Prayer Request 8/16 - 8/22

Tuesday
In a recent survey, 82.1 percent of the respondents said they believe there is much lying and little truth as a whole in China today. They listed the worst liars in this order: government officials, businessmen, and their bosses at work. When they were asked if they themselves told lies, only 30 percent of them said they rarely or never lie. Chinese Christians, just like the non-believers, commonly do not tell the truth and are not transparent in their lives. Even leaders in the church feel it is not necessary to tell the whole truth or volunteer all of the facts. May the Lord change us believers so we can be truly genuine and sincerely pray for each other rather than withholding the truth because of "face" or false spirituality.

Wednesday
In the past it has been the general policy of the government to shut down all house churches or meeting points. If they could not stop the churches from meeting, their policy was to limit the growth by forcing churches to register with the authorities. In many ways these practices have now been relaxed to some extent. Although the decision to register or not to register is no longer debated so much, let us pray for those house churches that have registered and are planning to purchase places for worship or to expand their ministries. May the Lord give them vision and boldness and greatly bless them in all they do.

Thursday
Chinese Christians who are interested in national and social issues can be categorized into the following groups: Submissive, Low-key, Constructive, and Prophetic. Let us pray for all believers as they follow their consciences and convictions in serving Jesus. Let us not judge one another but pray earnestly that the name of Jesus will be glorified by all Chinese believers.

Friday
The Submissive type of Chinese Christian basically accepts the reality of the government's restrictive religious policies and the admonition in the Bible to "submit to those over you". They prefer to be the salt and light under the official rulings. We do not know whether the legal policy toward Christian churches will change in the near future but we need to pray for them as even more Chinese move from atheism to secularism and back to the traditional Buddhism and Taoism.

Saturday
Some of the Chinese Christians who are Low-key type are from the Three-self government churches and they believe that the hearts of people can be changed by spreading the gospel and that this then will change the nation. Some say that due to prosperity and the weakening of rural churches, the passion for evangelism has waned significantly in China. We pray for the refining fire to go through all of the churches and that the Spirit of God will revive all believers in open and house churches alike.

Sunday
The Constructive type of Chinese Christians are found mostly in urban churches. They tend to be intellectuals who identify themselves as Western evangelicals who feel that evangelism and social work are equally important. Christianity has long been marginalized in Chinese society. It is our prayer that Christians will know that believers in Jesus care not only about heaven but about the welfare of the people in their communities and live that way.

Monday
Most of the Prophetic type of Chinese Christians believes that social problems cannot be corrected by changed hearts but that the value and political systems of the nation must be changed.We have great faith that God has a big plan for China and her churches. We pray that God will continue to grant favor to Christians in the eyes of the officials so the work of the gospel can grow in China.


星期二
據最近一份調查顯示，82.1%的中國受訪者認為當前社會說謊之風日漸猖獗，同時認為官員、商家及僱主最會撒謊。只有30% 的受訪者說自己很少或從不說謊。可惜有些信徒亦與不信的人一樣，經常不說誠實話或隱瞞真相。一些教會領袖也沒好榜樣，認為未必需要把事情的真相告訴弟兄姊妹。求主光照，幫助我們學習用愛心說誠實話，真心彼此代禱，不礙於面子或維持「屬靈」的外表而隱瞞事實。

星期三
取締家庭教會是政府一貫的目標，即使不能完全使聚會停止，也會加以規管（例如強迫其向政府登記），限制家庭教會的發展。近年政府對家庭教會的管制似乎有一定程度的放鬆。家庭教會是否應該登記已不再像昔日那麼具爭議，我們在禱告中記念那些已登記並也計劃購買聚會場地或擴展事工的教會，求主賜下異象和勇氣，大大賜福他們向主所作的一切事工。

星期四
面對社會、人心和家庭上的不同困難，所有關心國家社會和福音的中國基督徒，都希望能為這個世代作出貢獻。但他們大概會走四種不同的路線: 順服派、低調派、建設派和先知派。讓我們為所有信徒能按着自己的良心與胸懷服事主的心志來代禱。我們知道不應該彼此論斷，而是為每位信徒來代求，好叫主的名被高舉，得到應得的榮耀。

星期五
「順服派」接受中國現今的政治實況，也持守聖經要基督徒「順服在上掌權者」的看法，願意在國家容許的政策下拓展福音工作，辦好教會，作光作鹽。未來中國的宗教政策會如何改變，實在不易預料。但中國從無神論變為今天的世俗主義，也回到以前傳統的佛教和道教，我們實在需要迫切的禱告。

星期六
「低調派」有兩種：一種來自三自教會，一種來自家庭教會。在三自教會中，非常注重福音的基要派信徒希望改變社會，但也明白要改變社會，就要改變人心；要改變人心，就要傳福音。有人說，物質繁榮使得農村教會走下坡，教會傳福音的熱情也逐漸減退。我們求主再次賜下潔凈的靈火，感動每位信徒，也在每個教會，不論是家庭或是三自系統的，都被聖靈大大復興。

星期日
「建設派」的信徒較多來自城市教會。無論在「三自」或家庭教會中，一些較有學識之士，仿效歐美近代福音派的立場，認為基督徒不單要注重福音，也必須對社會作合宜的關懷。中國的基督教，確實在社會中早已被邊緣化，然而我們我們不放棄繼續為中國的教會來禱告，每個基督徒都清楚明白，我們信耶穌，並不是只為有一天將會在天堂見主，而是我們都有關心周遭的鄰舍，他人是否陷在饑餓困苦之中。

星期一
「先知派」的中國基督徒大多認為，社會的問題不能單靠改變人心去解決，必須改變人的價值觀和政治制度。穩重派在建制中立言；急進派則不怕與海外結連，但他們大多不是革命派，只是急進的立言派。我們信深深相信神為中國的教會有個美好的計劃。我們特別為中國的基督徒，能在執政掌權的官員眼中，因著神的保守繼續蒙受禮遇，而且福音的事工也能繼續的發展，不受阻擾。