Welcome to another Thursday UNFILTERED blog post, the only blog that thinks they call it a “selfie” because “narcissistie” is too hard to spell.
Well, I’m honored. I’m humbled. I’m excited. And I’m really relieved.
Get ready to laugh, cry, and possibly question your life choices—because my new book, The Untold Story of the New Testament Church: Revised and Expanded, is hitting the online shelves very soon.
I wrote it to change your life. Period.
The release day is this coming Tuesday, March 4. Remember to wait to order the book until then because I’m giving away 7 exclusive bonuses to all who do — bonuses you don’t want to miss.
What follows in this article are:
1) The full version of the endorsements for the book by 20 acclaimed scholars. The exception is the first one, which is an excerpt from the Foreword by the leading New Testament scholar in the world – Craig Keener.
Each blurb tells a story. Consider these appetizers. The book – which is soon to release – is the full banquet.
2) After the endorsements, I will point you to where you can download the Sneak Peek Sampler of the book and also where many of your questions have been answered about it.
So please read this entire email before writing us with a question. It is undoubtedly answered on the landing page in the FAQ section.
Also, don’t confuse the old orange cover edition from 20 years ago with the new version, which has a white cover with elegant brushstrokes on the borders.
ENDORSEMENTS THAT TELL THE SAME STORY
“In The Untold Story of the New Testament Church: Revised and Expanded, Frank Viola brings context and background together, inviting us on a captivating journey through the birth and growth of the first-century church. With a reputation for captivating prose and heartfelt storytelling, Viola brings his unique perspective to reconstruct the events from Matthew to Revelation. The Untold Story offers a plausible chronological narrative that reveals the grand tapestry of God’s kingdom plan and brings the characters of the story to life.” (Excerpt from the Foreword)
Craig S. Keener, F. M. and Ada Thompson Professor of Biblical Studies at Asbury Theological Seminary
“Context matters. Sequence is helpful. Background illuminates the text. These three premises stand underneath this book which places the New Testament in the world from which it emerged. This unique volume is full of documentation as well, showing the care that went into it. For pastors and all others interested in the unfolding of the New Testament, this book is a treasure to mine.”
Darrell Bock, Executive Director for Cultural Engagement Hendricks Center Senior Research Professor of New Testament Studies
“How do the writings of the New Testament hang together? What was going on among those first-century followers of Jesus that invited the words of warning, encouragement, and guidance we find in the letters of Paul, Peter, and the rest? Frank Viola performs an invaluable service for Christians today by centering this book on the story of the early church, what he calls “the community of the King.” The result is a highly readable (and well-researched) story of the New Testament church, a genuinely accessible biography of the church, that congregations and classrooms will find indispensable.”
Joel B. Green, Senior Professor of New Testament Interpretation, Fuller Theological Seminary
“With great erudition, Frank Viola has provided readers with a wonderful resource. It would be an understatement to say the breadth of research involved in this project is ‘impressive.’ Highly recommended.”
Michael Licona, Ph.D., Professor of New Testament Studies, Houston Christian University
“In this fascinating volume Frank Viola seeks to write a narrative history of the early church by examining the New Testament documents within their respective historical and chronological contexts. In those areas where conjecture is required, Viola draws on a wealth of biblical, extra-biblical, and scholarly sources. His conclusions are plausible and consistently interesting and insightful. This is an excellent resource for those seeking to understand authentic Christianity by listening to its earliest voices.”
Mark L. Strauss, Ph.D., University Professor of New Testament, Bethel Seminary, Bethel University
“In one volume Frank Viola has recast the entire New Testament as a single readable narrative, but as supported by scholarly notation of the highest order. The second-century theologian Tatian managed to combine the four Gospels into one narrative; Viola has achieved this for the whole New Testament. In the main text, we have the well-told, reconstructed story, while the footnotes open a wonderland of highest-level scholarship. This single book is for the general reader, the pastor, and the academic. The Untold Story of the New Testament Church is an amazing accomplishment. I know of no book like it. Highly recommended.”
Paul Barnett, Ph.D., New Testament Scholar and Lecturer Emeritus, Moore College, Sydney; teaching fellow at Regent College, Vancouver
“This is an enormously helpful survey of the history of the roughly thirty years from the ministry of Jesus to the end of the apostolic period, replete with comments on the significance of historical events for the faith of Jesus followers and with comments on secondary literature. Viola is both humble as he interacts with the research of numerous scholars, and bold as he presents a coherent narrative of God’s revelation through Jesus Messiah and His earliest disciples and apostles. Readers of any level will benefit immensely from a careful reading of this study.”
Eckhard Schnabel, Mary F. Rockefeller Emeritus Distinguished Professor of New Testament Studies at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.
