Kingdom Believer from China 1903-1972
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Watchman Nee experienced such a close intimacy with the Lord that many remarkable
insights into triumphant Christian living were revealed to him by the Holy Spirit.
Although for Watchman Nee there was no difference in the path leading to spiritual growth and
maturity than for any other Christian, it was his zeal to serve and to experience the fulness of what
God offers to those He has redeemed that catapulted him far past what most Christians attain in their
spiritual experience.
insights into triumphant Christian living were revealed to him by the Holy Spirit.
Although for Watchman Nee there was no difference in the path leading to spiritual growth and
maturity than for any other Christian, it was his zeal to serve and to experience the fulness of what
God offers to those He has redeemed that catapulted him far past what most Christians attain in their
spiritual experience.
Nee Shu-tsu (Watchman Nee) had been consecrated to the Lord before his birth. Desiring a son, his mother had prayed to the Lord,
"If I have a boy, I will present him to You." The Lord answered her prayer, and soon afterward Nee Shu-tsu was born in Foochow,
China, in 1903. His father later impressed on him, "Before you were born, your mother promised to present you to the Lord". He was
born of second-generation Christian parents, his paternal grandfather, in fact, had studied at the American Congregational College in
Foochow and became the first Chinese pastor among the Congregationalists in northern Fukien province.
He was an ill-behaved student, yet he was also exceptionally intelligent. Acquainted with the gospel since childhood, he had the deep
realization that if he received Jesus as his Lord for salvation he must also serve Him. In 1920, after a considerable struggle, seventeen-
year-old Nee Shu-tsu, still a high school student, was saved. At the moment of his salvation, all his previous planning became void
and his future career was entirely abandoned. He testified, "From the evening I was saved, I began to have a new life, for the life of
the eternal God had entered into me". Later, after being raised up by the Lord to carry out His commission, he adopted the new
English name Watchman and the new Chinese name To-sheng, which means "watchman's rattle," for he considered himself a
watchman raised up to sound a warning call in the dark night.
Watchman Nee attended no theological schools or Bible institutes. His wealth of knowledge concerning God's purpose, Christ, the
things of the Spirit, and the church was acquired through studying the Bible and reading spiritual books. Watchman Nee became
intimately familiar with and greatly enlightened by the Word through diligent study. In addition, in the early days of his ministry he
spent one-third of his income on his personal needs, one-third on helping others, and the remaining third on spiritual books. He
acquired a collection of more than 3,000 of the best Christian books, including nearly all the classical Christian writers from the first
century on. Watchman Nee became familiar with many of these books through Margaret Barber, a former Anglican missionary. Early
in his Christian life he received much spiritual edification and perfection from her. Primarily through his fellowship with Miss Barber,
Watchman Nee realized that to be a Christian is altogether a matter of the divine life. Through her shepherding, he learned to pay more
attention to life than to work and to live by Christ as his life. Watchman Nee’s learning about the Kingdom of God came primarily
from such eminent Christian writers such as Hudson Taylor, Robert Govett, D.M. Panton, G.H. Pember and other noted Kingdom
writers.
Watchman Nee's rich ministry of life was the issue of his revelation and suffering. He used eight different means to carry out the
ministry wrought into him by the Lord: 1) preaching the gospel, 2) teaching the Bible, 3) traveling, 4) contacting people, 5)
corresponding with people, 6) holding conferences, 7) conducting trainings, and 8) producing publications.
Watchman Nee was led by the Lord to remain in Mainland China in spite of the threat of Communism, and to sacrifice everything for
the Lord's work there. In this respect he was like the apostle Paul in Acts 20:24: "But I consider my life of no account as if precious
to myself, in order that I may finish my course and the ministry which I have received from the Lord Jesus..." Concerning his
decision, Brother Hsu Jin-chin testified the following:
Before Brother Nee left Hong Kong, Brother Lee advised him many times not to return to the mainland. But Brother Nee said, “If a
mother discovered that her house was on fire, and she herself was outside the house doing the laundry, what would she do? Although
she realized the danger, would she not rush into the house? Although I know that my return is fraught with dangers, I know that
many brothers and sisters are still inside. How can I not return?” Brother Lee escorted him three times back from the bus stop to his
home in Diamond Hill...
Watchman Nee was arrested by the Communists in March, 1952 for his professed faith in Christ as well as his leadership among the
local churches. He was judged, falsely condemned, and sentenced in 1956 to fifteen years' imprisonment. During this entire time, only
his wife was allowed to visit him. Although there is no way for us to know what he experienced of the Lord during his long
imprisonment, his last eight letters provide a glimpse into his suffering, feeling, and expectation during his confinement. While prison
censorship did not allow him to mention the Lord's name in his letters, in his final letter, written on the day of his death, he alluded to
his joy in the Lord: "In my sickness, I still remain joyful at heart." Watchman Nee was practicing the word of the apostle Paul in
Philippians 4:4: "Rejoice in the Lord always." He died in confinement in his cell on May 30, 1972. Humanly speaking, he died in misery
and humiliation. Not one relative or brother or sister in the Lord was with him. There was no proper notification of his death and no
funeral. He was cremated on June 1, 1972. His wife had died six months earlier, so it was her eldest sister who was informed of his
death and cremation. She retrieved his ashes, and they were buried with Mrs. Nee's in his hometown of Kwanchao in the county of
Haining, Chekiang province. In May, 1989, the ashes of Watchman Nee and his wife were transferred to and buried in "The Christian
Cemetery" in Shiangshan in the city of Soochow of Kiangsu province.
