Has the Assembly really changed?

January 2002
By a former member and observer

In recent months it appears that exposure on the Internet has affected the Assembly. The leadership has apparently made some changes at various assemblies. But it seems to me that these changes are not substantive, but nevertheless are interesting.

For years children were discouraged from participating in team sports. But suddenly now, for the first time, some Assembly leader's children are playing organized sports, just like "The World's" children. This is new and different. Now, when they are asked if certain statements made about their group on the Internet are true, the leadership can say, "No way! There is so much said that is not true," and then they can point out the fact that their children do play sports.

Keep in mind that statements previously posted on the Internet regarding such restrictions of the children were until they made a subtle, quiet, behind the scenes change in this small area.

Members have been taught to scorn other Christians, and to consider their activities to be second rate and ineffective in a spiritual sense. However, since exposure on the Internet has brought this out, some Assembly moms are now participating in Moms in Touch at their local elementary schools. This means they are actually praying with other Christians. This is a real change; it has never happened before in the California Assemblies.

What these poor Assembly moms do not know is that the other moms in the prayer group think they are the strangest people they have ever met. Many of them have gone to their pastors and ministers to find out about the strange Church with no name, which has all of a sudden invaded their prayer group. In my town, most of the pastors say, "That group is not healthy, they have cultic tendencies, stay away, but go out to those deceived women, maybe God will use you to help them."

This is a change, because Geftakys members have always "gone out to" others. Now, they are the ones being outreached to. Hopefully this will cause more people to ultimately open their eyes and leave the group.

From the members left in my old Assembly, the theme I hear most often is, "Things are changing and they are much better now." If this is true, here is a question for you leaders:

Why are you changing? You have never admitted that there was ever anything wrong before, why should things be different now. Has the New Testament Pattern suddenly changed recently?

If you are seeing things differently now, why haven't you apologized for your past errors to those specifically that were hurt by your previous practices and behavior?

Instead of this, it seems you now claim that you none of these things happened. How do you justify this through the Bible?"

There have been a few surface changes, but the Assembly leadership remains resolute about lying to protect the sins of their leadership. They are still very secretive about the finances of the group. Are those on the Assembly payroll paying all their taxes? The books and tapes put out by the leadership are still full of elitist thinking and denunciation of other believers. And leaders still teach that they have "Spiritual Authority" over every aspect of the lives of the members.

Leaders also still slander many that have left their group.

In short, they seem to say, "Peace, Peace," but there is no peace. See Jeremiah chapter 6. Jesus said it best when he denounced the Pharisees for their practice of being careful with details, but totally neglecting the important things:

Matthew 23 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cumin, and have neglected the weightier [matters] of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. 24 "Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel! 25 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence. 26 "Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also. 27 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead [men]'s bones and all uncleanness. 28 "Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness."

The kinder, gentler Assembly appears to be simply a façade "full of hypocrisy." God certainly blesses genuine repentance and change though, but warns us about those who only "cleanse the outside." Hopefully, those within the Assembly who love Him, but somehow feel trapped, will ultimately wake up, leave and find greener pastures elsewhere.