“I know no other book like this. Written for everyday readers, it is accessible, engaging, and compelling—and yet it is meticulously researched with depth and breadth of learning, in conversation with leading scholars in the field. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to understand how the whole New Testament fits together—as history, theology, and mission.”
Constantine R. Campbell, Professor and Research Director, Sydney College of Divinity
“This volume is a creative and fascinating portrayal of the rise of Christianity and the establishment of churches throughout the Mediterranean world. Viola weaves the evidence of the New Testament into a single unfolding and compelling story. Yet he does so not with unbridled imagination, but with a profound reliance on the best scholarship available. The end result is an accurate, engaging and compelling account of this movement that has had a monumental impact on history and continues to do so today. For someone unacquainted with this story, this book is the ideal starting point. For those who are familiar with the New Testament, this volume will greatly enhance your understanding and appreciation of the rise of Christianity.”
Clinton E. Arnold, Research Professor of New Testament, Talbot School of Theology (Biola University)
“Frank Viola has produced a truly remarkable book—a reconstruction of the gospel story of the New Testament church that skillfully and helpfully presents the events recorded in Matthew through Revelation in a chronological rather than canonical order. His Untold Story of the New Testament Church captures well the geographical setting, historical context and social world of the first-century by taking the best of biblical scholarship and packaging it in a user-friendly format and readable style. The result is a fresh reading of the ancient biblical text that the modern reader will find highly engaging and spiritually edifying.”
Jeffrey A. D. Weima, Professor of New Testament Calvin Theological Seminary, Grand Rapids, Michigan
“There is ever so much more to the story of the early church than we hear about in the Acts of the Apostles. As we read through the letters of Paul and of the other early Christian leaders in the New Testament, we cannot fail to notice this fact. How does Titus, whom Acts never mentions, fit into Paul’s ministry? Where are Paul’s second and third visits to the churches in Corinth? When does Peter start writing letters? What happens after AD 62, where the narrative of Acts simply ends? Frank Viola has bravely and diligently undertaken the task of collecting the many bits and pieces of this story that can be known from the letters alongside Acts and of presenting one plausible vision of how all these pieces can be synthesized into a coherent, unfolding story—and thus how the various books of our New Testament emerge within and speak back into this larger story.”
David A. deSilva, Trustees’ Distinguished Professor of New Testament and Greek, Ashland Theological Seminary
“In The Untold Story of the New Testament Church, bestselling author Frank Viola offers a lengthy innovative reconstruction correlating the chronological sequence in the narrative of Acts with the apostolic journeys and letters of Paul and the other apostles. A treasure trove of detail for Christian pastors and leaders of Bible study, with magisterial references to books and articles by Christian New Testament scholars.”
Richard Horsley, Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Liberal Arts and the Study of Religion at the University of Massachusetts, Boston
“What happens when passion for equipping the next generation of Christians meets a lifetime of loving the Lord, studying His Word, and drawing on the insights of evangelical scholarship? The Untold Story of the New Testament Church is Frank Viola’s compelling narrative of God’s eternal purpose, focused on the formation and journey of God’s ekklesia community—His people, past, present, and future. Using Acts as the central framework, Viola enriches the story with historical details and insights drawn from other sources, especially the letters of Paul, Peter, James, John, etc. This vivid retelling brings to life Paul and his companions—alongside Peter, James, and John—chronicling the conflicts and hardships they endured and their unwavering courage to proclaim Jesus as promised Messiah and Savior. Viola’s ‘plausible reconstruction’ not only fills in the New Testament’s historical narrative but also invites readers to see themselves as part of an ongoing story. (Lovers of footnotes will find themselves in paradise!)”
Amy J. Chase, Ph.D., Drew University, Madison, New Jersey
“Frank Viola’s The Untold Story of the New Testament Church offers a compelling narrative of the entire New Testament and early Christianity from the Gospels to Revelation. It’s truly a monumental accomplishment that connects history and Scripture with attention to detail as a cohesive whole. Viola engages with all the major scholarship making this both a highly readable book and one that is grounded in solid research. While there are books that focus on the life of Jesus and the ministry of Paul, there really is nothing else that looks at the story of early Christianity in the New Testament as comprehensively and that is accessible to non-academics. This book deserves to be read, reread, and studied in churches and in the classroom.”
Alan Bandy, Robert Hamblin Chair of Biblical Exposition Professor of New Testament and Greek at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary
“In The Untold Story of the New Testament Church Frank Viola tackles an ambitious project, one few have dared to try. He reconstructs early Christian history—from Pentecost to Patmos—into a compelling, chronological, storied whole. Often, we take the letters of Paul in isolation from the letters of John or the Acts of the Apostles or the book of Revelation. Instead, Viola knits these together into a satisfying account of what happened in the first century of the Jesus movement. This is no solo project; he analyzes loads of data with the help of top scholars from around the world to guide him, and us. What emerges is an engaging, intricately told, plausible account of the origins of our Christian faith that sheds fresh light on all the New Testament letters. The story continues . . .”
