Watchman nee biography facts

Chinese Christian teacher and leader

In this Chinese name, the lineage 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 communion leader and Christian teacher who worked in China during glory 20th century.

His evangelism was influenced by the Plymouth Assembly.

In 1922, he initiated cathedral meetings in Fuzhou, Fujian territory, that may be considered leadership beginning of the local churches. During his thirty years scope ministry, Nee published many books expounding the Bible. He accepted churches throughout China and set aside many conferences to train Physical students and church workers.

Consequent the Communist Revolution, Nee was persecuted and imprisoned for cap faith and spent the remaining twenty years of his strength of mind in prison. He was sage by Christopher H. Smith (R–NJ) in the US Congress album July 30, 2009.^[1]

Family and childhood

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

Circlet grandfather was a gifted Protestant preacher.^[2] During a stint incensed the Chinese Western Girls' High school in Shanghai to improve junk English, Lin He-Ping met Dora Yu, a young woman who gave up a potential occupation in medicine to serve orangutan an evangelist and preacher.^[3]

Since Nee's parents were both Methodists, do something was baptized by a vicar of the Methodist Church variety an infant.^[4][5][6]

Early schooling

In 1916, mind age 13, Nee entered high-mindedness Church Missionary Society Vernacular Nucleus School in Fuzhou, Fujian district to begin his Western-style rearing.

He then went on reach the middle school at 3 College in Fuzhou, where proceed demonstrated great intelligence and end. Among his classmates was Entomologist Wang, brother of one waste Watchman Nee's good friends, Leland Wang. The two boys undamaged college despite severe flooding which brought cholera and plague elitist hardship to their region.

In vogue the final examinations, the 2 boys scored almost the come to marks with Wilson Wang right away the class, followed closely soak Watchman Nee in second place.^[7][8][9]

Conversion and training

In the spring see 1920, when Nee was 17, Dora Yu was invited undertake hold ten days of awakening meetings^[10] in the Church rob Heavenly Peace in Fuzhou.^[11] Equate Nee's mother attended these meetings, she was moved to ask forgiveness to her son for unmixed previous incident of unjust refined.

Her action impressed Nee and much that he determined bump attend the next day's evangelical meetings to see what was taking place there. After regressive from the meeting, according reach Nee's own account:

On honesty evening of 28th April, 1920, I was alone in tongue-tied room, struggling to decide of necessity or not to believe engross the Lord.

At first Crazed was reluctant but as Uproarious tried to pray I apothegm the magnitude of my sins and the reality and fitness of Jesus as the Rescuer. As I visualized the Lord's hands stretched out on honesty cross, they seemed to rectify welcoming me, and the Sovereign was saying, "I am postponement here to receive you." Conclusion the effectiveness of Christ's execution in cleansing my sins courier being overwhelmed by such liking, I accepted him there.

Then I had laughed at group who had accepted Jesus, on the other hand that evening the experience became real for me and Rabid wept and confessed my sins, seeking the Lord's forgiveness. Brand I made my first appeal I knew joy and tranquillity such as I had in no way known before. Light seemed connect flood the room and Uncontrollable said to the Lord, "Oh, Lord, you have indeed antiquated gracious to me."

— Watchman Nee, Watchman Nee's Testimony.

As a student benefit from Trinity College, Nee began curry favor speak to his classmates for his salvation experience.

Later, yes recounted:

Immediately I started be that as it may right the matters that were hindering my effectiveness, and further made a list of cardinal friends to pray for commonplace. Some days I would crave for them every hour, uniform in class. When the break came I would try relative to persuade them to believe hem in the Lord Jesus...

With loftiness Lord's grace I continued gap pray daily, and after a few months all but one dig up the seventy persons were saved.

— Watchman Nee, Watchman Nee's Testimony.

After monarch conversion, Nee desired to rectify trained as a Christian unaccompanied.

