Prayer Request 8/9 - 8/15

Tuesday
In a surprising statement CCTV said that gays and lesbians "have the right to exist and develop themselves in society". They then proceeded to criticize a Christian actress for quoting the Bible and being intolerant of gays in spite of the fact that gay-themed films, books, and other publications are subject to strict censorship. It is hard to tell if China is changing its view toward homosexuals or not but this is the first time the Christian view has been seriously attacked publicly. We pray that the churches in China will not be viewed by young people as old-fashioned, discriminatory or as hypocritical, despising others. May the Lord give us wisdom to live out His grace and mercy in this crooked age.

Wednesday
In China, street vending is nearly ubiquitous and but illegal. The majority of the street vendors are operating without permits. They choose locations both strategically and for convenience. Carrying large plastic shopping bags, worn thin by heavy use, vendors often set up in well-traveled areas near their homes. Street vendors do their business where there are most pedestrian traffic and exposures and willing to risk the arrest of polices. We remember those believers who take the Gospel of Jesus to the street by identifying their churches and actively share Jesus with strangers. We thank the Lord for the boldness to witness by many urban churches.

Thursday
Street vendors have little marketable skills with mostly junior school education and have no other options of survival. Many have the dream of opening a store one day. Vendors said they keep an inventory worth about 1,000 yuan ($154.73) on their mats. They try to sell the goods for 30 and 50 percent more. We should remember many of believers who have little education and no steady job. They are often ignored and not deemed important. Jesus loves all people, tax collectors and sinners alike. Let us pray for "little people" in our churches, the poor, the little-educated, the broken people, our brothers and sister，those we often failed to notice.

Friday
Street children are a worldwide social problem. In Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and other inland cities one often encounters street children from Xinjiang who are pickpockets or doing other illegal activities. They have become a nuisance and create a very bad image of people from Xinjiang. The majority of the people in Xinjiang are Muslims and this prejudice toward the people of Xinjiang affects how Chinese people see Muslims. We pray that more Chinese churches will see that the global mission must begin with changing their attitude toward Xinjiang Muslims and not see them as just lazy vagrants.

Saturday
The development of urban churches and ministry among college students is a bright spot in the churches in China. However, the churches in the cities universally lack facilities for growth. It is up to the believers who are better educated to play an important part in the church in the future. We pray for God's conviction and the moving of the Spirit for these believers so they will know how to minister in the churches in the current political climate. We pray they will not become lukewarm with all of the material abundance they now have.

Sunday
Three out of four divorces in China come from middle-class people and the leading cause for these divorces seems to extra-marital affairs. According to a survey of divorces handled by lawyers in Shanghai, fifty-six percent of them came from this problem. Christian marriages also have their share of such affairs but few churches are able to offer counseling of any kind. May the Lord guard our hearts and help us to flee temptation and deceit. We lift up Chinese Christian couples in prayer that they will not succumb to sin.

Monday
Ordination is a great responsibility as well as an affirmation that the person is consecrated and dedicated for service in God's kingdom so it is a great honor for a local Chinese worker in the church to be ordained as a pastor. Let us pray for all those who have been ordained as ministers of Christ. May the Lord grant them high ideals and great passion as His servants. We trust that God will use them mightily to strengthen His church and train more believers to serve Him.


星期二
中央電視台主播公開說：「同性戀者和我們一樣，都應該在社會上擁有生存及發展的權利，這樣的權利不該受到任何觀念的侵犯。」此番嚴詞批評是針對一位基督徒女演員的言論而起，讓不少觀眾意外。現時以同性戀為主題的電影、書籍和其他出版物仍受到官方嚴格審查。中國官方對同性戀的態度雖仍不贊同，但基督徒的道德立場卻是第一次遭公開指責。求主幫助中國年輕一代不會認為教會持守真理是輕視弱勢社群或好攻擊別人。願主給我們智慧，在這悖逆的時代中，能活出神的恩典與憐憫。

星期三
在中國街頭，地攤幾乎是無處不在，絕大多數是沒有牌照經營的。他們通常拎著大塑膠袋，在住家不遠處把握機會向人推銷貨品。攤販要賣得好，要選人氣旺的地方，也要有可能遭警察逮捕的準備。 近來一些教會，將教會的資訊，包括耶穌基督的福音帶到街頭，也積極與路人分享信仰，實在是勇氣可嘉。我們為在城市裡的弟兄姊妹有此傳福音的熱忱向主感恩。

星期四
街上攤販大多是沒有一技之長，或僅有初中程度，卻都夢想有一天成為開店的老板。攤販一般帶著價值約一千元的人民幣貨品（約154.73美元），利潤大約是三至五成之間。教會中亦有好些沒有受過高深教育、工作不穩定也常被人忽略的信徒。主耶穌愛我們每一個人，也愛稅吏和世人眼中的”罪人”，讓我們在禱告中特別記念教會中的「小人物」— 那些貧窮的、受教育不多、心靈破碎的。

星期五
流浪兒童是世界性的社會問題。在北京、上海、廣州等大城市，不時可見到新疆的流浪兒從事扒竊等違法活動，擾亂了當地社會治安和人們正常生活，更因其個體行為形成的社會記憶，使人對新疆產生了偏見與誤解。新疆大多數是回教徒。一般人對回民的印象，常因新疆流浪兒而存負面的觀感。當教會要參與回宣之前，求主先改變信徒對新疆回民的態度，體認到他們是神所愛的，而不是懶惰欺騙人的。

星期六
城市教會和大學生事工將是中國教會未來兩大重要發展的亮點。都市有不少高知識份子，正為中國努力追求理想和遠景，是片廣大的禾場。由於城市普遍缺乏聚會的地方，使城巿教會的發展受限制。求神光照、引導城市的信徒們，知道何為美善的制度，並致力為福音事工擺上心思和時間。也求主保守他們在物質富裕中，不失去對主的火熱。

星期日
眾多離婚中國夫妻中，中產階級佔四分三，而婚外情是「頭號離婚殺手」。據上海一項統計，律師接手的離婚案裡，「婚外情」引發的佔56%。可惜信主的家庭也常有婚外情發生，但能在教會中找到輔導或諮商的幫助卻寥寥無幾。求主保守我們的心懷意念，逃避誘惑、謹守忠貞。我們為主內夫妻禱告，求主保護看顧，遠離試探，靠著主剛強，走過各樣的難處。

星期一
對在教會服事本地的同工來說，普遍認為「按牧」不僅是榮耀，也是責任的託付，激勵他們更珍惜在主前的職份，加倍為神國事工獻上自己。讓我們在禱告中記念這些被按立的同工們，求主保守他們繼續竭力在神面前得蒙喜悅，作無愧的工人，按著正意分解真理的道，成為神愛與真理流通的管道，造就信徒，建立教會。