Jiahe Streamer's "Kingdom of God" team commemorates Ding Ge
Speechless, still speaking
Su Wen'an (Chief Editor of this magazine)
Just when I was about to write this article with a deep sense of longing, I found out about the "First Christian Literary Training" held at the Heavenly Mother's Children's Home in Taipei from September 2 to 13, 1974. In the graduation photo of the class, I was shocked to find that Ding Yuanping (Brother Ding), who I have known and cherished for more than 40 years since then, was actually standing next to me, who had just entered my sophomore year! Looking carefully at this old photo, the young faces in the picture actually include many leaders of literature, media, churches and evangelical institutions from Hong Kong, Taiwan, and North America from the 1970s to the present. A considerable proportion of them have intersected with Brother Ding in the country service track over the years, longer or shorter, and burst out with bright sparks of life!
Brother Ding has always emphasized the connection between countries, and his sword is as close as his shoes. Therefore, the Tian'en team he leads and the International True Love Family Association, where he serves full-time, have been close partners in word ministry since its establishment in 2001. With Brother Ding's "golden advice" and strong assistance, dozens of audio textbooks, audio book sets and family booklets jointly published by True Love and Tian En have been highly recognized; and the popular "True Love Family Magazine" , and it was Tian En who took over the important task of art editing.
Another excellent example of Ding Ge’s efforts to connect the country is that Tian’en has been responsible for the art editing and printing of “Kingdom of God” magazine since its inception in 2005. Because I voluntarily participate in the core service team of the "Kingdom Resources for Christ Association", I am fully aware that this publication with the theme of "exploring the resources of the Kingdom of God and combining them for the main purpose" has been Ding Ge's work for more than thirty years. In the literary publishing career, it is one of the national cultural propaganda missions that we attach great importance to and fully support.
The author is fortunate to serve as the editor-in-chief of "True Love" and "Kingdom of God". As time goes by, the exchanges and interactions with Brother Ding naturally become more frequent and in-depth, and the friendship in life becomes more mellow and profound. Brother Ding's sudden death certainly made me shocked and melancholy. But on the other hand, at this moment of writing, I am also deeply envious: Brother Ding passed away gracefully at the peak stage of maturity in life, life and service, leaving behind a pair of devout and accomplished adult sons and daughters, as well as endless Good reputation and nostalgia. What a precious blessing this is for leaders who have been fighting for many years in a crisis-ridden era!
From March 7 to 16, 2017, my wife Lisan and I temporarily returned to Taiwan from Los Angeles to handle important matters. Since we usually communicate frequently via email and LINE, this time due to the sudden incident and time constraints, we had not originally planned to do so. Visit Brother Ding at home. Unexpectedly, on March 11, I was shocked to hear that Ding Ge was sent to the hospital for acute myocardial infarction. He immediately rushed to the emergency room of Wanfang Hospital to visit him, and then followed his family members after the rumbling hospital bed and transferred him to the intensive care unit. Then, there were several days of watching and accompanying, until March 16th, when Pastor Liao Wenyuan of Brother Ding’s Mother Church and Friends Church accompanied his family around the hospital bed and said goodbye to Brother Ding in worship and prayer... It turned out to be the beginning of getting to know Brother Ding. It was the most intensive time I had ever spent with him and his family. However, Brother Ding, who has always been kind and friendly, chatting and laughing, and always giving good words, "didn't say a word" this time.
I am reminded of the description in Psalm 19 of the nature designed and created by God. On the surface, it seems to be “speechless and speechless, and there is no sound to be heard”, but yet it “reaches all over the world, and its words reach to the ends of the earth.” During the five days that Ding was in coma, sitting outside the intensive care unit, I couldn't help but search and review his presence in my life again and again. Yes, in this last journey, although he was "speechless and speechless," but Brother Ding's broad mind for the Kingdom of God, his ministry concept of "connecting dots, lines, and planes in all directions" and his diligent and unremitting efforts The role model, the insistence on excellence in ministry and products, coupled with the sincere enthusiasm for family, co-workers, and friends, continue to remind, inspire, and motivate me like thunder, and it will never stop!
▲Group photo at the completion of the 1974 writing training class.
▲Ding Ge (third from left in the third row in the screenshot) and Su Wen’an (fourth from left in the same row) first met in a writing training class in 1974.
Brother Ding who provides people with "book blessings"
Jian Hailan (special writer for this publication)
My beloved brother Ding was called by the Lord on the afternoon of March 16 and returned to the arms of the Lord.
