Watchman Nee's study of the Bible and his reading of many spiritual books greatly enlightened him regarding God's economy. It was according to the revelations which he received from the Lord that he was burdened to work for the Lord. This burden was actually the Lord's commission to him for His recovery in this age. His burden fell into several categories.
Watchman Nee's initial burden was to preach the gospel. Shortly after he was saved, he began to love the Lord and was intensely burdened to preach the gospel to his schoolmates and countrymen. He did this in season and out of season. For a period of time, he fasted every Saturday that he might have power to preach the gospel in the Sunday morning preaching meeting. Through his preaching nearly all his schoolmates were led to the Lord, and a revival was brought into his school. This revival, with the help of his co-workers' preaching, spread extensively to the people of his hometown in 1923. Hundreds were saved and had their lives changed. During this same period he also wrote a number of long gospel messages for publication. Through these endeavors he not only brought many sinners to the Lord and helped the church in Foochow increase; he also laid a solid foundation and a good example of gospel preaching for us. Through the years, wherever the Lord's recovery has gone, gospel preaching has been stressed and practiced. This is why hundreds of unbelievers among the Chinese people have been brought to the Lord for the spread of His kingdom.
Following gospel preaching, Watchman Nee was burdened to help young believers in the following five areas: 1) in their Christian walk, 2) in the growth of life, 3) in knowing the Bible, 4) in knowing the errors of denominationalism, and 5) in knowing the church. He instructed them in how to make a thorough confession of their sins to God, how to be reconciled with others, how to make a full clearance of the past, how to overcome sin, how to forsake the world, how to consecrate themselves to the Lord, how to study the Bible, how to pray, how to lead others to the Lord, how to meet and fellowship with the saints, how to seek the Lord's will, how to follow the inner anointing, how to live by faith, how to renounce the sects, and how to keep the unity of the Body. To fulfill this purpose he dedicated his time for two years to publish a monthly magazine entitled The Christian which received wide circulation. Thousands of copies of each issue were printed, and hundreds of young followers of the Lord were immensely edified by these messages.
Watchman Nee was also burdened to help believers have a right understanding of spiritual things concerning the Lord's interest and to teach them the truths of the Bible. In his early ministry he held a study on the book of Revelation. Following that, he held a thorough study with the church in Shanghai on the Gospel of Matthew, on the rapture and tribulation, on how to meet, and on a number of other subjects. Since he knew the Bible thoroughly, he desired to expound the Bible book after book, but the Lord frustrated this intention. He then realized that the Lord was burdening him and commissioning him concerning two things: 1) to bear a specific testimony of the Lord, and 2) to establish local churches.