Prayer Request 10/25--10/31

Tuesday
In a dramatic step, China lifts the personal income tax cutoff point from 800 to 1600 monthly. Many consider a monthly income of 1600 near-poverty, given the skyrocketing children’s education and health-care expenses. House churches face an acute shortage of workers because many abandoned their flocks or must keep a side-business to supplement income. Let us pray for the good stewardship of believers and those who continue their calling in faith.

Wednesday
Ba Jin, an influential writer, died at the age of 100. He was part of the young intelligentsia in the early 20th century that looked to Western philosophies — Marxism, anarchism, and liberalism — for solutions to China’s backwardness and social inequality. China churches desperately need a new generation of writers and thinkers who can address the unique needs in contemporary social and cultural context. Let us pray for all the younger generation involved in writing, theology, and church leadership.

Thursday
The little-known city of Zhaozhung boasts of an avenue which is twelve lanes wide--wider than Changan Boulevard in Beijing. Nearly a third of six hundred Chinese cities have planned to be world-class cities with airports, squares, subways, and convention centers. In the future it looks as if churches well be located in medium-sized cities. Let us pray for all the churches whether open or house churches and their training of their pastors.

Friday
Ninety-four percent of Beijing's outdoor medical advertisements are illegal. Exaggerated claims for the results of treatment and misrepresentation of hospital services are the most common violations. Chinese people love to take medicine and they never question a remedy which claims to cure all ailments. Let us pray for the alarming trend in many regions that the Gospel of Christ is preached to promise a better life without having to turn away from sins.

Saturday
In the past three years Korean television dramas have captured China. Youth idolize Korean stars and the media intensely follows each episode. The government is now considering controlling this Korean cultural invasion. Thousands of Koreans who are involved in church planting and community work are also making a great impact on Chinese churches. Let us give thanks for the fervent missionary spirit of the Korean churches and pray for the safety of every Korean worker inside China.

Sunday
A ring of criminals were sentenced to death for abducting nearly 61 children in Guizhou province. Children under 5 years were stolen and sold for huge profits. 36 children remained missing. As a whole, Guizhou remains economically disadvantaged and a very hard soil for the Gospel. Let us pray for the struggling churches and the training of pastors among the house churches here .

Monday
The venerable CCTV (China Central Television) is losing many of its highly visible program presenters, personalities recognized in ordinary households and adored by billions. They quote low pay, high pressure, and restrictive employment arrangement as the reasons. The Chinese church faces the same loss of its leaders. We ask your prayers for the guarding of hearts and protection from the evil one .

星期二
個人所得稅法將有重大變革，「人大」法律及財經委員會建議將減除費用標準(起征點)由800元調整為1600人民幣。將解決中低收入者的基本生活費用稅前扣除不足問題。國內教會財務吃緊，同工放棄牧養或打多份工的情況時有所聞，工人流失的問題嚴重。讓我們求神堅固祂樸人們持續走在自己的呼召當中，並信實的供應各樣的需要，為他們在沙漠開江河、曠野開道路。

星期三
原名李堯棠的巴金，日前於上海去世，享年一百歲。他被譽為是「五四」新文化運動以來最有影響力的作家之一，致力於西方哲學思想的研究，欲找出中國落後與社會不平等現象的解決之道。中國教會目前迫切需要新一代的青年作家與思想家參與寫作、神學研究與教牧管理，願神興起合用的器皿，使他們成為當代信徒在社會文化的領航者。

星期四
目前600多個城市中有183個提出要建成國際化大都市，即使名不見經傳的小城市也以此為目標，一味的追求大規模發展。例山東棗莊是個很窮的小城，卻建造了中國最寬的12 線道馬路「光明大道」，比北京長安街還寬。讓我們在禱告中紀念中國的各教會，能有因應城市規劃的智慧與策略，將福音傳揚給更多未得之民。