As his family said, Brother Ding has fought the good fight, finished the race, and kept the faith on the road of written service. From now on, there is a crown of righteousness reserved for him.
I still remember that year, Brother Ding, his wife, sister-in-law and daughter visited the United States and visited the "Association of Christian Messengers". At that time, I was working as a full-time staff member in the Literary Resources Department of the Messenger. I had to produce a gospel page every week for the "Charity Field" of California's "International Daily News", including copywriting and art editing. After reading it, Brother Ding strongly encouraged my writing ministry and gave many professional editing opinions. After that, they went to my house for two days to chat and admire the handicrafts made by my mother. He asked me to collect my creations over the years and publish a book of my own. He suggested that I use my mother's handicrafts for illustrations, which would be a very good book. Testimonials.
After I retired, I took care of my sick mother. She reiterated Ding’s advice and helped me fulfill my wish to publish a book during her lifetime. thank God! It took a year to actually let my mother read the book before she was alive!
Brother Ding, thank you for building a ladder between us and God in the kingdom of God, so that we can often enjoy reading with "book blessings". At this moment, you and your mother are gathering in Tianjia. Are you laughing and talking about the book that you gave birth to?
Strict mentor, loyal friend
Yang Hanjiahua (special writer for this magazine, former editor of the community unit)
In 2005, at a writing and art practice camp organized by the Kingdom Resources for Christ (KRC) in Pennsylvania, USA, I met for the first time President Ding Yuanping, whom I had corresponded with several times but had never met. He and Chen Jingzhi, the vice president of Daosheng Publishing House, served as the magazine and publishing consultant for "The Kingdom of God". They flew from Taiwan and not only participated in the study, but also gave lectures. President Ding focused on the teachings on the elements and vision of planning and editing. After finishing, he held the first issue of the "Kingdom of God" magazine in his hand, put on his glasses, and meticulously pointed out the mistakes and advantages one by one. He has come all the way, and he is "playing it real"!
President Ding's advice was like a wake-up call to me, a novice corporate editor at that time. I touched the bag on my head and said in my heart: "What a strict requirement!" I had to put away my arrogance and admit myself frankly. There is indeed a lot of room to grow and overcome, and I have been walking on thin ice since then, and I dare not take it lightly.
In 2008, I returned to Taiwan to stay with my mother who was in a coma until she passed away. After the funeral, I went to Tian'en to visit President Ding Yuanping and thank him for assigning Weng Jingyu to attend the memorial ceremony. Brother Ding received him cordially, and Sister Wang also enjoyed the stewed soup. Brother Ding reads and loves books, and his whole body exudes the brilliance and fragrance of books. Talking with him about books is like a spring breeze, and it is extremely interesting. In the end, he left with several good books he gave as gifts, and Master Yan became a friend.
Tonight, I re-read the summary of Ding Ge’s 2005 explanation of enterprise editing. Only after many years can I understand the true meaning and value of it. Every sentence is the essence of what he has accumulated over the years. Re-reading Brother Ding’s sketches in the communication channel and fundraising column of “Kingdom of God”, I can see that from the first issue, Brother Ding has not been absent once. He has faithfully accompanied us for twelve years with his sunny smile.
"The days of philosophers are far away, but the models are long gone." How lucky we are to have been with the great man in the country of letters and to see his style firsthand, which will last forever in the world.
I deeply miss Brother Ding, and I also ask God, the merciful and merciful Father, to personally comfort Sister Wang, Huaici, Huaizhen and their families.
▲The memorial service for President Ding Yuanping was held in Taipei on April 15, 2017. About 600 relatives, friends and colleagues gathered to express their gratitude.
President Din like Barnabas
Yu Guoliang (editor of the magazine’s outreach unit, writer)
President Ding has been doing literary work for a long time and is the head of the "Tian'en" family. The fact that he was laid to rest in the Lord reminds me of him as being like Barnabas in the apostolic days. "Barnabas" means "son of comfort". He is a gentle and kind-hearted saint who encourages younger generations and is willing to give others opportunities. He rejected all opinions and accepted John Mark, who had made mistakes in his youth. As a result, God cultivated the author who wrote the Bible book "The Gospel of Mark".
In 2002, the author and a group of teachers and students from the Messenger Literary Camp proposed to imitate the successful "Chicken Soup for the Soul" story book series in the early years and publish the "Life Tonic" book series with the goal of cultivating spirituality. In order to train elite literary soldiers, it was suggested to immediately obtain the strong support of President Ding and agree to be published by "Tian En". The first cup is named "Life Tonic". Twenty-seven teachers and students who love writing worked together to carefully cook 72 delicious dishes. Since then, four supplements have been published successively: "Garden Vegetables from All Directions", "Song of Songs in the Heart Garden", "Shadow in the Heart of the Dawn" and "With You Along the Way".
