Wang Ming-Dao
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Wang Mingdao (traditional Chinese: 王明道; simplified Chinese: 王明道; pinyin: Wàng Míngdào; Wade-Giles: Wang4 Ming2-Tao4) (1900-1991) was a Chinese Christian Protestant leader.
Wang was born in Beijing in 1900, the year of the Boxer Rebellion.
As an evangelist, he founded the Christian Tabernacle in Bejing in 1925, which was one of the largest evangelical churches in China at that time.
Wang advocated that the affairs between Church and Government be separate. He did not join the anti-Japanese movement during World War II. As a result, Wang received some threats from the Japanese authorities during that period, enough that he kept a coffin in his house - but they never acted on the threats. [1]
He served as the leader of the Christian Tabernacle until his arrest in 1955 for refusing to join the Three-Self Patriotic Movement of state-controlled churches. In August of that year, Wang, along with his wife and eighteen church members, were imprisoned. Shortly thereafter, under coercion, Wang signed a confession statement and was released from prison.[1] However, not long after being set free, Wang claimed that he had a guilty and grieved conscience and likened himself to the Apostle Peter who had denied Christ three times.[1] Wang soon after recanted and spent 22 years in a prison labor camp until his release in 1980.
Upon his release, he became involved in the house church movement in Beijing until his death, and has been popularly referred to as the "Dean of the House Churches" in China.[citation needed]
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[edit] Theology
Wang Mingdao was considered an outspoken fundamentalist in Chinese Christian theology. He often took the opportunity to point out or criticize any shortcomings of the Chinese churches as well as society. He strongly opposed any evils or injustices in Chinese society and he emphasized that Chinese Christians should live a holy life. He also believed that, other than reading the Bible, Christians should also “Study texts, study events and study characters”. He emphasized that the characteristics of prominent governing leaders be examined carefully to see if they are good role models worthy of the people’s respect and following.[citation needed]
Initially Wang held family services but later on he traveled to many different regions to give sermons. He likened himself to the prophet Jeremiah since Jeremiah attacked the corruptions of society and all the false prophets during his time. Wang mainly opposed the Liberal Theologians who believed neither in Jesus’ resurrection nor in any supernatural miraculous events.
Wang founded the Christian Church in Christ (CCiC) which was based on “self preaching, self sufficiency and self dependency” in which he strongly emphasized that church should be able to stand on its own feet and administer its own affairs. He also said that “Since the Church is a special group, the lives of its members must change before they can receive baptism”[citation needed]. He also emphasized that the church should be as simplified as possible. Therefore, his church did not permit choirs, the leaders of the church were not called “Pastors”, and that “tithe sermons” should not be preached in the pulpit.[citation needed] Wang also said that Christmas was not to be celebrated because it ‘had no meaning’. His church did not contribute to any charities and he refused to join in any ecumenical church movements. Wang kept a distance from international organizations so that the government could not accuse him of not obeying their decree that religious organizations not have contact with groups outside of China. Wang justified his obedience to the authority based on Romans chapter 13 which speaks about Christians exercising obedience to their governing authorities as God has placed them in power. Furthermore Wang did not see that this prohibition by the government infringed upon the churches duty to obey God first. In contrast to this Wang would not join the Three Self Patriotic Movement because he felt the limitations that the government established church placed on member congregations violated the command of God, namely, the command to preach the gospel. The Three-Self Church prevented their associated churches from preaching on the second coming of Christ, they were not to preach from Revelation, nor were they to preach absolute obedience to Christ when it conflicted with Governmental Policy.[citation needed]
[edit] Bibliography
- WONG, Ming-Dao (1981), A Stone Made Smooth, Southampton, Mayflower Christian Books, ISBN 0907821006
- WONG, Ming-Dao (1983), Spiritual Food, Southampton, Mayflower Christian Books, ISBN 0907821014
- REYNOLDS, ATF, tr. (1988), Strength for the Storm, Singapore, OMF, ISBN 997197262X
- WONG, Ming-Dao (1989), Day by Day, Crowborough, Highland Books, ISBN 0946616434
- WONG, Ming-Dao (1990), The Spiritual Gifts Movement, Southampton, Mayflower Christian Books
- Wang, Stephen (2002), "The Long Road to Freedom: The Story of Wang Mingdao," translated by Ma Ming (Ellel, Lancaster, UK: Sovereign World
[edit] References
- LYALL, LT (1954), A Biography of John Sung, London, China Inland Mission (pp164, 185, 187 & 189)