星期五
北京有將近百分之九十四的醫療廣告不合法，誇大不實的治療成效與醫療項目，是最常違規的兩項。中國人看病一定要拿藥，卻鮮少有人詢問處方內容，同樣的在傳講福音時，也常只傳更美好的人生，不講認罪悔改的真理。神的羔羊，除去世人的罪孽，是唯一的福音。祈求聖靈作責備並使肢體們願意悔改，真正認識祂的救恩，背起十字架來天天跟隨主，傳講神的福音。

星期六
韓劇已經成功的擄獲中國觀眾的心，年輕人模仿韓劇明星的穿著打扮，媒體更是爭相報導韓劇的內容。政府開始考慮要加以管制，避免韓國文化的大舉入侵。在中國，數千名韓國人積極地投入教會植堂與社區工作中，帶來廣大的影響，讓我們為著韓國教會在宣教事工上大發熱心獻上感恩，也求神保守這些韓籍同工們的出入平安。

星期日
日前貴州法院將拐賣兒童的多名犯罪份子判處死刑。過去一年多，貴州安順兩地先後有61名五歲以下的兒童神秘失蹤。這些歹徒將手中的幼童轉售以謀取巨額暴利，目前仍有36名兒童下落不明。與其他地方相比，貴州是處於經濟上的弱勢，當地人民的心也較少對福音敞開。讓我們在禱告中紀念當地教會的需要，求神保守師資的培訓與物資的供應。

星期一
中國中央電視台近來流失了許多家喻戶曉的王牌主持人，他們的個人風格深受億萬觀眾的愛戴。「薪資低、壓力高，還有嚴苛的任用規條」是他們離職的理由。華人教會也也因類似的情況面臨流失人才的困境，我們需要您切切為國度工人的忠心來守望禱告，求神的大能護衛他們不受那惡者的攪擾，且能隨著主得勝的旌旗勇往直前，嬴回手足同胞失喪的靈魂。

Prayer Request 10/18--10/24

Tuesday
“China 2, Japan 0”, China proudly announces in reference to the successful landing of the manned space flight, Shenzhou 6. In a nation where Japanese electronic goods are considered superior, much national pride rides on this technological achievement. Japan is one of the least evangelized countries, a hard soil for the Gospel. Let us pray for the divine lifting of nationalist rivalry and even sending missionaries to Japan from the Chinese churches .

Wednesday
Once divorce was looked upon as a dreaded fate by the women in China. Today many younger urban women feel divorce is their civil right and thus, the divorce rate is rising. In Guangdong province women initiate seventy percent of the divorces. One of the common reasons for this is extra-marital affairs. Let us remember all the couples, especially those whose marriage is affected by separation by work or the heavy demand of church work .

Thursday
Marrying a foreigner is the dream of many Chinese women, especially middle-aged divorced women. They think, "This is the only ticket I have for a better life my child and me." In Shanghai three percent of all the registrations are for marriage to a foreigner. However, inter-racial marriage may not be so romantic with divorces in such marriages hovering at about fifty percent. Let us pray for many of these women to come to know Jesus in churches which embrace them and their white husbands .

Friday
The One-child Policy has had the effect of a double-edged sword. Girls have benefited with better education and inheritance rights, but it has led to abortion and abandonment of infant girls. The suicide rate of Chinese women is the highest in the world--five time the average in other countries with victims being typically village women 15-45 years old. We pray that believers and churches will be able to share the love of Christ with the families of victims .

Saturday
Among the top twenty most influential women in Shanghai in 1995-2005 seven were business women, seven were in the education/art and entertainment field, and two were volunteers. The women in Shanghai are known for their determination and powerful influence in their families. We take this time to pray for all women involved in teaching and shepherding. The percentage of women in ministry in China is undoubtedly the highest in the world .

