The Collected Works of Witness Lee, 1980, volume 1, contains messages given by Brother Witness Lee from January 6, 1980, through May 21, 1982. In 1980 Brother Lee spoke one hundred thirty-two messages that were published in Life-study of Exodus, Life-study of Colossians, Life-study of Galatians, Life-study of Philippians, and Life-study of 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, and Philemon. These Life-study messages are not included in The Collected Works of Witness Lee Until the end of January, Brother Lee ministered in Anaheim, California. On the last weekend in January he visited San Diego, California, and then returned to Anaheim. On a weekend in the middle of February he traveled to San Francisco, California. He returned to Anaheim and remained there until the middle of March, at which time he visited Denver, Colorado, and Albuquerque, New Mexico, for four days. During the entire month of April Brother Lee traveled to Stuttgart, Germany, and Copenhagen, Denmark, after which he visited Boston, Massachusetts, and New York City before returning to Anaheim. Brother Lee ministered in Seattle, Washington, over the Memorial Day weekend near the end of May, and he returned to Anaheim and remained there, except for a one-day visit to Fullerton, until the end of August. He then held a weekend conference in Cleveland, Ohio, after which he returned to Anaheim and remained there until the middle of September. On the third weekend in September Brother Lee ministered in Spokane, Washington, and returned to Anaheim. On the first weekend in October he visited Berkeley, California, for two days, and then he returned to Anaheim, where he remained until the middle of October. He ministered in Miami, Florida, on the third weekend in October, and he remained there for rest through the second weekend in November. He returned to Anaheim and ministered there until the end of the year. The contents of this volume are divided into three sections, as follows: 1. Three messages given in Anaheim and Fullerton, California, on January 6 and on August 10 and 14. These messages are included in this volume under the title Miscellaneous Messages. 2. A message given in Anaheim, California, on May 19. This message is included in this volume under the title Our Spiritual Situation and the Lord's Recovery. 3. Fifty-eight messages given in Anaheim, California, on February 14, 1980, through May 21, 1982. They were previously published in a fifty-six-chapter book entitled Perfecting Training and are included in this volume under the same title.

Much of what is preached and taught among Christians today concerns the earthly ministry of the Lord Jesus, that is, the work He did during His life on the earth. However, just as the person of Christ has two aspects, so does His ministry. While He was on earth, He was the man Jesus. Since His ascension into heaven, however, He is the glorified Christ. His earthly ministry lasted for only a limited time, but His heavenly ministry is eternal; it will never end. What is Christ doing now? In this book, Witness Lee answers this question, opening up the second part of Christ’s ministry, the heavenly ministry, the ministry that continues today.

This book presents a vision of Christ and the church. It then goes on the emphasize the need to experience this Christ as the Spirit in our spirit and to practice the church life on the ground of oneness.

The Collected Works of Witness Lee, 1980, volume 2, contains messages given by Brother Witness Lee from January 10 through November 30. Some of the messages were given in 1981 and in 1984. Until the end of January 1980, Brother Lee ministered in Anaheim, California. On the last weekend in January he visited San Diego, California, and then returned to Anaheim. On a weekend in the middle of February he traveled to San Francisco, California. He returned to Anaheim and remained there until the middle of March, at which time he visited Denver, Colorado, and Albuquerque, New Mexico, for four days. During the entire month of April Brother Lee traveled to Stuttgart, Germany, and Copenhagen, Denmark, after which he visited Boston, Massachusetts, and New York City before returning to Anaheim. Brother Lee ministered in Seattle, Washington, over the Memorial Day weekend near the end of May, and he returned to Anaheim and remained there, except for a one-day visit to Fullerton, until the end of August. He then held a weekend conference in Cleveland, Ohio, after which he returned to Anaheim and ministered there until the middle of September. On the third weekend in September Brother Lee ministered in Spokane, Washington, and returned to Anaheim. On the first weekend in October he visited Berkeley, California, for two days, and then he returned to Anaheim, where he remained until the middle of October. He ministered in Miami, Florida, on the third weekend in October, and he remained there for rest through the second weekend in November. He returned to Anaheim and ministered there until the end of the year. The contents of this volume are divided into seven sections, as follows: 1. Sixteen messages given to the serving ones in the Living Stream Ministry office in Anaheim, California, on January 10 through November 13. These messages are included in this volume under the title Fellowship with Serving Ones. 2. Ten messages given in Stuttgart, Germany, on April 4 through 13. They were previously published in a book entitled The Heavenly Ministry of Christ and are included in this volume under the same title. 3. Twelve messages given in Stuttgart, Germany, on April 5 through 13, 1980, and in Anaheim, California, on April 17 and 18, 1981. They were previously published in a book entitled The Completing Ministry of Paul and are included in this volume under the same title. 4. Sixteen messages given in three conferences: five messages given in Copenhagen, Denmark, on April 18 through 20; five messages given in New York City on April 25 through 27; and six messages given in Seattle, Washington, on May 23 through 26. These messages were arranged into a seventeen-chapter book and were previously published under the title The Mending Ministry of John. They are included in this volume under the same title. 5. Five messages given in an elders' training in Anaheim, California, on June 23 and 24. They are included in this volume under the title The Experience of Christ Revealed in Philippians Meeting the Present Need of the Churches. 6. Four messages given to a group of leading brothers in Cleveland, Ohio, on August 29 through September 1. These messages are included in this volume under the title Presenting the Truth to Others, Responding to Opposition, and Fighting for the Lord's Recovery. 7. Eleven messages given in two conferences: seven messages were given in Tokyo, Japan, on October 14 through 17, 1984, and four messages were given in Anaheim, California, on November 27 through 30, 1980. These messages were previously published in a book entitled The Secret of Experiencing Christ and are included in this volume under the same title.

When God created man, He placed him before two trees: the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and the tree of life. In warning man to avoid the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, God indicated His desire for man to eat of the tree of life, signifying that man should receive God as his life supply. Witness Lee unveils in The Tree of Life that God is not looking for well-behaved Christians; He is looking for those who will experience and enjoy Christ as the reality of the tree of life.