George H. Lang

George Henry Lang (November 20, 1874 – October 20, 1958), was a noted Bible teacher, prolific author, and biblical scholar of his time.^[1] Of his Christian contemporaries, Lang was influenced by the writings of G.H. Pember, C.H. Spurgeon, A.T. Pierson, and George Müller. Today, some admirers of G.H. Lang remember him as one of the few Bible expositors who, in the past 150 years, saw the 'ground of the church'. He argued that the ground of the church is essentially related to the practical oneness of all the believers in Christ.^[2][3]

Life and Belief

Lang was born in Southeast London, England. His mother died shortly after Lang's birth, and he was raised under the influence of his Christian father. Lang made a profession of the Christian faith and dedicated his life to Jesus Christ at 7 years old.^[4] Early on, Lang affiliated himself with the Exclusive Brethren; but later in life, he affiliated himself with the Open Brethren. Lang held the belief that the only qualification for a believer was having made a sincere profession of faith. For this one belief, Lang is considered by some Plymouth Brethren as the most controversial figure since Darby regarding the administration of the Church affairs.^[5] Later in Lang's life and teachings, he challenged Darby's "federation view" of the church and stressed the local fellowship's autonomy and independence.^[2]

Ministry and Work

Lang did not look to man for the means of his subsistence, but only to God, and Lang's faith grew with its exercise. In Lang's words,^[6][7]

"Praying is working, and not merely an adjunct to working. It is a form of working, and not simply a somewhat properly added to our efforts out of reverence to the Almighty; nor is it only an appeal for His blessing to prosper our labours. When a righteous man prays he works. For prayer in the spirit is one agency by which the Spirit of God effects through the believer His will, and is, indeed, a putting forth of His energy."

Lang was a very close student of the Holy Scriptures and an independent thinker. He was not prepared to take traditional interpretations unless he was personally convinced that they were right.^[5] Lang was also an active Gospel preacher and from time to time he was found in countries from the Arabian deserts to the Russian steppes preaching. Lang almost traveled and preached in the entire world in his missionary career.^[5]

Lang once said,^[8]

"No man should write a book until he is 40. He needs to prove his theories in practice before publishing."

Most of Lang's books were published after he was 50 years old.

Death

Lang died at age 83, in Wimborne, Dorset, England.^[5]

Books

Lang's writings include fourteen major books and many other booklets. Some of his works are noted below.

• Anthony Norris Groves - Biography of A.N. Groves
• Atoning Blood
• The Unequal Yoke
• Firstfruits and Harvest
• Firstborn Sons -Their Rights and Risk
• The New Birth
• The Clean Heart
• Balanced Christianity
• Coming Events, An Outline of Bible Prophecy
• The Earlier Years of the Modern Tongues Movement
• Departure - An Appeal Addressed by one of Themselves Mainly to Christians Known as Open Brethren
• Divine Guidance - Its Reality, Methods, Conditions
• The First Resurrection
• God's Plan - Christ's Suffering and the Spirit's Power
• The History and Diaries of an Indian Christian - J.C. Aroolappen
• The Local Assembly
• The Histories and Prophecies of Daniel
• The Epistle to the Hebrews
• The Revelation of Jesus Christ
• An Ordered Life - The Autobiography of G.H. Lang

See also

• Robert Govett
• Watchman Nee
• John Nelson Darby
• Plymouth Brethren
• Local Churches

References

External links

• Concerning the Ground of the Church Bible expositors, those who over the past century and a half, have seen the ground of the church
• Schoettle Publishing Company - Books by G. H. Lang