Renowned theologian and educator Rev. Dr. Joseph Tong passed away on March 24, 2026 (local time) in Los Angeles, at the age of 85.
Tong was born in 1942 on Gulangyu Island in Xiamen, Fujian. When he was 17 months old, his father passed away. Later, he moved with his devout mother to Indonesia.
He was frail from a young age. However, he once experienced God's healing when his long-suffering neck illness miraculously subsided. After that, in a discipleship training program, he was deeply moved by the Bible and underwent repentance and spiritual rebirth.
At the age of 16, he committed his life to God, and one year later, he enrolled in the Southeast Asia Bible Seminary in Indonesia.
After graduation, in his early twenties, he demonstrated exceptional gifts in leadership and pastoral care, revitalizing the local church in a very short time.
In the early 1970s, Tong went to the United States for further studies. He earned a Bachelor of Divinity and a Master of Theology from the renowned Calvin Theological Seminary, followed by a PhD from the University of Southern California (USC) and an MBA from Indiana Theological Seminary.
After graduation again, he entered the real estate industry. Although he once became very wealthy, he later suffered a devastating failure and accumulated debts as high as $700,000. During the six and a half years of hardship repaying his debts, he came to deeply experience God's grace and the true meaning of incarnation.
Among Chinese churches both at home and abroad, Tong, together with his brothers Rev. Tong Chong Ping, Rev. Tong Chong Ming, and Rev. Stephen Tong, were known as the legendary "Four Servants of God of the Tang Family."
His elder brother, Rev. Stephen Tong, was renowned for his powerful evangelistic preaching, whereas he was known for devoting his life to the seminary classroom and to the careful training of pastoral leaders. Rooted in the Reformed theological tradition, he established a solid theoretical foundation for the Chinese church with his profound academic background and rigorous logical thinking. In the face of extreme Charismatic movements and the intrusion of heresy, he provided clear theological guidance and protection for the church.
He authored the books Foundations of the Christian Faith and Theological Reflection and Reconstruction of Faith, which have become essential reference books for many local pastors.
Tong's most significant spiritual legacy lies in his dedication to the International Theological Seminary (ITS) in Los Angeles. During the early days of seminary, he used his construction experience to renovate the classrooms and the library. During a decade of financial hardship, he received little to no salary and even used his own money to support the school's operations.
As one of the founding leaders, he served as the fourth president of ITS from 1995 to 2008. Under his leadership, the seminary successfully obtained accreditation from the Asia Theological Association (ATA) and the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada (ATS). This not only established ITS's international academic standing but also provided a formal pathway for Chinese and pastors from Asia, Africa, and Latin America to receive systematic theological training of the highest international standard. In recognition of his contributions, ITS later established the annual "Joseph Tong Reformed Theology Lectures."
Notably, his vision was not limited to North America. He turned his attention to the "Global South," where theological education resources are extremely scarce. He trained many international students from Africa and Latin America, many of whom later became bishops and seminary presidents. He also deeply rooted theological education within mainland China.
One of his contributions to the Chinese church was his perseverance and efforts in theological education. Fully aware of the difficulty for grassroots preachers in China to access rigorous theological training, he initiated efforts such as the "Wenzhou Zhendao Institute," promoting a historic transition from informal, "guerrilla-style" training programs to formal seminary-based education.
In mainland China alone, more than 1,000 preachers received systematic training and graduated under programs he was engaged in.
In the memories of his students, Tong was a mentor who advocated the integration of the "scholar-pastor" and the "pastor-scholar." He once used the Chinese character "蹲" (to squat, composed of "foot" 足 and "respect" 尊) to teach his students: "Rather be dismissed than resign," encouraging ministers to remain steadfast and responsible in their divine calling. He often said, "Be citizens of the universe," and "Live without contention with others."
- Translated by Charlie Li
