2012年6月26日星期二

Prayer Request 6/26 - 7/1

Tuesday“Too few shepherds for many sheep” is an apt description for China churches. Many preachers are overloaded with ministry, suffering fatigue, depression and even illness. Let us remember in prayer for all the overworked Chinese pastors, male and female church workers. We ask the Lord to help them, refresh them as they face great stress and workload. May the Lord Himself renew and refresh their spirit.
Wednesday
There are plenty of stories of overworked pastors in China who have neglected their own families, and even resulted in broken marriages and children who went astray from God. All these cases are sad but powerful reminder for churches. We pray for wisdom for all these “busy” preachers, so they will know how to balance church and family, their family life can be a powerful testimony too. We too pray for many more church workers, to lighten the heavy loads many pastors face now.
Thursday
It is very common to see, as believers on the coastal provinces become more financially well off, their serving in church tend to become merely a routine, losing the passion and love they once had. For example, many churches prepare lunch after Sunday worship service. Many prefer to give offering, rather than serving and preparing meals in the kitchen. More believers stopped serving because it is not convenient for them. We pray that Chinese believers will not become lukewarm.
Friday
In some area, 80% of the farmers are older than 50 years old. They do not have access to modern technologies and are still farming in the most primitive ways. The average age of rural church workers are quite old as well. We pray for the older pastors, so they can pass on their rich spiritual experience, making improvement in how they communicate with the younger leaders, becoming the mentor and examples for them in faithful service to God, like Moses mentoring younger Joshua.
Saturday
In the past, rural Chinese churches grew mainly in personal salvation, love and passion to sharing the Gospel. Sharing of personal testimonies, especially how the Spirit comforts, convicts and guides is the core of the ministry. We pray for the growth of churches today, especially in how younger believers should be ministered to. We beseech the Lord for more caring, spiritually and physically, and pulpit teaching that is both relevant and solidly grounded in truth.
Sunday
Sunday Schools in rural Chinese churches badly need spiritual resources and well-trained teachers who understand Biblical truth and children's development and psychological needs. This is the greatest need and challenges many rural churches face. Rural churches really need to connect with the younger generation in their preaching and teaching. May the Lord give them wisdom in helping the young people living out the life of Jesus Christ in this pluralistic culture.
Monday
In comparison with rural churches, urban churches in China have the advantages in content of sermons and spiritual resources. Obviously, young believers in the cities receive more teaching and better care from their church, but they must be cognizant that God has greatly blessed them. We should boldly beseech the Lord that urban churches will be willing to share their resource, send some of their teachers to help those who have much less in the villages, and help them especially with youth ministry in the villages.
星期二
「羊多牧人少」現象是最能形容目前中國教會實際面臨的困擾,很多牧者肩負著過量的牧養工作,有些牧者出現過勞、憂鬱,甚至各類的疾病。我們來為眾多事奉擔子過重的牧者、男女傳道人禱告,求主幫助他們有從神而來的智慧與 能力來面對各樣服事的挑戰及壓力,更新他們的靈性並賜他們健康的身體,忠心為主而活。
星期三
中國教會需要關顧許多長年在外奔跑的牧者,他們過重的工作量往往無法好好照顧家人,甚至引起婚姻破裂和親子疏離,兒女離開主等家庭問題,失去了美好的見證。我們禱告求主賜給這些過勞的牧者們智慧,懂得平衡教會和家庭的服侍,讓他們的美滿家庭成為社區、教會中美好又榮神的見證。更是求主興起更多收莊稼的工人,好分擔許多牧者的事奉量。
星期四
中國沿海地區不少的教會,物質生活的條件較好, 日久他們的事奉漸漸變成例行公事,失去對主起初的愛,服侍也缺乏熱忱和動力。例如每星期主日預備愛筳(做飯)的工作就較少人愛做,寧可奉獻金錢;敬拜服侍,就更多人推卻不願做,因為怕麻煩。我們 禱告: 求主挑 旺弟兄姊妹事奉的心志, 幫助信徒不要落在不冷不熱的光景中,明白越付出, 自己受造就越多,靈裡越喜樂的屬靈原則。
星期五
中國的農民在某些地區,80%都是50歲至70歲的老人。他們不懂現代農業技術,仍使用最原始的方法來耕種。農村教會所面對的一大問題是教牧人員的老年化。我們為年紀大的教牧同工來禱告,願他們能以豐富的教牧經驗,與年輕一代在溝通和牧養上能有更多的互動和成長。尤其在屬靈生命的建造與承傳上,能成為導師,提攜新一代如同摩西提拔年輕的約書亞一般,幫助年輕一代愛主,以言行身教成為他們忠心服侍教會的美好榜樣。
星期六
農村家庭教會 以往的成長主要體現在蒙恩得救、單純的愛心和火熱的傳福音熱情,牧養上註重個人屬靈經歷,如聖靈在心靈裡的安慰、感動和帶領,傳遞的信息最為普遍的是見證。我們為現今的教會成長,特別是對年輕信徒的牧養,我們求主賜下更多有全人的關懷和更能回應時代的講台,使這一代的信徒在真理上有穩固的根基。
星期日
目前農村主日學缺乏足夠的屬靈資源和受過訓練的教導人員,將信仰真理和兒童成長心理需求結合將會是主日學教牧的需要和挑戰。農村教會最需要的是,教會在講台的釋經講道要能更加深入和貼近年輕一代的生活,願主幫助他們在多元化的群體和文化中活出基督生命的見證。
星期一
現在中國城市教會日漸興起,在信息更新和屬靈資源上都遠遠優越於農村教會。城市很多年輕人在享受優厚牧養的同時,要切切謹記,相比於農村地區,我們大大欠了福音的債!我們大膽的向主求,城市教會能幫助農村教會提供更多的屬靈資源,也在人力上直接給予幫助. 差遣有良好裝備,有負擔和服侍心志的弟兄姊妹到農村去,服侍牧養各地的青少年。

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