The memorial service for Elder Dr. Zheng Datong, entitled “Poetic Life as the Lord’s Good Soldier,” was held on June 24, Beijing time, at Starlight Church in Queens, New York, with a simultaneous webcast.
This service, initiated by Pastor Luke Zheng Leguo, a Wenzhou pastor in America, was held overseas for the elder who served for decades, following the memorial service and farewell ceremony held by the Wenzhou church in May. Additionally, dozens of believers in China joined the service online.
Elder Dr. Zheng Datong of Wenzhou passed away on May 19 at the age of 84. He had served as an elder at Wenzhou Puxieshi Church for many years. In addition to serving the church, Elder Dr. Zheng also had a strong calling in the fields of church history and literary work. Elder Dr. Zheng was a man of many talents; in addition to earning a professional doctorate in Christian ministry, he was also a songwriter and painter. Even in his old age, he could often be found writing at his desk. In the 1980s, Elder Dr. Zheng published several books in Singapore and Hong Kong, including Revelation Illustrated and The Path of Blessing: A Poetic Life in Christ. At the memorial service, several pastors and co-workers who had worked with Elder Dr. Zheng at different stages of his life shared their testimonies and commemorated his passing from different perspectives.
Pastor Luke Zheng delivered the eulogy for Elder Dr. Zheng. He said, “The late Dr. Zheng Datong was a pastor known to many in China. He was known for his leadership and influence in the churches of Wenzhou. For a long time, he had been a key figure in the movements among the churches in Wenzhou and had shown strong confidence and courage in the Lord when his Christian faith was threatened.”
A documentary on the life of Elder Dr. Zheng Datong, produced by the Wenzhou churches, was shown. Afterward, Elder Dr. Zheng’s son, Zheng Chen, said, “My father’s passing away was one of the most difficult moments of my life. All of my father’s years were filled with God’s surprises and his gratitude to God. I was so blessed to have him as my father. I can’t put into words the impact he had on my life. I built my Christian faith through him.”
He recalled his father’s passion and pursuit of faith, “My father was a reverse thinker. He often had his own unique insights into the Bible, theology, and the Christian faith. He loved to sow the seed as a teacher and see how God made it grow.”
An elder surnamed Huang praised Elder Dr. Zheng’s ministry, “He sang of God’s wonderful grace through his hymns and recorded in his writings the most difficult years of the Wenzhou churches as well as their years of revival. He comforted those who were frustrated, nurtured a new generation of talent in the churches, and encouraged younger Christians to strengthen their faith in the Lord.”
Pastor Wang, who serves in Beijing, commented, “From Elder Dr. Zheng, I learned to be a true Israelite in the Lord. Whether it’s speaking, writing, or thinking, we must be honest with God and man. Second, Elder Dr. Zheng was a very hardworking person. He was always the first to respond to church matters and social affairs, not only in his speech but also in his writing. He was the best writer among the older generation of pastors, and he was also known as ‘the wordsmith of the contemporary Chinese church’.”
Two Wenzhou pastors sang the hymn "Your Youth as a Sacrifice," which was composed by Elder Dr. Zheng, in the Wenzhou Yueqing dialect. They recalled Elder Dr. Zheng, “He was a songwriter who composed many hymns, such as "Your Youth as a Sacrifice" and "Be a Good Soldier of Christ," which are popular in Wenzhou churches.”
- Translated by Joyce Leung
