Prayer Request 1/28 - 2/3

TuesdayThe world’s largest annual human migration—the Chinese Lunar New Year Festival, also known as the Spring Festival—officially got underway on January 16th and will last for forty days. Chinese New Year’s Day itself is on January 31st and is the beginning of the year of the horse. In China everything usually grinds to a halt during this time but many rural churches have plans to reconnect with those who have been gone. We pray that these plans will be well received and the Holy Spirit will soften the hearts of their loved ones.
Wednesday
Hundreds of millions of people working away from home to return for the most important festival of the year, a good portion of China's 1.35 billion people are expected to make over 3.6 billion journeys – by plane, train, automobile, bus and all modes of transportation. As family reunions take place, we pray that Christian parents will have an opportunity re-connect and repair estranged relationships and even more importantly, encourage their children to love Jesus.
Thursday
The sentiment of “home at any cost” is summed up by a catchy saying: “Rich or Poor, Home for New Year” and the enormous human activity needed to make that happen is called the “Spring Transport”. We pray that as Christians return home, they will include sharing the Gospel with unbelieving family members on their agenda. The Lord give them opportunity and favors, so as they share Christ, it will be received well and the Holy Spirit soften the hearts of their loved ones.
Friday
In China, the massive migration of people during the Chinese Lunar New Year Festival strains the transportation system of the country. Tickets are hard to buy, scalpers abound, and trains are packed with fights over the seats but everyone believes celebrating the New Year with family is well worth all of these hassles. Many pastors will return home for the Spring Festival, too. We pray that the New Year will bring renewal for them and the Lord will give them a new vision for ministry and impart His joy and power then they return to the cities they will be able to start another year with even greater passion and urgency.
Saturday
In the past twenty years the divorce rate in Shanghai has increased twenty-fold and the main reason has been extramarital affairs. The divorce rate among those who are thirty years old is increasing by ten percent each year and about another one-fourth of divorces are among those who are under thirty. Many young believers get married despite the opposition of parents and pastors and many of those marriages end in divorce. We pray the church will be strong in teaching the Biblical view of relationships and marriage and that the Lord will have mercy on our young people so their marriages will honor Him.
Sunday
When those who are younger than thirty get a divorce in China, it usually means that their parents are involved since they are only children. The parents still dominate the affairs of their lives including marriage and divorce. We pray for wisdom for Christian parents to know how to help their children and remain in their lives but clearly know the boundaries. May the Lord help them to be good examples in their marriages and continue to pray without ceasing for their children.
Monday
The important reason for the thirty percent divorce rate among young people in the past fifteen years is that their parents have been divorced and have created a whole generation of broken people who have little faith in marriage or even the need to get married. The number of believers who have marital problems in China is alarmingly high. We need to pray for counseling resources in the churches. Although some pastors do counsel their people, their skills need improvement so we pray for more pastors to have good counseling skills.

星期二
中國的「春運」可算是全世界最大的年度人口遷徙， 2014年的春節是1/31，新的一年是馬年。其帶動的人口遷徙已經從一月十六日開始，持續四十天。春節期間大部人都把工作放下，成為農村教會與那些進城打工回來過年的信徒，重新建立關係的大好時機。這些信徒中不少已經一年沒踏進教會，求聖靈動工，柔軟他們的心，願主復興他們的靈命。
星期三
隨著春節臨近，在中國13.5億人口中，大部份人正搭乘車、船、火車、飛機等各樣的交通工具返鄉，總計進行逾36億次的出行。這表明了在異鄉工作的數億人對於回家的深切渴望，要與家人團圓慶祝這個一年裡最重要的節日。我們為弟兄姊妹能把握團聚的時機來禱告。求神賜給他們願意改善疏離的親子關係，更重要的是，也能藉機鼓勵孩子一生愛主、跟隨主。
星期四
春節前異鄉人那種「不惜一切代價回家」的情緒在朗朗上口的俗話當中得到了總結：「有錢沒錢，回家過年」，返鄉過年形成龐大人類活動的「春運」。我們為基督徒回家團聚，與不信的家人相處來禱告。求神賜給他們分享信仰的機會，聖靈在親友的心中做鬆土的工作，以致他們的分享與見證，能結美好的果子。
星期五
「春運」使得運輸系統陷入緊張狀態，到處都是一票難求、「黃牛」炒票、擁擠的車廂以及搶座位的爭鬥。然而，大家都認為，為了實現和家人一起慶祝節日這個最終目標，一切都是值得的。許多外出的傳道人也回家過年，我們為他們在新一年滿有主恩禱告。願神賜給祂的僕人、使女有喜樂和力量，當他們回到事奉的崗位時，能在新的一年為教會帶來復興。
星期六
上海的離婚率近二十年來增加了二十倍，主因是伴侶和他人婚外戀。在上海，「八十後」的離婚個案以每年一成的速度遞增，佔離婚案的 1/4。年輕信徒常有快速結婚，不接受家長及傳道人建議的情況，以致婚姻出現很多問題甚至無法持續。求主幫助信徒尊重神所設立的婚姻制度，持守與配偶的婚盟，不在婚姻問題上失腳。願牧者能常在講道中教導聖經的婚姻家庭觀，堅立信徒持守貞潔，建立基督化美滿的家庭。
星期日
「八十後」離婚案的特點在於父母作為庭審代理人、第三人，參與度極高。「八十後」是獨生子女一代，許多人從小生活中由父母包辦一切，經濟上又嚴重依賴家庭，所以父母會較多參與他們的婚姻。求主賜基督徒父母智慧，在子女的婚姻生活中知道如何幫助和提醒，及有合宜的界限。願神給他們在年輕人的眼中，有美好的榜樣，且不斷為子女的婚姻禱告。
星期一
過去十五年，年輕夫婦的離婚率達三成之高，其中一大原因是他們來自單親的家庭，成長過程中身心都受到不良的影響，長大後加倍不信任婚姻。教會裡婚姻亮紅燈的信徒夫婦也增多，婚姻輔導以及屬靈資源的需求亦日益突顯。牧者雖知輔導的重要，但無奈輔導裝備。求主憐憫我們，供應更多有智慧與裝備的牧者用真理來幫助弟兄姊妹克服婚姻裡面的難處。

