• Bro. Runhuan Liu •
A Model of Shepherding and Perfecting People
Brother Tao Chen & Sister Xizhi Chen Chen
In the Church in Taichung
“And when the Chief Shepherd is manifested, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.”—1 Pet. 5:4
In the summer of 1964, I just graduated from the Senior high school. I left my hometown by myself in Taichuang to study in National Taiwan University of Arts in Bangqiao. My father charged me to present a handwritten letter to Brother Runhuan Liu in Banqiao. I remembered that on one Saturday evening, after the conclusion of the young people’s meeting, Brother Liu, whom I had never met before, geeted me kindly and warmly with a smiling face. This made me feel very warm and sweet. From his tender care, I deeply touched the divine and sweet love of the Lord.
At that time, as a young people, I was imbued with the longing and dream for the future, and my heart lost the longing for the church life. On one occasion, I caught a cold and got a high fever, lying on the bed. As I was helpless, Brother Liu just walked from the meeting hall to my dormitory to visit me. Meanwhile he took a hymn book that I needed. His desperate prayer for me comforted and encouraged me again, and I was encircled by the Lord’s bands of love and could not help weeping to repent to the Lord and beseech that I would be a prisoner of the Lord’s love willingly in the future and consecrate my whole life to love Him and serve Him.
From then on, I got a great revival that I completely abandoned my future and dream. Whenever I had time after class, I would ran to the meeting hall to read the Bible and pray with my companions. Brother Liu often invited me to eat in his home and asked me to act as an art tutor of his two children (Qianxun and Qianjun). By doing this I was helped to subsidize the needs of my living. I recalled at that time, I received Brother Liu’s shepherding and perfecting in various aspects that I might grow in life and manifest my portion of function in the service. This laid a solid foundation for my receiving spiritual commission in the Church in the future. He was truly my spiritual father enlightening me.
In March of 2007, my wife and me paid a special visit to Brother Liu and his wife. I saw that although he was not able to move around, his face was shining and worn a broad smile; he still rose with difficulty, dessed neatly, and came to the sitting room to greet us by himself. His expression of frequent smilling and nodding overflowed the joy and hope filling in his heart.
Now, my beloved Brother Liu rested in the Lord’s bosom in an advanced age of ninety. I was persuaded that what he had labored and spent on God’s children in all his life was not in vain. This would become a fragrant offering for the Lord to enjoy and for the Lord’s satisfaction. The good pattern and footsteps he had left for the saints caused us to imitate and closely follow unto that day.