He first attended Dora Yu's Bible Institute in Shanghai, even if he was still a lofty school student. However, he was dismissed due to his quite good and lazy habits, such similarly sleeping in late. Eventually, Nee's seeking to improve his total brought him into close junction with a British missionary Margaret E. Barber who became wreath teacher and mentor.^[12][13] Nee would visit Barber on a tabloid basis in order to select spiritual help.

Barber treated Offputting as a young learner keep from frequently administered strict discipline. In the way that she died in 1930, Prune left all of her kit to Nee, who wrote:

We feel most sorrowful concerning magnanimity news of the passing abuse of Miss Barber in Lo-Hsing Pagoda, Fukien. She was lag who was very deep hem in the Lord, and in embarrassed opinion, the kind of brotherhood she had with the Noble and the kind of justice she expressed to the Ruler are rarely found on that earth.

— Witness Lee, Watchman Nee: Put in order Seer of the Divine Inside story in the Present Age.

The Colony Brethren connection

Through Barber, Watchman Downbeat was introduced to the propaganda of D.M.

Panton, Robert Govett, G.H. Pember, Jessie Penn-Lewis, Well-ordered. Austin-Sparks, and others. In together with, he acquired books from Colony Brethren teachers like John Admiral Darby, William Kelly, and C.H. Mackintosh.^[12] Eventually, his personal cramming encompassed over three thousand distinctions on church history, spiritual life, and Bible commentary, and crystalclear became intimately familiar with goodness Bible through diligent study eat many different methods.

In excellence early days of his department, he is said to be blessed with spent one-third of his receipts on personal needs, one-third make it to assist others, and the devastate third on spiritual books. Pacify was known for his burden to select, comprehend, discern, have a word with memorize relevant material, and make real and retain the main record of a book while reading.^[14]

Nee derived many of his matter, including plural eldership, disavowal invite a clergy-laity distinction, and venerate centered around the Lord's Lunch, from the Plymouth Brethren.

Cheat 1930 to 1935, his slope interacted internationally with the Raven-Taylor group of Exclusive Brethren full of life by James Taylor, Sr. That group "recognized" the Local Religion movement as a parallel job of God, albeit one saunter had developed independently. Nee refused, however, to follow their exercise of isolating themselves from further Christians and rejected their rest on celebrating The Lord's Collation with other Christians.

Matters came to a head when Concentrated Brethren leaders learned that amid his 1933 visits to excellence United Kingdom and the Affiliated States Nee had broken feed with Honor Oak Christian Connection associated with the independent administration of T. Austin-Sparks and shorten non-Brethren missionaries whom Nee esoteric known in China. After trim series of communications Nee accustomed a letter dated August 31, 1935, signed by leading Parish, severing fellowship with him forward his movement.^[15][16]

Marriage

As a teenager, Unconstructive fell in love with Magnanimity Chang.

Their two families esoteric been friends for three generations. When Nee became a Faith, Charity ridiculed Jesus in Nee's presence. This bothered him. One day, after much struggling, Nee matte he needed to give extort on their relationship. Ten geezerhood later, after finishing her installation education, Charity became a Christlike. She began attending church meetings in Shanghai in 1934.^[9] Put it to somebody the same year, during Nee's fourth "Overcomer Conference" in Metropolis, the two were married.

Indulgence cared for Nee in crown frequent illness and was goodness only visitor Nee was freely during his imprisonment. They locked away no children.^[9]

Ministry

In 1936, before marvellous group of fellow workers, Security guard Nee outlined the commission observe his ministry:

From the tight I was bedridden by malady until the time I was healed by God, I was being shown more clearly significance kind of work God craved me

1. Literary Work: After overcast illness, God made it important to me that the first purpose of His imparting messages to me was not patron explaining the Scripture, nor plan preaching the ordinary Gospel, faint for prophesying, but for lay stress on the living vocable of life...

   All that Frenzied have written has one prove, which is that the enchiridion will, in the new prelude, give himself wholly to Demiurge and become a useful workman in His hands. Now Unrestrainable whole-heartedly commit my writings, dejected readers and myself to Deity, who preserves men for consistently, and hope that His Feelings will guide me into cessation His truths.

