Watchman Nee - Seer of the Divine Revelation in the Present Age

Watchman Nee was a Christian author and teacher in China who lived from 1903-1972. Although I had heard bits and pieces of his biography before, this book does a great job of painting an entire picture of the man and his life. Both he and his mother were converted through the preaching of Dora Yu in 1920, which is somewhat ironic, since his mother had prayed to God that if He gave her a son, she would give him over to the Lord. Nee immediately abandoned his career plans and began preaching the Gospel. He mentions that this was somewhat hard for him, because he had always been first in his class and knew he would have been a success in the world had he pursued a career. An early influence on him was his fellowship with missionary Margaret Barber. Nee says that Miss Barber was very strict with him, constantly reproving and rebuking him. Yet, he always returned to her discipline because he felt she had the strong presence of the Lord. Barber was a great example to Watchman Nee in paying more attention to life than to work. Nee realized that God cares for what we are more than what we do, and his work was according to this principle. He observed how Miss Barber continually stressed the matter of life, paying almost no attention to her work. Early on, as Nee studied the Bible, he began to see that baptism should be by immersion, that the Lord's table did not need a pastor as overseer, and finally that the denominations were wrong. Eventually, he came to see the ground of locality as the proper basis for each church rather than the denominational names. Not far into his ministry, Nee became ill with tuberculosis, and stayed virtually bedridden for three years. He wrote "The Spiritual Man" during this time, in spite of his youth, being advised by physicians that he would surely die of his illness. However, the Lord healed him of this disease in 1927, although not completely. He always had residual heart disease from this ailment. Prior to his illness, and not long after his conversion, Nee gave up the girl that he loved because she mocked him whenever he preached the Gospel. Nee said he reasoned with the Lord over this, promising to do this or that if he did not have to give up this girl, but ultimately he gave in and broke off the relationship, realizing he could not marry an unbeliever. Ten years later, this same girl, still unmarried, became a Christian and she and Watchman Nee ultimately did get married. From 1942 until 1948, Nee's ministry lay dormant after he came under attack from some because he had gone into business in the pharmaceutical industry in order to help out a relative. This six years away from the ministry was quite a trial for Nee. His teaching resumed in 1948 with several trainings that he gave. His final training and meeting with the author, Witness Lee, occurred in Hong Kong in 1950. Nee instructed Witness Lee to not return with him to mainland China, so that the work of the Lord's recovery could be furthered throughout

If you have never read a Christian biography, put this at the top of your must-read list. If you are a reader of Christian biographies and have not read this biography, you are missing out on the life of one of the most useful servants of the Lord in the past century. It's time well-spent. I absolutely recommend it.

I would like to recommend this book to seeking Christians who desire to be encouraged and strengthened to pursue Christ as life! Witness Lee does an outstanding job of collecting and expounding some of the most valuable life experiences of one of God's faithful servants, Watchman Nee. This book, from cover to cover, portrays an overwhelming portrait of how God needs and uses man for His plan. From the highest to the lowest points in his life, Brother Nee remained faithful to the revelation he received from the Lord. It is inspiring to see what God can accomplish through His chosen people! Brother Nee's life is truly a pattern for those who desire to be one with the Lord's heart's desire on the earth today. Witness Lee, was captured by such a life and was led by the Lord to release the testimony of his dear co-worker. Tears will come to your eyes when you read this amazing story of God's expression through man.

This book is on a great man of faith, Watchman Nee. The book clearly portrays his conversion, his vision, and the kind of life he lived because of his vision. A sober and honest Christian will see a genuine human being, serving God in a normal way, but with abounding grace to meet large and small problems with divine humanity, for the purpose of building the Body of Christ, and not just his own ministry.As the book reveals, Watchman Nee's ministry was one of crystal clear vision and specificity. Yet he was able to take correction and adjustment from God in any form, even from Watchman's own employees.His martyrdom in prison ended a life of subjection to the cross. Thus the result of his ministry was always something of resurrection. This book was the best story I have ever read. The tears and repentence I found in its pages have helped me a great deal in my spiritual walk.There are reproductions of original documents, old photos, and letters. Many interesting historical items. But the book is not so much from a historical perspective, as it is from a perspective of how brother Watchman Nee's vision developed within him, as he served the Lord to minister to the Body of Christ. Over his life time, he became more and more clear as to the deep intent of the Bible, and was always ministering with this very particular view. He did not believe in the artificial separations imposed by organized Christianity, and the Lord was able to bring in a revival of simple Christian oneness through his ministry.His life was not a fairy tale of artificial perfection that many Christians seem to seek, but he was a faithful person, and an example to us all of how to live and serve in simplicity, singleness to the Lord, and faithfulness, in a holy, uncommon way.Grace be to the diligent reader.