Mark

Where have you been the last 10 years? I have written many articles on the topic, some of which are quite good, yet I sense that you have the ability to say things concisely, and most importantly, in a way that points to Christ. I, and many others could really benefit from what you have to say.

There will be a Christian website, Geftakysassembly.com, in a VERY short time, so please take your time on the articles and allow me to post them, along with many others, on the new site.

Also, I am sending you some things snail mail, expect them this week.

I would also be interested in the names of some of the more mature brethren that were "run off" by George. (I think I know some of them) Some recent events here in SLO have made it very clear to me that I have a job to do regarding some of these issues.

BTW, regarding the topic of man being created on the 7th day, instead of the 6th: From what I understand, This topic was taught by George on several occasions, not just once or twice. Can anyone out there tell me(us) what the point is behind this "New Revelation?"

Brent

Hello Everyone

I thought I would take the opportunity to try out the file attachment portion of this forum.

Below is an article I wrote that has never seen the light of day. I don't consider it one of my better one's, but it addresses in some detail the topic we are on in the last few posts.

Brent

Hi Brent and Others,
This is great news re. the new web site and whatever I can do to contribute to it would be my privilege.
Re. Brethren who have been run off: There was an elderly sister whose husband was big in the brethren movement from England, where T. Austin Sparks was. This Sister was named Harrison. There were brethren she knew who represented the English Assembly such as Brother Goldsworthy. (A godly man who spent World War 2 in a Japanese prisoner camp. He was a missonary to China with his wife.) He spoke several times at Fullerton, but was concerned re. some of the things George was doing. Sister Harrison began to complain openly that George was not following the true New Test. teaching re. the church and etc. Sister Harrison (an elderly widow) was treated shamefully as George opposed her objections by suggesting she was loosing her mind. George let her know that speakers like Goldsworthy would not be welcomed and we didin't see him anymore.
I think I have the above about right, but that goes back to the very early days. There were some older brethern in the Midwest as well where George basically raided an existing Brethren Assembly. He attacked the elders, as being carnal and etc, and then started up his own group through those he was able to gather from the old group.
I wish we had Steve Irons or Tom Maddox to help us here as they would know exactly the names and dates of these individuals. Tom Maddox was a gifted teacher who privately would contend with George re. some of his teaching, but George for many years would turn the tables on him and attack him as being carnal for raising his objections. Tom was from the Valley and I watched as he became not only emotionally beat down, but also became physically ill. George would constantly ridicule Tom; in his presence or absence. I haven't heard from Tom in a long time, but he would be a good person to get the original scoop on George and his dictatorial ways. Of course, Steve Irons, who was the number 2 man under George for years was also forced out, but that was a whole different scenario to Tom and the others.
As to where I've been for 10 years: I was unaware of this web site and much of what was going on inside the Assembly. After trying to reach out to my brethren in the Assembly and being soundly rejected I kind of gave up. I did get on some cult recovery website bulletin boards, but never met any there who knew anything about the Assembly. It was valuable, though, as I discovered there were many similarities between my recovery and those coming out of cults.(That is interesting isn't it?)
I was interviewed by Dr. Enroth and my story was told in his book, "Recovering From Churches That Abuse" in the chapter on the Assembly. I also hit the books trying to understand what the bible really taught regarding the Christian life as I had been heavily influenced by George's teaching. I also wrote a book based on my experiences in the Assembly that explored the dynamics of how the Assembly worked to control people and keep them trapped insidee. It was a novel and names and places were changed as I just wanted people to get a feel for how it was to be there. I found that most Christians just don't understand how an intelligent individual could be involved in such a group. They think members must be stupid, psychologically unbalanced, or easily manipulated. I have discovered just the opposite as most assembly members are more intelligent. (The psychological damge comes after membership!) I called the book"ON FIRE" as it describes the zeal of an enthusiastic young believer who is taken advantage of by the Assembly. I never published it, but it was great therapy writing it.
Brent, I don't see how you can read a file attachment via the board; can you explain how please? I will look for the info. via snail mail, Thanks.
God Bless, Mark

Mark
You are an excellent writer and I look forward to your contributions to the website. Look for something to be online in less than a week. I am getting lots of offers for help (free of charge!) from web designers and other geeks , which is really amazing. :)

The history you mentioned in your last post is exactly what I have learned, and I briefly wrote about it recently. I also know about George's first jobs in mainline churches and why "God showed him to leave." Yes, he was shown to leave alright, but it was due to adultery, not The Heavenly Vision!

