Zhang Guiyan, Wang Mingdao's chief assistant for ministry and daily life in his last ten years in Shanghai, passed away at the age of 79.
Before his death at his Shanghai residence on Wednesday, Zhang Guiyan not only assisted in the collection of many of Wang's papers, diaries, and sermons but also in the organization and publication of many books and biographies of Wang after his death.
Brother Zhang was also an active participant in various ministries. He had spent over 30 years obtaining authorization to promote the distribution of Bibles to remote churches, arranging books to develop church libraries, and assisting in the construction of buildings for needy churches in Yunnan Province.
As an out-going Christian, he always shared stories about himself and the pastoral staff he knew. When it came to himself, he kept a low profile and was humble, claiming that he had never earned a high-level education or acquired particular abilities. Zhang, originally from Ningbo, Zhejiang, was born in 1945 on Fumin Road in Shanghai, where he remembered numerous intellectuals and missionaries congregating, with church piano sounds filling the air. He began his Christian faith at a Shanghai church founded by John Sung (Song Shangjie) in his youth. From 17 to 35, despite the suffering at the labor camp as a result of his beliefs, he remained serene because of the faith within.
Brother Zhang was a great help to many churches in China since he was authorized to help distribute Bibles. He mentioned that, in the process, some told him that there were various errors in the Chinese Union Version Bible, possibly as many as 60%, which he strongly disagreed with and believed that "the Chinese Union Version is very beautiful."
During the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake in Sichuan, he headed to Chengdu with some church staff for distribution to meet the growing need for Bibles among the victims.
Billy Graham and Ruth Graham also appreciated Zhang's ministry. In 2022, he received an email from Billy Graham's son, Franklin Graham, wishing him a happy new year.
Out of his love for life and travel, Zhang enjoyed visiting churches in various places with a desire to share. His WeChat Moments contained the beautiful scenery of different churches taken during his journeys and the historical images of many religious seniors and believers he knew.
He spent his later years primarily in Shanghai, where he was active in church life, receiving Christian groups from different places and exchanging with church workers from various Christian denominations. At the same time, he was interested in supporting emerging Christian cultural ministries and promoting charity ministries while still enjoying riding his bicycle around the suburbs of Shanghai for the sunset.
- Translated by Poppy Chan
2024年1月3日，张桂炎弟兄在上海家中离世，享年79岁。
张桂炎弟兄是王明道最后十年在上海服事和生活的主要助手。王去世后，张帮助整理了他的许多资料、日记和讲章，也帮助一起整理出版了多本王的书籍和传记。
张同时也是许多事工的热心参与者，尤其在得到授权促进圣经发行进入偏远教会以及帮助教会配书做迷你图书馆、帮助云南贫困教会建教堂方面做了30多年的服事。
张是一位非常健谈的弟兄，常常分享自己和他所认识的牧者同工的故事。关于自己，他总是保持低调和谦卑，分享说自己没有受过高等教育，也没有专门的技能。他祖籍浙江宁波，1945年出生在上海的富民路上。他还记得小时候那里很多知识分子和传教士，到处都是教会的诗班钢琴声。
少年时，他在宋尚节建立的一所上海教会开始信仰成为基督徒的。17岁至35岁时，曾有过因为信仰去过劳改农场的艰难经历，但因着信仰他对于这些很平和的心去面对。
他曾得到授权帮助发行圣经帮助到各地许多教会，这个过程中他分享说，有一些人跟他讲和合本错误很多，可能有高达60%的错误。他对此非常不认同，认为“和合本很优美”。
2008四川汶川地震时候，为了满足一些灾民群体对圣经日益增长的需要，他曾经也和同工们前往成都帮助发行圣经。
他的服事也曾得到葛培理夫妇的赞扬。2022年新年时，他收到葛培理的儿子葛福临给他发邮件祝贺新春。
张热爱生活和旅游，喜欢各地走访教会，热爱分享。他的微信朋友圈的内容基本是走访时拍摄的各地教堂美丽风光和他认识的许多信仰前辈和信徒的历史性照片。
他晚年主要生活在上海，坚持教会生活，还多次接待各地来访的基督徒群体，参加和基督教不同教派同工的交流。同时，他喜爱并支持新兴的基督教文化事工，热心于促进慈善公益的一些事工。他还喜欢常常骑着自行车漫游上海市郊欣赏晚霞暮色。
张桂炎弟兄离世 曾做王明道晚年主要助手十年 一生平和谦卑
Zhang Guiyan, Wang Mingdao's chief assistant for ministry and daily life in his last ten years in Shanghai, passed away at the age of 79.
Before his death at his Shanghai residence on Wednesday, Zhang Guiyan not only assisted in the collection of many of Wang's papers, diaries, and sermons but also in the organization and publication of many books and biographies of Wang after his death.
Brother Zhang was also an active participant in various ministries. He had spent over 30 years obtaining authorization to promote the distribution of Bibles to remote churches, arranging books to develop church libraries, and assisting in the construction of buildings for needy churches in Yunnan Province.
As an out-going Christian, he always shared stories about himself and the pastoral staff he knew. When it came to himself, he kept a low profile and was humble, claiming that he had never earned a high-level education or acquired particular abilities. Zhang, originally from Ningbo, Zhejiang, was born in 1945 on Fumin Road in Shanghai, where he remembered numerous intellectuals and missionaries congregating, with church piano sounds filling the air. He began his Christian faith at a Shanghai church founded by John Sung (Song Shangjie) in his youth. From 17 to 35, despite the suffering at the labor camp as a result of his beliefs, he remained serene because of the faith within.
Brother Zhang was a great help to many churches in China since he was authorized to help distribute Bibles. He mentioned that, in the process, some told him that there were various errors in the Chinese Union Version Bible, possibly as many as 60%, which he strongly disagreed with and believed that "the Chinese Union Version is very beautiful."
During the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake in Sichuan, he headed to Chengdu with some church staff for distribution to meet the growing need for Bibles among the victims.
Billy Graham and Ruth Graham also appreciated Zhang's ministry. In 2022, he received an email from Billy Graham's son, Franklin Graham, wishing him a happy new year.
Out of his love for life and travel, Zhang enjoyed visiting churches in various places with a desire to share. His WeChat Moments contained the beautiful scenery of different churches taken during his journeys and the historical images of many religious seniors and believers he knew.
He spent his later years primarily in Shanghai, where he was active in church life, receiving Christian groups from different places and exchanging with church workers from various Christian denominations. At the same time, he was interested in supporting emerging Christian cultural ministries and promoting charity ministries while still enjoying riding his bicycle around the suburbs of Shanghai for the sunset.
- Translated by Poppy Chan
Assistant of Wang Mingdao, Zhang Guiyan, Dies at 79
