David Yang and the ‘Linggongtuan’

by Tony Lambert

In 1973 Leslie Lyall published his book Three of China’s Mighty Men. Watchman Nee is a household name among many Christians; Wang Mingdao is also widely known. But the “man of humility” (as Lyall calls him), David Yang?

In fact, David Yang played the crucial role in setting up the “Team of Christian Workers” or “Spiritual Work Team” (Linggongtuan) in north China in 1934. He worked independently, but had friendly relations with the China Inland Mission. As we shall see, God raised him up as part of a greater movement whose vision was for evangelism, whose fruits have carried on down to the present day.

David Yang, like Wang Mingdao, was born in the terrible year of the Boxer Rebellion in 1900 when thousands of Chinese Christians and missionaries were cruelly slaughtered. He was born in the ancient city of Quwo in Shanxi, the son of a Christian farmer. In Quwo, in that same year, Mr. and Mrs. Kay of the CIM and their daughter were martyred by the Boxers. The boy was raised in a Christian home with rich Christian associations; not so far away had labored Pastor Hsi (Xi Shengmo) whose refuges for opium addicts were legendary. David attended Christian primary school and the CIM Middle School at Hongdong. Showing unusual promise, in 1923 he was accepted at the best evangelical seminary in north China, the Presbyterian Seminary at Tengxian in Shandong.

It was a time of revival but also of confusion. Marie Monsen from Norway had a wide renewal ministry as did Jonathan Goforth. The Bethel Bands, based in Shanghai, were also preaching their message of revival. But there were also extremes—the “True Jesus Church” and the “Spiritual Gifts Movement” (lingenhui) sometimes overemphasized strange phenomena and experiences at the expense of a sound knowledge of the Bible and holiness. David came to a full knowledge of salvation at the annual Christian workers’ retreat at Guling on July 7, 1924. He relates: “Thanks to my gracious Lord Jesus early that morning He found this lost sheep. The blood of the cross flowed into my heart and the burden of sin fell away. For the very first time I enjoyed a true relationship with Jesus Christ and from that day until now the Lord has continued to do His marvelous work in my life.”

After graduating in 1925 David turned down the offers of well-paid pastorates. God showed him clearly he should serve in the poor rural areas of Shanxi, especially the thirteen counties around Quwo his native place, where he was made the pastor.

In 1926-28 China was rocked by political turmoil and the Anti-Christian Movement which forced most missionaries to withdraw to the coast. In its wake, the CIM realised the church must be fully Chineze and began to implement the biblical policy of self-government, self-support and self-propagation. In 1931 David Yang became the principal of the Hongdong High School. But he saw that something more was needed for the churches. While marooned in a wayside inn because of bad weather, he was given a clear vision by God of a team of fellow workers living a communal life of faith. Half the year they would devote to Bible study and the nature of Christian ministry; the other half they would go out in small teams to minister to the churches and evangelize. During the early summer of 1934 a cluster of simple buildings was built of mud-brick. In September the first 20 men and women began their studies. Their prior aim, however, was to seek “power from on high.” Thus the “Linggongtuan” or Spiritual Work Team was born.

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David Yang gives a detailed account of the Team in a rare pamphlet, published in March 1937, with an introduction by Arthur Reynolds of the CIM. As this 20-page booklet is almost impossible to obtain nowadays, but of vital importance in giving a first-hand account of the Linggongtuan, I plan to give major extracts in this and future issues of China Insight.

What is the Team of Christian Workers?
That is a question constantly being asked in Shansi [Shanxi]. It should be noted that this Team is no product of the “Sheng Ling Huei” (Spiritual Work Team), the “Ling En Hui” (Spiritual Gifts Society – a Pentecostal group), or the “Pu Tao Hui” (Evangelistic Society). Nor should it be seen as a religious educational institution such as a theological seminary or Bible school. Nor yet is it a church receiving converts. But it is a small working Team composed of a number of Christian brothers and (or) sisters, called and appointed of God to some particular field, being responsible to Him alone and not to man. Apart from adhering to the whole Scripture of Truth and following the guidance of the Holy Spirit we have no formal creed, denomination or fixed organization. We are dependent on no individual or church, and there is no institution or higher authority such as a committee or board of trustees by which we are controlled.

Formation: Origin and Growth
1. A pattern for work of this nature is to be found in the Scriptures.

