Rev. Zhu Chengxin, former chairman of the Three-Self Patriotic Movement Committee of Tongchuan, Shaanxi, died at the age of 93 on May 9, 2017. His funeral was held two days later, attended by Rev. Wang Jun, president and chairman of CCC & TSPM, theological teachers and local church workers and believers.
Born in Shandong, he received God's calling and studied at the Shanghai Devotional Seminary founded by Rev. Jia Yuming, the famous Chinese Christian pastor and theologian, in 1950. He graduated four years later.
In 1956, he was invited to pastor the church of Tongchuan, whose attendance was less than 20 back then. All the tithes and offerings given in each service failed to reach five yuan. When the church was reopened in 1978, he planted local churches across the city. With the rise in the number of believers, he led the congregation to build a church in 1982.
He also held the post of the vice-president and vice-chairman of Shaanxi CCC & TSPM and also the vice-president of Shaanxi Bible College, where he also taught from 1993 to 2003. During his teaching period in the college, he cultivated many outstanding workers, who have been the pastoral staff of the church. Currently, there are more than 30 churches in Tongchuan.
Translated by Karen Luo
