Prayer Request 4/8 -- 4/14

Tuesday
It has been thirteen years since the death of Teresa Teng, the legendary singer whose popularity spanned both Taiwan and China even during the Cultural Revolution. She was affectionately known as "Little Deng", in contrast to the "Old Deng", the most powerful premier, Deng Xiao Ping. Churches on both sides of the Taiwan Straits share many praise songs and hymns. Let us pray especially for all the music ministries whose songs and CD productions impact Chinese churches and encourage believers everywhere.

Wednesday
One of the things people frequently complain about in China is the public nuisance of widespread advertising posters pasted on every wall in the neighborhood. Many are medicine-related ads with bogus claims and the local government is trying unsuccessfully to crack down on them. Most house churches in the cities work very hard not to attract attention. Many of them exist but remain virtually unknown even to their neighbors. Let us pray for their good testimony in the neighborhood and their need for safety.

Thursday
Many are debating whether China should have a minimal wage for the millions of workers in the cities to boost the benefits they get. Some suggest that 1500 yuan ($215 US) monthly would be a good amount while others argue that employers will close their factories and go to other countries with even lower-cost labor. Chinese churches, especially those in rural areas, are facing an exodus of workers because of the rising cost of living and the lack of increase in their wages. Let us pray for these churches that they will have the wisdom and vision to take good care of the shepherds.

Friday
China has extended a ban that virtually blocks all foreign cartoons from airing on TV during prime time (5 p.m. to 9 p.m.). Parents who have children find it difficult to attend evening services since preschoolers want to watch television and older ones have so much homework to do. Let us pray for wisdom for Christian parents to know how to balance rearing their children with their desire to serve in the church.

Saturday
Until recently Chinese people had the ideal of serving their country. Now, however, the ideal is that everyone must look out for himself. This ugly self-centeredness is sweeping across the urban churches in China so that often even Christian faith is a matter of seeking a means of self-fulfillment. Let us pray for the healthy teaching of theology in the churches so that believers will know that the Church, the body of Christ, is global and universal and not an institution to merely fulfill personal needs.

Sunday
Chinese churches now have a great abundance of all kinds of teaching materials available to them on CD's and DVD's. The downside of all of this is that many are unable to discern which ones are Biblically correct and doctrinally sound. Many believers quote this or that person which leads to division in churches and even worse some people stumble and stop going to church altogether. Let us pray for spiritual discernment with humility in all of the believers along with healing in churches that have suffered a break-up.

Monday
Government expert claims that 60-70% of Chinese today have premarital sex compares with 15% in 1989. Among the young people in the cities, especially those born after 1980, marrying late, having sex early and casual sex is now the norm. Many believers came to knowing Jesus Christ only after they are married. They must deal with their prior relationships in their marriage. Let us pray for their healing, complete acceptance in God’s love and all of our desire to live a life pure for the Lord.

星期二
一代歌後鄧麗君逝世至今已經十三年了。回想當年，即便是文革時期，她在臺灣和中國大陸兩地同樣受歡迎；最有權勢的總理—鄧小平，人稱老鄧，而鄧麗君則被稱爲小鄧，其影響力和當紅程度可見一斑。海峽兩岸的教會有著許多共同的讚美詩和聖詩。讓我們為所有的音樂事工代禱，特別求神祝福他們所製作的光碟和歌曲，能為各地華人教會和信徒帶來正面的提昇和鼓勵。

星期三
在中國，最常招人投訴的就是街上隨處張貼的低劣廣告，其中不乏虛稱醫療功能的藥物廣告。當局一直無法有效清理這些沿路沿牆掛示的廣告牌。有很多城市裡的家庭教會都盡量保持低調。甚至連鄰舍都不太察覺他們的存在。讓我們向主求恩，讓這些教會在兼顧安全的前題下，也能夠用好見證在社區鄰舍成為光和鹽。

星期四
許多人辯論政府是否該為城市中數以百萬的工人設定最低工資標準以提升他們的福利。議者提出每月1500人民幣（215美元）的工資標準，反對者認爲這將導致許多工廠關閉、轉移到其他勞工更低廉的國家設厰。中國教會正面對同工外流的現象，其中尤以農村教會為甚。導因於他們工資很少增加，難以應付節節攀升的生活費。讓我們為這些教會禱告，求主賜他們智慧和遠見，體恤和照顧主僕人的需要。

星期五
中國擬禁止外國卡通在黃金時段（下午5點至9點）播出。現在，許多父母爲了孩子，都很難參加晚間聚會，因爲年幼的要看電視，年紀稍長的得趕做家庭作業。我們求神賜智慧給這些基督徒父母，讓他們能在自己想參加教會崇拜和附和孩子的需要之間取得平衡。

星期六
以往中國人常懷有盡忠報國的偉大志向，但從整個大環境來看，自我中心的個人主義已大行其道，城市中的教會亦深受世風影響，使「基督信仰」成為個人的理想境界或心靈世界的追求。求主使中國教會都能健全地教導信徒明白主耶穌不僅是藉教會成全個人，更要讓普世的教會都因基督的緣故彼此聯結。

星期日
在海外各式有關基督教信仰的教材、錄音帶、錄像帶，非常便利取得。信徒們可以在家聽講道。其弊端是在教會系統以外接受不同背景的教導後，因缺乏分辨真僞的能力，易導致「各擁其主」，造成教會分裂。更甚的是靈命不夠成熟的弟兄姐妹，從此不到教會聚會。讓我們為信徒有謙卑的心和屬靈的辨識能力來禱告，也為曾經歷分裂之痛的教會能得主的完全醫治來禱告。

星期一
研究顯示，現在的中國，60%至70%的人有婚前性行為，而在1989年僅15%。晚婚，早有性行爲和一夜情在城市青年當中極爲普遍，特別是1980年代以後出生的人。許多信徒是在婚後才認識主基督，他們必須處理在婚姻裏曾經有過的感情關係，我們禱告他們能夠得到神的醫治，在神的愛裏彼此完全接納。也求主使我們都渴慕爲主過純潔的生活。