I have had recent contact with Tom Maddux and some other Assembly retirees. I hope to tap them as well for the website.

Just so everyone knows, even though I have published many articles on the web so far, it is just the tip of the iceberg. Due to recent events concerning the hypocritical Assembly "leadership," I am going to turn up the heat in a big way with this site.

At the same time, I want to show Jesus as the Way, Truth and Life. I want to clearly communicate the Grace of God, and by using the scriptures, break through to current members. At the same time, I know it will serve as a warning to young people who are thinking of joining through the college campus.

--Message to Assembly leaders--you have had ample opportunity to repent. Recently, you took a clear stand for evil and darkness and ignored the last entreaty you will recieve. You will not like this website! However, as usual, if repentence and recovery occurs you can count on my support and love. I hope I can remove all of my articles from Internet someday because there is no need for them.
Brent Trockman

" so when I faced all of the legalism and fear I yearned to return to that Good Shepherd who had called to me softly and blessed my heart with comfort and love. I yearned for the first day of my salvation...." I cd. say the same thing Joe. I too wd. contrast my past adult conv. exp. w/ what I had found thru involvement in the assembly. On the one hand feelings aren't going to always be there, but depression and having to fake joy? It seemed that some of the mystics-whom I appreciate generally- were used to buttress the downcast and depressed. Not only that, but I now think were also used to justify passivity on the part of the assembly members...ie. if you suffer this long enough (allow others to always be the conduit of God's will for you) God will bless you with His fullness(Torrents); even if everything now looks pointless or even off-track. I don't consider Mdme. Guyon as a very stable model, and neither did the Church back then which led to some of her difficulties. Were you around for Chas. Solomon? Please comment.

Hi Terry and Joe and everyone else

You guys are right on the money with your obervations regarding the mystics like Guyon and Fenelon, and the modern day ones like Solomon. I wrote a book on this topic called, [u:29eb4bf2a2]Navigating the Deeper Life[/u:29eb4bf2a2] , one families journey out of Church Centered Christianisty into a Love relationship with Jesus Christ. Hopefully the title has some meaning for you .

I had some correspondence with Chuck Solomon about a year ago and he agreed that applying his ideas "in the corporate sense," which is what GG has done, would not work and would cause problems. Personally, I think we must be careful with "The Way of the Cross," to insure that it doesn't become Jesus The Way, The Truth and The Life. Ideas about overcoming are not the same as a relationship with Jesus. i like what Mark said a rew posts ago, "Grace gains a willing heart."

In the Assembly, deeper life literature was used to shame, challenge and contain people. Far from being a sharp, two-edged sword, Geftakys commandeered some authors who were already controversial for good reason, and used their teachings as a rude club to rule his subjects by fear and force.

On another note. Anyone who wished to contrubute your testimony or other material to the new website, please do so! Email me here until the site is functional. Mail should be working at Geftakysassembly.com by the end of the month. (I need DSL!)
Brent

Hi everyone,
In a previous post I discussed how the term "holiness", as understood in the Assembly, is different from the way an orthodox Christian would understand it. "Holiness" and it's opposite "sin" take on a special meaning in the Assembly. As we previously saw Assembly holiness has to do with sins against the group itself, not against God. Oh, they call it sin against God, but the "sins" are primarily attitudinal "sins" against the leadership and George's vision of "his" ministry.
If an individual member makes a choice that is different from what the leader directs you may be accused of any of a number of different "sins". These member choices, in many circumstances, would be considered good or at least benign in a normal church.
An example: "I would like to serve God as a missionary with another church other than the Assembly". I have observed such noble desires being shot down by leaders as being "out of the will of God". Then the member seeking to defend their desire are told they need to, "go the way of the cross and deny themselves", and the reason the member wants to be a missionary is due to their desire to "be a star" instead of "nothing" in the Lord's service.
An emphasis on attitudinal sins is a means of abusive control of the member and is very destructive to the spiritual and emotional life of the member. Before we ever discuss George's false teaching on holiness (which we will do) we must understand the above dynamic that magnifies the damage of his false teaching. Outsiders will not see nor understand this at first glance, as they assume George's message of holiness is just earnest Christians seeking to live like Christ--- What's wrong with that? The problem is the group usurps Christ, and the members' pursuit becomes an unholy dedication to George and his ministry.
In the next post we will examine the specific false teaching re. holiness that the Assembly promotes. (yes we will get to grace.)
God Bless, Mark

