WOUNDED PILGRIMS

[Mark C.]

Hi Everyone,
  I think it is time for me to get back to the thought that is nearest and dearest to my heart and that is the topic of Wounded Pilgrims.
  Even though I'm no longer a Global Moderator and have been relegated to Chief Steward in Training, I think that I can speak for the Editor in saying that one of the intentions of this BB is to help restore the faith of those who have lost it through Assembly involvement.
  As I've stated several times here, and at the Rick Ross site, I believe these "Wounded Pilgrims" are very near and dear to our Lord's heart.  What gives me the grounds for making such a statement?  Weren't we just a bunch of proud, needy, or deluded fools and deserved what we got?  Can we ever get on the right track and actually be able to have a vibrant faith again?  These and other questions I hope to address here in the hope that others will chime in with their insight and that it might provide a source of encouragement to those seeking help.
   The Gospels are a great source for testimony to the fact that the Lord was not interested in "The Vision of the Church" as presented by GG or by any other group centered religious organization; God was and is interested in individuals.  It is important to note that the individuals in the Gospels that Jesus ministered to were a very lowly bunch.  Take JN.4 and the Samaritan Woman at the well.  The Woman was a member of a heretical group(Jesus points out that Samaritan teaching was in error, but still tries to reach her with the Gospel), led a defeated immoral life, and was considered a powerless minority( A Woman and Samaritan).  You could say this Woman had made some real bad decisions: Member of a false cult, unsuccessful marriage relationships(married  many times and now shacked up with a heretic), and without any power in her life to choose her destiny.
   Jesus presents her with one of the clearest presentations of the Gospel of the grace of God and it's ramifications in the life of those who believe given in the Gospels!  It is not recorded that even the disciples received such clear teaching re. grace through Jesus earthly teaching.
    Jesus sought this Woman as an object lesson for all time of the kind of individual whom he would desire to be blessed with the liberty only he could bring to their lives.  Jesus expands the notion of salvation beyond the forgiveness of sins to the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and the presence of God in those, like the Samaritan Woman, who receive the simple message.  
   We may have made a mess of our lives by making a whole bunch of bad decisions, but like the Samaritan Woman he is the true friend of sinners and is reaching out to draw us close---My dear Wounded Pilgrim he is not far from us, though you may be more like Matthew the Publican than The Samaritan Woman, the promise remains the same.
             Always more to follow---- God Bless,  Mark

[ccmalibu]

Very well put, Mark! I also started the "Positive Things About the Assembly" thread because i want ex-lodgers to take comfort in the fact that their time in the lodge wasn't just a big waste of time...

[trockman]

Mark...you got promoted from global moderator to Head Steward in Training!  this is a promotion, brother.  If anyone ever makes "Overcomer," we'll just raise the bar so they get knocked back down.  We never arrive brother.  Of course, Mark, you and I, especially me, may get to keep overcomer status, but it's no big deal to us, we just want to serve! (gag smilie here)

Hopefully, the pace of my life will slow just a little in the next week.  I have some really great, encouraging things to share with everyone, but I literally don't have the time to formulate my thoughts!

anyways, I am still dumbfounded over the interest in this website.  Who woulda thunk it?  Really, I ask God, "What am I doing here with these people?"  Well, it's only cause I love the Lord!  Otherwise I'd be out winning a Nobel prize of something!  

I shouldn't be posting right now, I can't think straight.  Seriously, Mark, you encourage me so much with your posts. keep it up, it is a blessing.

Brent

[Mark C.]

Thanks Cristina and Brent .
  I'm glad that it was a promotion as I thought I was being demoted for accidently locking the topics.
  This site has been a blessing to many and as time goes by to many more I'm sure.
  I have some more things to write re. Wounded Pilgrims, but I will be on the road again this week and as such I will have to continue the series.
   Cristina, It is always good to look for how God can bring positive things out of even evil situations like the Assembly, but as you mentioned the Assembly itself is still an evil system.  The false Pharisaical system was condemned harshly by our Lord as a nest of vipers.  In the mideast desert a traveller would find a quiet oasis to rest in, near water, and lay down their bedroll only to find later the "safe" looking place had vipers just under the sand (the prior illustration was borrowed from the Subtle Power Of Spiritual Abuse).  GG's Assembly was advertised as God's safe resting place and it turned out to be a nest of vipers!
   Jesus was wounded in the house of his "friends and brethren."  Christians have wounded me far deeper than any Worldlings have and of this Jesus, the first Wounded Pilgrim, understands and can comfort us in.
                                           God Bless,  Mark

[ccmalibu]

Thank you. mark. i really appreciate your comment. And, you are absolutely right! We may be able to look back on our experience and see the goodness of God, but the assembly as a whole is, at best, a very unhealthy place to be, and His people need to be delivered! I'm so glad for this website...I personally know several people who have made the decision to leave their perspective lodges as a result of this website!!!!!

