The Collected Works of Witness Lee, 1956, volume 3, contains messages given by Brother Witness Lee from May 2, 1956, through January 21, 1957. Historical information concerning Brother Lee's travels and the content of his ministry in 1956 can be found in the general preface that appears at the beginning of volume 1 in this set. The contents of this volume are divided into eleven sections, as follows: 1. Two messages given in Taipei, Taiwan, on May 2 and 3, 1956. These messages are included in this volume under the title Comments on the Testimonies of the Trainees. 2. Two messages published in The Ministry of the Word in 1956. These messages are included in this volume under the title A God Who Hides Himself. Chapter 1 of this section is an unabridged version of the message included in volume 2 as chapter 1 of the section entitled The Ministry of the Word, Miscellaneous Messages, 1956. 3. Two sets of personal notes written in July 1956 and in October through December 1956. These notes are included in this volume under the title Witness Lee's Personal Notes. 4. A talk given in Hong Kong on August 15, 1956. This talk is included in this volume under the title A Talk concerning Wedding Meetings. 5. Eight messages given in Hong Kong on August 21 through 30, 1956. These messages are included in this volume under the title The Inner Operation of God and the Salvation of Man's Tripartite Being. 6. Nine messages given in Hong Kong on August 22 through 30, 1956. These messages are included in this volume under the title Transformation and Conformation in God's Salvation. 7. Five messages given in Hong Kong beginning on September 2, 1956. These messages, which appear as four chapters and an appendix, were previously published in a book entitled The Meaning and Purpose of Prayer and are included in this volume under the same title. 8. Fourteen messages given in Hong Kong on September 5 through October 4, 1956. These messages are included in this volume under the title Guidelines for the Experience of Life. 9. Ten messages given in Hong Kong in September and October 1956. These messages are included in this volume under the title Guidelines for Service. 10. Ten messages given in Hong Kong in September and October 1956. These messages are included in this volume under the title Critiques Given during the Practice of Giving Messages. 11. Six messages given in Manila, Philippines, on December 31, 1956, through January 21, 1957. These messages are included in this volume under the title The Testimony of Jesus and Our Overcoming.

The Collected Works of Witness Lee, 1956, volume 2, contains messages given by Brother Witness Lee mainly in April 1956. Historical information concerning Brother Lee's travels and the content of his ministry in 1956 can be found in the general preface that appears at the beginning of volume 1 in this set. The contents of this volume are divided into four sections, as follows: 1. Four messages published in The Ministry of the Word in 1956. These messages are included in this volume under the title The Ministry of the Word, Miscellaneous Messages, 1956. Chapter 1 was previously published in a booklet entitled A God Who Hides Himself. An unabridged version of this message is included in volume 3 of this set as chapter 1 of the section entitled A God Who Hides Himself. 2. Seventeen messages given in Taipei, Taiwan, in April. These messages were previously published in a book entitled Three Aspects of the Church, Book 1: The Meaning of the Church and are included in this volume under the same title. 3. Nineteen messages given in Taipei, Taiwan, in April. These messages were previously published in a book entitled Three Aspects of the Church, Book 2: The Course of the Church and are included in this volume under the same title. 4. Eighteen messages given in Taipei, Taiwan, in April. These messages were previously published in a book entitled Three Aspects of the Church, Book 3: The Organization of the Church and are included in this volume under the same title.

The Collected Works of Witness Lee, 1954, volume 3, contains messages given by Brother Witness Lee in 1954 through 1956. Historical information concerning Brother Lee's travels and the content of his ministry in 1954 can be found in the general preface that appears at the beginning of volume 1 in this set. The contents of this volume are divided into three sections, as follows: 1. Seven messages given in 1954. The place and time are not accurately known. These messages were previously published in a book entitled Dead to Law but Living to God and are included in this volume under the same title. 2. Six messages given in Manila, Philippines, and Taipei, Taiwan, in 1954 through 1956. These messages were previously published in a book entitled The Service for Building Up the House of God and are included in this volume under the same title. 3. Two hundred sixty-six outlines compiled from messages given in Taipei, Taiwan, in October 1954 on gospel subjects from the Old Testament and the New Testament and various special topics. These outlines were previously published in a book entitled Gospel Outlines and are included in this volume under the same title.

