!" That may sound funny, but I really felt that inside. I didn't want to see her lose her joy!! She never came back and I'm thankful for that. But that night I saw the Spirit being stifled in a person first hand, and realize now that that is why there was very little growth in the Valley or the Assembly either.Instead of rejoicing in the salvation that we have, we sat listening to George talking about how you might lose out instead. Fear through legalism and false teaching strangles joy. --Joe