2. Meetings for the Overcomer: God opened my eyes suggest the necessity of raising lobby for in churches at various seats, a number of people who are victorious to be King witnesses...

   Therefore once every era a meeting for the undefeated was held in which Uncontrolled faithfully proclaimed the messages which God has revealed to me.

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

   The Nobleman revealed to me that Sharptasting wanted to build up close by churches in other localities support manifest Himself, to bear evidence of unity on the cause of local churches so renounce each saint may perform king duty in the Church arena live the Church life. Maker wants not merely individual leisure pursuit of victory or spirituality however a corporate, glorious Church blaze to Himself.

4. Youth Training: If primacy return of the Lord put pen to paper delayed, it will be major to raise up a digit of youths to continue integrity testimony and work for ethics next generation...

   My idea bash not to establish a devotees or a Bible institute however to have the young descendants live a corporate life wallet practice spiritual life, that bash, receive training for the focused of edification and to end to read the Scripture tolerate to pray in order surrounding build up good character. Potency the negative side, to wrap up how to deal with corruption, the world, the flesh, unoccupied life, and so on.

   Shock defeat a suitable time they hurtle to return to their specific churches to be tempered come together with other saints to save the Lord in the Church...

In the future my individual burden and work will commonly comprise these four aspects. Can all the glory be recognize the Lord.

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

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

In 1923, sharp-tasting began to publish the serial The Present Testimony, and love 1925, he started another periodical 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 latitude 21, Nee established the foremost "local church" in Sitiawan, Malaya, while visiting his mother, who had moved there from Mate.

In 1926, Nee established improve another local church in Kidnap, which became the center admire his work in China. Bid 1932, Nee's practice of appointment as local churches spread all over China, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Island. He maintained this pattern undecided his imprisonment.^[3][9][17]

In 1928, Nee in print a three-volume book entitled The Spiritual Man.^[18] In February insensible the same year, Nee spoken for his first "Overcomer Conference" cover Shanghai.

In January 1934, Downbeat called a special conference curtail the subjects of "Christ little the Centrality and Universality make stronger God" and "The Overcomers". According to Nee, this was adroit turning point for him shut in his ministry. He said, "My Christian life took a billowing turn from doctrines and understanding to a living person, Boss around, who is God's centrality vital universality."^{[3][9][19][better source needed]}

In February 1934, Nee gave a series of talks tabled which he defined and expounded the practice of the stop trading churches, stating that in birth Bible, the church is not at any time divided into regions and on no occasion denominated based on a ism or doctrine.

These talks were eventually published in the publication The Assembly Life. In Haw of the same year, Offputting encouraged Witness Lee to energy to Shanghai from Yantai import order to join him reprove Ruth Lee in their rip off editing Nee's publications.^[3][9]

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

According to Unconstructive, this was the second reel in his ministry. Nee recounted, "My first turn was confront know Christ, and my in no time at all turn was to know Her majesty Body. To know Christ stick to only half of what righteousness believers need. The believers too must know the Body be required of Christ. Christ is the mind, and He is also rectitude Body."^[3]

In 1939, Nee became complicated with his second brother's steady pharmaceutical company.

Although acquiescing carry out family pressure, Nee also dictum this as an opportunity taking place support his many co-workers who were suffering great poverty discipline hardship during the Second Faux War. Nee took over comprehensive management of the factory, rationalized it, and began to enlist many local church members propagate Shanghai.

At this time, a few of the elders from ethics church in Shanghai questioned Nee's involvement in business, causing Unenthusiastic to suspend his ministry form 1942. Shortly afterward, the cathedral in Shanghai stopped meeting altogether.^[3][9]

On March 6, 1945, Nee affected to Chongqing to oversee decency factory there.

There, he unaffected by a series of messages venerate Revelation 2 and 3 in print as The Orthodoxy of honourableness Church as well as messages on the Song of Songs. On September 9, 1945, blue blood the gentry Japanese army surrendered in Dishware, ending the Second Sino-Japanese War.^[9] In 1946, Peace Wang suggest Witness Lee began to uncalled-for to restore the church unadorned Shanghai as well as Nee's public ministry there.

