Prayer Request 2/7 - 2/13

Tuesday
Currently the mandatory retirement age in China is 60 for men and 50 for women with 55 for those in the management level but officials are considering a flexible retirement system. In contrast to a proposal to change the retirement age of women to agree with that of men, there is the idea of a flexible retirement system which will give an age range in which both men and women can choose to retire. In 2011 the China Women's Federation released a report saying that half of the people surveyed agreed that men and women should retire at the same age. There are many believers who are barely over 50 and retired so they have the time, ability, and energy to help out in all areas of ministry. We thank the Lord for them because they make up for the lack of full-time ministers. We remember them in our prayers as they serve diligently and unselfishly and we know that their reward in heaven will be great.

Wednesday
A flexible retirement system is meant to give both men and women in China the right to choose when to retire. The suggestion is that they can choose any time between 50 to 55 years of age and that by the time they are 60 years old, all must retire. They feel that this proposed option is more reasonable and equitable than the present system. How to mobilize the large numbers of retired believers is a huge task for the churches in China. The majority of these people are helping their children care for their grandchildren. We pray that these Christian grandparents will have a powerful influence on the little ones who spend the whole day with them, especially those whose parents are not believers or are so busy they do not teach the little ones Bible stories or how to pray.

Thursday
A large number of pastors in the rural churches of China have had to give up their ministry to find jobs in the cities to support their families and pay for the educational expenses of their children. Their wives have stayed in the villages and tended the family garden plots along with caring for the family. However, they still must take care of the church ministry in their husband's absence. This is a very common situation and presents a huge load for them. These rural churches are poor and unable to financially support a shepherd so the church suffers decline in morals and a lack of spiritual nourishment. Let us remember these families and their churches.

Friday
Chinese couples or mothers in churches once they have a child often just drop out of ministry in the church to focus on the educational activities of that child. Chinese believers really need to learn the lesson of how to balance family and church. We pray for wisdom from God especially for those who serve in the churches so that people will not neglect the needs of their children but will still be faithful in serving God. Many children grow up in church feeling they are neglected by their parents because of the demands of the ministry. May the Lord heal their hurt and allow them to see how God considers their devotion to Him so very special.

Saturday
Many of the pastors and the believers alike, in the grass roots churches (including churches of migrant workers) are very poor and cannot afford anything beyond basic needs. They can hardly afford the many fees charged by schools let alone paying for a college education. They struggle trying to serve God with little salary to meet the financial needs of the family. We pray especially for believers who are migrant workers. May the Lord supply their needs in the often difficult places and grant them the faith to endure knowing God always loves them, cares for them, and they can be a powerful testimony for Him.

Sunday
The churches in China have been isolated from each other due to political, historical, geographical, economic, and cultural reasons. There has been obvious distrust between the Three-self and house churches, between urban and rural churches as well as evangelical and charismatic churches. Even in one given church there is a lot of criticism, accusations, intolerance, as well as not accepting other Christians. We ask the Lord to help the churches in China to have real unity, not all under the same system, the same style, or even the same management but rather to appreciate the diversity of churches as God's gift to them. We pray the Lord will give them unity in preaching the truth, unity in the Holy Spirit, and in mission.

Monday
There are indeed certain advantages for those university students who accepted Jesus in bigger Chinese cities. In the coastal cities like Shenzhen, Shanghai, Beijing, Tianjin, Weihai and Port Arthur, the new college believers usually have better student ministry and better shepherds to nurture them. College student ministry in China is not an easy task, student leaders often have to feed themselves spiritually and care for the new believers as well, all without the help of trained pastors. Let us pray for all the believers in colleges, may the Lord give them wisdom, strength, knowing how to effectively use their time and live out Christ's example among those they lead.



