Welcome to another Thursday UNFILTERED blog post, the only blog that prefers rice when it’s hungry and wants 2,000 of something.
Before I share the news, a quick update. Many of you have been praying for me with respect to the revision and expansion of The Untold Story of the New Testament Church. (I’m grateful for this!)
Right now, the book is more than twice the size of the original edition, and there are over 1,000 footnotes.
The new edition will not only be a much better read, but the footnotes will show my sources as well as shed further light on the drama.
If you don’t have the original version, don’t buy it. It’s full of errors that the editors never caught in addition to other mistakes. (I wrote it in a flurry almost 20 years ago.)
Yesterday, the publisher extended the deadline by a year, which was a huge relief. So the book won’t release until several years from now. But the wait will be well worth it.
As with all my books (including the new one that releases in the Fall), all email subscribers will get a bonus.
Now for the news.
This past Saturday, another mentor of mine passed into glory.
His name — Stephen Kaung. And he was 107 years old. (Yea, you read that right. No need to clean your lens.)
Kaung was one of Watchman Nee’s coworkers.
He also spoke in conferences with T. Austin-Sparks and DeVern Fromke, two other men who I regard as mentors as well.
(I had the privilege of knowing DeVern and spoke about his passing here.)
In this article from the past, you’ll see a rare photo of a young Kaung, Fromke, and Sparks during a conference in which they all speak together.
I met Stephen in 1993 at a conference where he and Fromke spoke.
Over lunch, we sat together, and I pelted him with questions.
Leading up to the conference (and afterward throughout the 1990s and 2000s), I mailed Stephen many letters. And he responded to each one of them.
(I have a folder full of them. All handwritten. Interestingly, his writing looks like a mixture of English and Chinese.)
In addition, I spoke to both Stephen and DeVern by phone throughout the years.
On 3/1/2006, I had a significant conversation with Fromke in which he gave me some priceless advice.
Following that call, on 3/6/2006, I spoke to Stephen. And like always, he encouraged me with a word from the Lord.
I kept in touch with each of them in the years following, but those two conversations stand out.
Today, I’d like to honor Stephen. He was a faithful brother, a holy man of God, someone I will fondly remember with great respect.
They may not make that kind anymore. I hope that’s not so.
For those of you who are in your 20s and 30s and feel a call from God, let me again stress the great need to find a mentor in your life.
They just won’t appear out of thin air. You must seek them.
If you choose the right one, the value they can provide is immeasurable.
See the following for what I mean:
5 Reasons Why You Should Have a Mentor
My Feelings on Spiritual Fathers
Watchman Nee Meets T. Austin-Sparks
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Frank is taking invitations to speak in churches, conferences, seminars, etc. for 2023. If you are interested in inviting him to speak at your event, go to his Speaking page.
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If This Video Doesn’t Make You Cry …
What a tremendous resource your ministry is! I looked up Stephen Kaung and found this article. Amazing! I’ve started reading your blogs and books and hearing your podcasts. What a treasure. I’m so glad to see someone has taken the deposit Stephen left to further places.
Frank, I must thank you for your dedication to our Lord Jesus and to the Scriptures. I have been feeding from your writings since your first book. I had the privilege of attending a conference that you spoke at in Florida, I believe it was 2010. Do you have any speaking engagements in the Atlanta GA area any time in the future or how may I access your itinerary? Continually praying for you and the new release, Blessing in Christ Jesus.
Thanks. To date there have been no invitations to speak in Georgia. A friend of mine who I invited to speak at a conference with me lives there and he promised to invite me up to speak, but that never happened.
The way to invite me to speak at an event and/or to hear about live events, go to the speaking page at https://www.frankviola.org/events
Your next book sounds interesting! Sorry to hear about your mentor. What a gift. Peace bro
I read a number of Watchman Nee’s volumes during a very difficult period of my life.
Sorry for your loss, but I know you also were/still are richly blessed by Kaung’s legacy.
May I ask you: was “the untold story” published in german?
and what ist the german title?
You don’t want the old version in any language. It’s full of errors. Wait for the new version to release. It may come out in German too. I will announce it to email subscribers when it’s published, so stay on the list.
Very interesting to hear about your relationship with Stephen Kaung. I’ve been reading (actually rereading for the eight time) Nee’s book, The Release of the Spirit. Can’t quite put it down and amazed that the book was written 70 years ago. Nee’s insight into the spiritual world of the ecclesia is very eye opening
Dear Frank,
Thanks fore your recent article. I knew Austin Sparks and heard him teach at Honour Oak Christian Fellowship on several occasions. His ministry was very Christ exalting and one of spiritual life and reality.
The reason I’m writing is to ask whether, in the preparation of the new edition of your book “The Untold Story of the New testament Church,” you have consulted the following books: “The Organization of the Early Christian Churches,” by Edwin Hatch, published in 1901 by Longman Green and Co., and “The Churches of God” by G.H.Lang (Paternoster Press)? You may find both very helpful.
I’m familiar with those volumes but they are INCREDIBLY old and outdated.
The vast majority of the works I’m citing (which is hundreds) were published in recent years and contain the most updated research in the world of New Testament scholarship and church history. Lots has been uncovered, even since 2005 when the first edition of “Untold Story” came out.
Ever since I’m exposed to your writings, Frank, I can’t stop reading everything you write. I mean literally everything.
I bought all you books and I’ve listened to all you podcasts. I mean I can’t get enough of our glorious Christ. You have blown my circuitry away. To God be the glory ????????????????
Frank, the articles on mentoring are amazing. I’m a pastor in my 30s. I applied for your Insurgence Experience. Thank you for investing in the younger generation.
Thanks for the news, Frank. Although it’s sad to loose such wonderful brothers and sisters who are such wonderful mentors, teachers and examples, it is good to go home and be with the Lord. And at such an age as 107 years!
God bless brother,
Bud
Brother Frank, I am very sorry for your loss. I just lost a mentor last week. My life will never be the same without him. I pray that God will raise up godly mentors for this generation… It is a tremendous loss when one passes away. Until we see them again…I look forward to that day. Praying for you.
Hi Frank,
So sorry to hear of Stephen Kaung’s passing, and thankful for the wonderful mentors you have had.
It is good to hear that the publication deadline has been revised for The Untold Story of the New Testament Church. I really enjoyed the original one and look forward to this new release when it is ready. Praying that your yoke would be easy and your burden light even as you prepare for upcoming ministry and carry so much.
The original “Untold Story” is still one of my favorites didn’t realize it had so many errors.
Frank, I would love to hear the gist of those two conversations.
I suspect they were private. Frank would have probably shared about them more if they weren’t.
This blessed me! Love the rice joke! ha ha
Hi Frank,
Finding the type of mentor you speak about in this age right now is rarer than hen’s teeth. One might actually have to move to another country to find the man of God we all seek.
Have you read the articles linked below this one? Frank is mentoring eleven leaders right now.