Concerning the Purpose of Editora Arvore da Vida
and the Source of the Churches in South America
The following quotes show that the original purpose for which Editora Arvore da Vida was founded was to translate and publish the ministry of Watchman Nee and Witness Lee in the Portuguese language:
Concerning the literature work, because Spanish is the third largest language in the world, Living Stream Ministry has established the Spanish Language Section. After some fellowship with Brother Lee, we in Brazil also set up a Bookroom to publish Brother Lee's messages, translated from the English books published by Living Stream Ministry. These books are of three categories: first, life-studies, to supply food to all the brothers and sisters in the churches. Second, books to fight for the truth. Third, booklets to preach the gospel of glory, so that people would not just receive the gospel of grace but also hear the gospel of glory, thus being brought into the church life. (Dong Yu Lan, speaking translated from History and Revelation, vol. 2, p. 280)
THE EDITORA ARVORE DA VIDA (Tree of Life Publishers): Established in 1976 with the goal of translating and publishing the books of brothers Watchman Nee and Witness Lee in the Portuguese language. ("A 10,000 People Meeting Hall for the Universal Blending of the Body of Christ," p. 6)
Thus, EAV was established to publish the writings of Watchman Nee and Witness Lee, and the brothers in Brazil attributed the increase of saints and churches in South America to the spread of that literature.
Concerning the literature work, many books by Brother Lee and Brother Watchman Nee were translated into Portuguese, and we did our best to spread the recovery books to all of the South American countries. The one book The Economy of God by Brother Lee had 25,000 copies printed and distributed.
We thank the Lord that the number of saints and the number of churches continue to increase due to the enjoyment of Brother Lee's ministry, the spread of his literature, and the God-ordained way. (Report of the work in South America in A Memorial Biography of Brother Witness Lee [speaker not identified], p. 61)
All the churches in South America are the direct fruit of Brother Lee's ministry, which has been brought to us through Brother Dong. (The co-workers in Brazil who serve the churches in South America to the leading brothers of the Spanish-speaking churches, March 23, 1997)
We thank the Lord that the number of saints and the number of churches continue to increase due to the enjoyment of Brother Lee's ministry, the spread of his literature, and the God-ordained way. (Report of the work in South America in A Memorial Biography of Brother Witness Lee [speaker not identified], p. 61)
When God's work progressed, I felt this group of young brothers and sisters needed the supply of the Word. I myself attended the training of the ministry in the United States in 1968, 1970, 1971, and 1973. In 1975, after I returned from the training, I had some fellowship with the brothers concerning bringing them to Brother Lee for the perfecting of the word of the ministry. As a result, from 1976, every summer and winter, we had brothers from Brazil that went to the United States for the training. We received much help. After each training, all of our messages and church activities were based on the content of the messages from the training. (Dong Yu Lan, quoted in History and Revelation , vol. 2, pp. 273-274)
I must tell you, it was a wonderful time! It shocked me, by what? By the ability, the capacity of all the attendants to receive such, not only a deeper truth, I would say, the deepest truth. I must tell you that through my over 50 years of speaking, this message, I mean, this topic was the ever deeper topic. No topic I ever had picked up was so deep as this one. Yet, you couldn't believe those Brazilian saints, my, they just devoured, and swallowed, and digested. From their sharings, from their reviews, I fully realized they got into these things. I really marvelled, marvelled at their receiving ability and capacity….eventually the blessing came in for the spread and the increase, mainly from their use of the Life-Study messages. And these Life-Study messages became and still are so popular among them, in their homes, in their conversations, in their fellowships, in their talks, I realize, all the time Life-Study. Yet, listen, they didn't get so many translations of all these books yet. They only got the translations of the Life-Study messages on Genesis, on Exodus, on John, and a few on other books. Listen, just so few, yet they all have been used by the Lord to bless. ("A Partial Transcription of a Report Given by Brother Witness Lee on His Visit to Brazil, March 25, 1984")
It is not just a question of administration or shepherding, but mainly of giving direction. For example: the ministry has led us to read the Life-studies, which lead us to know the Bible more and to build up the Body. However, some churches in Brazil even now do not read the Life-studies, because the leading ones have not led them in that direction. See how important it is for the leading brothers to give a proper direction for the church. It is by this that the sons of God are able to enter the good land of Canaan. (Dong Yu Lan, As Riquezas Insondáveis de Cristo, Mensagem Dezesseis, p. 4)
Recently I received a letter from Paraguay in South America requesting two hundred fifty sets of Life-studies at one time. Another letter came from a brother who was a preacher in the Republic of Ecuador in South America. This brother's work was quite effective. He had already baptized over two thousand people and had established over twenty churches. He said that his sister had led him to see this way, and now he needed the truth materials to supply those under his leading. He presented this need to us and asked us to supply him. Even people from India have also requested our publications. It has been due to the supply of these publications and video tapes that the Lord's recovery has been able to spread rapidly to the six continents. (Words of Training for the New Way, Vol. 1, p. 31) (1987)
Today, the Lord's speaking is clearly in His recovery. The saved ones in every place and many who are hungry for the Lord desire the truth and the understanding of the Bible. Therefore, when our publications went into places such as North and South Africa, and Central and South America, those who pursue the truth were eager to receive them. The greatest need now is for the ministry station to quickly put out the publications, audio tapes, and video tapes. The audio and video tapes are being used extensively, and the results they produce are also very significant. ( Words of Training for the New Way, Vol. 1 , p. 32) (1987)
From 1974 to the present time, approximately three hundred churches, mostly in Mexico, Puerto Rico, Central America, and South America, were raised up through the Life-study publications. One brother who was sent by the Lord to Brazil used the one hundred and twenty messages of the Life-study of Genesis to raise up close to one hundred churches there. Hundreds of churches were raised up and continually fed with these publications. ( Elders' Training, Book 9: The Eldership and the God-ordained Way (1) , p. 56) (1988)
Today there are over one thousand churches around the globe. In Mexico, Central America, and South America, hundreds of churches have been raised up within the last few years through the ministry, mainly through the printed publications and the audio and video tapes. ( Elders' Training, Book 9: The Eldership and the God-ordained Way (1) , p. 86) (1988)
At present, doors are opened to the Lord's recovery in all six continents of the world. Mainly they were opened through our publications and through the video and audio tapes of messages. In places like Mexico, Central America, and South America, it is not the opening of city after city, but the opening of whole continents. The need is unprecedented in the history of Christianity. ( The Mysteries in God's New Testament Economy , pp. 13-14) (1990)
