During a visit in February, I met with Sister Wang, a Christian woman, who shared the evangelistic story of her grandfather, Wang Jianxiao, a rural preacher in Northern China.
Wang Jianxiao, a rural preacher born in Qinyuan County, Changzhi City, Shanxi Province, in 1906, was a teacher in his youth. After hearing the gospel from a Norwegian missionary at the county seat, Wang decided to believe in the Lord and returned to his hometown carrying a Bible. In 1934, he answered the call to be a rural preacher, a role he faithfully served until his passing in 1990.
After 1938, as Japanese troops entered Shanxi, people fled into the mountains for protection, but Preacher Wang continued to preach the gospel as usual. He was often captured as a "spy" and detained in Japanese military camps. Despite multiple near-death experiences, he remained faithful to the Lord.
Japanese soldiers once imprisoned him on suspicion of being a "correspondent for the Eighth Route Army." Miraculously, the rope that held him in place fell loose as he prayed and praised the Lord's name aloud. Despite being tied again, the rope continued to loosen as Wang prayed and praised. Even when left hogtied, Preacher Wang persisted in praising and praying to the Lord, leading to the breaking of the ropes. Although he was not released immediately, the Japanese soldiers acknowledged his “strong moral conscience.”
Near his detention place, a widow with an only son often sent him food. Despite Preacher Wang's desire to share with her the "precious Jesus," who had miraculously untied his ropes, the widow only wished for the health of her son and herself. Wang knelt to pray for them as a result of her concern. Subsequently, the widow lived to be over 80, and her son established a family.
As he was safe from danger again, Preacher Wang continued his zealous evangelism across Shanxi, Hebei, Henan, Shaanxi, and other provinces, even throughout the Anti-Japanese War and the Civil War.
Once in a village, the wife of a wealthy family questioned the extent of God's power. The rich man’s wife shared about the continuous miscarriages and claimed that she would believe the God he followed if He could ensure her present pregnancy. The preacher then prayed for her and named the fetus "Enlai" (from the Lord's grace). Later, the infant was healthy and thrived. One day the rich man's wife persuaded her husband to sell all their property soon because the Bible mentioned "misery coming on to rich people." The couple sold all their property, though they later regretted not saving the proceeds for the church’s revival. Eventually, the husband also embraced the Lord, while the wife continued serving the church until her nineties.
During the "Cultural Revolution," while working in the mines, Wang gained renown for safely leading his team underground. Following this period, he organized a "thousand-person cave gathering" in his hometown, which generated great attention.
Wang knew well about the lives of farmers from his long-term experience preaching in rural areas. Skilled in employing common sayings and metaphors, he effectively shared the gospel with villagers. Moreover, he creatively mixed folk tunes into his praise compositions, teaching quite a few to sing.
- Translated by Poppy Chan
2月笔者拜访了老一代华北农家传道人王建孝的孙女，王姊妹。她与笔者分享了爷爷传福音的故事。
农家传道人王建孝出生于1906年，是山西省长治市沁源县人。年轻时他做过老师，一次听挪威宣教士讲解福音后决志信主，带着圣经回到家乡。1934年王建孝蒙召作农家传道人，直到1990年去世。
1938年后日本侵略军攻入山西，很多人都逃往深山避难，而王传道一如既往地奔波传福音，屡次被当成“间谍”给抓进日本军营，险些丧命，但他大有信心。
一次他被日本兵当成了“八路军通讯员”关起来。他呼求赞美主名，绳子奇迹地松开。他们再捆，他再呼求，还能松开；最后五花大绑后，王传道坚持赞美祷告主，绳子依旧断开。虽暂时没放他，日本兵认为“他良心大大地好”。
隔壁有个带着独子生活的寡妇，给他送食物，他就将屡次解开捆绑自己绳索的“耶稣宝贝”送给对方，但对方只要自己和儿子健康。王传道为对方跪下向主祷告。后来这个寡妇活到八十多岁，也给儿子娶了媳妇。
王传道再次脱险后，继续热心走遍山西、河北、河南、陕西等省传福音，抗战期间，解放战争期间，皆是如此。
