Prayer Request 5/4 - 5/10

Tuesday
The private lives and marriages of Chinese celebrities are closely followed by billions of people. They tend to marry quickly and break up just as quickly, often after less than 2 years. One could blame it on the nature of the business, the temptations or the lack of time together. The fact is that the marriages of celebrities are models and they do shape the morality of society. We pray for godly couples who can be a model for their local churches, especially for the young people. We pray that they would know God's desire and provide blueprints for marriage that are relevant even for today. With the power of the Holy Spirit and the love of God, husbands and wives can accept one another, honor and be considerate toward each other as the Bible teaches.
Wednesday
China's leaders declared in the Chinese New Year, "Let the people live with more dignity." And before May 1st, Labor Day, a new slogan has been announced: "Let the laborers work with decency." Buzzwords like "decency" and "dignity" imply the government's promise to let workers have decent work and pay, and to let ordinary people enjoy living with dignity. Many Chinese churches still believe that pastors and those who serve in the church should live by faith, willing to sacrifice with low pay or little compensation. Such "wrong" attitudes continue to deter many from serving full-time or encourage the trend of the "part-time pastor." We pray that churches will honor those who are God's workers not their servants.
Thursday
The World Expo 2010 opened in Shanghai with great fanfare. Recently, the government reported that Hong Kong has been the the most "economically competitive" city in China but Shanghai is poised to overtake her. Also, in the opening night, the huge light displayed, "Hi, Brother Hu!" referring fondly to China's Party Chief. Traditionally, a Chinese pastor is respected, not seen as an equal, and not usually treated as a "friend" by the congregation. Similarly, most church workers feel lonely too. We pray for all the pastors, male and female, for their need of friendship, and that they would be seen as regular people, vulnerable and having weakness and needs like the rest of us.
Friday
The China real estate market stays red-hot. Housing prices in the secondary and even smaller inland cities have skyrocketed far more than in big cities. Hefei, a medium-sized industrial city hundreds of miles from Beijing and Shanghai, had home prices increasing by 50% last year. Many new homes sold are bought by speculators and paid for in cash and left unoccupied. The hottest conversation in churches is also about how many homes to buy and where to buy them. We pray that believers are not swayed by the rush to speculate, but truly trust God to provide and be a faithful steward of what God has entrusted us - money, time and talents.
Saturday
Many of the new young female believers grew up with little love and warmth in their homes. During courtship when men lavish a bit of affection on them, they quickly "fall in love". Their dating soon revolves around making love and they are unable to sort out the difference between true love and infatuation. Churches in China need much teaching about sexual purity before and after marriage. Many older pastors still hold the view that sex is unspiritual. Let us pray that churches can effectively teach and talk about what God desires of us in our bodies. We pray, too, for grace and deliverance for those who are trapped in guilt and shame for former actions.
Sunday
There are 9 million children up to age 14 with various disabilities or handicaps - about 2.66% of all Chinese children. There are laws protecting the rights of handicapped children, but in most of the smaller cities and in villages, there is next to nil in terms of programs suitable for handicapped children. We praise God as more churches develop their Sunday school programs, reaching out to more children with some visible results. Churches have also seen growth as their second-generation ministry grows. We pray that more children would come to know the Lord and that these efforts will reach more poor people and families with handicapped children.
Monday
Historically the Boxer Revolution was China's most famous anti-Christian movement but it was done mostly by peasants. The "May 4th Student Movement", however, combined nationalist and humanism sentiment and turned the intellectuals against foreign powers, including Christianity. We praise the Lord for bringing many young professionals into urban churches. The vast majority of students, however, still identify Christianity with Western powers and politics. We know only God can change people's hearts and bring true repentance. Let us pray for that day to come soon.