According to the available records, Brother Witness Lee ministered in Taiwan during the first half of 1956. In July he was in the Philippines. In August he traveled to Hong Kong, and he ministered there until early October before returning to the Philippines, where he remained until the end of January 1957. The contents of the ministry of Brother Witness Lee in 1956 are divided into three volumes. The first two volumes consist of his speaking in Taipei, Taiwan, in the first half of the year. The third volume is composed of his speaking in Taipei, his speaking in Hong Kong from August 15 to the first part of October, and his speaking in the Philippines until the end of January 1957. The Collected Works of Witness Lee, 1956, volume 1, contains messages given by Brother Witness Lee in February through May 1956. Historical information concerning Brother Lee's travels and the content of his ministry in 1956 can be found in the general preface that appears at the beginning of this volume. The contents of this volume are divided into two sections, as follows: 1. Twenty-one messages given in Taipei, Taiwan, in February. These messages were previously published in a book entitled The Church as the Body of Christ and are included in this volume under the same title. 2. Thirty-nine messages given in Taipei, Taiwan, in March through May. These messages are included in this volume under the title Revelations in the Books of Poetry: Seeing the Experiences of God's Holy People.

The Collected Works of Witness Lee, 1971, volume 3, contains messages given by Brother Witness Lee from June 15 through August 19, 1971. During this period Brother Lee remained in Atlanta, Georgia, until June 20, after which he visited Toronto, Canada; and Detroit, Michigan. There is no record of his speaking in the latter two cities. He then traveled to Akron, Ohio, at the beginning of July, and he remained there for a little more than a week before going on to Seattle, Washington. After spending a week in Seattle, he visited San Francisco for a week and returned to Los Angeles at the end of July, where he remained until the end of the third week in August. The contents of this volume are divided into eight sections, as follows: 1. Four messages given in Atlanta, Georgia, from June 15 through 19. These messages are included in this volume under the title Being Saved in Christ's Life and Walking according to the Spirit for the Building Up of the Body of Christ. 2. Seven messages given in Akron, Ohio, from July 2 through 5. There is no record of the speaking of messages 2, 3, and 6 of this series. The remaining four messages are included in this volume under the title Enjoying Christ as the Tree of Life for the Accomplishment of God's Purpose. 3. Twelve messages given in Akron, Ohio, from July 5 through 11. There is no record of the speaking of messages 4, 5, 8, 9, and 12 of this series. The remaining seven messages are published in this volume under the title Gaining People and Building Them Up for the Body of Christ. 4. Thirteen messages given in Seattle, Washington, from July 12 through 18. These messages are included in this volume under the title Enjoying the All-inclusive Christ as the Life-giving Spirit for the Fulfillment of God's Eternal Purpose. 5. Thirteen messages given in San Francisco, California, from July 19 through 25. They are included in this volume under the title Experiencing Christ as the Spirit for the Recovery of the Church as the Body of Christ and the House of God. 6. Eight messages given in Los Angeles, California, from July 30 through August 8. These messages are published in this volume under the title Overcoming the Church's Degradation to Produce the Man-child and the Bride for the Fulfillment of God's Purpose. 7. Twenty-four messages given in Los Angeles, California, in the summer of 1971. These messages were previously published only in English in a book entitled The Visions of Ezekiel. Later, these messages were combined with another set of twenty-four messages on Ezekiel given in Taipei, Taiwan, in the autumn of 1961. The combined set of messages was published as the Life-study of Ezekiel. Neither the Life-study of Ezekiel nor the messages that were previously published in English in the book entitled The Visions of Ezekiel are included in The Collected Works of Witness Lee. 8. Seven messages given in Los Angeles, California, from August 10 through 19. These messages were previously published as a book under the title The Speciality, Generality, and Practicality of the Church Life.

