Frank and Sparing No One, Yet Persuading without Haste or Vexation;
Serving without Regard for His Life, Perfecting Others unto Full Consecration
At the 2002 New Spring Chinese-speaking conference, during a break in the conference, Brother Wu was promoting the publications. I was sitting beside the elder brother who had brought me along, not far from the platform. Brother Wu called on the elder brother by name to answer his question, and when he asked the elder brother how many books he wanted to order, the elder brother said he would have to go back and fellowship with the brothers before he could decide. Brother Wu immediately cut him off, saying, "I could say that too. The spiritual publications are absolutely necessary for every church." Brother Wu spoke so frankly, sparing no one, that I was somewhat surprised. Yet toward the ordinary brothers and sisters he was unusually kind and approachable. In 2014, my whole family and I attended the New Spring Chinese-speaking conference in Taiwan. At that time we were seated near the front platform. When the children's vigor groups from all over Taiwan were giving their display, many parents swarmed forward, snapping photos and taking videos of their own children. Brother Wu went up and waved his hand, urging them to go back. He simply repeated one sentence: "Would you please go back?" Sitting beside him, I was very anxious for him in my heart and really wanted to say to Brother Wu, "This won't do; you have to be more stern with them." But Brother Wu, again and again, tenderly persuaded them, his attitude constant throughout. One wave of parents went up and was persuaded back down, and another wave followed up. He was never hasty or vexed, persuading the parents to go back down. Brother Wu truly had a good character—this is the character of the Lord's workman, worthy of our learning.
Together with the students and scholars from North America, I attended the young working saints' training in Taiwan in September 2004, which was my first visit to Taiwan. On the second day after arriving in Taipei, we visited Brother Wu's office in the Shin Kee Building. Just as we were filing in, he was still undergoing treatment. Through the glass door of the office he saw that we had come, and he immediately interrupted his treatment. From this small matter one can see that he did not love his own soul-life. This was my first close contact with Brother Wu. He warmly received us and spoke of the history of the Lord's recovery, recounting it gently and at ease, always so kind and approachable, without the least air of a great brother. A sentence I often heard him say was "Press on!" To bear witness of Brother Wu with the words of the Bible would be no exaggeration: he did not love his soul-life even unto death.
In 2003, I attended for the first time the students' and scholars' perfecting training in New Jersey. At that time Brother Wu gave the testimony of his personal consecration, which was truly unforgettable. One sentence he said still inspires me to this day. He said, "A Christian has a sequel only after he consecrates; one who has consecrated can do anything, and whatever he does in the Lord is useful." Brother Wu testified that when he was young his body was very strong, and his service in the church began with setting up chairs. Then one day Brother Lee fellowshipped with him about serving in the Gospel Book Room. That training was full of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, and in that training I too, for the first time, consecrated my whole being to the Lord. The God of glory appeared to us, enabling us to consecrate ourselves wholly, and Brother Wu and the other co-workers laid their hands on us. That scene, to this day, continually reminds me that I am one who has consecrated, and that in serving in the church there is no problem with anything.