Prayer Request 2/1 - 2/7

Tuesday
The government in Guangdong is planning to raise the minimal wage by 18% this year and as a result many foreign-owned factories are not planning to hire new workers because then they would have to raise wages to retain their current workers. They must choose between either moving to countries in Southeast Asia that pay even lower wages or expect 20% of their factories to shut down in three to five years. Churches face the touchy problem of deciding whether they should give their pastors a raise this year. With inflation and low wages, churches in China have an ever-growing problem with a shortage of shepherds. May the Lord move the churches to think about how to take good are of His workers.
Wednesday
Last year in Taiwan only 160,000 children were born--a record low. If this trend continues officials estimate that sixty colleges will close in ten years. They hope that the birth rate will increase in the coming years of the Rabbit and the Dragon which are considered auspicious years to have children according to the Chinese calendar. Let us pray for all the newborns coming into the Chinese church during these next two years. Pray that churches will put an emphasis on the second generation in their midst and have well-planned strategies for child care, Sunday school, and teaching parents to raise up Godly children.
Thursday
Although the fertility rate in Taiwan hit a new low last year, the number of marriages has jumped by 20,000 couples to 140,000. Officials have said that although the economy in Taiwan has rebounded, the cost of living has increased and companies are not giving bonuses so couples are not likely to have more children. We pray for all the young couples in the churches, for their spiritual growth, that they will learn to love and honor each other as well as have commitment to honor Jesus in their plan to buy an apartment and prepare for pregnancy.
Friday
Churches in China struggle to deal with all sorts of cultural phenomenon in the society. For example, whenever a popular film is released, the church feels obligated to give an "official analysis" from a Biblical perspective. Such an endeavor is overwhelmingly time-consuming and can be divisive. Chinese believers like to analyze and debate issues which is not bad but this tendency often leads to arguments and hurts the unity within the church body. May the Lord grant us wisdom and humility especially among the intellectuals in the urban churches.
Saturday
The generation born after 1980 has witnessed many extra-marital affairs and broken marriages so it is of little wonder that many of them feel anxious about marriage themselves, consider marriage futile, or are afraid of marital commitment. Many young believers have come from broken families. Although they know God is the source of love, they have many worries about marriage and many have also made mistakes sexually in the past. We pray for healing of the emotional wounds they carry and ask God to prepare the best for them.
Sunday
Typically, the house churches in China have a shallow understanding of orthodox theology. They fight over minor issues or stress denominational views. Such bickering destroys unity and leads to pride and mistrust among the believers. We pray that all believers will be humble before the Lord. We ask the Lord for the spirit of unity in these churches because we know that without confession of sins, humility and unity, there cannot be a revival.
Monday
According to an official survey by the All-China Women's Federation (ACWF), domestic violence exists in thirty-one percent of the 270 million families in China with ninety percent of it committed by men. It is not a secret that not all men attending church are good husbands at home even though many of them even serve in leadership roles in the church. We want to pray that Chinese male believers would be godly men, as the apostle Paul said, "I will therefore that men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting." (I Tim. 2:8)

星期二
廣東官方準備再度調高最低工資標準，初定漲幅為18%。許多外資工廠都招工了，因為不僅新增人員要加薪，資深員工也要加薪，否則留不住工人。未來外資會面臨將生產轉移到勞工更亷價的東南亞或關閉的抉擇，預計三至五年內，有20%工廠倒閉。教會是否應給傳道人增加薪資是個敏感議題。近年的通貨膨脹和傳道人長期的低收入，教會將面臨更大的「牧者荒」。求主感動教會能思考如何善待神的工人。
星期三
去年台灣出生兒僅十六萬多，比前年銳減兩萬，創歷史新低。若出生人口以此等比級數持續下降，十年後大學至少要關閉六十間。接下來是兔年、龍年，這兩年出生人數應該會增加。讓我們記念在未來兩年將出生在華人教會的每一個小生命。華人教會實在需要更多投入栽培第二代的事工，也要有一個精心策劃的兒童事工計劃，除了主日學之外，還要幫助家長們培育出敬虔的兒女。
星期四
雖然台灣生育率創下新低，不過去年結婚的對數較前年暴增兩萬餘對，逼近十四萬對。官員表示，台灣雖然景氣復甦了，物價也漲了，但加薪情況仍不普遍，新婚夫妻還不會想多生孩子。我們要為年輕基督徒夫婦們代禱，賜給他們靈命的成長，學習夫妻彼此相愛和互敬，更在他們開始購屋、建立家庭、生育下一代的計劃中尊主為大。
星期五
今天的中國教會疲於應付社會上出現的各樣文化現象。如信徒津津樂道一部流行電影，教會就要本著聖經進行批判，給出「官方意見」。其實每天都有影響會眾價值觀的流行事件，教會如一一回應將不堪重負。中國信徒熱愛分析和辯論，本身並無好壞，但無關真理的言辭爭拗易生爭論，傷害教會肢體間的合一。求主賜智慧與謙卑給我們，尤其是城市教會中的知識分子們，能分辨並堅持信仰中最基要、不可妥協的真理，而變通應用次要原則。
星期六
由於「80後」新一代在成長過程中見過無數長輩的婚外情、離婚，他們普遍認為婚姻非常不安穩且幾近無意義，因此許多「80後」都有強烈的婚姻恐懼症、婚姻厭惡症。不少年輕弟兄姊妹出生於破碎的家庭，他們雖然知道神是愛，但對婚姻仍然心存陰影，又加上曾在性上面失敗，及所受過的傷痛，往往對幸福美滿的婚姻不抱任何希望。求主記念並醫治他們感情上的創傷，也為他們量身預備一位共同愛主的人生良伴。
星期日
家庭教會一般而言對神學認識普遍地流於膚淺，信徒間常因一些宗派或解經細枝末節的問題而發生爭吵，這往往是阻礙彼此合一的原因。求主幫助我們在主面前「凡事謙虛、溫柔、忍耐，用愛心互相寬容，用和平彼此聯絡，竭力保守聖靈所賜合而為一的心。」(弗4:2-3) 因為我們深知，若是沒有在神面前悔改、謙卑及合一，教會就不會有真正的復興。
星期一
中國婦聯統計數據顯示，每年四十萬的解體家庭中，家庭暴力佔了四分之一。在中國二億七千萬個家庭中，百分之三十一的家庭有暴力行為，而百分之九十都是男人犯的。在教會中並非所有男人都是「好丈夫」，甚至教會領袖在這方面亦有缺欠。讓我們為中國教會的弟兄們祈求，願主幫助他們管理自己的心，從神的話語裡學習做合祂心意的人，如同使徒保羅所說：「我願男人無忿怒，無爭論，舉起聖潔的手，隨處禱告。」 （提前 2:8）