In reply to Mark's post---That is absolutely correct---that's
a great point Mark. I never really considered it the way you
put it--it being a sin against the "Assembly" even though they
call it a sin against God. I will give an example of this as it happened to me. One weekend I had taken my car over to my
Dad's friends house to store it there because I couldn't afford
insurance on my own. I had been told by a leader not to drive
the car until I could afford it. I called from the friend's house and
told the leader's wife what I was doing. She told me to hold a
moment, then came back and said "Bring the car home". I asked
"Why"? "Don't ask why, just bring the car home". I said "No, it's
my own car, if I can't drive it, I want to leave it here". "Joe, bring
the car home now!" Again I said "No". When I arrived back at the
house two leaders were there, who then took me into a room and told me what a rebellious sinner I was for saying "No" to God.
They gave me two choices: Move out of the house(and into outer darkness under God's extreme displeasure), or sell the car. Well,
you guessed it, I sold the car, and had added "stewardships" as punishment on top of it. It was a horrendous experience, with two horrendous choices given to me--in which I lost no matter which direction I chose. And all for a perceived sin, which wasn't against God, but against Assembly teachings concerning leaders. Leaders are never to be said "no" to for they are God's spokesmen on earth. No matter if what they say does not reflect true Biblical teaching at all. No where in the Bible does it say a leader has the power to make decisions "for" one of the sheep, or tell one of the sheep what to do. These leaders had so much power because of Assembly teaching that they literally held people's lives in their hands. This is truly destructive and unbiblical to say the least. I am so grateful for this forum, and to be able to share and hear what others have to say here. And I agree Mark, you have a very intelligent and thoughtful way of presenting the things you have learned from your experiences with the Assembly, and should really write a book about it.

Take Care, Joe

Hi Everyone,
Joe, David, Brent, Terry, and others: We all should write a book; and in a way that's what we're doing here. We've experienced something in the Assembly that has made us think deeply about the most important issues in life.
Assembly Holiness: George's understanding of salvation is split level; there is the beginning of the Christian life, when an individual is born again, and there is the rest of the Christian life where the believer is sanctified. George considers new birth as only a very small part of the believers salvation and such Christians who do not "lay hold" of sanctification can expect only to be saved from eternal hellfire. Non-sanctified Christians are appointed to outer darkness. (a kind of purgatory where the "saved" believer will float as a disembodied spirit outside of heaven. George also teaches that non-overcoming Christians can suffer some scorching of hellfire, but not forever)------Nice!
George teaches the classic Galatian error: "Forgiveness must inevitably appear insufficient and preliminary if beyond it a still higher benefit is posited. Wherever forgiveness is mere there will be passion for more. Where forgiveness and the sonship it includes are understood as only a part of what God has to give men, and not as the very content of God's gift, then there must be the discovery of means other than forgiveness to attain privileges higher than sonship."----- "The Galatian letter is addressed to Christians who are being tempted to think that there is another, fuller gospel which will bring the Spirit to them in fulness, completion, or perfection where the simple gospel message of Christ by faith brought only salvation's beginning." (above quotes from "A Theology of the Holy Spirit", by Frederick Bruner--- a great book!)
I know Assembly folks will cry, "foul" and in defense will say that they're rooted firmly in the gospel and that their entire Christian life is lived by the power of the cross. But, as the above shows the whole Christian life is a gift based life. The entire gift is given at the beginning of the Christian life and no greater gift lays beyond! We've been given all of Christ and his complete salvation; what could be greater!!
Next: Assembly misunderstanding of faith and the Christian life.
God Bless, Mark

Mark---

That's true concerning "Assembly Holiness". I remember
always feeling something was wrong when George attempted
to alter certain verses in the Bible. I don't have a Bible in front
of me at the moment, but I remember a verse in Romans chapter
8 which states "and those he called he also justified, and those he justified he also sanctified, and those he sanctified, them he also glorified". The word "glorified" is in the past tense. Those justified God sees as ALREADY glorified. But this didn't fit into George's teaching, so he would attempt to alter that scripture and make the past tense a future tense. As though you can take a "finished" work and unravel it. It is so great to rest on a "finished" work, rather than feel that somehow I can make myself more holy. To rest on HIS faithfulness, rather than rely on myself being faithful.

--Joe