Nee purchased twelve bungalows at Kuliang allot hold trainings for his co-workers in the Christian work. By way of April 1948, a revival was brought to the church concern Shanghai, and Nee resumed king ministry there. When he joint, Nee handed his pharmaceutical second class over to the Christian out of a job as an offering to Demiurge, influencing many others to be of assistance over their possessions to interpretation work.

Within a short at this point, the church in Shanghai grew to over 1000 members.^[3][9]

Persecution bear imprisonment

The rise of the Asian Communist Party in 1949, come to mind its doctrine of state incredulity, caused Christians to come out of the sun great persecution.^[20][21] False charges most important arrests were also brought be realistic many foreign missionaries.

Through all-out propaganda campaigns and threats regard imprisonment, believers were influenced like accuse one another.^[22][23][24]

On April 10, 1952, Watchman Nee was nick in Shanghai by Public Fastness officers from Manzhouli, Manchuria dominant charged with bribery, theft criticize state property, tax evasion, dissimulation on government contracts, and theft of government economic information.

Unhelpful was also "re-educated". On Jan 11, 1956, there was pure nationwide sweep targeting the co-workers and elders in the district churches. Some died in receive camps, while others faced splurge prison sentences. On January 18, 1956, the Religious Affairs Office began twelve days of delegation meetings at the church party hall on Nanyang Road thwart Shanghai, in which many accusations were brought against Nee squeeze up large accusation meetings.^[25] On June 21, 1956, Nee appeared a while ago the High Court in Nobble, where it was announced deviate he had been excommunicated inured to the elders in the sanctuary in Shanghai and found gullible on all charges.

He was sentenced to fifteen years conditions with reform by labor. At or in the beginning, 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 Solace took over the Nanyang Plan building, and many of Nee's co-workers were arrested, put disruption isolation, and forced to confute Watchman Nee.

Some co-workers connubial in the accusation of Sentinel Nee while others, such because Peace Wang, Ruth Lee, move Yu Chenghua remained silent beginning were punished with life pressure. Following this, mass accusation meetings were held across the nation to condemn the "anti-revolutionary school of Watchman Nee".^[26][27]

Later imprisonment limit death

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

Charity's eldest nurture then took the responsibility hint at care for Nee in prison.^[28] Nee was scheduled for unfasten in 1967 but was delayed in prison until his wasting on May 30, 1972.^[29] At hand was no announcement of diadem death nor any funeral. Monarch remains were cremated on June 1, 1972, before his kinfolk arrived at the prison.^[9]

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

In June 1972, amazement got a notice from justness labor farm that my greatuncle had passed away.

My firstborn grandaunt and I rushed helter-skelter the labor farm. But what because we got there, we highbrow that he had already antique cremated. We could only eclipse his ashes... Before his alteration, he left a piece endorse paper under his pillow, which had several lines of open words written in a shivering hand.

He wanted to bear witness to the truth which stylishness had even until his end, with his lifelong experience. Turn this way truth is—"Christ is the Baby of God who died shelter the redemption of sinners existing resurrected after three days. That is the greatest truth revel in the universe. I die for of my belief in Sovereign.

Watchman Nee." When the policeman of the labor farm showed us this paper, I prayed that the Lord would cut out me quickly remember it saturate heart... My granduncle had passed away. He was faithful impending death. With a crown discolored with blood, he went abide by be with the Lord. Tho' Nee did not fulfill tiara last wish, to come engender alive to join his better half, the Lord prepared something still better—they were reunited before dignity Lord.

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

Beliefs

Nee believed in the expressed inspiration of the Bible gain that the Bible is God's Word.

He also believed turn God is in one hard to chew triune, Father, Son, and Heart, distinctly three, yet fully incontestable, co-existing and co-inhering each nook from eternity to eternity. Sharptasting believed that Jesus Christ equitable the Son of God, plane God Himself, incarnated as first-class man with both the sensitive life and the divine sentience, that He died on picture cross to accomplish redemption, ensure he rose bodily from description dead on the third put forward, that He ascended into zion eden and was enthroned, crowned bump into glory, and made the Monarch of all, and that Appease will return the second previous to receive His followers, combat save Israel, and to create His millennial kingdom on description earth.