Sunday
The news carried a story of a million-dollar wedding held in the tallest restaurant in Shanghai. Weddings, once austere ceremonies with a local Party chief as the official, today have given way to the trendy extravagant wedding. In the villages a wedding frequently doubles as an evangelistic meeting. Let us pray for the many believers who share their faith openly to their friends and relatives .

Monday
"Match-making Mini Conventions" held in the open air in several cities are well-attended by eager parents who exchange information and pictures of their children. The first group of "emperors" and "empresses" reared under the One Child Policy are now ready for marriage. We pray for those Christian young men and women who are now of a marriageable age. May they seek to know God's desire and design for their marriages as well as purity in courtships .

星期二
隨著“神舟六號”載人飛行任務圓滿完成，中國對日本的太空優勢已是2比0。在國內，日本製造的電子產品一直保持領先的地位，因此中國在航空事業的領先與成就更顯意義非凡。日本一直是福音的硬土。盼望中國教會能夠以神的國度為念，放下國家間的競爭與歷史恩仇，願意差派宣教士前往日本，使更多人蒙恩得救。

星期三
過去中國婦女將離婚視為人生悲慘的命運，但現代的年輕城市女性卻認為，離婚是女性自主權的表現。近年來國人離婚率持續上升，在廣東省境內，有將近七成的婦女離婚，理由都是配偶有外遇。讓我們在禱告中紀念所有的夫妻，特別是因為工作、教會服事的需要而分隔兩地的配偶。求主保守他們對聖潔婚姻的珍重與經營，成為世人美好的見証。

星期四
異國婚姻是許多中國婦女的夢想，特別是離過婚的中年婦女。他們認為，這是能夠改善孩子與自己生活的不二法門。在上海，每一百對新婚夫婦中，平均有三對就是跨國婚姻。然而，看似浪漫的異國通婚離婚率卻高達百分之五十。讓我們在禱告中紀念許多異國婚姻下的中國婦女和她們的外國伴侶及孩子，能在教會裡得到充份的支援與靈命成長。

星期五
計劃生育政策對中國男女地位問題產生『雙刃劍』的作用，雖然女童能擁有更好的受教機會與繼承遺產。但惟男續香火觀念不改，卻使更多女嬰在懷孕期間就被流產或於出生後被遺棄。中國婦女自殺率高居世界平均值的5倍，高危人群主要集中在15歲至45歲的貧困地區。讓我們為所有教會與信徒願意分享基督的愛與盼望給周遭心靈憂傷的婦女及其家人來禱告。

星期六
「1995-2005上海最有影響的女性人物」於日前揭曉。二十位候選人中，七位來自企業界、七位教科文教界、兩位出自社會團體、兩位志工、兩位公務員。「掌握家中決策權並富影響力」，一直是上海婦女給人的印象。在中國，參與福音事工的女性比例高居全世第一位，讓我們特別以禱告紀念神家中所有參與教導與牧養的姊妹們。

星期日
大陸第一高樓「上海金茂大廈」，日前舉辦了一場「百萬婚禮」。婚禮過去只是一項由黨地方幹部負責的樸實無華的儀式，今日卻變為極盡鋪張奢華之能事的豪筵。在農村，福音聚會的次數還不及婚禮舉辦次數的一半。讓我們特別為中國的信徒禱告，願他們能勇於在各種公開場合裡與朋友、親戚分享神救恩的美好。

星期一
在中國，第一代獨生子女開始步入婚育年齡。各地婚姻介紹所舉辦的家長聯誼替子女物色對象的活動，深受好評，父母還會彼此交換自己子女的基本資料與照片。我們在禱告中紀念這群廣大的適婚青年男女，尤其是讓信徒們樂意尋求神對於他們婚姻的計畫與旨意，並且願意謹守聖潔，建立蒙福的家庭。

Prayer Request 10/11--10/17

Tuesday
“Quotations from Chairman Mao Zedong”, better know as The Little Red Book in the West, has became a popular book in Taiwan. It was once studied daily and memorized by everyone in China during 1960. Availability of Bible is no longer an issue. However, the reading ability and the nearly-century old translation (Union Version) present great difficulty for many believers. Let us pray for the reading, understanding and applying the Word of God, especially among the rural and less-educated .

