Monday, May 16, 2011

Prayer Request 5/17 – 5/23

Tuesday
The Premier of China said that the many scandals in recent years about the safety of food such as toxic milk, food additives, recycled cooking oil, and tainted steamed buns shows a lack of integrity and the decline of morality to a serious low. The tainted steamed buns scam was accomplished by adding food color to already expired Chinese bread and re-selling it as fresh bread. Cults and heresies, like the poisonous food products abound in China and seriously damage churches, especially those without a shepherd or the smaller rural house churches. We pray that God in His mercy will help the injured sheep to return to His folds. We pray, too, that the more mature believers will know how to defend their faith boldly.

Wednesday
The Chinese government has banned a total of 44 television advertisements considered to be false, misleading, or exaggerating in nature. Although censorship is common in China, this is the largest number banned by far, since the government felt the sellers were using newscasters to mislead the viewers into thinking these products were good news. There are many preachers who give promises of healing and prosperity without sound Bible doctrine to back them up. This draws many followers who once they are disappointed are badly hurt and stop going to any church. We pray for wisdom, discernment, and spiritual maturity for all believers that they will not be naive and taken advantage of because they do not have a solid understanding of Truth.

Thursday
Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Beijing took the top three rankings among China's fifty "most competitive cities". In terms of a "sense of happiness" of their residents, Shijiazhuang of the Hebei Province is the happiest, followed by Linyi, Yangzhou, Chengde, Binzhou, Laiwu, Hebi, Baotou, Beijing, and XinZhu(Taiwan) as the top ten happiest cities. Most of these "happiest cities" are not familiar to us but let us pray for the believers in them. May the Lord use these Christians as mighty witnesses in their neighborhoods, at work, and in their families. We pray, too, that their churches will grow in numbers and in the scope of their ministries.

Friday
One apt description of the churches in China is that they are "big in appearance but weak inside". They are big in the sense of the large number attending in both rural house churches and Three-Self churches, but the number of committed and Biblically-sound believers is much smaller than the number of those who attend. Again, we lift these Chinese believers up into God's hand. May the Lord stir each of us out of our complacency so that we will crave the spiritual milk of the Word of God. May we see a revival and awakening again.

Saturday
Among foreign observers and Christian leaders there is a lot of anticipation for the future of churches in China. These people easily assume that China will be picking up the baton of world missions and rise up to be another Korea. Such expectation overlooks the true state of these churches. We beseech the Lord for His will to be done in the churches in China and that the gospel will be preached mightily there. We pray that believers will have the passion and vision to take the gospel to the world and not just dream about it and write slogans.

Sunday
Today the church in China is in a time of transition, especially in those provinces like Henan where a majority of the people are farmers.The quality of leadership must be improved and the churches must have new strategies for stable and sustainable church growth. Rural churches must somehow find a way to appeal to and connect with the quickly-urbanized and the younger generation or face a rapidly graying church. We pray that the church in China will learn to connect with the present day young people. May the Lord raise up leaders who are sensitive to cultural changes and have a willingness to adapt their methods to attract the youth.

Monday
The church in China is weak in that it has few professionals, even generally educated people, and the financial level of the believers is low. In many provinces the Christian churches are still considered marginal and insignificant. As the society moves forward, churches are at risk of having graying congregations and being known as a place for only poor farmers. We thank the Lord for pockets of strong growth in China and we pray urgently for the vast number of churches that have in the recent past become stagnant and are dying.


星期二
總理溫家寶指出,中國近年來所發生的「毒奶粉」,「瘦肉精」,「地溝油」,「染色饅頭」等黑心交易的食品安全事件都顯示社會缺失誠信,道德低落到了很嚴重的地步。如同這些有毒食品,異端邪教在中國也比比皆是,嚴重破壞基督的肢體,尤其是那些沒有牧人及小型農村家庭教會更易受攻擊。求神憐憫,引領那些受傷的羊回到祂的羊圈;也為有更多成熟的信徒,能精確講明真道,勇於護教。

星期三
中國官方最近禁播44條電視購物廣告,是禁播違規廣告數量最多、最集中的一次。這些廣告以虛假誇大的資料來誤導消費者,以新聞報導或請人做假見証等方式作宣傳,商品多半不標注經銷企業名稱也不提供退貨資訊。同樣在教會裏也有不誠實牧者,以不合聖經的應許吸引求醫、求富的信徒。人們一旦發現所求落空,就不再去教會了。我們為信徒有智慧,屬靈的成熟度及分辨真理的能力禱告,求神親自帶領我們的心,以衪為至寶,而不是真理的根基鬆散,誤信盲從,只求屬世好處。

