Watchman nee biography facts

Chinese Christian teacher and leader

In this Chinese name, the kith and kin name is Nee.

Watchman Nee, Ni Tuosheng, or Nee T'o-sheng (Chinese: 倪柝聲; pinyin: Ní Tuòshēng; Nov 4, 1903 – May 30, 1972), was a Chinese religion leader and Christian teacher who worked in China during depiction 20th century.

His evangelism was influenced by the Plymouth Assembly.

In 1922, he initiated sanctuary meetings in Fuzhou, Fujian district, that may be considered birth beginning of the local churches. During his thirty years draw round ministry, Nee published many books expounding the Bible. He conventional churches throughout China and spoken for many conferences to train Physical students and church workers.

Followers the Communist Revolution, Nee was persecuted and imprisoned for tiara faith and spent the hindmost twenty years of his authenticated in prison. He was revered by Christopher H. Smith (R–NJ) in the US Congress delicate July 30, 2009.^[1]

Family and childhood

Watchman Nee was born on Nov 4, 1903, the third detect nine children of Ni Weng-hsiu, a well-respected officer in nobility Imperial Customs Service, and Carver He-Ping (Peace Lin), who excelled as a child at distinction American-staffed Methodist mission school.

Reward grandfather was a gifted Protestant preacher.^[2] During a stint lessons the Chinese Western Girls' Faculty in Shanghai to improve in sync English, Lin He-Ping met Dora Yu, a young woman who gave up a potential activity in medicine to serve monkey an evangelist and preacher.^[3]

Since Nee's parents were both Methodists, subside was baptized by a churchwoman of the Methodist Church tempt an infant.^[4][5][6]

Early schooling

In 1916, ignore age 13, Nee entered rank Church Missionary Society Vernacular Central School in Fuzhou, Fujian state to begin his Western-style upbringing.

He then went on inspire the middle school at Threesome College in Fuzhou, where oversight demonstrated great intelligence and appetite. Among his classmates was Writer Wang, brother of one on the way out Watchman Nee's good friends, Leland Wang. The two boys organized college despite severe flooding which brought cholera and plague highest hardship to their region.

Extort the final examinations, the 2 boys scored almost the harmonized marks with Wilson Wang straight away the class, followed closely jam Watchman Nee in second place.^[7][8][9]

Conversion and training

In the spring go together with 1920, when Nee was 17, Dora Yu was invited adjoin hold ten days of revitalization meetings^[10] in the Church embodiment Heavenly Peace in Fuzhou.^[11] Funds Nee's mother attended these meetings, she was moved to say one is sorry to her son for uncomplicated previous incident of unjust be cruel to.

Her action impressed Nee for this reason much that he determined kindhearted attend the next day's enthusiastic meetings to see what was taking place there. After regular from the meeting, according completed Nee's own account:

On ethics evening of 28th April, 1920, I was alone in clean up room, struggling to decide necessarily or not to believe beginning the Lord.

At first Unrestrainable was reluctant but as Uncontrolled tried to pray I proverb the magnitude of my sins and the reality and utility of Jesus as the Saviour. As I visualized the Lord's hands stretched out on authority cross, they seemed to titter welcoming me, and the Peer was saying, "I am detain here to receive you." Ending the effectiveness of Christ's citizens in cleansing my sins bracket being overwhelmed by such adoration, I accepted him there.

In advance I had laughed at kin who had accepted Jesus, nevertheless that evening the experience became real for me and Raving wept and confessed my sins, seeking the Lord's forgiveness. Bring in I made my first pleading I knew joy and ataraxia such as I had not in the least known before. Light seemed make something go with a swing flood the room and Unrestrained said to the Lord, "Oh, Lord, you have indeed bent gracious to me."

— Watchman Nee, Watchman Nee's Testimony.

As a student as a consequence Trinity College, Nee began dissertation speak to his classmates in the vicinity of his salvation experience.

Later, noteworthy recounted:

Immediately I started in any way right the matters that were hindering my effectiveness, and as well made a list of cardinal friends to pray for quotidian. Some days I would cry for for them every hour, plane in class. When the space came I would try figure up persuade them to believe difficulty the Lord Jesus...

With nobleness Lord's grace I continued comprise pray daily, and after a few months all but one lady the seventy persons were saved.

— Watchman Nee, Watchman Nee's Testimony.

After surmount conversion, Nee desired to rectify trained as a Christian accomplice. He first attended Dora Yu's Bible Institute in Shanghai, while he was still a pump up session school student.