Wednesday
What kind of entertainment interest the Beijing youth (12-24)? Internet 40%, sports 20%, television 10. Of those surveyed, 30% spent 10-20 hours weekly online, 40% spent less than 10 hours weekly. Internet has certainly become the media of choice for the young people. There are practically no online Christian content and resources targeting the Chinese youth. Let us remember the effort of churches to reach the college and younger groups .

Thursday
Communist Youth League claims a membership of 70 millions. The theme for this year is “Dedicating the youthfulness to the nation” It is said that 7 millions retired Party members are actively involved in recruiting the youth to the Party.Communist Party recognizes its future lies in the youth. Chinese churches have not yet awakened to this. Let us pray for all the youth in the church, for their spiritual growth. And, also for those whose parents are believers, but do not attend church .

Friday
Within 20 years, foreign fast foods have successfully change the diet of urban youth, munching French fries and sipping cola is so common now. 43% of primary school kids said they like “foreign fast food”, according to a new survey. Chinese churches have not changes its programs or worship format to attract the newer generation. There are a lot more youth in churches in Wenzhou and cities in Fujian. Let us remember the youth ministries here .

Saturday
In the next five years (2006-2010) China will add twenty-seven million people above the age of sixty--from 147 to 173 million. Since sixty-three percent of Chinese men smoke, lung cancer will be one of the leading causes of death in these people. Church congregations are rapidly aging and this trend will definitely continue. Let us pray for vitality, special care, and ministry, such as audio Bibles and larger print books for the older saints.

Sunday
Government has tried unsuccessfully to clamp down the outright abuses at various levels of education. Recent uproar focused on the widespread unauthorized fee collected for English competency testing among the colleges. Parents cannot really question the legitimacy of all kinds of educational fees. For the spiritual education, church has little resource to improve its Sunday School. Let us pray for an investment on curriculum and teacher training .

Monday
China Communist Youth League developed an online game "Anti-Japan War Online". The game will younger players, to learn from history. They will get a patriotic feeling when fighting Japanese invaders to safeguard their motherland. Government wants to revive the anti-Japanese sentiment among the generation who knew little of the WWII. Young Christians today know little of the painful past of the Chinese past either. Let us pray for a new generation who will love the Lord, more than the past .

星期二
曾是六零年代中國人人必讀的「毛主席語錄」，現在也開始在台灣風行。隨著中文聖經在中國的普及，在欣喜之餘同時也反應出，因著閱讀能力與翻譯語法的使用，許多信徒特別是在農村地區和教育程度有限的肢體在閱讀和合本聖經會有困難。願賜智慧與啟示的靈，使中國信徒能夠更加明白、了解神的道，讓神的道成為腳前的燈與路上的光。

星期三
網絡儼然成為中國青少年最主要的娛樂內容。調查顯示，有將近四成年輕人以此為樂；體育活動約佔二成，電視則佔一成。近三成青少年每週平均上網時數在10-20小時內，四成多在10小時內。網路也是青少年最常接觸的大眾媒體，然而目前卻沒有針對性的基督教資源與信息網站。讓我們在禱告中紀念中國廣大青年信徒，與中國教會在大學校園與青少年事工的擺上。

星期四
7,000萬名共青團團員，日前在中國各地以多種形式展開了「青春獻祖國」主題日活動，從事關心下一代共青工作的黨員，更是高達700多萬人。當中國共產黨已經體認到，青年人就是未來的希望時，中國教會卻還沒有意識到這一點，讓我們為教會青年人的靈命成長禱告，也紀念雙親都是信徒，卻沒有走進教會的青少年。

