House Church Talk - Gene Edwards' Dec. 2002 Letter

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peter-collins at yahoo.com
Thu Feb 26 12:57:57 EST 2004

Recently, someone emailed, and mentioned that they had heard of Frank Viola's 'problems.' Frank Viola replied in part by forwarding two letters, one from Frank Valdez & the other from Gene Edwards. I had seen the one from Valdez, but not the one from GE. Here is what GE said:

GENE EDWARDS

www.geneedwards.com Dec 5, 2002

Dear Madam, Allow me to introduce myself. I am Gene Edwards. I am one of seven ministers to whom Frank V. is directly accountable. Among other things, I am a licensed Christian counselor. We also are struggling to end a rumor that has no validity, but which too many are eager to believe and then to damn Frank.

There was a rumor circulating that your Lord was illegitimate. Another that Paul was a false apostle and that he was stark raving mad. In this ministry we come to accept the fact that there will be wild fantasies which turn into facts when repeated enough.

Frank did not commit adultery. Susan gave Frank an ultimatum: "Leave the ministry or be divorced." Since that time, in fifty years of ministry, I have never beheld so many absolutely insane rumors on Frank. He is taking it like a gentleman. Frank is exactly what he has always been except he is now covered with a ton of mud.

Those who started, invented, and fantasized the charges made against him now know the rumors are false. Not one has recanted or apologized. Character is known by its children.

A fellow sojourner,

Gene Edwards

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another letter being circulated by its several co-signers:

On July 25, 2002, six brothers wrote an extensive letter of admonishment to Gene and Frank. Later, I wrote an essay, "Why March 10, 2002?," in which I documented some crucial events in Brandon, FL, all of which were verified by the independent testimony of plural witnesses.

An article written by three brothers, "Gene Edwards: The Good, The Bad & The Ugly" can be read on our websites. It would seem that GE is giving a spin on what actually happened that creates his own fantasy. He does not deal with reality, and in the process writes a letter that amounts to a cover-up of undeniable facts (not rumors). What is the truth?

The truth is that in May of 2000 Frank's wife received a phone call from a policewoman informing her that Frank was in a motel room with a young lady. This 19-year old girl was a former student Frank's in the high school where he taught, and a part of the Brandon assembly.

He had been fooling around with her in the last quarter of 1999. He wrote a book called "Forbidden Affection" in early 2000, and had the gall to dedicate this book (which was in fact describing the struggle connected to his own sexual attraction to this girl) both to the young lady he was having illicit contact with and to his wife. Instead of dealing properly with this sinful behavior in 2000, Gene opted that it be covered up. Frank's wife was to remain silent about what had happened, and the young lady was whisked off to another of Gene's assembly, with lies constructed to explain her sudden exit. Frank's wife was silent until March of 2002.

Now many more facts could be brought forward, but these would appear to be sufficient to illustrate how Gene's Dec., 2002, letter would deceive all readers by omitting important facts. They also show that these facts are not rumors. Frank encouraged me to call Gene "to get the whole story."

On May 17, 2002, I called Gene. Gene did all the talking, and insisted that Frank had not committed any immorality. I wrote Gene on May 20 and asked him, in light of the facts I reviewed, how he could not designate Frank's actions as immoral? He never replied. Gene speaks of "insane rumors" about Frank. I'm sure there were some false rumors going around. However, our letter of July, 2002, and my essay, "Why March 10, 2002?," are not founded on rumors, but on facts confirmed by witnesses. Gene says, "those who started, invented, and fantasized the charges... now know the rumors are false." That is not true concerning the core facts.

We know for sure that some immorality occurred, and it has yet to be dealt with in a Christ-honoring way. As long as Gene keeps fabricating his own conception of reality, the problems Gene and Frank have created will never be resolved. Many lives have been negatively impacted by Gene's and Frank's utter failure to deal with the truth regarding Frank's misbehavior.

Gene says he is "struggling to end a rumor that has no validity." The reality is he is apparently trying very hard to keep people from knowing the truth. His Dec. 5, 2002, letter is patent evidence of that. The fact that Frank would send out such a letter to illustrate his innocence is indicative of a blindness to face basic realities (not rumors).

Frank's relationship with the young lady was not a one-time event. He had cultivated a relationship with her, and she helped him edit the book about their affair together! You don't rent a motel room just to kiss. It would appear that adultery was the goal of the tryst, and was only inturrupted because the police were summoned and Frank's wife was notified of her husband's activities.

There is no reason for us to recant or apologize because we have stated basic uncontested realities, and we plead with Gene and Frank to quit covering up and to deal with some serious problems.

Jon Zens and other co-signers

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