Prayer Request 10/2 --10/8

Tuesday
Last year Chinese intellectuals and business leaders debated a bestseller called Wolf Totem. One of its central points was that Confucianism had taught China's Han Chinese majority to behave like obedient sheep, accepting any leadership, as opposed to the more independent, predatory and successful Mongolian wolves in the book. Many rural believers lack spiritual discernment and follow leaders who have gone astray from Biblical teachings--particularly those who teach Success Theology and that God heals all diseases. Again, we remember those lost sheep and pray they will be quickly restored.

Wednesday
The government of China is behind the promotion of Confucianism because it encourages order and legitimacy by its emphasis on respect for authority. Party leaders have promoted this return to traditional values as an alternative to the present preoccupation with financial gain. Confucianism appeals to Chinese people but poses difficulty for Christian evangelistic efforts. We need to pray about this shift in thinking and for leaders to have wisdom to know how to present the gospel and Christian ethics to Chinese who long for morality but are excessively greedy.

Thursday
The Ministry of Education has approved adding more courses in traditional Confucian culture. The government also supports 145 non-profit Confucius Institutes aimed at promoting the Chinese language and culture in more than fifty-two countries. Some want to make Confucianism China's national religion but other scholars insist it is impossible to turn a philosophy into a religion. Unbelievers often say filial piety taught by Confucianism is superior to the Biblical teaching of honoring one's parents. We pray that all believers are able to honor and love their parents as Christ commanded us to do and to support them financially.

Friday
While in many places in the world both the infrastructure and demographics of Chinatown appeal only to older people, Chicago's Chinatown is drawing both new immigrants as well as American-born Chinese. Many shops and restaurants cater to these younger English-speaking Chinese who go there to meet friends. Overseas Chinese churches nowadays must offer services in English in order to retain and attract younger believers. Let us pray for the great need for English-speaking pastors in Chinese churches as well as the challenging work for all those who serve in the English ministry of Chinese churches.

Saturday
There was no college education at all during the 10 years of the Cultural Revolution. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the reinstitution of the college entrance examination, a bold move by Deng Xiao Ping. Today, college student ministry is the bright spot of Christianity in China, with Bible study groups and many conversions on every campus. As they gear up for the new school year, we pray for all the new students who will be invited to these groups this fall.

Sunday
Many fear that the government has lost control of the gender imbalance in China so that it now exceeds the 105:100 male to female ration considered proper. Even various promotional campaigns to give girls free tuition and health care have failed to reverse people's favouritism toward having boys.In Chinese churches women outnumber the men by three to one. We take this time to remember all the young believers who struggle under pressure from both of their families to have an ultrasound to find out if the child was male or female and then decide about abortion.

Monday
The Foreign Ministry published guidelines for Chinese citizens travelling abroad teaching them to behave in a civilized manner. Don't talk too loudly. Don't throw trash around, etc. Many are now calling for teaching younger Chinese about civility and ethics.It takes a decade to grow a tree and a century to change people. We have faith that God will do great things as He transforms China's churches from being full of pride and inward-focused to being those that care for their communities and even neighbouring countries.

星期二
去年的暢銷書「狼圖騰」引起了中國知識分子和商界領袖的廣泛討論。原因是書中蒙古狼的成功、獨立、以及掠食者的強勢形象與漢族歷來儒家文化的教導要馴良若綿羊、服從領袖恰恰相反。許多在鄉村的信徒缺乏屬靈的辨識能力，容易隨一些問題的教導而偏離真理，尤其是成功神學和相信神醫的情況。讓我們特別為走偏和迷失的羊禱告，求神話語光照他們引他們早日回頭。

星期三
中國政府是推廣儒教背後的助力，爲的是它推崇立法和命令，強調對當權者的敬重和服從。黨領袖推動恢復傳統價值觀，以替代全面佔據了中國人思想的經濟利益。克已復禮的儒家思想對國人有一定的魅力，卻易成福音的阻力。我們為信徒在思想上與世俗潮流抗衡的屬靈爭戰禱告，求神幫助信徒在人群中，傳揚天國的福音，活出基督徒的道德，價值觀和生活方式。

星期四
北京市教育局已批准更多傳統的儒學課程。有關當局也支持超過52個國家共145個非營利儒家學院，旨在推廣中華文化和語言。有人提議把儒教作爲國教；但學者則否定把哲學變爲宗教的可行性。非信徒一般認爲儒家所教的孝道遠勝聖經所教的「孝敬父母」。讓我們禱告每個信徒都做到神所命令的：真正的孝順和敬愛父母，在生活、精神和經濟上照顧他們的需要。

星期五
世界各地多處唐人街的人口和設施都漸漸老化。芝加哥華埠卻繼續興旺，不但吸引新舊華裔移民來居住，商店和餐館也高度迎合新一代年輕人的口味，連講英語的華裔青年也喜歡在此聚集。海外華人教會也必須設立英語崇拜聚會以吸引和留住年輕信徒。同時也迫切需要更多能操流利英語的傳道人，我們爲此禱告、記念在充滿挑戰的英文部服事的同工，求主加添他們的智慧和能力。

星期六
文革十年間，國內全無大專高校。鄧小平大膽恢復高考，至今已30周年。隨著查經班和各類聚會的設立，學生事工已成了所有事工中最耀眼的一環。當大家預備迎接新學年的來臨時，讓我們為所有新生能被邀參加這些聚會，有機會聽聞福音、得到救恩來禱告。

星期日
許多人擔心中國政府無法控制國內的男女比例失調（原超過105：100的國際平均水準）。各種鼓勵「關愛女孩」的措施和政策，比如免稅，免學費和保健費用等，都改變不了中國人對生男孩的偏愛。在中國教會，婦女的人數是男性的3倍。我們除了求神帶領更多男士成為信徒並激勵弟兄參與服事和傳福音外，在此特別為在家人壓力下，要以超聲波查驗胎兒的性別，以及考慮人工流產的年輕信徒禱告。

星期一
中國外交部近日發佈中國領事保護和協助最新指南，提醒國民出國前後應注意的事項。比如提醒國民出國在外勿大聲説話，不隨意拋擲垃圾，亂撿東西等等。許多人已開始呼籲，教育年輕人公共道德。十年樹木，百年樹人，我們深信神會按祂的時間行大事，把中國教會漸漸從向內專注自我的情況，轉變成爲能關心社區鄰舍，甚至周遭國家的宣教教會。