星期五
二十年間，西方的速食已經徹底地改變中國城市青少年的飲食習慣。根據最新的調查，43%的小學生表示他們喜歡外國的速食，吃薯條、喝可樂，已經是再普遍不過的現象了。在溫州與福建各城市中，有許多的青少年走進教會，但是教會在聚會內容與敬拜方式上，並沒有革新來吸引他們。讓我們在禱告中紀念中國的青少年事工。

星期六
未來的五年內，中國六十歲以上的人口將會增加二千七百萬人，總數由一億四千七百萬增加至一億七千三百萬。國內男性抽煙的比率高達百分之六十三，肺癌將成為這一族群中最主要的死亡原因。教會同樣也將面臨會眾高齡化的問題，讓我們記念他們的各種需要，不論是特殊照護、關懷探訪、聖經影音光碟或便於閱讀的書籍等等，都求主親自預備。

星期日
政府審計部門雖努力改善教育部的財務工作，但國內數所大學考試委員會仍未經批准徑向各地主考單位收取英語能力考試或人文社科項目評審費，家長對各項名目的收費是否合法也無從問起。 在靈命教育上，國內教會受限於資源不足很難改善主日學的教導。讓我們為大力投資於充實教材教法和師資培訓的需要而禱告，求主為國度的拓展豐富預備和供應。

星期一
共青團研發了一項網路線上遊戲『抗日戰爭Online』 (Anti-Japan War Online)，盼望透過遊戲，在保衛領土不受日本入侵的同時，青年玩家能夠產生愛國心，並能從歷史中記取教訓。這世代的年輕人，對第二次世界大戰的認識並不深，同樣的對於過去傳揚福音所遭遇的困難，中國年輕信徒也不了解。盼望這一群新世代的青年人，在安逸中也能盡心盡性盡力愛主我們的神。

Prayer Request 10/4--10/10

Tuesday
Five years after it infiltrated China's historic Forbidden City, Starbucks has opened a shop at the Great Wall. With prices about the same as its American counterparts, going there is considered a status symbol, especially among young professionals.Translated American books are the majority of Christian titled published in China. Chinese believers in comparison have very little to read. Let us pray for more culturally relevant Christian books and other literature .

Wednesday
The city of Beijing will eliminate tenure for all professors and teachers employed in the municipal system and replace them by a comprehensive performance-based contract system. Teaching has been thought of as the last "secure job". We should take time to remember all the professors who teach in all the seminaries and Bible schools. Let us pray for their diligent teaching of the inerrant World of God with an emphasis on personal spiritual formation .

Thursday
With a life expectancy of nearly eighty years, residents of Beijing enjoy the longest lives of any people in all of China. The government attributes this to the presence of more doctors, 3811 designated centers for exercise plus many activities for seniors there.The majority of Chinese senior citizens live with their families. Let us pray for all the churches who have special ministries reaching out to the homebound. A great need is for audio Bibles and devotional recordings for those who are not able to read well .

Friday
Road construction has become ubiquitous throughout the China's West. The Erlanshan tunnel, on the Chengdu-Tibet road, is celebrated as a Chinese engineering marvel as great as the Three Gorges Dam. (The) Dali Lama said easy transportation to Tibet could lead to "cultural genocide", the destruction of its cultural preservation. Let us pray for the slow, often difficult but steady work of evangelism in Buddhist Tibet .

Saturday
In Chinese cities more than seventy percent of teachers are women but in rural regions only forty-two percent are women. Being a female teacher carries much stress and burden, such as becoming a parent to the students raised by grandparents.Rural church workers are mostly female. Shepherding multi-generations flocks with little support is common. Let us pray for strength, comfort and helpers for all female church workers in the rural and remote regions .

Sunday
By the end of this decade, China will have twenty-three million more marriageable young men than women. Experts call this the "Marriage Squeeze" saying it will have a serious political and social impact the same as crime, HIV, and sexually transmitted diseases. More and more Christian young women must choose between marrying a non-believer or not being able to marry at all. Family pressure compounds the situation. Let us remember the young women in all the churches that they will be faithful and serve the Lord .