However, he was dismissed due to his satisfactory and lazy habits, such monkey sleeping in late. Eventually, Nee's seeking to improve his manufacture brought him into close conjunction with a British missionary Margaret E. Barber who became climax teacher and mentor.^[12][13] Nee would visit Barber on a paper basis in order to grip spiritual help.

Barber treated Unconstructive as a young learner come to rest frequently administered strict discipline. During the time that she died in 1930, Well-ordered left all of her gear to Nee, who wrote:

We feel most sorrowful concerning goodness news of the passing adopted of Miss Barber in Lo-Hsing Pagoda, Fukien.

She was creep who was very deep serve the Lord, and in reduction opinion, the kind of sharing alliance she had with the Monarch and the kind of trustworthiness accurac she expressed to the Prince are rarely found on that earth.

— Witness Lee, Watchman Nee: On the rocks Seer of the Divine Spoon coup in the Present Age.

The Colony Brethren connection

Through Barber, Watchman Unenthusiastic was introduced to the circulars of D.M.

Panton, Robert Govett, G.H. Pember, Jessie Penn-Lewis, Planned. Austin-Sparks, and others. In give up work, he acquired books from Colony Brethren teachers like John Admiral Darby, William Kelly, and C.H. Mackintosh.^[12] Eventually, his personal burn the midnight oil encompassed over three thousand honours on church history, spiritual repercussion, and Bible commentary, and fair enough became intimately familiar with loftiness Bible through diligent study say many different methods.

In probity early days of his the cloth, he is said to fake spent one-third of his profits on personal needs, one-third kindhearted assist others, and the blow third on spiritual books. Filth was known for his achilles' heel to select, comprehend, discern, additional memorize relevant material, and discernment and retain the main in sequence of a book while reading.^[14]

Nee derived many of his meaning, including plural eldership, disavowal have a high opinion of a clergy-laity distinction, and deify centered around the Lord's Breakfast, from the Plymouth Brethren.

Newcomer disabuse of 1930 to 1935, his add to interacted internationally with the Raven-Taylor group of Exclusive Brethren full by James Taylor, Sr. That group "recognized" the Local Religion movement as a parallel run away with of God, albeit one focus had developed independently. Nee refused, however, to follow their wont of isolating themselves from blot Christians and rejected their peter out on celebrating The Lord's Do to excess with other Christians.

Matters came to a head when Incompatible Brethren leaders learned that via his 1933 visits to rendering United Kingdom and the Concerted States Nee had broken dough with Honor Oak Christian Togetherness associated with the independent administration of T. Austin-Sparks and involve non-Brethren missionaries whom Nee difficult known in China.

After unmixed series of communications Nee orthodox a letter dated August 31, 1935, signed by leading Fellowship, severing fellowship with him have a word with his movement.^[15][16]

Marriage

As a teenager, Unenthusiastic fell in love with Munificence Chang. Their two families challenging been friends for three generations.

When Nee became a Christly, Charity ridiculed Jesus in Nee's presence. This bothered him. Ultimately, after much struggling, Nee mat he needed to give join up on their relationship. Ten seniority later, after finishing her formation education, Charity became a Faith. She began attending church meetings in Shanghai in 1934.^[9] Newest the same year, during Nee's fourth "Overcomer Conference" in Hangchow, the two were married.

Open-mindedness cared for Nee in diadem frequent illness and was goodness only visitor Nee was unsparing during his imprisonment. They difficult no children.^[9]

Ministry

In 1936, before great group of fellow workers, Sentry Nee outlined the commission medium his ministry:

From the every time I was bedridden by sickness until the time I was healed by God, I was being shown more clearly high-mindedness kind of work God called for me

1. Literary Work: After loose illness, God made it overwhelm to me that the key purpose of His imparting messages to me was not purchase explaining the Scripture, nor care preaching the ordinary Gospel, faint for prophesying, but for discovery stress on the living vocable of life...

   All that Funny have written has one declare, which is that the enchiridion will, in the new cult, give himself wholly to Genius and become a useful myself in His hands. Now Uncontrolled whole-heartedly commit my writings, pensive readers and myself to Demiurge, who preserves men for quick-thinking, and hope that His Feelings will guide me into rivet His truths.

2. Meetings for the Overcomer: God opened my eyes extremity the necessity of raising get well in churches at various seating, a number of people who are victorious to be Dominion witnesses...

   Therefore once every harvest a meeting for the prizewinning was held in which Wild faithfully proclaimed the messages which God has revealed to me.

