To Joe and all who read, Thank you so much for your kind words Joe. My point re. the many "good hearted" souls in the Assembly is that if they don't make a stand against evil they end up enabling the abusers. I wrote this in response to "BeenThere's" post on how good Christians can continue in a place ruled by brutes. It is the same type of scenario in a dysfun
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

Mark---- Your reply to beenthere was right on the money in my opinion. I agree with you totally that the Assembly indeed has two groups of people, the self-confident, and the defeated. I remember how when I was first saved Acts chapter 2 was alive in my heart. When you read that chapter and see how those new christians were acting it brings great joy. I always knew that true growth in a
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

Hi everyone, I say everyone because I know there are many visitors to the site. It is great to be in touch with old friends and hopefully to heal old broken relationships with former members of the Assembly. To "Beenthere's" question re. why a seemingly well balanced individual would stay in a group whose leaders seem to promote abusive control: I am not a psychologist and
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

i've really enjoyed reading what you guys have to say. i think it is important to remember that there are those in the assembly who seem to have their heads on straight(er). i didn't know you personally, mark, but you remind me of others i do know in the assembly. they also were not in it to see how far up the ladder they could go, and they considered it far more important to let people
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

Hi Joe, Brent, and others, I know what the problem is with the e-mail: You must capitalize the first two letters "MC3073@aol.com" and in your post the letters were in lower case. Anyway, I sent you an e-mail to the address you left on a previous post and so you'll get the right one that way. To "beenthere" : Send your e-mail to the above address and we finally will
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

Mark--- Just so you know---the mc3073@aol.com address does not work---I've tried it several times via direct mail and the E-mail always comes back as undeliverable. I believe Brent may say the same thing. I also want to ditto what you said about there being many edifying and good things about the Assembly too. I have a tend
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

:) Hi Brent, Joe, and others: I tried to e-mail several individuals via the Board and it doesn't seem to function correctly. I have used computers for years and still mess up! Oh well here is my e-mail address for one and all: "MC3073@aol.com" without the quotes. I hate it when I write a big e-mail and find out it vamishes into cyber outer darkeness (this is similar to where
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

Hi Joe I couldn't agree more with your posts. If I was still in The Assembly I would probably have to say, "Amen! Praise The Lord! Selah..." Your conversation with George doesn't surprise me at all, many have said things like this, but since no one ever "told the church," is such a way that they couldn't ignore it, saints find it hard to believe. I thi
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

I wanted to add a bit more to what I shared earlier. I remember in 1 Corinthians when Paul is chastising the church there for it's spiritual pride and division. He says kind of a strange thing. He says "There be divisions among you..One says I am of Cephas, another Iam of apollos, and another I am of Christ..." That is actually very interesting. There are many that say they follow
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

Mark--- Tried your E-mail address but it failed.It's been quite some time since I left the Assembly but the scars seem ot take a long time to heal. I'll never forget my last conversation with an Assembly Member--it was George himself. I finally worked up the nerve and called his house--the conversation( I swear upon the Lord Jesus Christ this is the absolute truth) went like this:
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

Hello all, I see that there isn't much interest in others entering into conversation on this board. I know there probably are many silent observers who are afraid to enter into discussion. This is understandable and as such I hope you don't mind if I kind of monopolize the discussion here and hopefully strike a helpful chord to those who can't bring themselves to talk. If you
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

Hi Brent and others, It is encouraging to know that Dr. Enroth's book was helpful to you. ( BTW: do you know who I am? I was from the Valley. I'm sorry I don't remember you) You are absolutely correct re. the pride that the Assembly grows in the hearts of its' members. I was struck when attending my first church service "outside" of how critical I was; "the
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

HI Mark I could not agree more with your post. Many ex-members have trouble because they can't sort out what went wrong and why, and they have too much pride left over from their Assembly programming. You should know that I read your article, 2 years before I left, and it was a great help to me. We, my family and I, were able to skip alot of the shell-shock, because by the time we lef
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

Hi David and other Ex-Assemblyites, My name is Mark Campbell. Joe Sperling will remember me as he lived in our Brothers house in the Valley. I left in May of 91 and began with the group around 71. I don't know if you are familiar with Ronald Enroths' books that mention the Assembly, "Churches that Abuse", and "Recovery from Churches that Abuse". The 2nd book
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

Hello I am a former member of the George Geftakys assembly and I would like to start a web site where former members can contribute and dialog. Is anyone willing to help me do this? I need pictures, Testimonies etc.. Thanks!
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

i haven't heard about jim hayman, but i do hear things occasionally. you probably already know this since you're here, but for a lot of info check out i was raised in the assembly and left it years ago. to be honest i'm a bit nervous about posting here. my family is still in the assembly and i would hate for them to be forbidden contact with me. on the other hand, i find myself
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

Whats going on with the George geftakys Assembly? I hear Jim Heyman has left/come back and losing his mind? :(
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

David--- I lost contact with the Assembly in 1980 when I left, but much of what you wrote was true of me also. I always knew something was wrong. Something always felt off- base about the Assembly. The rampant legalism, and the group's elitism were sure signs of aberrant teaching. I always remember that verse where Paul says "Why do you say I am of Appollos, or I am of Cephas,
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Does anyone have updated news on the Geftakys Assemblies? I have recently talked with someone who informed me an investigation was being carried out by the I.R.S. Also that Hector Perez left. Who else? Any update is greatly appreciated. Thank You.:rolleyes:
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Sadley this did not result in the peace, satisfaction and self esteem that I wanted. Rather I became more and more anxious about my life. Why did it feel like I was being taken advantage of? Was it because I sensed in George's life a freedom to do as he willed? Why did I sense in Tim's life an indugence in materialism, spending money that he didn't work for. Securing the future
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

I responded by not going to Tim Geftakys for his "advice/permission." However my privacy was not respected because my roommates aparently went to Tim and told on me. He confronted me about my decision to move out of state for 6 weeks and told me "no" "I will not give you my blessing." (One that I never asked for.) After this I noticed a cold rejection from other m
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

As time went on I learned that I had less and less controle over the decisions in my life. During 1985 I decided to go to a college that was in a nearby city. To do this I would have to move. I told this to my roomate and he responded by saying, "Go talk about this with Tim Geftakys, he can give you some good advice" I agreed to go ask Tim for "advice" but I had this strange
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

During 1980 I was attending Fullerton College, CA. It was here that I was contacted by a group of people who identified themselves as "Just Christians" They seemed to be the same type of people that I had known from Calvery Chapel and because they were so familiar with the Bible I trusted them. Soon I was invited to join an "Anchor Group" During this Bible Study I learned th
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families