Monday
Even to Chinese from other parts of China, Shanghai is like a foreign city. Shanghainese, the local dialect is nearly unintelligible to untrained ears so the government has decided to enforce the use of Putonghua (official Mandarin Chinese) in all public communication including TV, radio, and schools.While many churches in Shanghai have been formed specifically for those seeking work there from the surrounding provinces, the city has proved to be a place where the local citizens are hardened toward the gospel. Let us pray for spiritual revival in this huge city and growing evangelism among the migrant workers .

星期二
五年前，星巴克咖啡進駐紫禁城開設分店，現在星巴克更把生意版圖擴大到萬里長城。星巴克的價格不是一般百姓能負擔的，到星巴克不只是喝咖啡而已，更成為一種社會地位的表徵。在中國基督教書籍中，以翻譯英文書籍為目前最大宗的出版品，但數量仍是無法餵養廣大信徒靈裡的需要。讓我們一起禱告，有更多符合中國信徒文化背景的書籍與文學作品問世。

星期三
今後北京33所市屬高校，將取消教授、副教授等頭銜的終身制，代之以全面實行教師聘任制和全員聘用合同制。高校老師的薪水也將實行以崗定薪、崗變薪變的分配制度不再是永不失業的鐵飯碗。我們特別在禱告中紀念神學院與聖經學校的教職人員，願他們能剛強壯膽不懼怕，殷勤地傳講神的話語，述說神國的事。

星期四
北京地區人口的平均預期壽命將近八十歲，高居全國之首。一方面是因為有更多專業醫護人員投入，另一方面則是全民健身設施等社會福利保險制度推行，有3811間居民健身活動場所，提供居民與年長者活動的空間。大部分的年長者仍與孩子們同住，讓我們在禱告中紀念國內對於影音聖經光碟與錄音的大量需求，祝福它們成為年長者認識福音最好的媒介。

星期五
中國西部地區，道路工程建設隨處可見，成都-西藏公路上的賀蘭山隧道，已被喻為中國工程史上的奇蹟，足以與長江三峽大壩媲美。達賴喇嘛認為，西藏交通運輸便利化可能會帶來文化的滅絕，摧毀長期努力保留的文化資產。讓我們在禱告中紀念西藏地區的福音工作，雖然艱難且緩慢，但願神親自開路。

星期六
在國內城市中，超過70%以上的教師為女性，但農村地區，女老師的比例只有42%。女性擔任教師，遠比男性要承受更多的壓力與重擔，隔代教養的孩童也經常把對母親的思念投射在女老師身上。農村和偏遠地區的教會同工也多為女性，肩負餵養不同世代的需要，卻少獲支持。讓我們以禱告托住她們，願從神來的力量、安慰與祝福，源源不斷地加添她們每日的需要。

星期日
中國人口男女比例失衡情形日益嚴重，到2010年適婚男性將比女性多出二千三百萬人。專家指出這種「婚姻擁擠」(Marriage Squeeze)現象，將會導致犯罪、愛滋病、性病交互傳染等嚴重的社會問題。越來越多的女性信徒，不是選擇與非信徒結婚，就是不結婚，來自家裡的壓力也使情況越來越複雜。讓我們在禱告中紀念單身的女信徒，願她們能以主為生命的滿足，一路跟隨主忠心服事主。

星期一
在其他中國人眼中，上海話是相當艱澀難懂的，上海話通行的上海市儼然已成一個「外國」城市。因此市政府強制所有上海的大眾媒體包括電視、廣播與各級學校，都要說普通話。隨著上海人生活的富庶，當地居民是越來越難接受福音。現在上海許多教會都有針對外來的民工的事工。讓我們為這富裕國際都市的屬靈復興禱告，也盼望有更多民工能接受福音真理。