In addition, the author wrote the book "John's Code-Decoding of the "Da Vinci Code"" in 2005. Although this is the second book written by the author (the first was "The Physicist Reads the Bible"), he is still considered a novice in the literary world. President Ding still adheres to the purpose of rewarding underachievers and publishes the author's young work. "Kingdom of God" magazine has also received support and sponsorship from President Ding for many years, and it is a testament to his training of talents in the kingdom of heaven. I firmly believe that after President Ding returns to heaven, he will be able to inspire more Christian warriors with words to take over the torch in his hand and continue to use words to shine for the Lord and spread the everlasting gospel until the coming of the Lord.
Brother Ding who is running for the Lord
Wen Yingqian (Enterprise Editor of the Talent Unit of this magazine, Director of KRC in the United States)
I got to know Brother Ding and Sister Wang (Mrs. Ding) from participating in the ministry of Kingdom Resources for Christ (KRC). In early 2005, KRC founder Gao Lili and pastor Su Wen'an invited a team to launch the magazine "Kingdom of God" and asked Tian'en Publishing House to be responsible for the art editing and printing. Since I am also a director and one of the unit editors of KRC, responsible for administrative operations, and my wife Wu Guiying is responsible for finance, I began to get to know Mr. and Mrs. Ding, and through business contacts, we became good friends.
Later, many volunteers assisted in the establishment of KRC Taiwan. Ding Ge was one of the co-workers who contributed the most and served as the permanent supervisor of KRC Taiwan. He spared no effort to assist in the publication of the "Kingdom of God" magazine and the promotion of KRC cultural camps.
The "Kingdom of God" magazine is published four times a year. Each issue has ninety-six pages. It is rich in content and beautifully printed, but the printing cost is expensive. Brother Ding and Sister Wang went all out to assist with editing and printing, advertising, packing boxes, and arranging shipping of containers to the United States or to readers in Taiwan and Southeast Asia. What we are most grateful for is that Brother Ding and Sister Wang never take the initiative to press us to pay bills. These generous supports are the "fun talk" that KRC co-workers have every year when they pray for finances. They are also God's grace given to us through Brother Ding and Sister Wang. Because most of KRC’s co-workers are volunteers and have no fixed donors, they operate entirely on faith. And we are able to pay it off every year. This can be said to be a miracle that Brother Ding has experienced with us every year.
The first impression that comes into contact with Brother Ding is his sincere smile and humble attitude. He greeted everyone with a smile and a warm greeting. The second is his all-round ministry. I participated in the service of several gospel organizations in Taiwan, and on many occasions I saw Brother Ding running around for the Lord and working hard in the world. He also has many good suggestions for promoting various ministries. He and Sister Wang managed Tian'en. The couple worked together as one and the same, leading their daughter to be compassionate and son to be compassionate and loving to God and people, becoming role models for everyone.
Every time I visit Tian'en Publishing House, he will give me one or two of Tian'en's latest books, and he also gives me a new Tian'en plan manual every year. The 2017 plan manual was personally handed to me by him when I was serving in Taiwan on October 24, 2016. Unexpectedly, it would be the last time I saw him alive. Looking at Brother Ding's bright smile in the photo, it makes people extremely reluctant to leave. The beautiful figure and example that Brother Ding left us will remain in our hearts forever until we meet him again in heaven.
▲On October 24, 2016, the Taipei Crown Truth Financial Association held a lecture at the CBMC venue and invited Professor Wen Yingqian to speak on the topic of world economic prospects. The picture shows the two taking a group photo at the venue.
Guarding the Sunshine of Literary Ministry
Wu Xinhui (Enterprise Editor of the Cultural Section of this magazine, Director of KRC in the United States)
When I think of Brother Ding, I think of his smile—a shy, loyal, and sincere smile.
In 2005, I just joined the editorial team of Kingdom of God magazine. Brother Ding was invited to the Pennsylvania camp as one of the teachers to share the prospects of word ministry. I remember his sincere smile.
Later, due to magazine business, we contacted each other by email one after another. Each issue of the magazine has a short article by Ding Ge, which encourages readers to have a dialogue with the author through reading and discover the messages God conveys through words. Brother Ding's short article is permanently placed on the fourth page of the Kingdom of God magazine, as if Brother Ding opened the door to his house and said: "Come! Please come in and sit down, we have prepared a lot of delicious food for you!"
