Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Prayer Request 10/15 - 10/21


Tuesday
Officially, China is fifty-three percent urbanized but only about twenty-five percent of the population has an urban residency permit (hukou), the document which permits a person to register in local schools or qualify for local medical programs. Very few people want to serve in the rural and remote churches. Let us pray for believers who do not have pastors in these regions. We pray for the revival of many believers who used to be strong in the faith but are now lukewarm or even far away from God.
Wednesday
Since it has become impatient and politicized, Hong Kong is the biggest headache the Beijing regime has. The complexity of the Hong Kong issue lies in its being neither entirely domestic nor entirely international. By contrast, Taiwan will have relatively fewer sudden crises.The churches in Hong Kong play a strategic role in the lives of the churches in China since they send both workers and money to support open as well as house churches there. We pray that believers in Hong Kong will not be caught up with the anti-China sentiment and reduce their love and passion for the churches across the border.
Thursday
After 1997 Beijing believed that Hong Kong would move toward becoming “one country” if they were given greater economic and trade benefits and the “two systems” would be only a transitional thing. However, sixteen years later, the locals in Hong Kong have become increasingly insistent on having “two systems” politically, socially, and culturally. We pray for the continuing growth of churches in Hong Kong and that the Lord will give them passion to reach out and send missionaries not only to China but to the whole world. We pray especially for the churches and ministries to workers from other lands on the island, and especially those from Muslim countries.
Friday
China’s labor force is predicted to peak at 751 million in 2015, and then decline. There will not be enough young workers to replace all of those retiring out of the job market. We pray for humility and good skills of observation as well as spiritual insight for the young seminary students so they can quickly be competent teachers rather than being the blind leading the blind. May the Lord safeguard their desire to serve Him and help them to honor God above all else and rejoice in Him only.
Saturday
One of the biggest challenges to vocational education in China is the traditional bias in favor of having a university degree. Parents would prefer to send their children a university because there is a higher social status associated with attending college. However, since so many college graduates end up at a job that has the same level of wages as those who graduate from vocational schools, this attitude is changing. We pray that Christian parents will remember that children are a gift from the Lord and we must give the Lord our very best which includes encouraging our children to serve Him their entire life.
Sunday
Many vocational schools are not addressing the critical issue of the qualification of teachers. While instructors are required to have a bachelor’s degree, many do not have experience in industry and the government is working to change this. We pray that more young people will be willing to offer their lives to God to receive Bible training and, as they know God and understand His will better, they will serve Him and live a life to please the Lord.
Monday
China’s labor force is huge with more than seventy-five percent of the population of the country between the ages of twenty and forty-nine working. However, the educational level of the average worker is relatively low. Only half of China’s 140 million urban employees can be classified as “skilled”. Many older pastors complain that the younger pastors are not as tough or hard-working as they should be. We pray for the passing of the baton of leadership in each church, that the Lord will help the older pastors to be willing to spend time with the younger ones and share their own experiences in ministry and how they work with people.


星期二
中國的城鎮化率達到了53%,但只有25%的人口擁有城市居住許可或「戶口」。有了城市戶口,就進入當地學校學習,也可以有資格加入當地的醫療計劃。很少人願意服事農村及偏遠地區的教會。我們為這些地域因缺乏牧者,屬靈上得不到及時供應的機會禱告,很多信徒信心也不再像以前堅固,失去了起初的熱情,慢慢地遠離了神。求主憐憫,再次挑旺、復興信徒們。
星期三
近年香港社會運動得不耐讓北京政權很頭疼。香港問題的複雜度在於她不是完全等同內地,也不完全國際化。反而台灣的情況比起香港,不會有太多突發狀況。香港教會在中國教會中發揮著策略性引導作用,派遣了工人和奉獻金錢支持內地教會。求主幫助香港信徒不會受那些反中的情緒所影響,以致減少對國內未得之民的愛與關心。
星期四
北京政權原以為在九七之後,只要給香港更多經濟貿易的好處就會朝一國方向去走,而兩制只是過渡安排。可是,16年過去了,香港在政治、社會與文化方面卻愈來愈堅持兩制。我們要為香港教會持續成長禱告,求主使教會在傳福音及差派宣教士的熱情不減,不僅向內地,更是往普天下去。我們特別紀念外籍勞工的福音事工,尤其是來自回教國家的工人,求主幫助信徒有智慧及懂得把握機會見證、分享信仰。
星期五
中國勞動力人口預計將在2015年達到峰值7.51億,之後將下降並且伴隨人口老齡化;那時將沒有足夠的年輕人接替退休員工的崗位。中國人傳統尊老輕幼,對於年輕人比較不重視,教會也不例外。求神幫助正在接受訓練的人,願意從聖經學院進入人生學府,多謙卑求教、留心觀察。不但有敏銳的屬靈洞察力,明白事奉對象的實際情況,更能成為別人的幫助。求神保守他們奉獻的心志,一生尊主為大,以神為樂。
星期六
職業教育面臨的最大挑戰之一是中國人往往偏愛大學學歷,對職校學歷持有偏見。因為讀大學能帶來更高的社會地位,家長們更傾向讓孩子上大學。由於現實情況裡許多職校生掙的工資跟大學生一樣,這種態度也在逐漸轉變。我們來為信徒家長禱告,求主提醒我們,兒女是神所賜的產業,我們應當將最好的獻給神,也包括鼓勵孩子服事神。
星期日
許多職業學校也未能解決教師資質的關鍵性問題。雖然職校教師都需要持有學士學位,但他們當中許多人沒有該項專業工作經驗,現時政府正努力改變這現狀。求主吸引更多年輕人願意擺上自己,接受神話語的裝備,藉著認識神並順從祂而學習按著神的旨意去服事神,過討一個神喜悅的生活。
星期一
中國有巨大的勞動力人口,20-49歲的人口超過75%,但平均受教育水平相對較低。在1.4億城鎮職工中,只有半數人能歸類為「高技能」人才。教會老一代常會感歎,年輕一代同工「不如以往」,「不能吃苦」。我們為教會領袖的傳承切切禱告,求主幫助年長的同工能看重也願意花時間栽培提攜年輕同工,分享自己在事奉上的體驗及待人處事的心得。

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