Chinese Saint
🇨🇳Samuel Lamb
1924–2013 · Chinese · Pastor, House Church Pioneer & Prisoner for Christ
“More suffering, more glory.”
Biography
Samuel Lamb (Lin Xiangao) was born in 1924 in Guangdong Province to a pastor's family. He became a Christian in his youth and felt called to preach the Gospel. After completing his studies, he began evangelistic work in South China. In 1955, just as the Communist government was consolidating control over religious life, Lamb was arrested and sentenced to twenty years of hard labor in the coal mines of Shanxi. He spent those years memorizing Scripture and praying, a discipline that deepened his faith immeasurably. Upon his release in 1978, he immediately returned to Guangzhou and opened his home as a house church. Despite continued surveillance and periodic raids by the authorities, his congregation grew to thousands of worshippers attending multiple services each week. He distributed millions of pieces of Christian literature printed on a press hidden in his home. Lamb traveled to house churches across China to encourage believers and train leaders. He was arrested multiple times after his release but never ceased his ministry. He died in 2013 at the age of eighty-eight, having given his entire life in faithful service. His motto, 'More suffering, more glory,' captured both his theology and his biography.
Key Works
Samuel Lamb's ministry was primarily oral and practical rather than literary, but his impact through published Christian literature was enormous. He oversaw the printing and distribution of millions of gospel tracts, hymnals, and devotional booklets through his underground press in Guangzhou. Collections of his sermons and testimonies have been compiled and distributed by mission organizations and supporters worldwide. Documentary films and biographies, including accounts by Voice of the Martyrs, preserve his story and teachings for future generations.
Legacy
Samuel Lamb demonstrated that suffering does not silence the Gospel—it amplifies it. His house church in Guangzhou became a model for the unregistered church movement throughout China. By training leaders and distributing literature, he multiplied his ministry far beyond his own congregation. His life challenges comfortable Christianity and calls every believer to count the cost of discipleship. He stands as one of the most inspiring examples of perseverance and fruitfulness in the modern church.