星期四
2010年全國294個城市城市綜合競爭力排名前3名是:香港、上海、北京。藍皮書首次將幸福感指數引入評價體系中,幸福感指數前十名的城市:為石家莊、臨沂、揚州、承德、濱州、萊蕪、鶴壁、包頭、北京、新竹。這些「最幸福」城市,有些人們並不熟悉,讓我們為其中的教會和信徒禱告,願主在生活中、職場裏使用他們作光作鹽,有美好的見證,也祝福他們的教會在質與量上都大大的成長。

星期五
中國教會可用「外盛中虛」來形容。「外」是指外表數字。很多中國教會,無論是三自和農村的家庭教會,聚會人數不少,但能真正委身且在真理紮深根的基督徒遠少於表面上的「數字」?讓我們再一次把弟兄姊妹交托在主手中,求神再次蘇醒和復興。求主為我們除去心中的自滿,使我們真心渴慕主的話語,經常汲取為靈糧,讓屬靈身量日日茁壯。

星期六
中國教會的「外盛中虛」另一解:「外」即「海外的猜想」。海外教會常不經審慎分析,就簡單地接受了「中國教會有極龐大的信徒」的看法,過急地期盼中國教會能急速地成為宣教的中國,繼續韓國教會,成為宣教最後一棒,並有揠苗助長的危機。我們懇求主的旨意行在中國教會,使福音在此地迅速廣傳。也禱告中國信徒都能持續有普世宣教的異象和熱情,使這個異象不滯留於夢想和空泛的口號之中。

星期日
中國教會正面臨著轉型挑戰,尤以傳統上以農民信徒居多的省份如河南省等,轉型挑戰更為嚴峻。同工質素的提升,如何建立穩固又能持續增長的牧養體系,並發展一套能吸引現代城市化下年輕人的傳福音模式,都是需要努力的。求主幫助教會知道如何與時下青年銜接,興起對文化思想變化有敏銳洞悉力的教會領袖,知道在不犧牲真理的原則下,能采納吸引年輕人的新策略。

星期一
中國教會的「中虛」,特別指會眾在專業才能、知識水準、經濟實力方面,在很多省份中仍屬老弱的族群,教會淪為「邊緣人」組織。當國家社會急速進步前進時,這些教會卻面臨老化和停滯,依然給人農民多,老人多的印象。我們為中國教會在局部領域的持續發展上強勁的增長謝恩,同時更迫切為許多停滯不前,甚至就快病入膏肓的教會禱告求恩,求主再次燃起復興的火。

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Prayer Request 5/10 -5/16

Tuesday
China has launched essentially a new morality movement to fight what the government sees as the rampant "vulgarization" in all forms of media, particularly in entertainment such as TV shows, theatrical performances, publications. Most of the time, Christians in China feel absolutely powerless in changing or influencing the society. Believers feel helpless in shaping the value systems of their children as well. We pray for wisdom for Christian parents, not only in keeping their children from "filth and pollution" but to instill in them godliness, by modeling their own commitment to God.

Wednesday
China's leaders have officially declared war on "three common forms of vulgarity". Entertainers must consciously resist being vulgar, distasteful and fishing for cheap popularity. The aim of this "New Culture Movement" is to promote the traditional Chinese culture, establishing the Socialistic culture with Chinese distinctiveness, but the bottom line is to rid the "spiritual pollution" of China. Most believers spend their non-working hours watching TV and movies, just like the rest of the people. There is a void of "quality“ entertainment. We earnestly pray for guarding of heart of all believers and how we all "entertain" ourselves.

Thursday
Since the Chinese New Year in February, factories in China have been strained by an unprecedented shortage of laborers. Employers have had to raise wages by 15-20% and still have not been able to find enough workers to keep production lines open. Shortage is not unique in the costal provinces but now it is also felt in the factories that have moved inland to western China. People are asking what happened to all of the cheap Chinese labor they are accustomed to. With the average increase in wages, it is easy for church workers to feel discouraged because the majority of them are not getting a similar cost-of-living adjustment. Let us pray the churches will take care of their spiritual leaders and their families.