The Collected Works of Witness Lee, 1957, volume 3, contains messages given by Brother Witness Lee from September through December 1957. Historical information concerning Brother Lee's travels and the content of his ministry in 1957 can be found in the general preface that appears at the beginning of volume 1 in this set. The contents of this volume are divided into ten sections, as follows: 1. Six messages given in Manila, Philippines, and Hong Kong in September through December. These messages were previously published in a book entitled The Living God and the God of Resurrection and are included in this volume under the same title. Chapter 3 was previously published in English in a book entitled The God of Resurrection. 2. Two private talks given in Hong Kong on October 30 and November 16. These talks are included in this volume under the title Two Private Talks in Hong Kong. 3. Six messages given in Hong Kong on November 3 through December 22. These messages are included in this volume under the title The Fellowship of Life and God's Work in Man. 4. Three messages given in Hong Kong in November. These messages are included in this volume under the title A Word to Young People. 5. Eight messages given in Hong Kong in November and December. These messages are included in this volume under the title The Supply of the Word, Shepherding, and the Administration Needed for the Building Up of the Church. 6. Nine messages given in Hong Kong in November. Four of the messages were previously published in a book entitled The Kingdom and the Church. All nine messages are included in this volume under the same title. 7. Four messages given in Hong Kong on November 17 through 30. These messages are included in this volume under the title The Ground of the Church. 8. Twelve messages given in Hong Kong. These messages are included in this volume under the title The Ground of the Church and the Ministry That Builds Up the Church. 9. Eight messages given in Hong Kong on December 4 through 21. These messages were previously published in a book entitled Service for the Building Up of the Church and are included in this volume under the same title. 10. Three messages given in Hong Kong in December. The second and third of these messages were previously published in a book entitled Men Who Turn the Age. The first message was added at the time of the compilation of this volume. The three messages are included in this volume under the same title.

The Collected Works of Witness Lee,1969, volume 3, contains messages given by Brother Witness Lee from July 17 through December 28, 1969. Brother Lee remained in Los Angeles through the month of July until the end of August. He made a brief trip to San Francisco, California, and then rested nearly the entire month of September. At the beginning of October he visited San Francisco, California; and then traveled to Phoenix, Arizona; Mesa, Arizona; Albuquerque, New Mexico; Las Vegas, Nevada; and San Francisco, California; a second time. After returning to Los Angeles for one day in the middle of November, he visited Yorba Linda, California; Louisville, Kentucky; Toronto, Canada; East Hartland, Connecticut; Boston, Massachusetts; New York City; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and Erie, Pennsylvania. He returned to Los Angeles at the end of December. Regrettably, there is no record of his speaking in Phoenix, Las Vegas, Louisville, Toronto, East Hartland, and Boston. The majority of his speaking in Pittsburgh and Erie was recorded in handwritten notes. The contents of this volume are divided into fourteen sections, as follows: 1. Twenty-six messages given in Los Angeles, California, from July 17 through August 21. These messages were previously published in a twenty-four-chapter book under the title Christ and the Church Revealed and Typified in the Psalms. 2. One message given in Los Angeles, California, on August 16. It is included in this volume under the title An Additional Word in Response to Testimonies concerning Five Secrets of Life Revealed in Second Peter 1. 3. Five messages given in Los Angeles, California, on August 22 through 24. The first four of these messages were previously published in The Ministry magazine, volume 2, numbers 4 through 7, April, May, June, and July 1998, and the fifth message was previously published in The Ministry magazine, volume 2, number 8, August/September 1998, as one section of a compilation of Brother Lee's speaking on migration during the years 1969, 1970, 1971, and 1972. The entire series of five messages previously published in The Ministry magazine appeared under the title Migration in God's Move. 4. One message given in Los Angeles, California, on November 16. This message is included in this section under the title Fellowship on Migration. 5. Seven messages given in San Francisco, California, from August 29 through September 1 and on October 3. They are included in this volume under the title Exercising the Spirit and Walking according to the Spirit to Build Up the Church. 6. Three messages given in Los Angeles, California, on August 21 and 22. They are included in this volume under the title Denying Our Soul-life and the Living, Walking, and Abiding in Our Spirit for the Building Up of the Church. 7. One message given in Los Angeles, California, on September 25. This message is included in this volume under the title Helping the New Believers to Be Properly Grounded in Their Salvation and to Grow in Life. 8. One message given in Mesa, Arizona, on October 15. It is included in this volume under the title Needing to Live in Our Spirit in Order to Meet in the Proper Way. 9. Six messages given in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on October 17 through 20. These messages are published in this volume under the title Enjoying the All-inclusive Spirit in Our Human Spiritfor the Building Up of the Church. There is no record of the first two messages. 10. Four messages given in San Francisco, California, on November 7 through 9. They are included in this volume under the title Fall Conference in San Francisco. 11. Eight messages given in Yorba Linda, California, on November 27 through 30. These messages are included in this volume under the title The Two Trees in the Christian Life. Two of the messages were combined. 12. Four messages given in New York City on December 18 through 21. They are included in this volume under the title Enjoying and Ministering Christ for the Fulfillment of God's Purpose. 13. One message given in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on December 22. This message is included in this volume under the title The Lord's Recovery of the Practice of the Church Life. Its contents were taken from the personal notes of an attendee. Brother Lee spoke two additional messages on December 23, but there is no substantial record of his speaking. 14. Thirteen messages given in Erie, Pennsylvania, on December 24 through 28. These messages are included in this volume under the title The Lord's Recovery of the Church Life. Of the thirteen messages spoken, only two were recorded. The content of the remaining chapters was taken from the personal notes of a conference attendee. Some messages were combined to form the nine chapters in this section. In addition to the above, Brother Lee gave six messages in Los Angeles, California, on August 16 through 21. These messages, together with messages given in 1963 and 1965, were previously published in a book under the title Our Human Spirit. This book in its entirety is included in The Collected Works of Witness Lee, 1965, volume 3.

