Star Walker of the Month
May, 2007

www.thestarwalkers.com

Watchman Nee

November 4, 1903 – May 30, 1972

by: Nikki Miller

Watchman Nee became a Christian in mainland China in 1920 at the age of

seventeen and began writing in the same year. Throughout the nearly thirty years of

his ministry, Watchman Nee was clearly manifested as a unique gift from the Lord to

His Body for His move in this age.

His Calling

Nee Shu-tsu, (whose English name was Henry Nee), was born of second-generation Christian parents in Foochow, China in 1903. 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. Nee Shu-tsu 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. His father later impressed on him, "Before you were born, your mother promised to present you to the Lord". This gives reference and tribute to the scriptures that tell us that even before we were born, God the father knew us. An incredible thing once one really takes that in and meditates on it.

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. The Star Walkers are like watchman. In fact, the Star Walker project is a kind of immense watchman of sorts with its various look out and information centers on spiritual warfare in the form of Multi-media.

Burden and Commission

The divine revelation which Watchman Nee saw resulted in the Lord's twofold burden and commission to him: first, to bear a particular testimony of the Lord Jesus, and second, to establish local churches. The first burden and commission arose from his personal depth of knowledge and experience of Christ's all-inclusive death and resurrection. The Lord specifically burdened and commissioned him to bear testimony to this truth. He faithfully responded to this burden by releasing a number of spoken and written messages on the subjective aspect of the Lord's crucifixion and resurrection, on the principles of life, on the supremacy of Christ, and on God's eternal purpose.

However, Watchman Nee's ultimate burden was not just to elevate the individual believers' experience of Christ, but to establish and build up the practical corporate expression of Christ in the local churches for the satisfaction of God's desire. This was the ultimate commission he received from the Lord based on what he had seen and experienced of Him. His personal testimony recorded on October 20, 1936 described this commission: “What the Lord revealed to me was extremely clear: Before long He would raise up local churches in various parts of China. Whenever I closed my eyes, the vision of the birth of local churches appeared.”

Watchman Nee’s Three Testimonies

Watchman Nee shared his testimony on three separate occasions in 1936. These testimonies were compiled in a book entitled Watchman Nee’s Testimony by Brother Kwang-hsi Weigh and initially published in 1974. A revised edition of the book was published in 1981 and 1993 by Living Stream Ministry. The preface and a portion of the introduction to this book are reproduced below, followed by five representative passages.

These three testimonies were given by Brother Watchman Nee in a co-workers’ meeting held at Kulangsu, an island off the southeastern coast of Fukien province, China, in October 1936. As far as I know, this was the only occasion in his life on which he spoke about his personal affairs in detail. Very seldom had he publicly related his own spiritual experience, probably “lest anyone account of me something above what he sees me to be or hears from me” (2 Cor. 12:6). The testimony which Paul gave in chapter twelve of 2 Corinthians was not publicly divulged until fourteen years later. I have often in the past been thinking of publishing these three testimonies, but in order to share his outlook, I have postponed until now—after the lapse of thirty-seven years. When he died in mainland China on May 30, 1972, I decided to make these testimonies public. I believe this is the right time. I hope that the readers will not pay attention to the person himself, but will pay attention to the work of the Lord in him, and to his willingness in allowing the Lord to perform His work. In this way, the glory of the Lord will be expressed through him. As Paul said, “So that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thes. 1:12).

The first testimony: Salvation and calling.

The second testimony: (1) Learning the lesson of the cross, (2) Leading in the work, (3) God as my healer, and (4) Four

aspects of work entrusted by God.

The third testimony: (1) How to live a life of faith, (2) Attitude towards money, and (3) Looking to God for fulfilling the

need of literacy work.

“These three testimonies by no means comprise the whole of his spiritual life and work before 1936. When we read The Present Testimony, The Christian magazine, and open letters published by him before 1936, we can see that there were still a lot of testimonies and work done which were worth mentioning. In this particular co-workers’ meeting,

he could not speak more because of the limit of time….” ~ Kwang-hsi Weigh, Compiler

Imprisoned For His Faith

In 1952 he was imprisoned for his faith; he remained in prison until his death in 1972. His words remain an abundant source of spiritual revelation and supply to Christians throughout the world. ~ Living Stream Ministry

By the time Watchman Nee was arrested in 1952, approximately four hundred local churches had been raised up in China through his life and ministry. In addition, over thirty local churches had been raised up in the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia. Today the Lord has multiplied the local churches to over 2,300 worldwide through the rich and faithful ministries of Watchman Nee and Witness Lee.

“ … In all my sickness I still remain.”

(excerpt from Watchman Nee’s final letter written on the day of his death).

A True Star Walker

Watchman Nee, we would like to personally thank you for your willing to give your life for the benefit of spreading the Word of God to the world. May the parishioners of the over 2,000 churches that were raised from the foundation you built, forever be a place for those who are lost to find the Lord… our Lord! You are what a Star Walker is all about. We extend to you an honorary 4^th Rank within the Star Walker Ken Ju Kai the warriors of good, the elite fighters of evil within the Star Walker Universe!  In the spirit of the Star Walker Ken Ju Kai, we here at Star Walker – can only hope to aspire to be the God fearing man you are, because you are indeed, a Star Walker, and so we remember you.

Commenteors – What other people have to say about this Star Walker of the Month, these commentaries are like comets and meteors, brief but prolific and enlightening – sure to leave a trail of insightfulness across your heart - what we call Commenteors.

To Star Walk – Click here and find the star of Watchman Nee as he is forever remembered in the galaxy of the stars within the Star Walker Universe. View and watch the skies slowly fill in the coming months and years as the light of Star Walker, after Star Walker, after Star Walker fills the heavens. We do this as an interactive memorial and tribute to those who have through fate, destiny, and even under divine purpose, left the rest of us behind, as well as to those who are still with us.

Star Walker of the Month for June( 2007 is?

Past Star Walkers of the Month:

April 2007 Helen Hayes

March 2007 - Nelson Mandela

February 2007 - James Brown

January 2007 - Mother Teresa

December 2006 - Paul Allen Knopf

November 2006 - Princess Diana

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