Chen Chonggui
Marcus Chen
1884 — 1963
20th century Chinese famous church leader, theological educator and pastor; Dean of Chongqing Theological Seminary.
Author/Li Yading
Source/ "The Dictionary of Chinese Christian History Figures"
(Biographical Dictionary of Chinese Christianity)
Editing and Typesetting / Suishouchuanfuyinjun (ID: suishouchuanfuyinjun)
Chen Chonggui was born in Jingzhou, Hubei in 1884. When he was 6 years old, he entered a mission school. In addition to receiving traditional Chinese cultural education, he also learned English, mathematics, and Western history under the guidance of a missionary teacher. Students not only study cultural knowledge, but also study the Old and New Testaments, and participate in school services and gatherings. Therefore, he has been exposed to the Christian faith since he was a child.
In 1900, when Chen Chonggui was 16 years old, he was formally baptized as a Christian and entered the Wesleyan College and High School in Wuchang. The college was founded in 1885 by the British Methodist missionary W. A. T. Barber and is famous for training English talents. After graduation, their students have a good way out, either to continue their studies, or to serve in the post office, customs or foreign companies. In 1904, Chen Chonggui graduated from Bowen, but he gave up the opportunity to find a higher job and transferred to a Bible school to teach. Although he was involved in preaching at that time, according to his own account, he was not very clear about Christianity at that time.
In October 1906, the Wuchang Church invited Pastor Li Shuqing from Jiangsu to preach for three days. Chen Chonggui listened to his preaching and went to visit him in person. After listening to his advice, he was greatly moved and experienced the experience of repentance and rebirth, and his life path changed accordingly. After that, he felt that reading the Scriptures was as sweet and capable of preaching, so he determined to become a full-time preacher. In the winter of 1907, after reading the biography of George Muller, he finally decided to put down everything, dedicate himself, and preach full-time.
In 1909, the Swedish Mission founded the seminary in Jingzhou, Hubei.Chen Chonggui was hired to teach in this seminary, taking on the dual responsibilities of teaching and administration. In 1920, he left school temporarily and went to Wheaton College in Illinois, USA for further study, to enrich himself in bible and theology. In 1922, he returned to China after studying and still returned to teach at Jingzhou Theological Seminary.
In 1925, Chen Chonggui left Jingzhou Theological Seminary where he had served for 16 years (1909-1925). He was hired by the "Christian General" Feng Yuxiang to go north to Zhangjiakou, where he served as a pastor with the army in Feng Yuxiang's army and engaged in missionary work. It was extremely rare in China at the time. Chen Chonggui was responsible for arranging Sunday worship, preaching the gospel to soldiers, and explaining Christian doctrines. He also established a "YMCA" in the army to lead officers and soldiers to live a good religious life, and implement Christ's fraternity, sacrifice, unity, and service spirit in the army In life, many officers and soldiers were baptized and returned to the Lord, making Feng Yuxiang's subordinates gain the reputation of "model army". Unfortunately, at the end of 1925, the warlords of Zhi and Feng fought against Feng Yuxiang's army. In 1927, after Feng’s defeat, he was forced to travel to the Soviet Union. Chen Chonggui had no choice but to leave the Feng family and avoid a small town in Suiyuan, Inner Mongolia for more than three months. During this period, he read the scriptures, spiritually and silently. The result of thinking is recorded, and the book will be compiled and published in the future, and the book is titled "Spiritual Practice Rixin".
Afterwards, Chen Chonggui moved to Shanghai to work as a preaching and preaching pastor in the society. In 1929, as one of the representatives of the Chinese Christian community, he went to Jerusalem to participate in the World Mission Conference. After returning to China, he left Shanghai for Hunan and went to Changsha to preside over and teach at the Hunan Bible Institute. He taught at the school for nine years (1929-1937). In addition to teaching, he was often invited to preach throughout the country during the winter and summer vacations, and he was well-known. In 1934, he worked with Dr. Song Shangjie to bring spiritual revival to the churches in Changsha, Hengyang and other places.
Chen Chonggui (sitting right) and his family photo (taken in Changsha in 1936)
In 1937, the war of resistance broke out, and beacon smoke was everywhere. In the difficult years of war, Chen Chonggui still rushed around preaching, leading the revival club, bringing confidence and comfort to the churches in various places, and he has traveled all over the provinces of central China. In 1938, at the invitation of Bishop Houghton of the Mainland,Chen Chonggui moved to Sichuan with his family, and preached in Yunnan, Qian, Sichuan and other places, leading various gatherings. In 1941, he was invited to go to Singapore to preach. A few days later, the Pacific War broke out. Due to the Japanese invasion and occupation of the Malay Peninsula, Chen Chonggui was unable to return to China and stayed in Singapore for about three years.