Friday
Due to inflation, the price of agricultural products has skyrocketed in the last two years boosting the income of farmers and narrowing the gap in income between those in cities and those in villages. Migrant workers from villages, especially those forty years old and older would rather stay home to farm than do manual labor in the cities since the cost of living and the price of their children's education is much cheaper in the villages than in the city. Will this return of people to the villages give rural churches another chance for revival? The future of the rural church in China is definitely in God's hand and we know God has a special purpose for them. We pray for these churches that God will raise up more younger people to serve there.

Saturday
In China it often requires a whole support team to train church workers. They need people to cook, do the cleaning, and do other jobs to supply the needs of the teachers and students so they can concentrate on their studies. Invariably some students will quit their calling and join others to seek work in the cities which affects the training and spirit of others in the group. Training future church workers is not only time-consuming but it also requires a lot of financial investment. Let us pray for not only those who are the teachers and students, but also for the supporting churches and organizations for these efforts. May the Spirit of the Lord mold and transform the students into faithful future servant leaders.

Sunday
China has spent great effort to clean up porn and prostitution but with little success. There are laws prohibiting officials from watching pornography but judging from the near frenzied reception they gave a visiting Japanese porn star recently, it is apparent the government has acted with unusual acceptance and given no restrictions. We ask, "What can churches do?" Let us pray for the guarding of hearts and minds for all believers in this wicked world whether adults or teenagers, and even those who are working in churches.

Monday
In 1981 China implemented the second "Marriage Law" legalizing family planning. changing the legal age of marriage to "no earlier than twenty-two years of age for a male and not earlier than twenty years old for a female". It also completely abolished the legality of marriage between cousins. Many young Christian girls in China cannot find a mate of the same faith. Many of them have a strong faith in God that He will provide but the pressure from their families to get married is very great. May the Lord comfort them, add to their faith, love and patience before Him.


星期二
中國正掀起「新道德運動」來抗衡「低俗化」,被視為文化體制改革的重要課題。近幾年大陸的電視節目、文藝演出、文學創作等因向商品市場靠攏而日趨「低俗化」。許多中國信徒認為自己根本沒可能改變或影響社會,信徒父母也在幫助子女建立屬神的價值觀上常力不從心。求主賜信徒家長有屬靈的智慧,不僅幫助子女靠主在洪流中站立得穩,更能以身作則,不向這個世界妥協,成為虔誠愛主的榜樣。

星期三
政府明確抵制「三俗」,文化工作者要堅決抵制庸俗、低俗、媚俗的「三俗」之風。在這「新文化生活運動」背後,是弘揚中華文化軟實力,建立中國特色社會主義文化發展道路,亦即反「精神文明污染」。有些信徒在餘暇時也像一般世人,以低俗電視、電影為娛樂,不知歸回在厚賜百物給我們的神面前,尋求真正的安息。求神保守我們心懷意念,提醒我們是新造的人,靠主勝過世界引誘不隨從今世風俗。

星期四
春節以来許多工廠面臨前所未有的勞工短缺,迫使雇主不得不提高工資將近15-20%,但仍有許多生產線找不足工人開動。工人短缺不僅發生在沿海省份,連已遷往內陸的工廠也面對同樣難題。資方無不感嘆過去的廉價勞工,現已難尋。一般工人平均工資增加,難免使服事教會的同工心覺沮喪,因絕大多數中國傳道人並未獲得與生活費用相應的薪金調整。我們為教會能好好的照顧他們的牧者及其家人生活來禱告。

星期五
近年通脹加劇,各樣物品價格飆升,其中農產品漲幅最大,城鄉人民的收入距離亦因而收窄;加上農村的房屋及教育費遠低於城市,許多四十歲以上的第一代民工,寧回老家務農而不再離鄉背井。民工的回流是否能為中國農村教會帶來復興?讓我們為此仰望恩主的帶領。我們看見神的手一直掌管農村教會的發展,也深信祂在其中必有奇妙的計劃,求主引領更多年輕一代加入教會,並參與神家的服事。

星期六
一個同工培訓課程背後必需有一個團隊支援,負責所有吃、住、清潔等等後勤工作。有些學員中途放棄,或在回鄉過節時受外出打工的青年影響,也決定離隊去打工賺錢,常帶給團隊許多負面的影響。培訓中國教會同工不但費時費力,更需大量的經費支持。讓我們為教師和學生求恩外,也為支持的教會和機構禱告,願主陶造每一顆生命,磨練神兒女的品格,使祂的教會得著又良善又忠心的僕人。

