Editor’s note: Wang Xianheng recently passed away. To commemorate his life, his son wrote this account of his father and his experiences. The article was widely circulated on the Internet, and we have decided to re-publish it on our blog in two parts; this is the last of those two. (Part One can be found here.) This is a moving account of a life lived to follow and serve the Lord, despite the steep cost it incurred. As this generation of Chinese believers finishes their earthly races, it is important to remember their sacrifices and triumphs. They laid the foundation for the modern Chinese house church, and left behind a rich legacy of faith.

This article has been slightly edited, with a few details such as proper names and addresses removed.

Creativity and Generosity

My father was humorous, with a wide range of interests and remarkable talents. He excelled in poetry, composing music, and carving seals. His calligraphy, particularly his unique clerical script and masterful running script, was exquisite – quiet, elegant, and flowing. His kindness and generosity meant his calligraphy found its way to all corners of the world.

As a child, I often heard him lament that he spent too much time on his hobbies instead of seeking God more earnestly. However, it was precisely these laments that drew us closer to him. His handwriting, like his person, continues to reveal his resilient, pure-hearted, loving, broad-minded, and vibrant soul. It’s a pity neither my brother nor I inherited his artistic talents; I, in particular, still prefer typing over writing by hand.

My father’s motivation for creating stories exceeded our desire to hear them. In these stories, he found the fulfillment of his values and the elevation of his spirit.

My father had a heart full of curiosity and imagination. Deep down, he was a hero living in the real world. Countless nights, especially during the period when he was waiting for work after his release from prison, my brother and I were captivated by the fairy tales and martial arts stories he made up. These stories transported us to a colorful and magical world we never wanted to leave, and we often relived the scenes and plots in our dreams.

In the early 1980s, when Hong Kong and Taiwan martial arts films began to be shown internally within certain cultural organizations in mainland China, my father’s retelling of “Little Li Flying Dagger” inspired me to imagine myself leaping onto rooftops. I even practiced martial arts for several years because of it. My aunts often reminisced with a smile about how they were so engrossed in his stories at the dinner table that they forgot to eat, only to find when the story was over that my father had already eaten the best dishes .

I later realized that my father’s motivation for creating stories exceeded our desire to hear them. In these stories, he found the fulfillment of his values and the elevation of his spirit, unknowingly shaping my own life. Thank you, Dad, for the skill and habit of storytelling that you passed on to my brother and me, a legacy that continues in our own families.

A Broad Heart for Serving

My father deeply loved his family, praying for each one of us for years and serving us with all his heart. In our home at Jiaodaokou, he and my mother cared for his parents until they reached the remarkable ages of 92 and 100. In my mother’s eyes, they never quarreled; in my father’s words, the first few years after my mother returned to Beijing were filled with many conflicts and adjustments. The difference between their perspectives is largely due to my father’s long-suffering virtue.

His loving and proud gaze accompanied my brother and me as we grew up; even when we reached our 40s and 50s, he couldn’t resist proudly praising us in front of others, making us deeply uncomfortable. We were most surprised by how he fully unleashed his imagination and storytelling in the toy-filled world he created for his grandchildren, taking them into one fantasy universe after another. In this society that constantly drains our inner lives, he maintained an untainted, childlike heart. Thank you, Heavenly Father, for giving us such a patient husband, loving father, and kind grandfather.

Today, most of the elderly neighbors remaining in the courtyard have come to faith in Christ because of the testimony of my parents.

My father had a tender heart of love for others and was extremely generous. He did everything he could to help everyone God brought into his life, regardless of their status or position, and never asked for anything in return. My brother and I grew up witnessing many people from all walks of life whom he had helped, some of whom became lifelong friends. Some he helped also came to believe in Jesus Christ through him. Everyone from high-ranking officials to factory boiler workers received the gospel and eternal life through my father.

He used his medical skills to help every neighbor in need, and even accompanied several people to their final moments. Today, most of the elderly neighbors remaining in the courtyard have come to faith in Christ because of the testimony of my parents. Thank you, Dad, for showing us how a selfless life, in serving others, fulfills virtue. We are committed to following in your footsteps as you followed the Lord Jesus.

My father possessed a broad heart for serving others. After his spiritual renewal in his youth, his greatest desire was to become a pastor of Jesus Christ, serving the Lord and others. Due to the constraints of the times, he had to choose the next best profession, that of doctor, which allowed him to serve people to the fullest extent. Although he did not achieve his original career aspiration, from his youth, my father was the pastor of his four younger sisters. A pastor’s heart and service were the defining aspects of my father’s life.

Once he opened his home for Sunday gatherings in 1996 until his return to heaven, my father finally fulfilled his roles as both doctor and pastor. Brothers and sisters in the church, colleagues in the medical field, participants in various retreats, and visiting believers from far and wide all received God’s grace through my father’s service. The message of “Jesus Christ and him crucified” that he conveyed and preached with his life was powerful, piercing hearts, yet also bringing people to the Lord in repentance and rest. The simple courtyard where he lived for 74 years witnessed countless people’s repentance, salvation, baptism, marriage, life transformation, and empowered service. In Beijing, “Dr. Wang” or “Uncle Wang” became synonymous with my father.

A Disciple of Jesus Christ

If our reflection on my father’s life were to stop at merely counting and admiring his outstanding character, gifts, talents, accomplishments, and influence, there is one person who would be most dissatisfied – my father himself. In his view, rightly so, all these good things were merely manifestations of his rich inner world.

You did not leave us with wealth, fame, or status, but you lived a life of beauty, accumulating spiritual riches that the world cannot give.

My father had a heart that remained quiet before God, a soul that communed with God alone. Amidst the chaos and turmoil of the world, he always returned to God, finding joy in his relationship with him. Is there a foundation or spiritual resource more powerful than this in the universe? Certainly not. This is the fruit of a life the Holy Spirit forged through daily one-to-two-hours of morning prayer, as well as constant worshipful and repentant living before God. If we summed up my father’s life in one sentence, encompassing all his character, gifts, and accomplishments, the title he most eagerly anticipated and was most satisfied with would be “a disciple of Jesus Christ!” Indeed, there is no more glorious or fitting title than this.

Now, my father has received the best blessing, resting securely in the arms of the Lord he loved so dearly throughout his life. He fought the good fight, finished the race, and kept the faith. The crown of righteousness promised by God is reserved for him. He is now joyfully waiting, seated in the heavenly realms with the Lord and all the saints, watching over us as we run our race with perseverance.

Dad, we love you deeply. You did not leave us with wealth, fame, or status, but you lived a life of beauty, accumulating spiritual riches that the world cannot give. Though you are no longer with us, you still speak to us! We are determined, as you desired, to love the Lord wholeheartedly and run our race with all our might, so that one day we may join you in receiving the reward of the Lord Himself. May God help us!

Dad, we miss you dearly. We’ll see you in our heavenly home!

This article was written by Wang Xianheng’s son.

Pray for the families of elderly Chinese saints. Pray that these families will walk in the ways of their forefathers and continue to follow wholeheartedly after the Lord.