Tuesday
For many travel agencies in China, the year-end government tour groups are their biggest business. They set up so-called "Big Client Departments" to cater to these high-end groups and provide tailor-made pleasure trips called "Fact-finding Seminars" or "Business Opportunity Evaluation Trips". The sole purpose of these trips is to spend whatever is left in the annual budget before the new fiscal year begins. "This is not our money, let us spend it!" is a prevalent attitude in China, not only for office workers but also for people who work in the church. We need to pray that all believers commit to good stewardship and realize all they have belongs to God so they need to manage the money, time, and talents He has given them well.
Wednesday
The Central Government of China has repeatedly warned of the need for supervision for officials in the matter of budget management but it is no secret that government agencies at all levels have their so-called "public services budget" which they can use for anything whether it is gifts, events including big meals, or recreation all in the name of "public service". Unfortunately this kind of corruption exists in the churches as well. Before we condemn others we pray for integrity for all church leaders and those who handle the finances in them. We pray, too, that churches will be free of any suspicion of misuse or squandering and waste of God's money.
Thursday
Recently, Chinese online booksellers have been having an all-out price war and have even given away bestsellers. Bargain pricing has dramatically changed the landscape of the Chinese book market and disrupted traditional bookstores in an unhealthy competition. Unfortunately, readers of books are confused of how booksellers make a profit. We praise God that Christian bookstores that provide spiritual reading materials and train believers to pay for Christian books have sprung up in quite a few cities. However, the vast majority of Chinese believers do not have the habit of reading this kind of books. We pray for spiritual growth, especially for those in the younger generation who seldom read traditional books.
Friday
In mainland China once a woman is past the age of thirty, she is considered a "left over" and this has become a major social phenomenon with those who are twenty-five to twenty-eight also becoming very worried about their marriage prospects. The number of Chinese singles is climbing with more women unmarried in the cities and more men in the villages. In the urban churches in China, there are many sisters who are single or unable to find suitable mates, especially those who have a university degree or are professionals. We remember them in our prayers as they wait patiently for the Lord's own provision. We ask the Lord to bless them with joy, a heart of thanksgiving, and a trust in God that knows He will give them the very best.
Saturday
One reason China has so many "left over ladies" is that young women are more realistic, materialistic, and picky than men when it comes to choosing a mate. They no longer want to marry someone purely on love alone but demand that their potential mates have a good income and a good job--expecting that their mate will have better qualifications than themselves. Being a single female believer in the Chinese church is rather awkward since the older women want to match them with young men who aren't necessarily appropriate Christians. Single Christian men are not easy to find and there are very few fellowships that are designed to accommodate single young women believers. Let us pray for the spiritual health of all of the single sisters so they will feel a sense of self-worth and be strong to resist temptation.
Sunday
The official projection is that by 2020 China will have twenty-four million bachelors. However the numbers in the cities will be dramatically different from those in the countryside. In cities, single women will outnumber single men because women will not marry men who cannot afford to buy a house while in the villages there will be few women of marriageable age available due to the one-child policy. There are some churches that have fellowships for singles but this is quite rare and even then only in the larger cities. Most Chinese believers still hold the view that being a single is a "defect". We pray that churches will really care about the spiritual health of all single believers, not just whether they are married or not, but will encourage them to deepen their commitment to God and their church.
Monday
Due to the traditional culture and value system, many Chinese women attach great importance to the financial ability of their potential partners which also mirrors current social and economic conditions. Many Chinese men are unable to find a wife because they do not have a good job or are unable to provide for their families by buying a house or a car, etc. It is said that men in China who have adequate financial means are getting harder and harder to find. Many young Christians come from non-Christian families but their parents naturally expect them marry any good prospect quickly without consideration of their faith. May the Lord help those who experience parental pressures to marry unbelievers. We pray for a good relationship with their parents and that they will continue to be a good witness to them.
