The Ministers & The Open Door

After Watchman Nee resumed his ministry in 1948, he worked with his co-workers to publish several magazines. Some of these magazines have been gathered together in Volumes 55 and 56 of The Collected Works. Several of these magazines, The Testimony, The Way, and The Gospel, under the general supervision and editorship of other co-workers, are not included in The Collected Works.


Three magazines published during this period are included in Volumes 55 and 56: The Ministers, The Open Door (1950-1951), and The Present Testimony (1951).


The Ministers follows the same line as an earlier magazine, The Open Door, published in the 1930s. The Ministers is a collection of newsletters and correspondence between churches and individuals. It deals with issues raised in the Lord’s service, provides guidance to the serving ones and the churches in general, and addresses problems encountered in the ministry. Through this correspondence the reader can gain much insight into the movement of the churches under Watchman Nee’s ministry during this period. Four issues were published, beginning in July 1948 and ending in June 1950. Thereafter, this magazine was merged into The Open Door (1950-1951). These four issues are included in Volume 55.


The Open Door was first published in 1937. The magazine was discontinued with Issue No. 19 in September 1939. The Open Door (1950-1951) is a continuation of this magazine. It began with Issue No. 20 in June 1950 and ended with Issue No. 24 in April 1951, when Watchman Nee was imprisoned by the Chinese Communist government. Volume 55 of The Collected Works contains Issue Nos. 20 through 22, while Volume 56 contains Issue Nos. 23 and 24. Part of this magazine contains crucial messages by Watchman Nee on ministry and service. The section concerning news of the churches in this magazine follows the same format as The Ministers.