The Collected Works of Witness Lee, 1953, volume 3, contains messages given by Brother Witness Lee in 1953 through 1968. Historical information concerning Brother Lee's travels and the content of his ministry in 1953 can be found in the general preface that appears at the beginning of volume 1 in this set. The contents of this volume are divided into three sections, as follows: 1. Fourteen messages given in Taipei, Taiwan, in 1953 and 1954. These messages were previously published in a book entitled The Knowledge of Life and are included in this volume under the same title. 2. Nineteen messages given in Taipei, Taiwan, in 1953 and 1954. These messages were previously published in a book entitled The Experience of Life and are included in this volume under the same title. 3. Seven messages given in Manila, Philippines, and Taipei, Taiwan, in 1953 through 1968. These messages were previously published in a book entitled Character and are included in this volume under the same title.

The Collected Works of Witness Lee, Letters and Gleanings, volume 3, contains messages given by Brother Witness Lee from 1972 through 1996. The contents of this volume are divided into twenty-four sections, as follows: 1. Six messages given in various locations in 1972. These messages are included in this volume under the title Miscellaneous Gleanings, 1972. 2. Seven messages given in Toronto, Canada, on June 16 through 21, 1972. These messages are included in this volume under the title The Kingdom as the Growth of Christ within Us for the Building Up of the Church. 3. A message given in San Jose, California, on an unknown date. This message is included in this volume under the title Christ--God, the Redeemer, the Life-giving Spirit, and the Body of Christ. 4. Three messages given in Taipei, Taiwan, between January 24 and February 18, 1972. These messages are included in this volume under the title Growth in Life in the Book of Ephesians. The three messages were combined into one chapter. 5. Six messages given in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on November 30 through December 3, 1972. These messages are included in this volume under the title Enjoying the Riches of Christ to Produce the Fullness of Christ. 6. A message given in the Magnolia House in Los Angeles, California, in August 1973. This message is included in this volume under the title Fellowship with Saints Migrating to New York City. 7. A message given in an unknown location in 1973. This message is included in this volume under the title The Indwelling Christ. 8. A message given in an unknown location in 1974. This message is included in this volume under the title Our Commission from the Lord. 9. Three messages given in an unknown location in 1974. These messages are included in this volume under the title Building the Church as the House of God with the Seven Spirits. 10. Six messages given in Taiwan in 1975. These messages are included in this volume under the title Miscellaneous Gleanings, 1975. 11. Two messages given in Anaheim, California, on June 27 and 28, 1978. These messages are included in this volume under the title Additional Messages for The Testimony and Way of Life in the Lord's Recovery. The four messages under the title The Testimony and Way of Life in the Lord's Recovery are included in The Collected Works of Witness Lee, 1978, volume 2. 12. Two messages given in San Jose and San Francisco, California, respectively, on January 12, 1979. These messages are included in this volume under the title Messages Given in San Jose and San Francisco. 13. A message given in Anaheim, California, on February 8, 1979. This message is included in this volume under the title Fellowship concerning Training and the Two Aspects of Spiritual Experience. 14. Two messages given in San Francisco, California, on February 17, 1980. These messages are included in this volume under the title Gleanings on Galatians. 