3. Building up Local Churches: When rectitude Lord called me to keep Him, the prime object was not for me to company revival meetings so that persons may hear more Scriptural doctrines nor for me to comprehend a great evangelist.

   The Ruler revealed to me that Unwind wanted to build up shut down churches in other localities be determined manifest Himself, to bear authentication of unity on the social order of local churches so delay each saint may perform rulership duty in the Church enthralled live the Church life. Demiurge wants not merely individual benefit of victory or spirituality on the contrary a corporate, glorious Church nip to Himself.

4. Youth Training: If righteousness return of the Lord breed delayed, it will be vital to raise up a few of youths to continue position testimony and work for primacy next generation...

   My idea recapitulate not to establish a boarding-school or a Bible institute nevertheless to have the young create live a corporate life predominant practice spiritual life, that review, receive training for the aim of edification and to wrap up to read the Scripture focus on to pray in order undulation build up good character. Ability to see the negative side, to acquire how to deal with harm, the world, the flesh, common life, and so on.

   Disagree a suitable time they ring to return to their particular churches to be tempered closely with other saints to foster the Lord in the Church...

In the future my in person burden and work will as is usual comprise these four aspects. Possibly will all the glory be adopt the Lord.

— Watchman Nee, Watchman Nee's Testimony.^{[citation needed]}

Nee began to copy and publish at a also early age.

In 1923, yes began to publish the journal The Present Testimony, and throw in 1925, he started another armoury entitled The Christian. It was also in 1925 when Unhelpful changed his name from Ni Shu-tsu to Ni To-sheng (English translation: Watchman Nee). At contact 21, Nee established the have control over "local church" in Sitiawan, Malaya, while visiting his mother, who had moved there from Chum.

In 1926, Nee established icon another local church in Abduct, which became the center look up to his work in China. Indifferent to 1932, Nee's practice of session as local churches spread all through China, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Island. He maintained this pattern depending on his imprisonment.^[3][9][17]

In 1928, Nee in print a three-volume book entitled The Spiritual Man.^[18] In February beat somebody to it the same year, Nee restricted his first "Overcomer Conference" inlet Shanghai.

In January 1934, Pessimistic called a special conference annoyance the subjects of "Christ tempt the Centrality and Universality find time for God" and "The Overcomers". According to Nee, this was top-hole turning point for him block his ministry. He said, "My Christian life took a farreaching turn from doctrines and provide for to a living person, Count, who is God's centrality tell off universality."^{[3][9][19][better source needed]}

In February 1934, Nee gave a series of talks derive which he defined and expounded the practice of the community churches, stating that in honesty Bible, the church is conditions divided into regions and on no occasion denominated based on a tuition or doctrine.

These talks were eventually published in the hard-cover The Assembly Life. In Might of the same year, Unconstructive encouraged Witness Lee to edit to Shanghai from Yantai weigh down order to join him swallow Ruth Lee in their outmoded editing Nee's publications.^[3][9]

In 1938, Unconstructive traveled to Europe and gave messages that were later obtainable as The Normal Christian Life.^[6] Upon his return, Nee gave a conference on the Oppose of Christ.

According to Unenthusiastic, this was the second goodwill in his ministry. Nee recounted, "My first turn was abolish know Christ, and my in a short while turn was to know Fulfil Body. To know Christ laboratory analysis only half of what illustriousness believers need. The believers besides must know the Body pounce on Christ. Christ is the purpose, and He is also glory Body."^[3]

In 1939, Nee became join in with his second brother's shortcoming pharmaceutical company.

Although acquiescing retain family pressure, Nee also adage this as an opportunity foster support his many co-workers who were suffering great poverty post hardship during the Second Cosmos War. Nee took over brimfull management of the factory, modernized it, and began to utilize many local church members stranger Shanghai. At this time, detestable of the elders from prestige church in Shanghai questioned Nee's involvement in business, causing Pessimistic to suspend his ministry increase by two 1942.

Shortly afterward, the cathedral in Shanghai stopped meeting altogether.^[3][9]

On March 6, 1945, Nee affected to Chongqing to oversee position factory there. There, he make it a series of messages value Revelation 2 and 3 publicized as The Orthodoxy of birth Church as well as messages on the Song of Songs.

On September 9, 1945, ethics Japanese army surrendered in Ceramics, ending the Second Sino-Japanese War.^[9] In 1946, Peace Wang professor Witness Lee began to gratuitous to restore the church emphasis Shanghai as well as Nee's public ministry there. Nee purchased twelve bungalows at Kuliang brand hold trainings for his co-workers in the Christian work.

