This book situates Nee's view within the rich heritage of the Protestant, Catholic, and Eastern Orthodox spiritual traditions, and thus renders Nee's thought more intelligible to Christians of both evangelical and more liberal persuasions. In this book Dongsheng John Wu examines Watchman Nee's thought on the spiritual life, focusing on the relationship between spiritual formation and spiritual knowledge. Different ways of acquiring spiritual understanding are explored, including the respective roles of divine illumination, intellectual studies, and life circumstances. Understanding Watchman Nee begins by synthesizing strategic aspects of Nee's teachings as well as formative events and sources in the development of Nee's own spirituality and theology. It then utilizes the critical work of contemporary theologian Mark McIntosh to bring Nee's voice into dialogue with some important figures in the history of Christian spirituality. Such interactions reveal that Nee's crucial theological convictions exhibit strong parallels with related themes found in the church's spiritual or mystical treasures.

Listen to the prayer of the apostle Paul for his beloved church in Philippi: “this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and all discernment; so that ye may approve the things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and void of offence unto the day of Christ” (Phil. 1.9-10). What was it that inspired him to offer such a prayer for the dear saints in Philippi? Do we today desperately need the same prayer? We talk about love and fellowship, and yet we encounter many problems and failures. What is the missing link to a glorious church? Can it be the lack of “full knowledge and all perception that ye may prove [or, distinguish] the things that differ” (literal translation)? Certainly spiritual discernment is the pressing need of today. How can we obtain this full knowledge of God? Where do we get spiritual discernment that we may know the things which differ or are more excellent? These are the matters which brother Watchman Nee tried to address during his latter years of ministry. This present volume, entitled Spiritual Discernment is composed of three parts: Abound in Knowledge, Abound in Discernment, and Approve the Excellent. The Publishers were able to acquire these Notes in Chinese recently, and they have now been translated into English for sharing with the English-speaking saints. May these Notes help many in meeting the pressing need of today.

An inspiring look at Ephesians and the believer's asociation with Christ, the world, and Satan. Written by the saintly Chinese pastor, Watchman Nee.

I consider Watchman Nee to be a unique gift given by the Head to His Body.... I fully respect him as such a gift....I am more than grateful to the Lord that immediately after being saved I was brought into such a profitable relationship with Watchman Nee and put into the closest relationship with him in the work of His recovery through so many events over a long period of time.The revelations concerning Christ, the church, the Spirit, and life which I saw through Watchman Nee, the infusions of life which I received from him, and the things concerning the work and the church which I learned from him will require eternity to evaluate their true worth. By Witness Lee

"For the word of God is living, and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and quick to discover the thoughts and intents of the heart" (Heb. 4:12). The peril of the believer is to confuse the spirit for the soul and the soul for the spirit, and so be deceived into accepting the counterfeit of evil spirits to the unsettling of God's work. The greatest advantage in knowing the difference between spirit and soul is perceiving the latent power of the soul and in understanding its falsification of the power of the Holy Spirit. Such knowledge is not theoretical but practical in helping people to walk in God's way. In this book, Watchman Nee shares his insight on The Latent Power of The Soul, The Christian and Psychic Force, and Spirit Force vs Psychic Force. Nowadays the atmosphere is so charged with the commotion of all kinds of counterfeit that the Lord seems to be calling the Church to come to a higher ground. Today's situation is perilous. May we "prove all things; hold fast that which is good" (1Thes. 5:21)

This is a well-researched, easy-to-read personal glimpse into the soul of one of the world's great teachers.

The Normal Christian Life is a book by Watchman Nee first delivered as a series of addresses to Christian workers who were gathered in Denmark for special meetings in 1938 and 1939. The messages were first published chapter by chapter in the magazine A Witness and A Testimony published by Theodore Austin-Sparks. The first chapter was published in the November-December 1940 issue. This first publication of the book can be viewed in the original magazines on Austin-Sparks.Net. The messages were later compiled into a book by Angus Kinnear in 1957 in Bombay, India. In The Normal Christian Life, Watchman Nee presents foundational principles for the Christian life and walk drawing primarily from the book of Romans. The book is generally regarded by many as the first introduction of Watchman Nee to the Western world. As of 2009, this book has sold over 1 million copies and is available in many editions and languages. Watchman Nee based his speaking on the first eight chapters of the New Testament book of Romans. Nee takes the first eight chapters of Romans as a "self-contained unit" and divides these chapters into two parts: Romans 1:1 to 5:11 as part one and Romans 5:12 to 8:39 as part two. In the first part of Romans "sins" is given prominent attention and deals with the question of the sins man has committed before God. However, the second section deals with "sin," that is the inward nature, or inward working principle, within man that causes man to commit sin. Thus there is a difference between the acts of a sinner, sins, and the inward nature of a sinner, sin. Nee reveals that God's dual remedy is the Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ and the Cross of Christ. The Blood "deals with what we have done, whereas the Cross deals with what we are. The Blood disposes of our sins, while the Cross strikes at the root of our capacity for sin". As Nee progressively moves along in his book, he first touches upon the Blood and then focuses upon the Cross for the remainder of the book. Watchman Nee gave four steps in which a Christian lives the Christian life. Basing from Romans 6:6, there is the need for the knowledge of the cross of Christ as a fact in our experience. The second step is the matter of reckoning. Reckoning is the stating and considering of facts and promises that God has revealed to be true. The third step is the matter of presenting to God. Coming to Romans 6:13, Watchman Nee says that Christians consecrate that which passed through death and resurrection in the new creation. In this way, Christians would no longer live to themselves but to Christ because He has the full authority over their lives. The fourth step is the matter of Walking after the Spirit. Firstly, walking after the Spirit does not refer to our "working" but of dependence on God's working and operation. Secondly, it refers to subjection. This means that the Christian life is the yielding of all the dictates of our flesh and be of subjection to the Spirit. The Normal Christian Life is one of Nee's most well known books. It is considered by many to be a spiritual classic of Christianity. It has been reprinted and reissued in many editions and in many languages. The book's enduring appeal is not only due to Nee's exposition of Romans but also to the many illustrations, personal accounts, and anecdotes that Nee used. The Normal Christian Life has impacted millions of Christians since Nee spoke it and is a major contributor to the local churches movement today. Nee was recognized in the United States House of Representatives by Christopher H. Smith of New Jersey in 2009. He recognized Nee as having been one of the most influential Chinese Christians of his era. In the Congressional record, The Normal Christian Life is highlighted by Smith as being among his most popular and influential books. (wikipedia.org)