15. Three messages given in Berkeley, California, on July 18 and 19, 1981. These messages are included in this volume under the title Christ as Revealed in 1 Corinthians. 16. A message given in Irving, Texas, on December 6, 1983. This message is included in this volume under the title Our Consideration, Attitude, and Ways to Contact Christians. 17. A message given in Anaheim, California, on May 19, 1984. This message is included in this volume under the title A Married Life in Spirit. 18. A series of fellowships given in Anaheim, California, from November 1991 through July 1993 to the co-workers serving in Russia. This series is included in this volume under the title Practical Fellowship concerning the Lord's Move in Russia. 19. A fellowship given by telephone in Anaheim, California, to a group of responsible brothers in Toledo, Ohio, on January 19, 1992. This fellowship is included in this volume under the title Seeing the Body of Christ, Caring for the Oneness of the Body, and Carrying Out the God-ordained Way. 20. Two messages given in Anaheim, California, on March 16 and 17, 1993. These messages are included in this volume under the title Building Up the Vital Groups to Gain the Increase. 21. A message given in Anaheim, California, in 1996. This message is included in this volume under the title Crystals in the Book of Romans and Christ's Threefold Ministry. 22. A message given in Anaheim, California, on July 11, 1996. This message is included in this volume under the title Entering into a New Age to Work Together with the Lord. 23. Five messages given in various unspecified locations and on unknown dates. These messages are included in this volume under the title Miscellaneous Gleanings, Unknown Dates. 24. Two messages given in unspecified locations and on unknown dates. These messages are included in this volume under the title Questions and Answers concerning the Ground of the Church. 25. Two messages given in an unspecified location and on unknown dates. These messages are included in this volume under the title A Brief History of the Lord's Recovery in China and the United States.

This issue of The Ministry of the Word contains the first eight of the sixteen messages given during the fall 2021 term of the full-time training in Anaheim, California. The general subject of this series of messages is "Chapters Five through Eight of Romans--the Kernel of the Bible." These first eight messages and the subsequent eight messages (published in an upcoming issue) will focus on Romans 5 and 6. This general subject will then be continued in the messages of the spring 2022 term and will focus on Romans 7 and 8. The life and death form two contrasting lines in chapters 5 through 8, showing that man is at the center of a triangular situation between God and Satan, that is, between life and death. The tree of life and the tree of knowledge (the tree of death) issue in two lines--the line of life and the line of death--that run through the entire Bible and consummate in the book of Revelation. The line of life begins with the tree of life in Genesis 2 and issues in the New Jerusalem in Revelation 22 as the city of the water of life with the tree of life, the light of life, and the glory of life. Similarly, the line of death begins with the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in Genesis 2 and ends with the lake of fire in Revelation 20. The kernel of the Bible is that Christ has been revealed into us as life and that we live, have our being, and exist by Christ as the divine life. God put us into Christ with the desire that we would be transformed and conformed to the image of His Son so that we might be thoroughly one with Christ. In this way we are built up together as the living Body of Christ to contain and express Christ for the Father's glory and for our glorification in Christ. Romans 5 reveals that the result of our justification is the full enjoyment of God in Christ as our life.