In memory of Brother Watchman Nee

1. Opening

Dear brothers and sisters, Today is the Saturday before Easter Sunday, and I would like to take this opportunity to remember a faithful servant of the Lord — Brother Watchman Nee.

“Some walk the way of the cross all their lives, not seeking to be known by men, yet deeply remembered by God. He loved the Lord, followed the Lord, and gave himself for the Lord. His life was like a grain of wheat, which fell into the ground and died, and bore much fruit. May his testimony be an encouragement to our faith.”

2. A Brief Biography of Watchman Nee

“Brother Watchman Nee was born in 1903 in Fuzhou, Fujian Province, China. As a young man, he received the gospel and was deeply touched by the love of Christ. He consecrated his whole life to the Lord, choosing not to live for the world but for Christ alone. At the age of twenty, he began preaching the pure gospel, and the Lord used him to raise up local churches across China, restoring the church life according to the New Testament pattern. He emphasized that Christ is everything to us — the very reality of our life. In 1952, during a time of great social upheaval in China, he was arrested for his faith and spent the next twenty years in prison. In 1972, he rested in the Lord. Even in the darkest prison, his heart remained turned to the light — to the Lord of glory.”

3. Spiritual Contribution and Revelations of Truth

“Brother Nee had a deep understanding of God's eternal purpose. He saw the mystery of Christ and the Church, and with clarity and power, opened the spiritual eyes of countless believers. He taught us how to experience Christ, how to live the church life, and how to grow in Christ. His writings, such as The Normal Christian Life, The Spiritual Man, and Christ the Sum of All Spiritual Things, continue to profoundly impact believers around the world. He was not merely a speaker of truth — he was one who lived Christ. If you are a new believer, beginning your journey by learning from Brother Nee ’s teachings will help you walk more steadily, more deeply, and more truly.”

4. Testimony and Remembrance

“Brother Nee was not a perfect man, but he was a true follower of the Lord. Let us reflect on one of his hymns:

The love of Christ is deep and wide, Beyond what I can tell; For such a sinner like myself, How could He love so well? My Lord has paid the highest price, To bring me back to Him; Now I will gladly bear the cross, And follow close to Him. In prison, he lost his freedom, but never his faith. He wrote the most glorious testimony through the silence of suffering —that even in affliction, he never abandoned the Lord he believed in. Some have said he was like a candle completely burned out, that others might walk by its light. May we also offer our lives to God, to live for the Lord, not for ourselves.”

5. Encouragement and Response

“Dear friend, maybe you’re new in the faith and unfamiliar with the spiritual path ahead. Do not be afraid, and do not rush. Brother Nee ’s life reminds us: the Lord is not looking for our perfection, but our genuine response. He stumbled, yet he rose again. He suffered, yet never turned back. If you are willing, the Lord can do something wonderful in your life. From this day on, may you, like Brother Nee, begin a journey of total consecration to the Lord. As Paul said: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”(2 Timothy 4:7)”

6. Closing

“Watchman Nee (1903–1972)”

“A faithful servant, a spiritual forerunner”

“Key writings: The Normal Christian Life, The Spiritual Man, Messages for Building Up New Believers”

“May the Lord gain such faithfulness also in us.”

“To God — the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit — be all the glory.”