星期日
中國政府向來大力掃黃,早前亦有地方政府下令禁止公務員看黃片。色情氾濫確是當今社會一大問題。最近,中國網友對一個日本情慾明星公開表現出瘋狂的熱情,官方卻置若罔聞,其寬容與接納尺度之大,與平常的道德捍衛者形象嚴重相悖。教會對社會道德敗壞能做什麼?求主保守我們眾信徒的心懷意念,不論年齡大小都謹慎自守,逃避接觸淫亂邪情,更求主保守教會牧者,不被眼目的情慾所引誘。

星期一
自1981年1月1日起開始實行中國第二部《婚姻法》,將「實行計劃生育」納入法制軌道,並將結婚年齡改為「男不得早於22周歲,女不得早於20周歲」,也徹底廢除了表兄弟姐妹之間的通婚。在教會裡,普遍年輕姐妹難覓相同信仰的男士作為伴侶。我們為姐妹們願在婚姻上持守神的吩咐感恩。有些姐妹更是常活在家人催婚壓力下的,求主安慰她們,加添愛心及信心,耐心等候神的旨意和預備。

Tuesday, May 03, 2011

Prayer Request 5/3 – 5/49

Tuesday
Beginning May 1st thirteen non-violent economic crimes are being taken from the list of those punished by capital punishment, reducing the list from sixty-eight to fifty-five. Drunk driving, however, will face much harsher punishment than before. One's driver's license will be revoked for five years. It will also be forbidden to add bleach to whiten flour. Everyone knows that the death penalty has not significantly deterred corruption in China. Greedy merchants do unbelievable things to adulterate food stuff. We pray that Christians will stand up and be a great testimony in the way they live their lives above reproach and give glory to our Father in heaven.

Wednesday
Television programs based on time-travel have been very popular in China recently. One such program depicts a modern day girl going back in time to be the queen in Qing Dynasty. Official has called for a halt to all TV plots with "fantasy, time-travel, bizarre plots, absurd techniques...ambiguous moral lessons, and a lack of positive thinking." Many Christian parents struggle with their children addicted with fantasy games and not able to have a healthy parent-teen relationship. Let us pray for wisdom for them in maintaining a good relationship with their teenagers and continue to influence their child with Biblical values and examples.

Thursday
In recognition of her contributions to serving the needy, the founder of Taiwan's Buddhist relief organization was named as one of Time's 100 most influential people in the world. Her organization has the motto of “instructing the rich and saving the poor,” with four major missions — charity, medicine, education and culture. In China there are many faith-based charities and many Christians are involved in volunteer work in their communities. Let us pray that we do not become discouraged in doing good, having divine wisdom in bring people to Jesus with the limited resource, freeing them from the bondage of sin and be reminded that when we serve others we are serving God and give Him all of the glory.

Friday
Frankly, churches in China have had little experience with Muslim missions so there are no well-formed agencies or workers who have lived long term in Muslim countries. Therefore, more failures and mistakes are in the future as the churches in China learn to do Muslim missions. They need much language training and learning to settle down and thrive in Muslim culture before they can communicate and share the gospel proficiently. There are Chinese missionaries who serve in all parts of the world but most of them are from Singapore and Hong Kong. Let us remember the approximately 2500 Chinese missionaries who serve globally, many cross-culturally. We pray, too, for their supporting churches that the Lord will bless them with an abundant harvest.

Saturday
As they recruit and get ready for missionary efforts, the prevalent attitude of many churches in China is, "God will raise up churches and Christian businessmen to give toward misisons. Chinese can do mission work the Chinese way". Nationalistic pride and God's desire for missions often get mixed up in Chinese churches intent on sending out missionaries. May the Lord give each of us a humble heart, an urgency to do God's work, and a true passion for lost souls whether they are far away or our neighbors.

Sunday
Drinking and smoking are part of daily life in China. Giving and receiving cigarettes and liquor is considered almost a necessity in striking friendships and making connections. In order to really make an end to public smoking, China must break the "tobacco and alcohol" culture which will require a joint effort by society and the schools, starting with teaching children the hazards of smoking and how to refuse tobacco. Many Chirstian mothers struggle painfully when they see their child starting to smoke or drink, especially when other adults at home do it. We pray with all the mothers who are pleading with the Lord to save their teenager who is losing interest in going to church and is picking up bad habits.