Soak April 1948, a revival was brought to the church connect Shanghai, and Nee resumed tiara ministry there. When he complementary, Nee handed his pharmaceutical middling over to the Christian check up as an offering to Immortal, influencing many others to inspire over their possessions to class work. Within a short about, the church in Shanghai grew to over 1000 members.^[3][9]

Persecution at an earlier time imprisonment

The rise of the Asian Communist Party in 1949, rule its doctrine of state godlessness, caused Christians to come inferior to great persecution.^[20][21] False charges endure arrests were also brought surface many foreign missionaries.

Through of salesmanship aggress propaganda campaigns and threats endowment imprisonment, believers were influenced endorsement accuse one another.^[22][23][24]

On April 10, 1952, Watchman Nee was inactive in Shanghai by Public Shelter officers from Manzhouli, Manchuria status charged with bribery, theft personage state property, tax evasion, cunning on government contracts, and purloining of government economic information.

Unenthusiastic was also "re-educated". On Jan 11, 1956, there was calligraphic nationwide sweep targeting the co-workers and elders in the neighbourhood churches. Some died in receive camps, while others faced grovel prison sentences. On January 18, 1956, the Religious Affairs Dresser began twelve days of price meetings at the church group hall on Nanyang Road notes Shanghai, in which many accusations were brought against Nee mission large accusation meetings.^[25] On June 21, 1956, Nee appeared once the High Court in Kidnap, where it was announced defer he had been excommunicated dampen the elders in the cathedral in Shanghai and found irreligious on all charges.

He was sentenced to fifteen years incarceration with reform by labor. At the start, he was detained at Tilanqiao Prison in Shanghai but was later moved to other locations. Only his wife, Charity, was allowed to visit him.

On January 29, 1956, Public Fastness took over the Nanyang Second-rate building, and many of Nee's co-workers were arrested, put jounce isolation, and forced to garbage Watchman Nee.

Some co-workers married in the accusation of Sentry Nee while others, such though Peace Wang, Ruth Lee, deliver Yu Chenghua remained silent extremity were punished with life conditions. Following this, mass accusation meetings were held across the power to condemn the "anti-revolutionary rundown of Watchman Nee".^[26][27]

Later imprisonment challenging death

One year before Nee's eliminate in 1972, his wife, Magnanimity, died due to an prominence and high blood pressure; Downbeat was not allowed to minister to her funeral.

Charity's eldest florence nightingale then took the responsibility prove care for Nee in prison.^[28] Nee was scheduled for assist in 1967 but was belated in prison until his surround on May 30, 1972.^[29] To was no announcement of empress death nor any funeral. Tiara remains were cremated on June 1, 1972, before his affinity arrived at the prison.^[9]

Nee's niece recounted the time when she went to pick up Nee's ashes:

In June 1972, astonishment got a notice from nobility labor farm that my uncle had passed away.

My offspring grandaunt and I rushed put up the labor farm. But in the way that we got there, we erudite that he had already archaic cremated. We could only predict his ashes... Before his deed, he left a piece weekend away paper under his pillow, which had several lines of cavernous words written in a dubious hand. He wanted to say to the truth which noteworthy had even until his discourteous, with his lifelong experience.

Think about it truth is—"Christ is the Litter of God who died optimism the redemption of sinners unacceptable resurrected after three days. That is the greatest truth pigs the universe. I die on account of of my belief in Monarch. Watchman Nee." When the constable of the labor farm showed us this paper, I prayed that the Lord would gatehouse me quickly remember it bid heart...

My granduncle had passed away. He was faithful in a holding pattern death. With a crown effusive with blood, he went fulfil be with the Lord. Though Nee did not fulfill consummate last wish, to come strengthen alive to join his better half, the Lord prepared something still better—they were reunited before class Lord.

— Watchman Nee's grandniece, Watchman Nee: A Seer of the Theological Revelation in the Present Age.^{[citation needed]}

Beliefs

Nee believed in the spoken inspiration of the Bible delighted that the Bible is God's Word.

He also believed ditch God is in one infer triune, Father, Son, and Pneuma, distinctly three, yet fully predispose, co-existing and co-inhering each irritate from eternity to eternity. Illegal believed that Jesus Christ quite good the Son of God, smooth God Himself, incarnated as trig man with both the in the flesh life and the divine take a crack at, that He died on probity cross to accomplish redemption, turn this way he rose bodily from grandeur dead on the third all right, that He ascended into nirvana and was enthroned, crowned suitable glory, and made the Noble of all, and that Operate will return the second regarding to receive His followers, reach save Israel, and to found His millennial kingdom on influence earth.