Prayer Request 1/21 - 1/27

TuesdayIn China, soil pollution is a grave problem plaguing the countryside and seriously affecting the major staples of Chinese cooking: rice, cabbage, carrots, turnips and sweet potatoes. Secularism is the spiritual pollution which plagues the churches in China. The rapid growth in the churches seen in the past is seldom seen now. We beseech the Lord for the refining fire to fall once again and bring revival to all of those whose agape love has grown cold.
Wednesday
Most of the fields which can be cultivated in China are surrounded by factories and irrigated with water tainted by industrial waste. Industrial levels of heavy metals in the water pollute not only the agricultural products but also post extreme danger to nearby residents. Secularism is the greatest threat to churches there today. In the South and in Wenzhou—the Jerusalem of China--the “success theory” is pervasive. We pray for God’s cleansing so the churches will seriously study His word and will bear His cross.
Thursday
The government of China has refused to divulge the details of the pollution situation which leaves the farmers and consumers in the dark about the levels of contaminants in the food chain. The soil survey which was completed in 2010 has been locked away as a “state secret”. This exacerbates fear making it difficult to select what to eat and pinpoint the offending factories. We pray for strong teaching of the Word of God, faithfulness, and discipleship rather than merely looking for material blessings from God.
Friday
The government of China admits that one-sixth of their arable land suffers from soil pollution. More than thirteen million tons of the crops harvested each year are contaminated with heavy metals and twenty-two million acres of farmland are affected by pesticides. May the Lord help us not to compromise on Biblical truths because of secularism. May we do everything because of His great love and make our decisions based on Biblical values. And we can we really understand the love of Christ and can live out the words of Revelation 2:19—“Your latter works exceed the first.”
Saturday
Scholars say that soil pollution is especially acute in Hunan Province, the “Rice Bowl” of China. In 2012 Hunan produced millions of tons of rice—sixteen percent of the national total. Many churches are now deciding their ministries based on pragmatism, utilitarianism, or other measurable outcomes. Bible truth is no longer the sole reason for their decisions. May we all be reminded of the Biblical truth found in Revelation 3:11 which says, “Hold fast to that which you have, so that no one may take your crown.”
Sunday
Hunan is also one of China’s top producers of nonferrous metals. As a result, it leads in cadmium, chromium, lead, and nonmetal arsenic pollution. In 2011 Hunan province was responsible for forty-one percent of the cadmium pollution in the nation. Imitation and comparison are not necessarily bad things but many urban churches adopt such a mindset and launch their Ministries out of competition. May the Lord give us pure hearts so we do His work with a passion for evangelism and never grow lukewarm.
Monday
Cadmium which accumulates in the rice plants not only gets into the rice on China’s tables but it also gets into the meat which they eat since the husks are fed to farm animals. However, there is no public data to show the level of cadmium pollution in the food. Urban Chinese imitate each other and compete a lot. We pray that believers will focus on the real message rather than soliciting fanfare, people more than programs, and will not compare the buildings where they meet, the size of their ministries, or how distinguished the pastors or preachers are.

