Prayer Request 1/2 -- 1/8

Tuesday
According to a government-sponsored study the number of young intellectuals who are Christians has steadily increased in the past twenty years. The new breed of believers mainly worship in house churches and shun Three-Self churches. We praise the Lord for how those who are highly educated are accepting the gospel. Let us pray for a revival in the Beijing area, that many more will dedicate themselves to serve the Lord with their training, and that they even be willing to shepherd the growing flocks .

Wednesday
Traditional Chinese medicine utilizes various rare herbs and animal parts. Recently, a Beijing newspaper showed that fake medicines are very common, that cattle parts are substituted for those of rare animals, and that many of the medicines are actually unsafe. A common saying in China is, "The easiest way to get rich is to sell fake Chinese medicine." False teachers have ravaged and caused the closing of many rural churches in China. Let us remember those who have been led astray and the communities that need to be revived with new workers .

Thursday
China military will implement a new system promoting enlisted soldiers with college-degree to be officers. This will apply only to units that are stationed on China’s western provinces or remote areas. Great majority of churches workers in rural and remote areas of China have education beyond junior high school. Though their love and commitment far compensate for lack of education, let us pray for the vast need of training and resource for preaching for these church workers .

Friday
Careers which have no worry of losing their job have been called "Steel Rice Bowl". Public officials are included in this category and they have commonly been ridiculed as "Wage does not change much and gets all his cigarettes and liquor free" (a euphemistic reference to bribes). Most of the workers in churches in China have no guaranteed income or benefits since there is no written contract. We take this time to pray for those whose churches have not fulfilled their promises in supporting their workers. We pray for a steadfast trust in the Master and their calling .

Saturday
About ten years ago a massive layoff occurred in many of the government-owned factories in the three provinces of northeast China. Some cities suddenly suffered a nearly thirty per cent rise in unemployment. Those who lost their jobs have faced harsh times as the local economy adapted to the problem. Many of the churches in these regions suffered the impact of the recession with numbers of the believers unemployed. However, churches in this area continued to send out teams of missionaries who started many churches near the Korean border and in the West of China. We thank the Lord for their perseverance and faithfulness .

Sunday
"Justification by faith" has been replaced by "Justification by love" in many of the churches loyal to the Three Self Movement. Politically, "Justification by faith" means that millions of Chinese who do not believe in Jesus will go to hell and thus it is not acceptable to the Party. Most of the open churches in China still faithfully preach the Word of God. Let us pray for every pulpit every Sunday in each Chinese church whether it is an open or house church .

Monday
Before 1949 much of the land in China was in the hand of rich landlords. The Communists won the support of the peasants by distributing the land among all of the people but all the land was nationalized and people lived collectively in communes. When a congregation decides to own their church building, the question of ownership is complicated depending on whether the church is registered or not. Let us come alongside our brothers and sisters to pray with all the congregations looking for a church building this year in order to expand their ministries .

星期二
中國官方調查顯示：二十年來，年輕基督徒知識分子的人數正穩定成長中。這批新的信徒多數在家庭教會和三自教會聚會。我們感謝主，福音能被高知識水平的群體接納。讓我們為北京的知識分子和教會復興來禱告。求神感動他們能避免只做文化信徒，有更多人願意委身參與培訓，把自己擺上爲主使用，甚至爲主照顧群羊。

星期三
傳統中醫利用各種珍貴的草葯和動物來製葯。藥市流傳：「要發財倒藥材」的俚語。北京一家報章近來揭露中藥材普遍製假售假的情況，讓人觸目心驚。如用馬皮代替驢皮，甚至用豬、牛或貓皮煉製阿膠；以明礬假冒穿山甲片等枉顧醫德危害大眾健康的不法行徑。而國內的鄉村教會裏也充斥著假教師、假教導，導致許多教會倒閉。讓我們以禱告記念走失的迷羊和倒閉的教會。求主差派新同工，重建農村教會和信徒。

星期四
中國軍隊從2006年開始，優秀的大學生可以直接提拔為軍官幹部。但選拔範圍只限於屯駐新疆、西藏及大西北邊遠艱苦地區的部隊。教會同工大部分都在偏遠地區服事，而且教育程度只有初中水平。雖然他們的愛心和委身能填補教育水平的缺欠，但預備講道的能力還有待提升。讓我們為裝備他們的宣道能力及取得參考資源的廣大需求來向神禱告。

星期五
中國人稱公務員為「鐵飯碗」，因是長期安穩沒有失業風險的工作。有人更認爲應是「金飯碗」，甚至以「工資基本不動，抽煙喝酒靠送」來反映其中的腐化的實情。很多教會的服事同工，並沒有固定的薪資和福利，教會美其名為「單憑信心」，實際上卻沒有履行承諾發薪金支持同工的生活所需。讓我們特別為教會能向神忠誠，按時供應同工的需要來禱告。也求神堅定祂的僕人們對神和祂的呼召有堅定的信心。

星期六
十多年前國內許多國營企業關門，尤其在東北三省，造成高達30%的失業率。許多人的生活陷入困境，當地教會也因經濟蕭條導致信徒下崗，而發展受阻。現在情況已稍好轉，我們記念東北的教會一直持續差派宣教士出去至各地，特別是在韓國邊界和中國西部建立了很多教會。我們為他們在患難中仍能堅忍的為主擺上，忠心的服事來感謝，也求主繼續祝福、使用他們。

星期日
國內很多服從三自運動的教會以「因愛稱義」來取代「因信稱義」的教導。政治上的考量是，若說「因信稱義」，表示中國除了極少數信徒之外，不信的十幾億人都要下地獄，這種説法會造成社會大亂，因此不能被宣導無神論的當局所接受。其實絕大多數的教會仍然忠心地傳講神的話語。讓我們禱告所有教會在每個主日，在講臺上所傳講的信息，都能討神的喜悅。

星期一
在1949年之前，中國大部分土地都落在富有的地主手裏。中國共産黨以打土豪分田地的土地改革，贏得了廣大農民群眾的支持。但是農民得地沒多久，又得在人民公社運動中將土地權交給集體。現今教會想擁有自己的教堂建築物時，必須面對是否要向當局註冊的難題？讓我們為那些為發展教會事工需要在近期內找到活動場地的弟兄姐妹禱告。求神帶領他們在各種考量中，都能做出正確的決定。