Until 1943, Chen Chonggui returned to China via Thailand. Soon, under the efforts and efforts of Bishop Hua Fulan, Chen Chonggui cooperated with the Mainland Society and established the Chongqing Theological Seminary in Chongqing in September 1943. A dozen Chinese and Western teachers came to the school to teach, and more than 50 students from 17 provinces enrolled in school. Since then, under the auspices and leadership of Chen Chonggui, Chongqing Theological Seminary has trained a large number of pastoral talents for churches in southwestern provinces. In addition to school affairs and teaching, he also resumed and edited the "Evangelism Magazine" he founded in his early years, and was invited to preach to various churches almost every week. From 1943 to 1949, he spent so busy in teaching, propaganda and oral transmission. The purity of his faith, the ability to preach, the profound theology, and the demeanor of the elderly have made him an evangelical leader who is well-known throughout the country and is admired by others.
Chen Chonggui has also contributed a lot to text education, writing, translating, and editing more than 40 books in his life. In addition to "Dai Xin", he also authored "Christ and Me", "All Comforts", "God's Promises", "Personal Evangelism Studies", and his autobiography "Forty Years" written in English and many more.
In 1949, Mrs. Chen Chonggui went to Europe and the United States for a visit, and returned to China via Hong Kong in August. At that time, many people were worried about the current situation and advised them not to return to mainland China. But he saw something else and insisted on returning to Chongqing. In 1950, the Chinese Christian community launched the "Three-Self Reform Movement". In September of the same year, the "Three-Self Reform Declaration"-"The Ways Chinese Christianity Work in the Construction of New China" was published and collected signatures from churches across the country. Chen Chonggui is one of the forty promoters. In July 1954, the Chinese Christian Three-Self Patriotic Movement Committee was established. Wu Yaozong was the chairman of the "Three-Self" and Chen Chonggui was one of the six vice-chairmen.
From 1949 to 1957, from the articles and speeches published by Chen Chonggui, it is not difficult to see that he supported 〇〇〇, moved closer to the government, and supported the Three-Self Patriotic Movement. In the accusation movement, he participated in accusing other church leaders including Wang Mingdao. In his preaching, he also closely followed the political situation and tried to adapt to the environment at the time.In the "Tianfeng" magazine on January 19, 1952, he published his article "How My Political Thoughts Changed". In the article he said: "I am fully awakened. Only Ma 〇〇, Lie 〇 and Revolutionary science is the tool that enables mankind to obtain freedom.... I have to say from the heart that I love the Communist Party and accept the lessons of 〇〇ism..." The changes in his thoughts and beliefs can be seen from this.
In the 1957 "Hundred Flowers, A Hundred Schools of Thought" political movement, a total of 〇〇 called on the people to help its rectification, and encouraged the people to give opinions to 〇. Therefore, Chen Chonggui frankly put forward his opinions at the Eighth Chinese People's Consultative Conference held in Beijing on March 19, 1957: "... During the inauguration ceremony of an iron bridge, a senior official gave a speech and said "This bridge is made by human efforts, not the so-called work of God." He then said: "You Christians, hurry up and throw your God into the dunghill!" This blasphemy against God is our Christians are more terrible than insulting our mothers. This is not a criticism, but an insult to religion." Chen Chonggui was labelled a "rightist" for this reason and was mercilessly accused and criticized. In his later years, he spent the rest of his life in Chongqing silently, and died in 1964 at the age of 80.
The coffin is inconclusive
His faith is pure and he loves the Lord enthusiastically, and his contribution to the revival of the Chinese church is affirmative. He has traveled throughout the country several times, and his book "Daily New Spiritual Practice" has made believers all over the country spiritually cultivated. He was an active figure in evangelism and church revival in the 1930s. It was the second half of his life that made people sigh. He embraced atheism and used political ideas to interpret the Bible. He participated in accusing his brothers who framed him. Even so, his conscience was still enlightened by God. In his later years, he was awakened, but it can be seen that he was really awakened. He accused all political persecutions of "more than digging our ancestral graves." In any case, from his point of view of moral courage, as Mr. Zha Shijie concluded to him: "The last part of his life is quite the legacy of the apostle Peter, which makes people feel sorry for him, but there are also some problems. With all admiration, he should be the Peter of the Chinese Church if he looks back in time."
Historical articles
Today's scriptures
Started on April 7, 2013.
In 7 years, there is always an article that will bring you love and hope.
.
