The Only Return Path

- the Way of the Cross for the Northwest Gospel Band

By Shih Wanfan

Recently I have watched the DVD "The Cross - Jesus in China" over and over, and I was deeply touched by the testimonies of family churches in Mainland China. In particular, the second Episode "the Seed of Blood" and the third Episode "the Bitter Cup" recorded the true stories of large numbers of old, middle aged, and young ministers after 1949, who have consecrated, served, and suffered for the Lord. They have inherited and followed the way of the cross that innumerable saints from the world over, and for thousands of years, have trodden.

The return to Jerusalem movement

As early as 1940, during the Chinese struggle against the invading Japanese, many Chinese Christians have committed to preach the gospel along the ancient Silk Road to bring the gospel back to Jerusalem. An earlier organization is the "Widespread Gospel" group in 1943 (1); another organization with similar vision, "Northwest Gospel Band", was also establish in 1949 in Wei County in Shantung.

The founders of the Northwest Gospel Band were Zhang Gu-chuen and Lee Zhi-ying. Zhang had traveled over North China and the northwest regions to preach the gospel and held revival meetings. Afterward, he and Lee established the Spirit Seminary in Shantung and they have forty students, many of whom came from 'Jesus Family". Zhang was deeply influenced by Jesus Family and advocated bankruptcy, aiding the poor, self-sacrifice, and following the Lord. Whenever he went up to the pulpit he would weep, and his audience would also weep, and so he called himself Valley Spring (Psalm 84:6).

Brother Paul Hung recalled, "In 1946 when the entire seminary was fasting and praying, we heard the Holy Spirit revealed, 'Send Sisters Liu and Zhang to Singiang Province to work on what I have called them to do.' These two sisters did not bring any money, just a package with some clothing and departed. They arrived at Gansu Province, and they were joined by three others Brother Chen, Sisters Wang and Lee, in the town of Wu-weigh. These five were pioneers and they arrived at the town of Wine-spring.

On their way to the city of Hamid in Singiang, they walked, ridden on large trucks, or on the top of cargo trains; they suffered from travel difficulties, robbers and war, until they arrived at Hamid.

By 1948, again during a fasting prayer for the entire seminary, Zhang was moved by the Holy Spirit to give up the seminary and take the entire seminary including staff, students and their families, to leave their home and go to Singiang. They totaled 115 persons and they arrived at Hamid in eight groups. They were known as the Northwest Gospel Band.

The Band has a consultant, Rev. Yang Shiou-tang, who trained and edified brothers and sisters who have a desire to go the Northwest in addition to pulpit service. Thus the composition of the Band included Christians from other provinces in addition to those from the Spirit Seminary.

Our way is towards the west

How did the Band bring the gospel back to Jerusalem? In the editorial of the first issue, Series 2 of their irregularly published "Northwest Spirit Work", it was written "Our way is in the boundary of our motherland - Singiang and Tibet. Our way is also in the west side of our motherland - India, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Arabia, and Palestine. These places are committed to us by God, a territory He has drawn up for us."

The steps they took were first set up a headquarter in Hamid, then established churches in different areas of Singiang, sent workers into Tibet, and finally deliver workers to Muslim countries in the Middle East to preach the gospel until they arrived at Jerusalem, to receive the second coming of the Lord. All who decided to join the Band must have an attitude of suffering, were willing to give up their land, houses, and other properties to follow the Lord. Each one must learn a skill for livelihood; all income must be offered to the house of God, and everything must be shared. In the tradition of Jesus Family, the rice bowl must be cleaned at mealtime so that nothing is wasted. During their stay in Hamid, all men shaved their heads and all women combed their hair to a rounded shape on top of their heads, and they wore blue dresses, so that they were well recognized when they walked on the streets.

Within two years, they erected eight church building with their own hands and have a congregation of about three hundred people, most of whom were Muslims.

I am willing to shed my blood on the Qin Way

Persecution to the Band began in 1951, and co-workers in Karzi were the first arrested. In 1952, Zhang was arrested and he died in jail on September 23, 1956. Although the mission was haled temporarily, the fire was not put out. Towards the end of the seventies, some co-workers of the band returned to Sinkiang and started house churches.

The original vision and mission of bringing gospel back to Jerusalem was once again ignited. Today, many of the old co-workers that joined the Band in the early years are still maintaining their posts in the Northwest.

In 2003, Mrs. Zhang who was 96 years old could still be interviewed; she continued to use her prayer to stand firm on her calling. In China and other places, many are diligently preparing themselves to follow the early faithfuls to "open up a road where there was no road".

In 1951, a principal co-worker of the Band, Simon Zhao, had written a song in the great Gobi Dessert in Sinkiang. That song, "the Way of the Cross", is a good reflection of the minds of Northwest Gospel Band:

Focused on the way of blood of the cross

This is my only way of return...

I am willing to shed my blood on the Qin Way,

Unwilling to spare my life to live here.

This old brother passed away in Sinkiang in 2001. Like many co-workers before and after him, had walked a way of lifelong suffering. They themselves only knew that is the most wonderful and only way of return for those who have committed their lives to the Lord.

Note:

The testimony of Widespread Gospel group can be found in Silk Route Mission: Story of a Heroic Couple published by Campus Bookstore, Taiwan, Nov. 2003; it can also be found by going to the web site www.backtojerusalem.com.

Author's note: this article only provided a brief discussion of the Northwest Gospel Band. I wish that anyone who is familiar with the history, development, testimony, photos, and other materials regarding Northwest Gospel Band, can provide them to our publisher Rev. Su (editorial@cefocm.org), so that a more comprehensive article can be written.