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. 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.

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. 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. 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.

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,

"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."

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