星期二
中國演藝界中人，很多是結婚快，離婚也快，聚散往往不出兩年。娛樂圈的誘惑特別多，尤其俊男美女接觸頻繁，假戲真做；夫妻因拍戲聚少離多，影響婚姻生活；凡此種種均造成娛樂圈內的婚姻比起一般人更不穩定。年輕人愛仿效明星的生活模式，明星的私生活間接影響社會整體風氣。我們為中國教會有好的夫妻榜樣來祈求：讓年輕一代明白神的原則永不改變，堅信神的兒女可以藉著聖靈的引導，活出聖經中以主的愛彼此接納，互相敬重和體貼的教訓。
星期三
中國官方在春節首倡「讓人民生活得更有尊嚴」，在「五一」前夕又提出「讓廣大勞動群眾實現體面勞動」。政府許諾勞動者「體面與尊嚴」，目的是的盼望勞工的付出與收獲應成正比。中國信徒常誤認教會牧者和同工應操練捨己、憑信心生活，視收入緊拙甚至供應不繼乃理所當然。此偏見使許多年輕人對教會服侍卻步，或不得不帶職服事。求主調整我們，能加倍敬奉勞苦的傳道人乃神的僕人，非教會的佣工。
星期四
上海世博會盛大開幕晚會上，園區打出「胡哥好」的親切字樣。最近官方發佈中國城市競爭力排行榜，香港地區雖五年蟬聯第一，但不久將來，上海極有可能趕上。華人牧者往往予人「神聖不可侵犯」的印象，不易成為弟兄姊妹的「朋友」。而傳道人大多也有強烈的「孤單感」，難找傾訴的對象。我們禱告所有傳道人不論男或女，在神家中都能像會眾般，在軟弱疲乏時也得著肢體愛的扶持與支援。
星期五
中國房產高燒依舊，去年平均房產價格持續飈漲，二三線城市房產價格漲幅且超過一線城市。以內陸中等工業城市合肥為例，雖與北京上海相隔數百英里，去年平均房產價格飈升五成，不少人買房產作投機而非自住用途。現在教會最熱門話題，非房地產莫屬。 買多少，買在哪已成了討論焦點。求主幫助信徒不盲目跟風炒樓投機，相信神必供應，也做好祂忠實的管家，善用神所託付的金錢，時間和才幹。
星期六
許多年輕一代女信徒在成長過程裡，幾乎沒有體驗過親情的愛和溫暖。當男性大獻殷勤時，很容易掉進愛情的漩渦而無法自拔。也有不少和男友約會時，都是圍繞著性，不懂得分辨肉體的愛和真愛的差別。中國教會急需更多有關婚前婚後貞操的教導。但許多老一輩的牧者仍視談「性」為不屬靈的。求主幫助教會能夠有效而全面的教導信徒明白如何合神心意地管理好自己的身體。也求主的寶血赦罪的大能釋放為過去的錯誤行為而羞愧自責的肢體。
星期日
中國14歲以下的人口中，有九百多萬殘疾兒童，佔全國同齡兒童總數2.66％。雖然國家有法律保障殘疾兒童的合法權益，但小城市尤其在農村，實在是缺乏為殘疾兒童專設的教育或訓練項目。感謝主讓教會看到投資及帶動兒童主日學成長可直接促成教會整體的成長。求主繼續帶領更多孩童認識神，讓教會能服侍更多貧窮及有殘疾兒童的家庭，使弱勢孩子及其家長們都有機會聽到福音。
星期一
從歷史的角度看，「義和團」乃當代中國最廣為人知，主要由平民發動的『反基督教運動』。相反的，「五四運動」乃近代集合了國粹和人道主義，由知識份子發動以對抗包括基督教在內的外國勢力的『思想運動』。雖然許多學生仍將基督教和西方勢力與政權劃上等號，感謝主！上帝近年把許多知識份子帶進城市教會。我們深信只有上帝能改變人心，使人看見真理且帶出真心的順服與悔改。讓我們繼續禱告知識份子大量歸主的日子來臨。