[Eulaha L. Long]

Coolness-I think I got a promotion too- "Overcomer in Training".  I feel so important now!  

I believe the Assembly has gone from bad to worse over the last ten years.  I agree with Rachel when she said that dissolution is the only solution for the Assembly.  There are too many healthy churches out there.  

[sue xander]

I am a dictionary user.  When I was a child and someone would say something and I asked what that meant, my mom would tell me to look in the dictionary.  The title of this post intrigued me.  The word "wounded" has 2 meanings:
1.) an injury involving a cutting or tearing of the flesh
2.) an injury or hurt to the feelings.

**I can see how after reading many posts on this web site that the pilgrims in the assembly are wounded in one or both ways.  Whether it be by beating your wife til she bleeds or bruises or worse...;or by putting severe bruises on a baby's or child's bottom for some "disobedience" ( of which in some saints eyes that was for every little thing)...; or by tearing apart the very thing that keeps people in a relationship....TRUST.  Or tearing down the very HOPE that God never wanted torn down which may lead a 15 year old to commit suicide in the assembly.  Is this what this ministry is all about?  These are the very things that are happening and worse.  Men who are not in leadership are having every ounce of pride stepped on and depleted so they don't even know who they are anymore.  They get pride then by beating their kids or being so hyper-strict that a child or person in any relationship with them cannot be themselves.  Wounds from that place are deep.  Some don't know how deep...and are functioning like a walking zombie moving and responding to the "royal " commands of the assembly tyrants who are leading ones to believe that the controlling and brain-washing teaching of george geftakys , and his drones is the "ONLY" way to follow God.  "OH THE SHAME OF IT ALL"................Judgement day is going to be very interesting for them.....leading God's people to ruin.
     The wounded Pilgrim does have a hope....WE have the Ultimate Physician...Jesus Christ!  For those of you that read this site and are still "IN"...you need to GET OUT OF THERE!  There is a Freedom In Christ...and its not George and his BOLOGNA!  There is a God -FIlled and God-leading life outside of that hole ( the assembly-lodge).  So if you have a room in the Lodge and you want to get out...you can!  Its not "HOTEL CALIFORNIA"..where you check in but you can't check out......God leads to , and out of places!  God can heal our wounds as pilgrims.  WE may never forget those things that gave us the wounds, or those people that inflicted them.....but God can renew our minds, heal our wounds and put us under HIS wing, and bring us to a place of true freedom and happiness.

    IF YOU ARE A WOUND RECIPIENT : YOU WOUNDS CAN HEAL THRU JESUS CHRIST!!!!

    IF YOU ARE A WOUND GIVER :" VENGENCE IS MINE SAYS THE LORD"

OPEN YOUR EYES PEOPLE!!!!! THERE IS ONLY ONE GOD, AND IT IS NOT GEORGE GEFTAKYS, ROGER GRANT, MIKE ZACH, DANNY EDWARDS, TIM GEFTAKYS OR ANY OF THEM...LOOK UP, TAKE THE BLINDERS OFF!!!!!!!!!!!!

REMEMBER THE TRUTH SHALL SET YOU FREE!!!!

[Arthur]

Why do such men exist in this world?  I'd rather not live in a world that has such evil.  Can life ever be the same after having seen how wicked men can be?
But...I guess we all have it coming as punishment for our sins.  It would have been much better if man hadn't disobeyed God and aquired that knowledge of good and evil.  But here we are in this cesspool of humanity.  Makes me wonder why would God ever want to come down into this sewer to live amoung us.

How does the song go?
Out of the ivory palaces, into a world of woe.
Only his great, eternal love made my savior go.

I guess we should focus on the good and not loose heart?

Sue, you said,
"but God can renew our minds, heal our wounds and put us under HIS wing, and bring us to a place of true freedom and happiness."

    IF YOU ARE A WOUND RECIPIENT : YOU WOUNDS CAN HEAL THRU JESUS CHRIST!!!!"

How do you get this and how long does it take?

[editor]

"I guess we should focus on the good and not lose heart?"

OK, here's my biting comment:

We should focus of Christ.  Then both the good and bad will be seen in their proper place.  After all, the Bible has passages of horror, and wonder. He makes all things new.  He brings beauty from ashes.  What the enemy means for evil, He means for good.