星期二
「政府團」即政府機構組織的考察團，儼然成了中國眾旅行社年末最大的生意。這些團隊出門從來都是只要最好、「最貴」，其他無所謂， 目的是要將機構一年財政預算，在年終之前花掉。「反正不是我的錢」是中國人不好的心態，不僅僅在上班族，連服事於教會同工中也有此類趨向。 讓我們為能成為神忠心善良的好管家禱告，我們一切都屬於祂，有責任管理神託管我們的金錢，時間以及恩賜。
星期三
借用公家名義來消費、搞活動、大吃大喝，幾乎是中國公家機關的專利。雖然官方一直強調，要高度重視財政支出預算的執行與管理，堅決制止「年底突擊花錢」，但每個單位都有所謂的公共服務支出 ，用來做各樣娛樂的開銷。可惜這種腐敗的風氣也多少影響了中國教會。在指責他人之先，我們為所有教會領袖及經手管理教會財政者禱告，求主賜他們正直的心，不讓教會有任何財務誤用或浪費奉獻的嫌疑
星期四
近來中國網路書店掀起了一場規模龐大的價格戰，甚至有「零元售書」。低價促銷改變了圖書市場，更嚴重打擊了傳統書店，這樣的競爭難稱健康。頻繁的價格戰很自然地令讀者懷疑：這麼低的折扣都能賺錢，圖書的利潤到底有多少？感謝主，近來許多城市都有基督教書房，提供屬靈讀物，也漸漸改變了從前基督徒只讀「不要錢」書籍的習慣。然而絕大多數中國信徒並無閱讀屬靈書刊的習慣，讓我們為信徒在靈命追求，尤其是年輕的一代更有長進禱告。
星期五
在中國，「剩女」已儼然成為一種社會現象。大陸地區女性超過三十歲未出嫁就算是剩女了，若二十七、八歲還沒對象,就開始有壓力，甚至有的二十五、六歲就開始擔心嫁不掉了。中國單身人數攀升，城鎮剩女多於剩男，鄉村則剩男多於剩女。城市教會常有許多未婚或己達適婚年齡但尚未有對象的姐妹們，其中高學位或專業白領族的比例更高。我們為她們在主面前，耐心等候神最美好的預備來祈求。求主賜她們常懷喜樂和感恩，深信神對她們有美好的計劃.
星期六
中國「剩女」多可能是現在中國的女人太現實，太物質，擇偶時眼睛向上看, 擇偶條件不再僅只是因為愛，往往都要求男士收入高、工作好；一般都遵行男強女弱的傳統格局。在中國教會，身為單身相當尷尬，好心的中年姐妹們會特別關心要介紹男友，但是教會中合適的弟兄卻少而又少。單身姐妹也很難打入年紀相近的家庭團契，更少有專門為她們成立的團契。我們為所有單身信徒靈命健康來祈求，願主保守她們能肯定自我的價值，不落入自憐也堅強抵擋試探。
星期日
依據官方調查，到2020年中國會出現二千四百萬男光棍，這數字是城鄉適婚人口的總計，若細分，鄉村未婚男子多於女性，城鎮則未婚女子多於男性。原因是農村再窮也能過日子，但獨子政策使男多女少。而城巿高房價、高物價的形勢下，男人收入低，女方就不願嫁。在中國極少有單身團契。一般仍視單身為「缺陷」，願教會除了關心未婚信徒感情的需要，更要關心他們靈命上的成長，鼓勵對神和教會有更深的委身。
星期一
很多女性重視伴侶的物質條件與傳統文化息息相關，也與當前經濟形勢有關。大多數男性找不到結婚對象,是因經濟條件較差，一般女性不願輕易下嫁。許多年輕基督徒是來自不信主的家庭，他們的父母親不會從孩子的信仰角度來考量,只希望他們能快點找到對象儘早成家。求主幫助面對家長催婚壓力的信徒，讓他們能與父母親保持良好的關係，也能繼續為主做美好的見證。
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