Prayer Request 5/25 - 5/31

Tuesday
It is estimated that 173 million Chinese are suffering from mental illness and fewer than ten percent of them have seen a mental health professional. When people with this disease are involved in attacks on others, knives are often the weapon of choice because it is nearly impossible to obtain firearms in China. Nearly every church has someone who has some degree of mental illness attending. Other than offering prayer for them, churches can do very little for either them or their families. We realize that churches do not have the resources to solve this problem or even help very much, but let us remember these people and their anguished families in our prayers because we know the Lord hears our prayers and cares about them.
Wednesday
With the expansion of large cities in China comes the problem of increasing piles of garbage. China has overtaken the United States as the world's largest producer of trash. Cities there are producing six percent more garbage each year. Beijing and Shanghai each generate about 20,000 tons of garbage daily while Guangzhou's city center produces 8,000 tons alone each day. Good use of resources has always been a problem for churches in China. Many books and other printed materials are not distributed to the people who need them the most. Much of the material which is donated to them simply becomes trash. Let us pray that all the materials intended to help believers is used properly and effectively.
Thursday
The media in China as well as that overseas has proudly hailed the Shanghai World Expo as "a celebration of nations" attended by the largest number of countries with the most exhibitors and attendance of any so far. Although the officials have deliberately avoided calling the Olympics and the World Expo a symbol of the rise of China, that sentiment is palpable and surging among the people themselves. In the past decade the churches in China have also grown to be confident and more and more believers share the view that Chinese churches will play an important role in the evangelism of Islamic nations. We pray that other believers will not only catch the vision but also be willing to humbly partner in carrying out the Great Commission.
Friday
As a whole Chinese house churches are still searching for a workable model for growth. Many are still struggling to know how to expand or maintain their ministry and also how to stay unregistered with the government since they are in the legal gray zone. We pray for the preaching and outreach done by churches under all kinds of limitations, especially that of a lack of properly equipped leaders and a limited facility. Many want to reach out to the children and young people but are unable to do it.
Saturday
Whether to register with the government and become "legal" or not continues to be a thorny issue for many house churches. Some are negotiating with the officials in order to own property and expand their ministry. We pray along with those churches going through this wrenchingly emotional process which often divides and polarizes churches. May the Lord give them wisdom and a unity of spirit and mind.
Sunday
Churches in China at this time can best be described as fragmented and divided. The biggest reason is theological differences which border on antagonism. Churches will not even meet or work together many times because they accuse each other of theological apostasy. Believers are often taught that only their interpretation of the Bible is correct. But there is only one Christ and one church. We pray for humility and a mutual acceptance of each other in all the churches in China.
Monday
Many well-meaning Western missionaries and churches take their methods of church growth and discipleship to China as well as giving financial support. However, many of these ideas and methodologies need to be contextualized and adapted to the local churches to be effective. We thank the Lord for all the gifts and ideas taken to churches in China and pray that these churches will grow solidly on God's word and not just try to copy and imitate what works elsewhere.

星期二
據估約有1.73億中國人患精神病，能得到專業關注的患者不到百分之十。因在中國幾乎買不到槍支，往往精神病患攻擊人時選擇以刀為武器。每間教會，常有一兩位信徒也患有精神病，但教會沒有資源處立類似的問題，也缺人力做關懷的工作，除了為他們禱告外，不能提供實質的幫助。讓我們常在禱告中記念這些肢體的需要及其家人的處境。我們深信神會聽禱告、施憐憫，關愛這被人忽略的一群。
星期三
中國城市大幅擴張，垃圾增長問題隨之而來。中國已超越美國成為世界頭號垃圾生產國，各大都市的垃圾產量每年以6％的速度增長。北京和上海每天分別產生約2萬噸垃圾，廣州市則每天至少8,000噸。資源充分運用也是中國教會現今須正視的課題。許多捐贈書籍教材，印製後大量囤積，卻無法分發到最迫切需要的人手中，形同垃圾。讓我們禱告所有捐贈教材皆能發揮最大效用，建造信徒靈命。
星期四
中國媒體與海內外華人為上海世博會「萬邦來賀」感到驕傲，創下國家參展數目，及參觀人次最多的先河，儘管官方刻意低調迴避，以舉辦奧運和世博視作中國崛起的標誌，但類似言論仍不斷在民間蔓延升溫。過去十年，中國教會的自信心也明顯增長。許多信徒咸認，對回教國家的宣教事工，中國教會將肩擔重要角色。讓我們禱告，有更多信徒不僅能見此異象，更能彼此謙卑搭配來完成主的大使命。
星期五
對整體中國家庭教會而言，目前還在摸索更好的增長模式。如何銜接城市福音的發展，亦未有理想方式可借鑒參酌。許多教會仍試圖不在政府登記注冊下拓展事工。教會要在各樣的局限中做好講道和傳福音的工作，需要我們大力禱告扶持。尤其教會缺乏受過整全裝備的教會領袖，和軟硬體設備的局限，又無法展開兒童和青少年福音事工，求神一一施恩開路。
星期六
近年來，中國農村教會正面臨政府邀請「登記」的壓力。除信仰逼迫外，家庭教會還須選擇是否順服政府要求，甚至也嘗試與政府溝通，希望家庭教會能浮出水面公開化，可以公開擁有產業及開展事工。是否登記「合法化」成了許多教會內部爭論不休的一根刺。辯論較力的結果通常是分離和情緒傷害，教會因而分裂和兩極化。懇求主以合一的靈聯繫教會眾人，並賜智慧和信心讓此事落定，以繼續靠主前進。
星期日
目前整體家庭教會能以組織凌亂，意見分歧來形容。主因來自神學上的歧見，毗鄰「對立」，教會因互責在神學上違背教義而不能合作。而各教會的信徒接受的教導是：只有他們自己的教會對聖經的詮釋是絕對正確的。然而，我們知道，基督只有一個，祂的身體/教會也只有一個。讓我們迫切為中國各派的教會禱告，唯有神的靈能叫人謙卑自己，在歧見中彼此接納，真正成為在主內合一的肢體。
星期一
雖有許多西國宣教士與教會帶他們的方法和資金進入教會，但在許多限制與國情不同的環境下，事工總是遠遠達不到預期果效。我們為海外弟兄姐妹願意在資源和經驗無私來分享感恩，但同時要祈求神讓教會繼續把信仰和成長的焦點定在神的話語上，而不過度迷信抄襲海外成功教會的方法，以至於偏離了教會應有的本質。