David B. Capes, Ph.D., New Testament Scholar and Director of Academic Programming, The Lanier Theological Library and Learning Center, Houston, Texas
“A masterpiece! The Untold Story of the New Testament Church is stunning in its sweep – compelling and readable. It’s an enthralling journey into the New Testament story – a work full of depth and insight. While many books on the New Testament approach the material in a piece-meal fashion, Viola’s new contribution takes a different approach. It puts the entire New Testament in chronological order and brings the reader into a thrilling “you-are-there” narrative. This work is a rich feast for all students of the Bible. Everyday Bible readers will find it accessible and engrossing while Bible experts will appreciate the detailed sources and exquisitely nuanced exegesis. The Untold Story is the ultimate guide to understanding the New Testament. A beautiful piece of work, and a real service to the body of Christ by putting the pieces together in readable form. You will feel deepened in the Lord after you finish it.”
Jon Zens, D.Min., theologian, author, editor of Searching Together
“Don’t be put off by the size of this book! Frank Viola uses the evidence from your Bible to tell the story of Jesus and the New Testament church as a single drama from beginning to end. Using the biblical accounts, he weaves a careful, readable chronology that (as the title asserts) has never been done before! The book’s length results from detailed footnotes by many New Testament scholars, who affirm the author’s research. In this way, both general Bible readers, as well as scholars, can appreciate an accessible, previously “untold story” of the New Testament church.”
Reta Halteman Finger, professor emerita of New Testament at Eastern Mennonite University
“Understanding the early church requires more than just dry facts. Frank Viola’s The Untold Story of the New Testament Church takes on the monumental task of retelling this history in a captivating narrative, offering a fresh perspective on the people, places, and events that shaped Christianity.”
Christoph Heilig, Ph.D., New Testament Scholar and Research Group Leader at the University of Munich
“In The Untold Story of the New Testament Church: Revised and Expanded, Frank Viola has engaged the wider world of biblical scholarship and produced a work that flows like a novel but is in fact part New Testament Introduction, part New Testament history, and part Christian inspiration. I love that he’s included the text of the New Testament in his understanding of the chronological order of their original production and set these writings within the story of how the earliest Church grew following Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. Viola is a gifted writer and this book will help persons hungry to know more about Scripture and the Jesus to whom it testifies.”
Brian D. Russell, Ph.D, Professor of Biblical Studies at Asbury Theological Seminary
“After decades of being immersed in the New Testament text and countless hours studying a wide variety of New Testament scholarship, Frank Viola has produced a unique book that will not only enable readers to understand the message of the New Testament on a much deeper level but will also draw people closer to Jesus Christ. Viola tells the story of the early church in an engaging way and supplements that story with a plethora of scholarly footnotes to back up every description of how the first Christians lived and what they experienced. By mining the cultural, sociological, and political details of the New Testament world, Viola makes the story of those early followers of Jesus come alive in a new way. The Untold Story of the New Testament will captivate ordinary readers and engage scholars without losing the average high school or college student. It is a gift.”
Tim Oslovich, Master of Theological Studies, Harvard Divinity School, Bishop of the Alaska Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
SNEAK PEEK SAMPLER & FAQ
The Untold Story of the New Testament Church: Revised and Expanded isn’t just a book; it’s an invitation to see the New Testament through a fresh lens—one that brings you straight into the drama, up-close and personal.
I’ve been researching the New Testament story since 1998 and have invested the last 3 years of my life – virtually every day – on the entire rewrite and expansion.
Again: If you wait to order this new book between March 4th through March 10th, you will receive 7 exclusive bonuses.
One of them is a message I delivered at a conference with N.T. Wright that’s never been publicly released.
On the book landing page (below), you will find:
*The Sneak Preview Sampler (new)
*An abridged version of the endorsements by the 20 high-voltage scholars
*The Press Release
*Answers to your questions about the book (FAQ)
So mark March 4th on your calendars.
I’ll be sending you a special email on Tuesday (March 4) which will include the first interview I did on the book. I believe you will find the interview educational and illuminating, if not fascinating.
We will also have simple instructions on how to claim your 7 bonuses.
Oh, if you didn’t read last week’s email on “New Testament 3.0,” do so today. People are commenting that the article is revolutionary.
*** PRESS HERE TO CHECK OUT THE BOOK LANDING PAGE WITH ALL OF THE ABOVE.
Your brother,
fv
New Testament 3.0 – A Major Breakthrough
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