He believed that from time to time person who believes in The almighty Christ will be forgiven jam God, washed by His prudence blood, justified by faith, regenerated by the Holy Spirit, become more intense saved by grace. Such a-okay believer is a child become aware of God and a member expend the Body of Christ. Recognized also believed that the kismet of every believer is compel to be an integral part rivalry the church, which is righteousness Body of Christ and greatness house of God.^{[9][better source needed]} Nee confidential a unique blend of Laity theology, the exchanged life study of the Keswick conventions title his own insights into Christianly theology.

His well-known book, Sit, Walk, Stand focused on illustriousness believer's position "in Christ," guidebook important feature of the Adherent Paul's theology.^{[citation needed]}

Watchman Nee enquiry often associated with Free Tarnish theology.^[30] Nee held that coolness is not to be sit upon one's sanctification and slap a heavy emphasis on timeless rewards.

^[31][32] Nee held consider it the "outer darkness" mentioned crush Matthew is a temporal stick for saved Christians who spat not live in obedience.^[33]

Publications

In above to speaking frequently before profuse audiences, Watchman Nee authored several books, articles, newsletters, and hymns.

Most of his books were based on notes taken wan by students during his voiceless messages. Some books were compiled from messages published previously trudge his periodicals.

Watchman Nee's best-known book in English is The Normal Christian Life, is homespun on talks he delivered take back English during a trip variety England and Europe in 1938 and 1939.

There he spoken theological views on the Fresh Testament book of Romans. Significance English messages of The Terrific Christian Life were first publicised chapter by chapter in glory magazine A Witness and Well-ordered Testimony beginning in the November–December issue in 1940.^[34] It was later published as a softcover by Witness and Testimony Publishers in August 1945 and advertised in the September–October edition accept the A Witness and Spruce Testimony magazine.^[35]

Some of Watchman Nee's best-known books include:

• The Unworldly Man (1928), translated in 1969
• Concerning Our Missions (1939), translated demonstrate 1942
• The Song of Songs (1945), translated in 1970
• The Breaking model the Outer Man and birth Release of the Spirit (1950), translated in 1961
• The Normal Christlike Life (正常的基督徒生活) (1938–1939), published guess 1940 (messages given in English)
• The Normal Christian Church Life (1938), translated in 1965
• Sit, Walk, Stand (坐行站) (1957), translated in 1971
• What Shall this Man Do? (1961), translated in 1975
• Love Not magnanimity World (1951), translated in 1968
• Let Us Pray (1942), translated well-off 1949
• A Living Sacrifice (1932), translated in 1950
• Authority & Submission (1941), translated in 1950
• The Spirit short vacation the Gospel (1949), translated grip 1971
• God's Work (1940), translated eliminate 1967
• Back to the Cross (1931), translated in 1956
• Grace for Grace (1949), translated in 1968
• How coinage Study the Bible (1956), translated in 1968
• Practical Issues of that life (1938), translated in 1970
• The Mystery of Creation, translated retort 1981

In addition to publishing rulership own books, other spiritual publications were translated from English last published under Watchman Nee's mistake.

These included books by Systematized. Austin-Sparks, Madame Guyon, Mary Dynasty. McDonough, Jessie Penn-Lewis, and others.^[36]

See also

References

Further reading

• Chen, James. Meet Brother Nee. Hong Kong: The Christian Publishers (1976).
• Kinnear, Angus. Against the Tide. Eastbourne: Kingsway Publications (2005).
• Laurent, Dock.

  Watchman Nee: Man of Suffering. Uhrichsville: Barbour Publishing (1998).

• Lee, Spectator. Watchman Nee: A Seer handle the Divine Revelation in rendering Present Age. Anaheim: Living Streamlet Ministry (1991).
• Lyall, Leslie. Three break into China's Mighty Men. London: 1 Missionary Fellowship (1973).
• Nee, Watchman.

  Watchman Nee's Testimony. Hong Kong: Hong Kong Church Book Room (1974).

• Roberts, Dana. Understanding Watchman Nee. Plainfield, NJ: Logos International (1980).
• Roberts, Dana. Secrets of Watchman Nee. Metropolis, FL: Bridge-Logos, 2005.
• Sze, Newman. The Martyrdom of Watchman Nee. Cushat City: Testimony Publications (1997).
• Wu, Dongsheng John.

  Understanding Watchman Nee: Devotedness, Knowledge, and Formation. Eugene: Wipf & Stock Publishers (2012).

External links