I am so happy today!  God is too good!

editor

[sue xander]

Arthur, Editor:

     I think that the Editor hit it on the head.  The Lord does make beauty from ashes.  But i think also that it takes time to be out of that place to see the healing that does need to take place.  It takes prayer.  It takes being in a healthy enviroment ( church)  to se that there are Christians out there who are real and not fakes and do grow without George's ministry and live for Christ.  There are Godly people out there that never heard of George.  Gee how did they do that?  God did it!  He gets the Glory!  Its not like we can plug all of our wounds into the selfer's prayer, or the wheel and line and it will come out ok......Formulas work for math but not for individuals who are all unique and different.  But a renewing of the mind takes place over time and the being in a healthy place with people who Love the Lord and love you!
     I remember what our pastor said to my husband when he went to meet with him and talk to him about his questions that he had.....my husband said I don't want to get involved with a  bunch of stuff etc.....and the pastor said " Garth, you don't need to get involved with a bunch of stuff now.....you just need to let us love you".  For my husband that was some healing words!  He did not have to perform to be loved.  He did not have to be involved to be loved.  He just had to be himself, unconditionally, and be loved.  It feels so good to be loved without having to "do" anything!  George's group is performance based!  You perform and kiss enough feet in there and you will either move on up the ladder or"be committed"!  Then you are a true Christian!  Otherwise you are on the fence and not committed and / or a rebel.!  They have a saying or label for everything there!
     Let God just love you Arthur!  And seek out a healthy place!  They are out there!

[Aslan213]

Hi Arthur,

I left the lodge a little over two months ago.  The first thing I did was go into lodge-mode and evaluate myself based on what I was doing for the Lord.  The pastor at Calvary Chapel said, "Eric, don't think about working for the Lord.  Your ministry is to find healing in your life and in your family's life.  Where ever you end up going to church, we will support your decision and we will pray for you.  You need to hear God's voice through ministry and if you have the strength to pray, then pray."

This blew away every PBA (Performance Based Acceptance) teaching I heard.  They even provided me the names of 4 unrelated churches that are bible based, if I wanted to check them out.  You would never get that in the assembly!

He went on to tell me, based on what he found out, it would take a good two years to sort the major things out.  I spoke to a man who came out of a similar lodge 5 years ago, and he said he's still has some sorting out to do, but the first 2 years were the worst.

I hope this helps.  I'm in the same boat.

Eric

[Eulaha L. Long]

Dear Friends,

I feel so messed up because of my Assembly experience.  I have been diagnosed with PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), Major Depression, and I frequently have anxiety attacks and nightmares regarding my Assembly experience.  When will I be healed?  It's been two whole years, and I still feel angry and abused...any input?  I really need it!

[trockman]

Dear Eulaha

I wish you were out here, you could hang out with us.
Why don't you find a church with great worship, and just concentrate on The Lord? I know that you need more than that, but perhaps you could find someone out there who can help you.  There are other Chris Lawson's out there...Get out and look for them.  I wish I could do more, but we will all be praying for you.  Take heart, be of good cheer, Jesus loves you, and He will not quench a burning wick.

Brent

[Mark C.]

Dear Eulaha,
  I wish to qualify what I say here as I am not a psychologist.  I'm just a Christian truck driver who has been through similar experiences as you have.
  When does it get better? Healing takes time;  Easy to say if you're not in pain.  As someone else mentioned here we are all different and some take the wounding deeper than others.  If you are a sincere and  sensitive soul, who gave your all to the Assembly, the wounds can be very deep indeed.  We are emotional beings and can't run on just logic and conviction.  Why not?  It is essential to know the truth of the grace of God and to accurately apply these truths to my life, but that doesn't necessarily always make me feel better. When the soul is damaged it is important to know where the pain is coming from.  With some it is the performance aspect of the Assembly that hurts them.  While with others it was being used to meet the needs of the Leaders by being their door mat.  There are others, and it probably is a combination of many of them that works to confuse our inner life.
  I would recommend finding a Christian counselor to help you work through your feelings and help you find healing grace for them.  I am not qualified to do this work, but their is a doctor who specifically works with those who have come out of such groups as the Assembly.  This doctor himself, came our of a similar group and understands the problems clearly. He does so in a desire to build the wounded's faith in Christ.
           Dr. Paul Martin
           Wellspring Retreat and Resource Center
           P.O. Box 67
           Albany,  OH   45710
           614-698-6277

  I also would like to recommend a book:
    Healing Grace by David  A. Seamands
     Published by Victor Books

  I have personally talked with some who have been to the retreat above and found it very helpful. (If I had the money I would go myself)  There is nothing to be ashamed about getting help with these things. I believe it is especially important to get help from a counsellor who is a Christian and understands treating those who have been in cults.
                        Merry Christmas and God Bless,  Mark

[Eulaha L. Long]

Mark,

It's interesting that you mention Wellspring Retreat and Resource Center.  I went there in March for a 2-week visit, and I have met Dr. Martin!  It really helped me to clear up some issues concerning the Assembly.  I was not the first ex-Assembly member to go there-I was #4.

God is good and full of grace.  His arms are always open to me-hallelujah!