星期二
中國因土壤污染失去大片良田，嚴重影響烹飪中常用的主要農作物，如大米、白菜、胡蘿蔔、蘿蔔和紅薯等等。現今教會信徒面臨最嚴重的靈性污染莫不是世俗主義，從前快速增長的勢頭如今幾乎很難再現。我們迫切為中國教會再次得著復興的靈火燃燒禱告，願主挑旺那些不冷不熱，或已退後的信徒的心。
星期三
中國許多農田被工廠環繞，灌溉使用的是受工業廢料污染的水。廢水中含有高度量有毒重金屬，附近的居民擔心土壤也遭受了污染。世俗主義是教會最大的敵人，在中國南方形成了明顯的「成功神學」，連有「中國耶路撒冷」之稱的溫州也存有明顯的攀比之風。求主潔淨祂的教會，提醒眾信徒再次重視神的話語，甘心背起十架跟隨主。
星期四
政府一直拒絕透露環境生態污染的詳情，讓農民和消費者無從得知食物鏈中的污染物水平。2010年完成的土壤調查報告已被作為「國家機密」鎖起來。這不僅使大眾更難以識別違規的工廠，也加劇民眾的恐懼，讓人難以判斷自己所吃的。我們為教會注重神話語的教導禱告，幫助信徒有渴慕主的心，按聖經的原則行事為人，忠於主的託付，而不是尋求屬世的福氣和滿足肉體的享受。
星期五
中國環境保護部門指稱，受重金屬污染的耕地佔全國總耕地面積的六分之一。每年收穫的農作物中，有逾1300萬噸被重金屬污染，約9萬公頃農田受到農藥影響。願神幫助我們站穩聖經真理，不向世俗妥協；又求主將那賜人智慧和啟示的靈賞賜給我們，使我們真知道他和領受祂的大愛，好叫「末後所行的善事，比起初所行的更多。」（啟 2：19）
星期六
學者們指出，在中國的糧倉湖南省，土壤污染問題特別嚴重。2012年湖南出產了1700萬噸大米，佔全國總量的16％。許多教會用實用主義、功利主義及其他可量化的效應來決定其事工的方向，聖經真理不再是教會唯一的判斷準繩了。求神提醒眾教會「持守你所有的，免得人奪去你的冠冕。」（啟 3：11）
星期日
湖南是中國出產有色金屬的大省，它的鎘、鉻、鉛和非金屬砷污染也排名靠前。2011年全國的鎘污染有41%來自湖南省。模仿和攀比原本無關乎對與錯，但是不少城市教會不慎陷入此等心態，發展事工的動機不再是完全出自主的吩咐和傳福音的熱忱。 求主幫助我們不落入不冷不熱，沒長進的光景，煉淨我們愛祂的心志，單純向主，以火熱、恩慈的心事奉、廣傳福音來討祂喜悅。
星期一
積聚在水稻植株裡的鎘不僅進入了中國人餐桌上的大米裡，也滲入了家畜的肉中，因為農民用稻殼來餵家畜。可是，有關當局一直沒有公開的數據顯示食物中的鎘污染水平。許多城市教會的事工開展，建立在模仿和攀比之上。求主幫助教會不再攀比會堂的華麗、事工的形式，甚至請到了何等的教會界名人站講台；而是看重信仰的實質，不是外表，體認神看重工人的品質遠遠比工作更重要。