一次，王传道到了一个村庄，有一户财主的妻子问王传道所信的神能管什么事，他回答只要求，什么事都能管。财主妻子说自己一直掉胎，当时她又怀孕了，如果王传道信的神能保证孩子的出生和成长，她就信。王传道为她祷告，并为孩子取名“恩来”——从主的恩典来。后来，孩子出生成长都顺利。一天财主妻子读圣经 “你这富足的人有祸了”，就让丈夫赶快把家产卖掉。于是，他们把财产都卖了。虽然他们后悔当时没有把钱财埋在地里，以备日后复兴教会所用。再后来，她丈夫也信主了，而她到九十多岁也一直服侍教会。
“文革”期间，王传道在矿井工作，是有名的“基督徒队长”，能安全带队下井。“文革”后，他在老家组织了“千人山洞大聚会”，曾轰动一时。
王传道常年在农村传道，熟悉农民生活，他善于用俗语和比喻向广大乡民传福音。除此之外，他还创造性使用民间小调编创赞美诗，教会很多人唱。
山西老一代农家传道人——主仆王建孝小记
During a visit in February, I met with Sister Wang, a Christian woman, who shared the evangelistic story of her grandfather, Wang Jianxiao, a rural preacher in Northern China.
Wang Jianxiao, a rural preacher born in Qinyuan County, Changzhi City, Shanxi Province, in 1906, was a teacher in his youth. After hearing the gospel from a Norwegian missionary at the county seat, Wang decided to believe in the Lord and returned to his hometown carrying a Bible. In 1934, he answered the call to be a rural preacher, a role he faithfully served until his passing in 1990.
After 1938, as Japanese troops entered Shanxi, people fled into the mountains for protection, but Preacher Wang continued to preach the gospel as usual. He was often captured as a "spy" and detained in Japanese military camps. Despite multiple near-death experiences, he remained faithful to the Lord.
Japanese soldiers once imprisoned him on suspicion of being a "correspondent for the Eighth Route Army." Miraculously, the rope that held him in place fell loose as he prayed and praised the Lord's name aloud. Despite being tied again, the rope continued to loosen as Wang prayed and praised. Even when left hogtied, Preacher Wang persisted in praising and praying to the Lord, leading to the breaking of the ropes. Although he was not released immediately, the Japanese soldiers acknowledged his “strong moral conscience.”
Near his detention place, a widow with an only son often sent him food. Despite Preacher Wang's desire to share with her the "precious Jesus," who had miraculously untied his ropes, the widow only wished for the health of her son and herself. Wang knelt to pray for them as a result of her concern. Subsequently, the widow lived to be over 80, and her son established a family.
As he was safe from danger again, Preacher Wang continued his zealous evangelism across Shanxi, Hebei, Henan, Shaanxi, and other provinces, even throughout the Anti-Japanese War and the Civil War.
Once in a village, the wife of a wealthy family questioned the extent of God's power. The rich man’s wife shared about the continuous miscarriages and claimed that she would believe the God he followed if He could ensure her present pregnancy. The preacher then prayed for her and named the fetus "Enlai" (from the Lord's grace). Later, the infant was healthy and thrived. One day the rich man's wife persuaded her husband to sell all their property soon because the Bible mentioned "misery coming on to rich people." The couple sold all their property, though they later regretted not saving the proceeds for the church’s revival. Eventually, the husband also embraced the Lord, while the wife continued serving the church until her nineties.
During the "Cultural Revolution," while working in the mines, Wang gained renown for safely leading his team underground. Following this period, he organized a "thousand-person cave gathering" in his hometown, which generated great attention.
Wang knew well about the lives of farmers from his long-term experience preaching in rural areas. Skilled in employing common sayings and metaphors, he effectively shared the gospel with villagers. Moreover, he creatively mixed folk tunes into his praise compositions, teaching quite a few to sing.
- Translated by Poppy Chan
Brief on Rural Preacher in the Last Century, Wang Jianxiao
