Does this group have a name?

December 2000
Written by a former member of over 17 years

Does this group have a name?

No, they really do not have a name, except the name Christian. They believe that taking a name results in separation from other believers. Taking a name is denominationalism in practice. The believers in the New Testament did not call their churches "Paul's Chapel" or any other name, so neither should they. The practice of referring to them as "The Assembly" is definitely not to their liking and is not what they call themselves. They call themselves Christians, nothing more, nothing less.

The ministry teaches that it is sin to take a name for the group. They also teach that it is sin to register with the government as a religious body. They also teach the workers, who are a special class of members, that it is a sin to have music in the meetings, except acapella singing. George clearly teaches that not all Christians will be part of The Bride of Christ. Indeed, to listen to him you are sure that very few will. The ones who have the best chance, of course, are those who are members in good standing of a local assembly. After all, the assembly is "The School of the Bride." This was the theme of several recently given seminars.

Interestingly, this practice has not brought them closer to other believers, but the opposite. People are instantly put on their guard when they ask a member, "What church are you from?" and they hear, "Oh, we don't have a name..." It is fascinating to watch members squirm when trying to explain why this is so. Churches that have names, according to Geftakys' doctrine, have them because they don't have vision for the House of God and the oneness of Christ. Since the members of the Geftakys group don't have a name, it separates them from all others that do, totally negating the reason for having no name in the first place! This is typical of many of the aberrant ideas of this group. The practice of the idea does not enhance the value it is purported to communicate, but the opposite. These things continue, even when many see the futility.