Prayer Request 6/5-6/11

Tuesday
In China both the wealthy and business managers greatly value guanxi or relationship. To them a good relationship with government officials and bankers is even more valuable than sound business intelligence. By and large believers are not really close to and tend to be formal with their shepherds, especially in the Three-Self churches. We pray that all believers will see their pastors as friends and be willing to care about them and their families.

Wednesday
When overseas Chinese businesses do business in China or work with foreign companies, people always brag about their guanxi or close ties with the government. The church as a family requires a close-knit relationship, mutual understanding, and a common theology. We pray in particular for house churches--for mutual acceptance, unity, kingdom-mindedness, and a deeper individual relationship with God.

Thursday
A university in Hong Kong got in trouble for publishing a pornographic edition of its campus newspaper. Today college students have access to all kinds of sexual material, especially on the internet. Churches, however, are mum about sex and preachers hardly mention anything about it. May the Lord keep our hearts, and especially those of the young people, pure. We pray, too, for pastors that they will be able to teach correctly and boldly about the Biblical view of sex.

Friday
The buzz word in China these days is Chineseness or Chinese Style. It represents a nationalistic pride and a return to all things traditional. Such an attitude incorporates the good things of the West but they must meet the taste of the Chinese. Both the Three-Self and house churches are definite Chinese style churches. We pray for true revival in each church, especially those ravaged by cults, lukewarmness, and lack of a shepherd.

Saturday
Although Chinese style fast food outlets are rapidly gaining in popularity, the KFC food chain boasts more than 1800 restaurants in China and sees a potential market of up to 15,000 outlets in the future since Chinese people like Western food, especially the youth. Having a Chinese style of government in the churches is the dream of house church leaders but it is still unclear how to effectively run a church when they cannot register legally. We pray for the opening of doors, the revealing of God's plan, and unity among the churches.

Sunday
Many Taiwanese businessmen move to China to lower their costs and avoid the economic malaise in Taiwan. Many Taiwanese companies borrow heavily to invest in their business in China leading to the saying, "Giving money to China, leaving debt to Taiwan." Whether churches in China will be independent financially or if they will be able to support their own poorer churches is a question. We give thanks for Wenzhou and some Henan churches that are doing this right now.

Monday
People in China are fascinated with the political situation in Taiwan and news reports about Taiwan can be heard twenty-four hours a day. Even common citizens are familiar with the details and gossip of Taiwan's political elections. Believers in China are very much acquainted with preachers in Taiwan via the internet and VCD's. Praise the Lord that modern technology allows such long-distance shepherding. May the Lord bring revival in churches in Taiwan and provide more help to the churches on the Mainland.

星期二
中國的富人和商人或企業家，對與政府官員和銀行家的關係之重視尤勝於商業機密或經營智慧。國內一般信徒與牧者的關係並不親密，尤其在合法公開的教會，牧者與會友的關係越趨於形式化。求主幫助牧者們除去和弟兄姊妹間的隔閡，讓會友們能視牧者爲朋友及屬靈同伴，關懷他們以及其家人。

星期三
海外華商來到中國與企業或外資公司協談時，必定炫耀自己與官方的關係如何緊密。緊密的關係對教會間是非常重要，教會之間需要像家人般彼此來往瞭解，擁有共同的神學觀。讓我們為中國教會，特別是家庭教會禱告，求主賜給眾教會合一的心，在各自與神建立更深的關係之餘，亦能彼此接待，同感一靈，一同為拓展神的國度努力。

星期四
香港一所大學的校園報因刊登色情內容而遭政府勒令停刊。事實上，今天的大學生要想接觸各類色情事物輕而易舉。尤其隨著網路的發達，不良資訊更是無孔不入。社會上情色汎濫，教會界卻仍對“性”閉口不言，牧者更覺難以啓齒。求主幫助我們，特別是保守年輕人，保持純潔的心。也讓牧者們能勇於適當的教導會衆合乎聖經原則的性觀念。

星期五
“中國式”是中國當今的流行詞，就是既擷取西方的優點，又保留中國人的口味，充分流露出民族自豪和突破傳統的心態。無論是三自教會和家庭教會都是不折不扣的中國式教會。我們求主興旺中國的眾教會，亦為許多受到異端攻擊的，或不冷不熱的教會，以及缺乏牧者的信徒們禱告，求聖靈在他們身上點燃復興的火，向靈命成熟和承接大使命的標竿努力。

星期六
雖然近來中國式速食店迅速流行起來，“肯德基家鄉雞”連鎖店在中國已然超過1800家。按中國人（尤其年輕人）喜愛西式餐飲的趨勢估計，未來它還有潛能開到15,000家。擁有中國式的教會是家庭教會領袖們的夢想，然而他們其中的許多至今仍未合法註冊，教會未來的出路仍是未知數。讓我們求神開門，顯明祂自己的心意，讓教會能在祂自己裡合一。

星期日
許多臺商為求減低成本紛紛遷厰大陸 ，這些臺商公司在臺灣借貸，到中國投資，許多經營不良的企業引起“錢進大陸，債留臺灣”的詬語。許多主內非常關心國內教會在經濟上能否自立，或在經濟上資助貧困的教會。感謝神，溫州教會及部分河南團隊付諸行動。讓我們在禱告中記念中國教會的成長外，也能彼此互相扶持，同為肢體。

星期一
中國百姓非常關心臺灣政治動態，全天二十四小時都有播報臺灣新聞。就連臺灣選舉的周邊新聞百姓們都耳熟能詳。信徒通過網路和光碟，也相當熟悉臺灣的牧者。感謝主，牧者能透過先進的科技，遠距餵養看不見的羊群。求主帶給臺灣的教會更大的復興，讓他們更有負擔參與支援大陸教會的各項事工。