A few years ago, I had the opportunity to visit Brother Ding and Sister Wang in Tian'en and thank them for their support of the "Kingdom of God" magazine over the years. Brother Ding still smiled shyly. Brother Ding is a senior in literature ministry in Taiwan. He has experienced countless people and seen many scenes, but he is still so simple and loyal when meeting people.
Brother Ding is a gentle and careful writing senior. About two years ago, during the magazine's editorial handover period, I temporarily became the acting editor. I was very nervous and unsure of myself, and I was afraid that I would mess it up. Unexpectedly, Brother Ding encouraged me in his short article. This short line of careful words was like a ray of warm sunshine, warming my heart.
Although we only had the opportunity to meet a few times, Brother Ding showed me what he is like as a servant of God. He carries out both big and small things with a sincere and loyal attitude. He works hard to reach the goal of the literary ministry and also silently protects him. Read this spiritual garden.
Brother Ding, thank you for the example you set for us. Let us meet again in heaven!
The two-sided relationship with Brother Ding
Liao Meihui (special writer for this magazine)
I was shocked, sad and reluctant to learn the news that Brother Ding was laid to rest in his arms. Yes, he has ceased all the labors of the world, run the course, fought the good fight, and returned home in glory, wearing the crown of glory.
I only met Brother Ding twice, but I was deeply impressed by him. One was in 2005 at the KRC camp in Pennsylvania, USA, and the other was in 2009 at Tian'en Publishing House in Taipei. During the first conversation, we learned that he cared about his daughter's life and study in the United States. I felt the depth of Ding's father's heart, and also felt Ding's affinity. He was able to speak like a normal person to the junior whom he met for the first time. So I naturally followed everyone and called him "Brother Ding".
▲KRC 2005 camp venue—Maria Monastery in Pennsylvania, where I first met Ding Ge.
When we met for the second time, I asked Brother Ding to recommend some good books for me to take back to the United States. He introduced three books: the first book "Leap of Faith". Brother Ding said that this book is a precious historical material and worth collecting. He encouraged me to read more biographies of Christians who have made leaps of faith over the past two thousand years. In the second book, "Coach Wooden's Pyramid of Success," Ding said that the layout of this book is very new, with scriptures and verses at the end of each article. Meditation, covenant making and prayer; the third book is the "Bible for Workplace Ministry Edition" published by the "Chinese Bible Society". Brother Ding emphasized that if I can only bring one book back to the United States, then it must be this Bible. He strongly expressed that the Bible constantly calls people to become leaders, and this workplace ministry version of the Bible is the best tool book prepared for all spiritual leaders.
▲In 2005, the teacher lineup of Pennsylvania KRC Cultural Camp was extremely prosperous. From left: Gao Lili, Ding Yuanping, Chen Jingzhi, Shen Guanglan, Su Wen'an, Huang Ruiyi, Mo Fei.
Every time I see these three books at home, I will think of Brother Ding. He is earnest and good at tempting, and wishes that each of us would read more good books and God’s words. From the connection of these three books, I can infer Brother Ding’s values, which are: read God’s words every day, cultivate underachievers like a coach, and learn from spiritual predecessors to live a life of faith.
Thank you, Brother Ding, for dedicating yourself wholeheartedly to the field of Christian publishing; thank you, Brother Ding, for setting an example for us by setting an example of our faith; thank you, Brother Ding, for taking the lead in fighting the good fight for Christian literature ministry, and because of you , inspired many literary elites in Taiwan and overseas.
Dear Brother Ding, we will miss you forever!
Jiahe Streamer
Li Wenping (executive editor of this magazine)
Before 2015, I first contacted President Ding through mail and telecommunications. Because he had just taken over the position of executive editor of "The Kingdom of God", the editor-in-chief Pastor Su Wen'an trusted him to edit each issue of "The Kingdom of God". Give me the article. I obeyed the order with trepidation, how could I be qualified to "write ink" on the scholarly words of the president? But after reading each issue, Brother Ding almost completely agreed with the editor's suggestions and praised him from time to time. His demeanor of a humble gentleman and his generosity as a loving brother are impressive. Although I have never met Brother Ding, I follow my co-workers and call him "Brother Ding" not only out of politeness and respect from the Lord, but also a sense of closeness that stems from the heart. When I integrated the commemorative texts of all my co-workers, the image of Brother Ding became more concrete and distinct in front of my eyes, as if I was looking at the Lord’s vast harvest field. The camera suddenly zoomed in, and the grace of a golden harvest jumped into my eyes...