Prayer Request 5/15 -- 5/21

Tuesday
Wenzhou, Zhejiang is famous for having 2000 plus churches in its 6-county vicinity, where house churches comprises the majority. Here, churches are divided into districts and pastored by preachers who preach from church to church. We thank the Lord for this unique growth in Wenzhou. Let us remember all the preachers there, mostly male, for diligence in their preaching, passion for studying the Word of God and desire to shepherd .

Wednesday
While many churches in China lack preacher, it is common that one preacher covers many churches. The designated preacher often will conduct the Communion when he or she is available. With such a lack of full time church workers, there is practically no meaningful follow up, caring or fellowship beyond the Sunday services. Let us lift up all the churches and those who serve as the contact in all the churches without a pastor .

Thursday
Which cities in China have the “personal feel”? Surprisingly, Lhasa in Tibet, Nanning in Guangxi and Changchun in Jilin are the top three. All these cities are considered “distant” from East China where most of the jobs are created. Lhasa has been hard soil for Christian workers, but we should not give up the work of the Gospel in Tibet despite many limitations and restrictions. Let us uplift churches in Nanning with prayers, as this is a poor province and has struggling churches .

Friday
People from Wenzhou are the Chinese Marco Polos, doing every kind of business in every corner of the globe, from mining in North Korea, to buying leather in Africa, to selling liquor in Iraq to soldiers, to exporting shrimp in Iceland. About 2 million Wenzhou people have left their homes in search of riches. Many of them are Christians and some are tent makers in setting up churches in the most unlikely places. Let us pray for this unique approach to missions and all the churches started abroad .

Saturday
One in three Chinese students studying abroad will return to China. The booming economy at home provides employment opportunities, especially for those who studied in Europe where local employment is nearly non-existent and immigration is difficult. Since most students will return to China, Chinese student ministries in Europe prove to be of great promise. The students there are also open to the gospel. Let us pray for the great need for student workers, discipleship of students, and the spiritual lives of the many who have returned to China .

Sunday
Unlike many other businesspeople in China who became rich overnight, almost all the Wenzhou people built up their wealth from nothing and amassed their fortune through years of hard work. Wenzhou believers have started many churches where they conduct their business. They have courageously reached out to the migrant workers, and sometimes are the only churches actively doing evangelism. Let us remember all these Wenzhou-related churches .

Monday
“Where do the Wenzhou people get their money to invest?” is a question many ask. The person who needs the capital will invite his friends or relatives to dinner and will start a “hui,” a private, personal lending association. In three months time, he will need to start to repay them one by one with a predetermined interest. Wenzhou churches tend to be very tight-knit too and ran by patriarchal figures. Let us pray for their young believers and leaders, who often feel stifled because their voices are not heard .

星期二
浙江溫州以教會多而聞名，在六縣之內就有2千多間教會。大部分是家庭教會，分爲牧區來管理以及調派傳道人到各堂點講道。感謝神的恩典，溫州教會的增長特別強盛。這裡的傳道人大部分是弟兄，有許多是帶職事奉，而且在各處會堂辛苦奔波。讓我們在禱告中記念這裡的傳道人，持續在服事上忠心不怠、在神的話語上努力學習、熱忱的牧養群羊。

星期三
中國教會欠缺牧者，一位傳道人牧養多間教會的情形非常普遍。許多教會只在有傳道人來到時才能領聖餐。在缺少全職傳道人的情況下，教會很難做好跟進或關懷信徒和慕道友的工作。我們求神興起教會信徒領袖，也用禱告托住他們，在沒有傳道人時能為神忠心的照管教會裡內外大小的需要。

星期四
中國哪些地方的人情味最濃呢？根據一項抽樣調查，奪標勝出的是西藏的拉薩、廣西的南寧和吉林的長春。這三個城市的共同點都是遠離繁華、經濟進步的華東。西藏拉薩是福音硬土，在這裡傳福音受到許多約束和限制。讓我們不放棄西藏的福音工作，求神幫助在此鬆土，讓祂的工人不氣餒；同時也用禱告托住貧困掙紮的南寧教會，求主供應並復興他們。

星期五
溫州人猶如中國的馬可波羅，在世界各地的各行各業都有他們的足跡。從開發朝鮮煤礦，買賣非洲皮革，銷售伊拉克美軍用酒，到出口冰島蝦，溫州人處處都能覓出商機。據估離鄉到海外淘金的溫州人大約有2百萬。其中也有許多溫州基督徒務商的主要目的是到福音的不毛之地設立教會。讓我們在禱告中記念這些熱忱的福音使者和特殊的福音管道。

星期六
中國近年經濟發達，就業機會提高，近20年間派赴海外深造的留學生有三分之一已學成歸國。留學歐洲的學生，由於當地移民不易，加上工作機會近零，大部分都會回國。海外留學生一般對福音持較開放態度。可以預期歐洲的學生事工能隨著海歸們回國而在中國延伸。讓我們為歐洲需要更多學生工作者來禱告。也為學生們信主後的栽培和成長，以及回國後的靈命進深禱告。

星期日
溫州商人大多白手起家，經過多年的辛勤耕耘才致富，不同於國內的暴發戶。許多溫州信徒願意把自己做生意的地方闢作爲教會，也勇於在各地向民工傳福音。這些溫州教會常是地方上最積極推動傳福音的引擎。讓我們為這些兄姊妹及其事工感恩，也求主記念他們的擺上，親自引領並保守聖工的拓展。

星期一
溫州人創業通常借助「做會」，即依靠同鄉親友關係建立的經濟互助互信融資網，籌借資金，並按規矩在3個月後開始一一償還。溫州教會也有類似的緊密關係，並由一些長老負責管理。這也造成很多年輕信徒和領袖覺得老一輩的長老聽不見他們的心聲，處處受約束。讓我們特別為溫州教會信徒們的溝通和合一禱告，也求神保守第二代信徒在靈命上的成長。