Most of the people involved are sincere Christians who have been ensnared because an outlet was found for their intense, youthful zeal, or lack of purpose. The ministry needs to change, drastically, but it does not deserve to be labeled a cult.
There are many ex-members who have had difficulty serving God after leaving the group. However, most ex-members relate stories of freedom and a return of joy after they leave. One universally common theme among those who have left is surprise over how many godly, mature believers are to be found in mainstream churches. This is a surprise because they were taught that all other Christians were shallow.
Sadly, those who remain in the ministry only hear about the few ex-members who are having trouble. This creates the impression that when someone leaves, they suffer shipwreck concerning the faith. This is simply not true and it needs to be said that most ex-members are glad to be out and find that they experience more growth and love for Christ now that they are no longer involved.
If we were to construct a "cult meter", with conservative Baptists at 1 and the "Moonies" (members of the Rev. Moon's Unification Church) at 100, I believe the Geftakys group would fall at around 70. They are less dangerous than the International Church of Christ, but definitely not a healthy place to spend your life.
I believe the reader now has an accurate description of what life is like for a member of George Geftakys' Assembly.