Monday
It would be a tall order for Beijing to enforce the new "smoking ban" in all public places unless the whole nation buys into the benefit of such a ban and gives active cooperation and support. Officials and heads of companies must set an example by eliminating the "tobacco culture" themselves. We know that bad habits die hard and especially when it involves changing an entire nation to be able to effectively ban smoking. May the Lord give us mercy. Changes do not come overnight and some changes will require a generation but we pray in faith that God will work and change the heart of people in all the churches in China.


星期二
自今年5月1日起,13種非暴力經濟性犯罪將不會判處死刑,死刑罪名將由68個減至55個。另外,醉酒駕車將面臨空前嚴厲的處罰,5年內不得重新取得機動車駕駛證。此外也禁止在麵粉中添加「麵粉增白劑」。大家都知道貪官不怕死,死刑也不能顯著改善社會風氣,令人痛心的無良商人摻假食品更為猖獗。求神幫助祂的兒女能堅守自己的崗位,以無可指責的生命見證,榮耀祂的名。

星期三
中國最近流行時空穿梭電視劇,且越來越受歡迎。例如有一部電視劇講述一位現代女子回到清朝康熙年間,最後成為皇后。官方開始禁止電視劇涉及「虛無情節、時空穿梭、荒誕橋段...曖昧道德教訓,以及缺乏積極思想的內容。」 許多基督徒家庭中有孩子沉迷於虛幻遊戲,家長不知如何與青少年建立健康的親子關係。求主賜我們智慧,知道如何保持良好親子關係,遵照聖經的價值觀以身作則來教導孩子。

星期四
「慈濟」創辦人證嚴法師被美國時代雜誌選為2011年全球百大影響人物之一,讚揚她是超凡的精神領袖,也是行善效率驚人的非牟利組織領導人。該機構注重慈善、醫療、教育、文化「四大志業」。在中國,許多以基督信仰為基礎的慈善機構,是信徒接觸廣大人群的好平台。求主幫助參與的弟兄姊妹,能以主的愛去關懷有需要的人,宛如服事主一樣。更賜他們智慧把人帶到主面前,使人從罪的捆綁中被釋放出來,也將一切榮耀都歸主名。

星期五
中國教會少有回宣的經驗,也缺乏專門的回宣差會或在回教國家長期事奉的宣教士。對中國信徒而言,向回教徒傳福音還在起步階段,需要更多語言訓練及認識穆斯林文化,才能有效分享信仰。現時約有二千五百位華人宣教士,遍佈世界各地,大多數來自新加坡或香港。讓我們以禱告記念這些甘心放下穩定生活,回應神呼召的宣教士,其中不少參與跨文化事工的,更需要我們用禱告同工。我們也為差會和教會禱告,不論在前線或在後方守望的,都忠於主託,同得神豐厚的賞賜。

星期六
當中國教會開始積極參與差傳工作,又著手培訓宣教士時,信徒普遍持有一種態度:「以中國教會的人和中國教會的錢作宣教工作,神會興起更多中國教會及基督徒商人去承接差傳的棒子。」似乎中國教會談到普世宣教時,無意中總會混入民族的優越感,求神鑒察我們的心思,賜給我們謙卑的心,並迫切回應神的呼召,關懷無論在遠或近處,許多失喪靈魂的需要。

星期日
「煙酒文化」在中國十分盛行,凡事「煙酒煙酒」,煙酒儼然是交際應酬的必需品。中國政府若想實行公共場所禁煙,此文化必須先破除。打破抽煙風氣,則需社會、學校通力合作,從兒童、少年做起,讓人民深刻了解吸煙的害處,從而培養拒絕接觸的意識。無數的基督徒母親,因孩子沾染煙酒而痛心,尤其家中亦有大人也嗜煙酒。求主挽回這些沒興趣上教會,並染上惡習的孩子們,幫助他們脫離罪惡的捆綁。

星期一
中國想在公共場所「全面禁煙」並非易事,需要全社會積極配合與支持。首先,必須由行政部門、企事業單位帶頭,尤其是主要領導,率先消除「煙草文化」。雖然積習難改,叫所有國民全面戒除抽煙惡習並非一蹴即至。求主施恩,堅定我們除惡務盡的信念,也許花上一代至數代的年日才見端倪,我們用信心求神在中國每一個信徒心中動工,幫助他們在基督裡心意更新變化,成為神聖潔合用的器皿。