Prayer Request 10/4 - 10/10

Tuesday
Although teachers in China are required to have continuous education to improve their professional level and ability to improve the education of their students, rural areas lack training and even good quality training programs. Hence, it is difficult to improve the quality of teachers in rural China. We pray for every shepherd and leader in the rural churches of China. May the Lord give them passion for God's word and boldness to proclaim it and serve His people. Above all, may they have the humility to live out what they preach and be an example to their sheep.

Wednesday
A survey in China shows that high school teachers have many more opportunities to receive training in their field than do junior high teachers and those who teach in the elementary grades have even fewer opportunities for training than the junior high teachers do. These training sessions are mostly seminars followed by a discussion type of meeting. They are given very little opportunity for an observation-type learning experience. We pray for rural churches to grow stronger in God's truth and not waver or be blown about by trifling theological issues. May the Lord move the urban churches to learn how rural believers have a simple faith and a strong love for God.

Thursday
Opportunities for career training for rural teachers are very limited and usually consist of lectures which cover mostly theories that are often not even applicable to rural settings. These kinds of seminars feature speakers from cities and provide minimal interaction between the speakers and the teachers. These same mistakes can happen as rural pastors receive training from well-intentioned outside or foreign teachers. We pray for wisdom for those who teach and that their students will be able to understand and make good application of their teachings for their own sheep and church settings.

Friday
In the recent past, there has been certain improvement of the ministry among children and youth in the rural churches in China. However, they face the huge problem of too many children who have no parental supervision because their parents work in the city. One cannot rely entirely on the church to help a child grow in the faith. We pray that the God of mercy will bless all who serve the young people in the churches with wisdom, patience, and thoroughness to make up somehow for the lack of parents of those children and youth in their church.

Saturday
In China, the relatively affluent urban children have more access to the nation's prestigious institutions, with a smaller financial investment but end up with better job later. But, for the poor rural children, they pay a much larger percentage of their parents income, to go to a mediocre school and end up with lower-paying job later. Many social factors contribute to "inevitable" decline and so many obstacles seem impossible to overcome for the rural churches. It is sad to see the decline of China's rural churches, but we will continue to pray for what God can and will do because we have in Him.

Sunday
For many young Christians who have lived in city, when they visit their old church in the village, they find the worship stifled, prayers are formula-like, preaching irrelevant, church as a whole dead and preacher who could not identify with or minister to their spiritual need. We pray especially for the young people who feel they are not ministered to. Many pastors have only limited education and are uncomfortable and even intimidated with members who are college grads. It is our prayer that churches can minister well to both old and young.

Monday
The single purpose of the many top-notch high school is to remove every possible distraction as the students prepare for the "gaokao", the national college-entrance exams, which are seen as the gateway to success in life. For seniors at these high schools, the pressure is extreme. Let us pray for all the believers who are in high school and obviously have the pressure to excel academically. Many stop going to church because their parents want them to study more. May the Lord give them strength, wisdom and above all, desire to walk closely with the Lord.


星期二
目前農村教師專業素養提升困難，不僅培訓機會不多且可供進修的課程質量也不高。雖然中國教師被要求必須不斷地「充電」，提升自身專業水平和能力，方能幫助學生的發展。我們為農村教會每位牧者和領袖們祈求，願神將自己的話語賜給他們，能大膽傳講，服事弟兄姐妹，有謙卑的心，言行一致，在實際生活中活出所傳講的真理，見證神的信實。

星期三
一項調查顯示，高中教師的培訓機會要多於初中教師，初中教師的培訓機會又多於小學教師。在教師的培訓方式中，以講座型的方式進行得最多，其次為參與式培訓，再次為開會的形式，而觀摩式的培訓次數最少。我們為農村教會在真道上得以加強來祈求，而不在一些無關緊要的神學立場來爭論。同樣的，願中國城市教會也能向農村教會學習單純的信心和愛心的功課。

星期四
現在農村教師培訓的形式和種類很少，主要是以講座式來進行，講的大多是觀念，很少考慮到鄉村教師實際的需要，理論的應用性也不是很強。主講者不少是來自大城市的老師，與受訓人員互動並不多。農村傳道人的培訓也常有同樣的問題，來自外地或是國外的教師，所傳授的訊息對農村環境的實用性不大。求主賜給教導者有聰明智慧，幫助學員們不但能明白，也能學以致用，能供應他們的羊群需要，帶來教會的持續增長。

星期五
近期農村教會的兒童及青少年事工，己有明顯的改善，然而太多孩子的父母都在城裏工作，缺乏對子女在成長中各方面的督導。尤其是孩子信心的成長，是無法完全依賴教會的。求主憐憫，賜給所有服事信徒第二代者，有智慧，有耐心，又有細心，透過教會設計的課程與活動能彌補這些「父母不在身邊」的孩子的缺憾。

星期六
城市的孩子，能花較少的錢進入好的大學，畢業之後容易找到高收入的工作。而貧困農村的孩子，付出相對較高的教育費用，卻只能進入所謂的普通學校，畢業之後也找不到好收入的工作。這種社會環境上的不公平，傷害的不僅是學生，還有農村家庭對教育成效的指望。我們為不少農村教會的冷淡退卻，迫切禱告。雖然客觀環境很不樂觀，但我們深信全能的神，因著信徒的禱告，在許多難處中為農村教會開路，再次帶來復興。

星期日
許多年輕信徒回到老家的農村教會，發現教會受許多傳統的束縛，整個教會缺乏活力. 聖詩唱得沒有氣力，禱告流於形式，信息不能解決心中的需要。牧者也不能及時理解他們的思想，更新他們的靈命。許多傳道人本身教育程度不高，在高學歷會友面前有自卑感。讓我們特別記念那些覺得在教會中得不著餵養的年輕人。也求主幫助中國教會不但能牧養年長的，也能供應年輕的信徒。

星期一
中國有眾多的頂尖高中，學校竭盡所能消除一切可能分散學生預備「高考」的誘惑。他們相信考進重點大學才是踏進一生成功的門檻。對這些高中學生來說，參加高考帶給他們極大的壓力。我們為所有就讀高中的信徒子弟來禱告，他們面對極大的升學壓力和繁重課業，許多都停止參加教會的聚會，他們的父母也不要求他們花時間在教會。我們求神加添他們力量、智慧，更重要的是感動他們的心， 讓他們繼續渴慕神，跟主有親密的關系。