Prayer Request 4/10 - 4/16

Tuesday
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) continues to tighten its grasp on the legal profession there. Every new Chinese lawyer must now swear an oath of allegiance to the party. The oath restrains lawyers from representing clients seen to be challenging the party rule: "I volunteer to become a practicing lawyer of the People's Republic of China and promise to faithfully perform the sacred duties of a legal worker under socialism with Chinese characteristics: to be faithful to the motherland and her people; to uphold the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party and the socialist system Loyalty to the Communist Party is paramount in China. Many Christians find themselves in the difficult position of reporting on their church to the authorities or suffering the consequences. We know they are believers in Jesus and feel guilty because of their betrayal. May the Lord have mercy on them and may the Holy Spirit always help them to understand that Jesus loves them unconditionally.

Wednesday
With the 250 millions young people going into cities to work as laborers, only 130 million people are left in China's villages; and villages are now "ghost towns" of children (50 million), elderly (40 million) and women (47 million). It is obvious that age of members of rural Chinese churches has increased quite a bit; this is true not only for the believers but also the leaders as well. We must pray with great faith to ask the Lord to provide the badly needed new leaders for churches, to revive and keep the ministries going.

Thursday
Self-producing and self-sufficient have always been the goal of Chinese society, especially in the rural region. But, as the market economy demands agricultural practice to be specialized, government is pushing each village to produce something unique. For many villages, it is very difficult to support a full-time pastor. Often, a pastor must care for several churches. We pray for the spiritual and physical strength, and extra blessing of those who serve as part-time pastor and who also must farm to support family.

Friday
In Wenzhou churches, a pastor is considered very accomplished if he is training other preachers. In Wenzhou, a pastor who can lead revival meetings, retreat or Bible conference is highly respected. Wenzhou churches send out such preachers to other cities and even Europe to train other younger pastors. We lift up all the Wenzhou pastors, especially those who are out training others in our prayers. May the Lord bless them, fill them not merely with talents but the power of the Holy Spirit, protect them from temptations and bear the good and lasting fruits everywhere.

Saturday
Wenzhou has affectionately been called "The Jerusalem of China". Historically the churches there have placed a great emphasis on prayer, discipleship training and theological/Biblical education. In the 1980's and 1990's businessmen from Wenzhou established many churches and the gospel spread wherever they went. In the 21st century churches from Wenzhou have been instrumental in starting many student fellowships in colleges. We want to remember in prayer all the churches and fellowship groups that were started or are supported by these churches in Wenzhou. May the Lord grant them more opportunities to lead students to Christ and raise up more workers who have a passion for ministry in colleges.

Sunday
In the past few years we have been seeing the results of a broader movement of social liberalization in China. In the large cities it is pretty well accepted that couples can live together without being married. Divorce is common and being gay is no longer a big taboo. However, having children out of wedlock is still unusual because the bureaucratic complications of having a child without the correct parentage are horrendous. It is still difficult for most of the churches in China to accept divorced sisters completely and we know that only God can comfort them even though they are new creatures in Christ. (2 Cor. 5:17)

Monday
As a whole the churches in China need to understand that God placed us in this world to be salt and the light that shines over a city, a lamp in this dark world. Churches in China can and should be like the church in Antioch of which the Bible says, "And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number believed and turned to the Lord." (Acts 11:21) It is our prayer that the churches in China, particularly those in the cities, will come to realize that God has a great purpose for them and that is to be a powerful testimony for Christ that shows the world how God has transformed the lives of the believers.



星期二
中國近日下令實行律師宣誓制度，要求律師必須宣誓效忠國家、擁護共產黨及社會主義制度，而不是維護法律公義及尊重訴訟當事人。新的律師宣誓內容：「忠於祖國，忠於人民，擁護中國共產黨的領導，擁護社會主義制度，擁護憲法和法律尊嚴……為中國特色社會主義事業努力奮鬥！」。在中國效忠共產黨是首要的。許多基督徒得向上級報告教會動向，不然會有不好的後果。他們雖也是主耶穌的羊，但活在出賣者的罪疚裡，求主憐憫他們。聖靈時時光照，並知道主的愛是無條件的。

星期三
2.5億農村勞動力進城打工使得中國農村空心化。目前約有1.3億人口留守於農村，其中包括5000萬兒童，4000萬老人和4700萬婦女。很明顯的，農村教會除了信徒老年化，也是教牧人員的老年化。求主為農村教會預備所需要的新一代領袖，我們也相信神已經預備好了，我們就憑信心求主再次復興與引領中國農村教會前面的道路。

星期四
自給自足一直是中國社會的主要特點，農村地區尤為如此。但近些年來隨著中國農業持續的市場化，農業生產變得愈發專業化，政府近來大力推廣「一村一品」 項目。對於許多的農村教會，信徒沒有能力支持一位全職的傳道人。一般而言，農村的傳道人都要兼顧幾個聚會點。我們為所有在農村教會服事的神僕，尤其是一邊耕種，一邊服事教會的傳道人禱告，求主賜下體力及恩賜，不但能把家照顧好，也能餵飽主托負的羊群。

星期五
對溫州教會而言，一位傳道人若能站講台訓練傳道人，就代表他在事奉上已有相當的成就。在溫州最受人歡迎的的傳道人，就是能帶領培靈會、退修會、查經會。教會常年差派傳道人去全國各地作培訓，甚至遠赴歐洲等地作培訓。我們為所有溫州派到各地的傳道人禱告，願主賜他們滿有聖靈的能力，不單只是有口才，更是有聖靈的澆灌，保守，使他們為主所作的善工都有長遠的果效，並且結實纍纍。

星期六
溫州被外界稱為「中國的耶路撒冷」，教會傳統是重禱告、重栽培。所謂的栽培就是專注門徒訓練和強調聖經和神學的教育。上世紀80－90年代，溫州商人在所到之處建立教會。到了21世紀，福音隨著學生群體的流動再度獲得很好的傳播，溫州教會在不少地方建立學生團契，福音被帶到許多大學生當中。 讓我們特別為所有溫州教會所支持帶領的學生事工祈求，願主開啟各樣機會，帶領人們歸主，也培養出更多有共同異象的同工。

星期日
中國社會近年來更廣泛地向自由主義深化發展。在大城市中，人們現在可以接受未婚同居，離婚更加普遍，同性戀也不再是驚天大事。但未婚生子仍舊不被看好，因為需要走的後續程序實在是繁雜得可畏。在中國教會中，離過婚的姐妹仍然不易融入或被完全接納。我們相信只有神能全然接納、安慰她們，因為在主裡，我們都是新造的人，舊事已過，都變成新的了。 （林後 5：17）

星期一
整體而言，中國教會需要迫切地再思「救恩群體」存在的真意：神要信徒成為鹽，成為光，是城，是燈。聖經裡特別描述了安提阿教會信徒的增長情形：「當他們放膽傳講福音，信而歸主的人就很多了。」(徒十一21)我們藉著禱告將中國教會交託在主的手中，特別是今日的城市教會，我們禱告中國教會能在神的命定中奮起，建造真正能產生鮮活生命/生活見證的教會群體，使神心意滿足。