星期二
官方在調研彈性退休制度。目前中國男女法定退休年齡為男年滿六十歲、女工人年滿五十歲、女幹部年滿五十五歲。相比「女性延遲退休」，彈性退休制將對退休年齡設上下限，男女均享有選擇何時退休的權利。全國婦聯去年的調研報告顯示：超過五成被訪者同意男女同齡退休。教會中有些信徒選擇五十歲退休，並積極參與各樣事工。我們為他們能在全職傳道人手短缺情況下，成為神家的守望者感恩。求主記念他們忠心無私的擺上，又恩上加恩，力上加力。

星期三
彈性退休制，是讓男女在退休年齡上有選擇權。「比如男女有個共同退休年齡的下限，五十歲或五十五歲，到這個年齡可選擇退休。同時也設置上限年齡，比如男女都是60歲，讓男女都有機會在上下限之間有選擇的權利。」相比之前頗受關注和爭議的「婦女延遲退休」，這一制度更合理，也更能體現男女平等。如何動員已退休信徒是中國教會的一大挑戰。大部分退休信徒都會照顧孫兒女，我們為基督徒祖父母禱告(尤其子女是十分忙碌或未信的)，求主幫助他們在兒孫輩中有美好的屬靈榜樣，教導孫輩認識聖經真理，並與他們一起禱告，經歷神。

星期四
不少農村教會的傳道同工得不到教會的供應，只能到城裡打工，賺錢養家及支付兒女學費，妻子就留在農村做農活與照顧家庭，同時接手在教會服侍，擔子實在不輕省。中國農村有太多教會，貧窮到無法供應傳道人的地步。我們為沒有牧人餵養，羊群靈性虛弱的教會祈求，願主為他們開路，也願祂的憐憫恩典臨到這些單獨留在農村教會，丈夫離開教會進城打工的師母們，求主親自保守她們的家庭，堅固她們的信心和服事。

星期五
許多夫妻一旦有了孩子，常停止教會的服事，甚至為了忙孩子的學習或活動，無法正常的聚會。如何平衡家庭與教會的服事，是每個信徒都要學習的。求主賜智慧給信徒，學習怎樣能平衡關顧教會與家庭的需要，不因服事繁多，傳道人或是同工就忽略了關懷、參與子女的成長。我們也為那些因父母在教會有許多參與，但是孩子覺得被忽略的，求主醫治這些孩子的心靈，讓他們明白神看重他們爸媽忠心的擺上。

星期六
有些基層教會（包括農民工教會）的教牧同工和信徒生活拮据，只能維持基本生活的需要，難以供應孩子上學所需的學費和基本支出，更別說讓孩子上大學。對同工而言，賺錢供應起碼的家庭需要和忠心服事主在教會事奉的取捨，往往令他們左右為難。我們為農民工基督徒子女的生活和信仰狀況禱告，求主幫助他們在特殊的生活環境和艱難的經濟環境下得蒙主的眷顧，能體會天父的愛，活出強而有力的見證。

星期日
由於政治、歷史、地域、經濟、文化等原因，各教會分門別類各自為政，是不爭的事實。三自教會與家庭教會，城市教會與農村教，福音派與靈恩派，甚至是一個教會內部，同工與同工之間，都存在著論斷、指責、不寬容、不接納的惰形。求主賜中國教會有真正合一的靈，不是強求各個教會採用同樣的制度、形式、管理，而是明白教會的多樣化也是神的美意。求主幫助我們在真理裡合一，在聖靈裡合一，更是在使命裡的合一。

星期一
許多信主的大學生都承認，在都市成為基督徒，的確是享有較多的屬靈資源。譬如在沿海諸城如深圳、上海、北京、天津、威海、旅順等，大學生事工通常能得到較多關顧及牧養，因為他們當中有好牧人、好榜樣。事實上，中國大學生的牧養工作普遍地不易，有些地區沒有傳道人，乃由已信主的學生栽培初信的同學，他們一面要維持自己的靈命成長，還要關懷其他屬靈同伴的成長，往往很難「生存」。讓我們為大學信徒禱告，尤其那些信主不久，已經開始帶領初信者的大學生，求主親自餵養他們，賜他們智慧、能力和勇氣，並有效分配時間，天天活出主的樣式。