"If I have a boy, I will present him to You." The Lord answered her prayer, and soon afterward Nee Shu-tsu was born in Foochow,
China, in 1903. His father later impressed on him, "Before you were born, your mother promised to present you to the Lord". He was
born of second-generation Christian parents, his paternal grandfather, in fact, had studied at the American Congregational College in
Foochow and became the first Chinese pastor among the Congregationalists in northern Fukien province.
He was an ill-behaved student, yet he was also exceptionally intelligent. Acquainted with the gospel since childhood, he had the deep
realization that if he received Jesus as his Lord for salvation he must also serve Him. In 1920, after a considerable struggle, seventeen-
year-old Nee Shu-tsu, still a high school student, was saved. At the moment of his salvation, all his previous planning became void
and his future career was entirely abandoned. He testified, "From the evening I was saved, I began to have a new life, for the life of
the eternal God had entered into me". Later, after being raised up by the Lord to carry out His commission, he adopted the new
English name Watchman and the new Chinese name To-sheng, which means "watchman's rattle," for he considered himself a
watchman raised up to sound a warning call in the dark night.
Watchman Nee attended no theological schools or Bible institutes. His wealth of knowledge concerning God's purpose, Christ, the
things of the Spirit, and the church was acquired through studying the Bible and reading spiritual books. Watchman Nee became
intimately familiar with and greatly enlightened by the Word through diligent study. In addition, in the early days of his ministry he
spent one-third of his income on his personal needs, one-third on helping others, and the remaining third on spiritual books. He
acquired a collection of more than 3,000 of the best Christian books, including nearly all the classical Christian writers from the first
century on. Watchman Nee became familiar with many of these books through Margaret Barber, a former Anglican missionary. Early
in his Christian life he received much spiritual edification and perfection from her. Primarily through his fellowship with Miss Barber,
Watchman Nee realized that to be a Christian is altogether a matter of the divine life. Through her shepherding, he learned to pay more
attention to life than to work and to live by Christ as his life. Watchman Nee’s learning about the Kingdom of God came primarily
from such eminent Christian writers such as Hudson Taylor, Robert Govett, D.M. Panton, G.H. Pember and other noted Kingdom
writers.
Watchman Nee's rich ministry of life was the issue of his revelation and suffering. He used eight different means to carry out the
ministry wrought into him by the Lord: 1) preaching the gospel, 2) teaching the Bible, 3) traveling, 4) contacting people, 5)
corresponding with people, 6) holding conferences, 7) conducting trainings, and 8) producing publications.
Watchman Nee was led by the Lord to remain in Mainland China in spite of the threat of Communism, and to sacrifice everything for
the Lord's work there. In this respect he was like the apostle Paul in Acts 20:24: "But I consider my life of no account as if precious
to myself, in order that I may finish my course and the ministry which I have received from the Lord Jesus..." Concerning his
decision, Brother Hsu Jin-chin testified the following:
Before Brother Nee left Hong Kong, Brother Lee advised him many times not to return to the mainland. But Brother Nee said, “If a
mother discovered that her house was on fire, and she herself was outside the house doing the laundry, what would she do? Although
she realized the danger, would she not rush into the house? Although I know that my return is fraught with dangers, I know that
many brothers and sisters are still inside. How can I not return?” Brother Lee escorted him three times back from the bus stop to his
home in Diamond Hill...
Watchman Nee was arrested by the Communists in March, 1952 for his professed faith in Christ as well as his leadership among the
local churches. He was judged, falsely condemned, and sentenced in 1956 to fifteen years' imprisonment. During this entire time, only
his wife was allowed to visit him. Although there is no way for us to know what he experienced of the Lord during his long
imprisonment, his last eight letters provide a glimpse into his suffering, feeling, and expectation during his confinement. While prison
censorship did not allow him to mention the Lord's name in his letters, in his final letter, written on the day of his death, he alluded to
his joy in the Lord: "In my sickness, I still remain joyful at heart." Watchman Nee was practicing the word of the apostle Paul in
Philippians 4:4: "Rejoice in the Lord always." He died in confinement in his cell on May 30, 1972. Humanly speaking, he died in misery
and humiliation. Not one relative or brother or sister in the Lord was with him. There was no proper notification of his death and no
funeral. He was cremated on June 1, 1972. His wife had died six months earlier, so it was her eldest sister who was informed of his
death and cremation. She retrieved his ashes, and they were buried with Mrs. Nee's in his hometown of Kwanchao in the county of
Haining, Chekiang province. In May, 1989, the ashes of Watchman Nee and his wife were transferred to and buried in "The Christian
Cemetery" in Shiangshan in the city of Soochow of Kiangsu province.
Watchman Nee