Several years ago many questions relating to the church kept revolving in my mind. Since the Lord had called me to preach the Word, what type of preacher was I to become? All the world-famous evangelists such as Moody, Wesley, Spurgeon and John Knox possessed qualities which strongly attracted me. But He later directed me to the Bible examples of preachers and I then felt very strongly that herein lay the regulations which the Lord of the Church had ordained for His servants: that even those servants of God like Wesley and Hudson Taylor were themselves but acting in obedience to the commands of God.

If it be true that there are man-made devices in the church today, can it be that the heart of God is satisfied with the organization of workers thus formed? In the New Testament the Lord has laid down a perfect set of regulations for His church, relating to belief, organization, work and the worker, leaving nothing unprovided. And did not the Lord command Moses saying: “Look that thou make them (the vessels) after their pattern which was showed thee in the mount”? (Ex. 25:40)

In my study of the New Testament I noted carefully the working methods of Paul. Throughout his ministry he had companions in the Lord like Timothy, one in heart and belief and constantly shared his labors. (Acts 13:2, 13; 15:40; 16:1-3; 18:1-4)

Our Lord Jesus also chose twelve men to work with Him and when sending them out appointed them two by two. (Mark 3:14; 6:7.)

2. We learn from church history that on each occasion of spiritual awakening God has used a small team as His instruments of revival, such as under Wesley, or the Moravians.

3. In view of the present state of the church in China we ought to tread this path of following the Lord, looking only to Him.

The current talk of the church becoming independent is daily rising higher and higher. The foreign mission boards are allowing the churches which they have directed to become, sooner or later, self-supporting and self-governing. For us Chinese Christians this is a matter which duty admits of no excuse. But if the church is to tread this road who should be in the vanguard? Does not the responsibility lie with us, the Lord’s servants? For it is the workers who must lead the church!

These thoughts have been continually with me but it was in 1927 that they really took possession of me. As a result of the incident at Shanghai all CIM missionaries were evacuated to the coast. A large number of churches which had relied only on foreign missionaries were filled with apprehension. When the missionaries returned to their former stations the CIM changed its policy and encouraged the churches to take over responsibility themselves. Quite a few churches however found themselves either unable to produce men or to undertake their support. The number of evangelists was gradually reduced until there were only 5 or 6 in the churches of the 13 counties where I worked. While I continued working myself, grieved at what I saw, I could only beseech the Lord of the Harvest to send forth laborers. Over a period of two or three years the desire of my heart gradually resolved into one cry: “Lord! Give me companions!” Although I was utterly weak and certainly could not be compared with servants of God like Wesley or Hudson Taylor, yet their God was my God. The Lord who answered their prayer was my Lord too! God was able to give them fellow-workers and everything else of which they stood in need. Could he not do the same for me? I had not yet spoken of this to others. At length constrained and guided by the Lord Himself I clearly perceived His will and followed Him.

Shortly after Christmas 1933 a few of us met in Kuwo [Quwo] for a small prayer meeting. There were but four or five present, like-minded brothers and sisters, Chinese and foreign. We discussed quite freely the state of affairs in the church and our future ministry as individuals. The Team of Christian Workers had its birth in that prayer meeting. It was truly wonderful. We were drawn together in a fellowship of the spirit. A foreign sister had had impressions similar to mine much earlier, though she had not voiced her feelings. When we left we covenanted to pray further with one heart about this matter, asking the Lord to give clear revelation of His will. During the month that followed my mind was alternately settled and unsettled. I felt that the burden of the work would be too heavy. We were without any source of income and where could we find workers? That was but an attitude of self-trust and altogether destitute of faith. At length there came a day when I truly desired to go forward but could see no road. When I would fain have given up and yet could not, I could only commit everything afresh to God. Even the question of understanding whether or not it was the will of God was handed over to Him as I knelt in His presence and laid hold on His promises—Psalm 32:8; 37:5. I prayed to the Lord: “Lord, I have been pondering this question up till now, and still I cannot understand. I ask that Thou wilt make me to understand it for without being clear about it I dare not go forward.” Praise the Lord! He then gave me peaceful sleep. About midnight I was awakened and when fully conscious the Lord clearly directed me, giving Matthew 6:33 as the treasure from which every need would be met. Hallelujah! In the morning my heart was filled with peace beyond thought and I hastened to tell my companions whereupon with one heart and mind we set forward. Praise the Lord! In looking back we want to say with sincerity: Thanks be to God for His grace unspeakable.

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It is of deep significance that the “Linggongtuan” was born from earnest waiting upon God in the same way that the China Inland Mission and the Back to Jerusalem Evangelistic Band had also been. In a future issue of China Insight we will publish David Yang’s report on “The Work of the Team.”