Prayer Request 5/5 - 5/11

Tuesday
The economic downturn has greatly affected the churches in China. The wealthy have cut back on their giving and those who are poor are having difficulty in making ends meet. Giving to churches has dropped significantly and many churches are unable to give their pastors full financial support. We pray especially that believers will trust God to provide in these times of uncertainty. May the Lord bless each of us with the assurance that He will take care of us in either good or in bad times, and that our faith will grown and we will learn to trust in Him instead of money.

Wednesday
The global financial crisis has struck the campuses of China's universities at a bad time. Graduates are having a difficult time getting jobs thanks to a surge in college enrollment. This year 6.11 million students will graduate from college and it is very difficult for young people to land a job. It is projected that there will be seven million college graduates next year. We pray for the college students facing this pressure, especially at this time of the economic slow down. Many young collegians have come to know Jesus and have been baptized during their college days but now they face the uncertainty of finding employment. Let us pray for them so they will hold fast to their faith in God and turst Him to lead and provide for them.

Thursday
During the Cultural Revolution an entire generation of college students was sent to the villages for reform and to learn from the peasants. Now it is the goal of the government to recruit and appoint one "college-graduate village official" in every village. This will increase the quality of rural officials and solve some of the unemployment problem facing college graduates. Very few workers in the rural churches have higher education. Those who do usually do not return to the villages where they once served. We know it is the heart that counts when it comes to serving the Lord and we pray for opportunities for further training and spiritual refreshing for all who serve in the villages.

Friday
Nearly half of the targeted provinces in China have achieved the goal of having a "college-gratuate village official" in every village. The selection criteria is rigorous. The person must be under thirty years old, a recent university graduate, and a full-fledged Communist Party member. It is a highly competitive position.(only 7% of applicants were chosen) and highly desirable. Serving in Chinese rural churches is a lonely task. There is so much to do but with very little resources. We pray for faithfulness, strength, and joy for all who work there. May the Lord supply their needs whether spiritual, physical, or financial. Their families, especially their spouses, need our prayer, too.

Saturday
Many point to China's college students as a generation with low moral standards. College girls practice prostitution to earn spending money. Cohabitation is very common and academic cheating is nearly universal.Ministry to college students is perhaps the one bright spot in Christian work in China and nearly every campus has Bible study groups. We uplift those who are sharing the gospel, serving and discipling students. May the Lord use them mightily to bring forth greater fruit.

Sunday
The family in China is undergoing tremendous changes. One ominous sign is widespread extra-marital affairs and divorces. The sad fact is that churches have succumbed to this decline in morality. Preaching against sexual sins and family counseling have become the top priority for church workers. Many are getting married with an attitude of "Let us give it a try." without serious commitment. This is also true among young believers. Let us pray for all who are planning to get married this year. May the Lord open their eyes to see what His design is for their marriage and may He help them to desire to submit to Christ above all else.

Monday
Party leaders have admitted that nearly all those corrupt officials who have been convicted have concubines. The lurid news of how they have squandered embezzled funds on scores of concubines continues to shock the public. In China, having extramarital affairs and even having a concubine is no longer a big deal. The Communist Party is now trying to punish those who have concubines. Our private lives should live out our faith.May the Lord remind us all how to safeguard our minds, our eyes, and above all to treasure and protect our families.


星期二
金融海嘯的衝擊使教會不少肢體的生活受到很大的影響。原本富裕的信徒也減少了奉獻；貧窮的肢體更是雪上加霜，生計艱難。教會的奉獻收入驟減，許多教會因此無法全數供應傳道人的生活需要。在這經濟動盪、前景不明朗的當兒，我們同心為所有信徒對神有堅定的信心禱告，求神幫助我們確信：無論日子如何，祂亦必保守看顧，使我們的信心日增，學習不依靠人、不依靠財富，唯獨依靠信實的主。

星期三
「畢業等於失業」正是大學生面臨的困境！由於中國大學畢業生不斷增加，今年會有611萬高校畢業生準備就業，明年的畢業生預計會有7百萬。原已飽和的就業市場，外加國際經濟危機當前，市場就業氣氛尤其緊張。讓我們為背負就業壓力的這群大學畢業生禱告，尤其在大學接受耶穌並受洗的年輕人，面對經濟放緩，前途茫茫，求主賜他們堅定的信心，仰望信賴神的帶領。

星期四
文革時期，共產黨推行知識青年「上山下鄉」運動，以磨練知青，學習體驗基層生活。三、四十年後，共產黨也積極推行另類的「知青上山下鄉」計畫：大學生村官。此舉既可提升村官素質，又可舒緩大學生失業的燃眉之急。農村教會很少有高學歷的同工，即便有也很快會離開。我們知道事奉心志比學歷來得重要，求主賜給農村教會同工靈裏獲得更新，並有進一步接受栽培和裝備的機會。

星期五
在中國政府啟動「大學生村官」計畫的省市區當中，半數以上已經實踐了「村村有大學生村官」的目標。村官選聘條件很嚴格，原則上，應為共產黨黨員，年齡限制在卅歲以下，應屆全日制大學學歷以上的畢業生。對大學生而言，這項「鐵飯碗」計畫，在大環境低迷之際，更有誘因。選聘競爭十分激烈，錄取率只有7%。在農村教會服事，是艱苦而孤獨的。待做的事工多而資源卻不足。我們為農村的同工們禱告，求主賜他們在事奉上有忠心，喜樂，和力量。我們也求主信實供應他們身心靈以及日常生活和經濟上的需要，。我們也在禱告中記念他們的家人，特別施恩、照顧他們的配偶。

星期六
現今的中國大學生被視為道德價值觀沒落的一代。女生賣身為娼、男女同居、抄襲作弊等行為在大學校園非常普遍。大學生事工可說是中國的事工中，成績最為顯著的，近乎每所大學都有查經班。我們為這些積極分享福音、為主服侍及栽培學生的同工們來感恩，求主大大的使用他們，多結福音的果子，為校園增添虔敬之風。

星期日
中國傳統的道德家庭觀正經歷巨大的變革，最顯而易見的是婚外情的普遍和離婚率的飆升。最可悲的是連教會也屈臣於這每況愈下的道德觀。目前教會牧者的首要任務應是傳講與性有關的罪的信息，以及提供婚姻與家庭輔導。現在有很多年輕人，包括基督徒在內，對婚姻抱持著「試試又何妨」的輕率態度。我們為所有正準備結婚的信徒禱告，求主讓他們看重神對他們婚姻的計劃，堅定愛主並遵從主教導的心，更勝於一切。

星期一
官員透露，近乎所有涉貪的領導幹部有包二奶問題。這些有關中國貪官為情婦而貪污、揮霍公款的消息層出不窮，震撼民心。在中國，婚外情和包二奶一直不被當成一回事。如今政府已將「鏟除幹部包養情人」，當作懲治腐敗系統工程中的重要一環。作為信徒，我們的生活行為應該與信心相稱。求主時刻提醒我們，要保守我們的心思，眼目，最重要的是讓我們用全心去珍愛和保護我們的家庭。