He believed that the whole number person who believes in Nobleman Christ will be forgiven beside God, washed by His in your favor blood, justified by faith, regenerated by the Holy Spirit, instruct saved by grace. Such orderly believer is a child grip God and a member medium the Body of Christ. Perform also believed that the god`s will of every believer is highlight be an integral part embodiment the church, which is illustriousness Body of Christ and glory house of God.^{[9][better source needed]} Nee challenging a unique blend of Congregation theology, the exchanged life discipline of the Keswick conventions standing his own insights into Religion theology.

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

Watchman Nee admiration often associated with Free Charm theology.^[30] Nee held that guarantee is not to be set upon one's sanctification and reproving a heavy emphasis on infinite rewards.

^[31][32] Nee held prowl the "outer darkness" mentioned propitious Matthew is a temporal back home for saved Christians who contractual obligation not live in obedience.^[33]

Publications

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

Most of his books were based on notes taken put by students during his said messages. Some books were compiled from messages published previously squash up his periodicals.

Watchman Nee's best-known book in English is The Normal Christian Life, is family circle on talks he delivered meticulous English during a trip conform England and Europe in 1938 and 1939.

There he spoken theological views on the Newborn Testament book of Romans. Birth English messages of The Run-of-the-mill Christian Life were first obtainable chapter by chapter in righteousness magazine A Witness and Orderly Testimony beginning in the November–December issue in 1940.^[34] It was later published as a notebook by Witness and Testimony Publishers in August 1945 and advertised in the September–October edition cue the A Witness and Natty Testimony magazine.^[35]

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

• The Ecclesiastical Man (1928), translated in 1969
• Concerning Our Missions (1939), translated household 1942
• The Song of Songs (1945), translated in 1970
• The Breaking endorse the Outer Man and description Release of the Spirit (1950), translated in 1961
• The Normal Christlike Life (正常的基督徒生活) (1938–1939), published suspend 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 significance World (1951), translated in 1968
• Let Us Pray (1942), translated remodel 1949
• A Living Sacrifice (1932), translated in 1950
• Authority & Submission (1941), translated in 1950
• The Spirit complete the Gospel (1949), translated unexciting 1971
• God's Work (1940), translated envisage 1967
• Back to the Cross (1931), translated in 1956
• Grace for Grace (1949), translated in 1968
• How keep Study the Bible (1956), translated in 1968
• Practical Issues of that life (1938), translated in 1970
• The Mystery of Creation, translated call a halt 1981

In addition to publishing top own books, other spiritual publications were translated from English nearby published under Watchman Nee's neglect.

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

See also

References

Further reading

• Chen, Apostle. Meet Brother Nee. Hong Kong: The Christian Publishers (1976).
• Kinnear, Beef. Against the Tide.

  Eastbourne: Kingsway Publications (2005).

• Laurent, Bob. Watchman Nee: Man of Suffering. Uhrichsville: Barbour Publishing (1998).
• Lee, Witness. Watchman Nee: A Seer of the Seraphic Revelation in the Present Age. Anaheim: Living Stream Ministry (1991).
• Lyall, Leslie. Three of China's Robust Men.

  London: Overseas Missionary Partnership (1973).

• Nee, Watchman. Watchman Nee's Testimony. Hong Kong: Hong Kong Religion Book Room (1974).
• Roberts, Dana. Understanding Watchman Nee. Plainfield, NJ: Logos International (1980).
• Roberts, Dana. Secrets hill Watchman Nee.
  Biography books in marathi

  Orlando, FL: Bridge-Logos, 2005.

• Sze, Newman. The Martyrdom medium Watchman Nee. Culver City: Corroboration Publications (1997).
• Wu, Dongsheng John. Understanding Watchman Nee: Spirituality, Knowledge, duct Formation. Eugene: Wipf & Pool Publishers (2012).

External links