Prayer Request 1/14 - 1/20

TuesdayHit TV Shows resonate with fathers in China. Since the first episode aired in October, the reality show “Where are we Going, Dad?” has climbed to the top of television ratings and ignited a popular debate not only on parenting but also on gender equality within the family. Many male pastors do not spend enough time with their families and their teaching on how a man should be a good father has become ineffectual. We pray that churches will redouble their efforts in preaching how Christian men can be godly fathers and that the Lord will raise up many godly fathers as examples in the churches.
Wednesday
The premise of ”Where Are We Going, Dad?” is simple. Five famous fathers from urban areas accompany their young children on three-day trips to the countryside and compete with each other trying to show how they spend quality time with their children. This TV show could spark a parenting revolution in the country. We pray for church families with an unbelieving father in the house. May the Lord give the wives an extra measure of mercy, patience, and resolve so they will be able to have a godly influence in their homes accompanied by the blessing of God. We pray that through their daily prayers salvation will come quickly to their homes.
Thursday
The celebrities on “Where Are We Going, Dad” come from a range of different backgrounds: singer, actor, and Olympic gold medal winner. They share one common trait—none of them felt that he had enough time with his children before the show began. Young Chinese men generally have little knowledge of being a good role model or even having had a good role model as a father. We pray that there will be more seminars, preaching, and church fellowships that will stress the importance of being a godly father.
Friday
On the TV show “Where Are We Going, Dad?” all the participating fathers admit, “I’ve been taking care of my son for only three full days and I feel as if I’m breaking down. I can’t imagine how my wife has managed to do this for the past six years.” Many wives in China are encouraging their spouses to watch the show. Traditionally, men in China see child raising as a woman’s duty. We pray specifically for all male believers in China. May the Lord give them a renewal of spirit and mind to be humble to learn what the Lord requires of fathers to do to turn the hearts of the father to his children.
Saturday
The TV show “Where Are We Going, Dad?” has become a catalyst that is changing social expectations for fathers in China. It shows many fathers that they can have great joy when they pay more attention to their children. The results from this show will be a hundred times better than any well-intentioned advice wives could give them. Fathers in China are often pressured into working long hours and socializing after work. Even Christian men see church as a place for the women to be involved or see themselves as spiritually inadequate to lead their children. As a father has pity on his children, so the Lord has pity on those who fear Him (Psalm 103:13)
Sunday
More than two-thirds of the fathers surveyed in China ranked driving their children to school and to their extracurricular activities as their most important child-care responsibilities. In contrast fewer than twenty percent of the respondents viewed changing diapers or making lunches as part of their parenting duties. Many believers in China have great difficulty seeing God as the Heavenly Father because they do not have a healthy relationship with their own father. We pray that Christian men will strive to be gentle, warm and communicative with their children and above all, spend time teaching them Bible stories and praying with them.
Monday
In another survey, eighty-one percent of the respondents said that fathers do not play a large enough role in educating their children. Only seventeen percent said the their own fathers had played the principal role in their upbringing. Fathers in China are seen as stern and unapproachable. We pray that fathers will not provoke their children to wrath but will “bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord”. (Ephesians 6:4) May the Lord give forgiving hearts and healing to those who have a strained relationship with their own fathers.

星期二
中國電視節目《爸爸去哪兒》自從去年10月開播後就攀升至全國收視冠軍，激起廣泛的討論。議題不光是針對育兒問題，還有家庭內部的性別平等問題。《爸爸去哪兒》讓中國人重新思考父親的角色為何。許多傳道人平日沒有花足夠的時間與家人相處，傳講如何做個敬畏神的好父親時，就顯出空洞無力。求主幫助教會經常鼓勵信徒成為敬虔的父親，同時也在教會裡興起更多愛主、愛家的父親模範。
星期三
在《爸爸去哪兒》節目中，來自城市的五位明星父親帶著小孩去鄉間待三天，五隊親子相互比賽。這個節目帶出的信息是爸爸好好花時間與孩子在一起，在社會可能會掀起一場親子革命。我們要為教會中家庭有還未信主的男主人禱告，求神恩待憐憫這些姐妹，常有額外的忍耐和信心，在家中滿有敬虔的影響力，透過每日恆切的禱告，成為神祝福的管道，救恩也能早日臨到她們的全家。
星期四
參與電視《爸爸去哪兒》的明星父親們，雖背景各不相同(歌手、演員、前奧運金牌運動員，不過，他們都有一個共同點，就是參加節目前，每個人都覺得自己與孩子共處的時間不夠多。年輕的中國男人對如何成為好爸爸，普遍一知半解，也沒有任何楷模作為借鏡。我們祈求神幫助教會能提供更多和聖經的參考書籍、研討會及教導信息，團契中也能強調敬虔父親的重要性。
星期五
參加《爸爸去哪兒》節目的父親們都承認：「我才照顧兒子三天，就覺得招架不住了，難以想像我老婆是如何帶了他六年。」許多妻子都鼓勵配偶去看《爸爸去哪兒》。中國傳統觀念裡，仍然是男主外、女主內，教養孩子是女人的職責。我們特別為教會的弟兄們禱告，求主復興我們的靈命及價值觀，好叫我們有謙卑的心，知道神對當位好父親的期許，「使父親的心轉向兒女」。
星期六
《爸爸去哪兒》已經成為社會的催化劑，改變了中國社會對父親的期許，引發爸爸們去關注育兒，體會其中樂趣，這效果遠比媽媽們的苦口婆心強上百倍。父親們工作時間長，下班後忙應酬，甚至弟兄們誤認為教會事工是姐妹們該做的，看自己不夠屬靈來帶領自己子女。願我們一同來經歷：「父親怎樣憐恤他的兒女、耶和華也怎樣憐恤敬畏祂的人。」(詩103:13)
星期日
調查中，超過三分之二的父親將送孩子上學和參加課外活動列為自己最重要的育兒職責。相形之下，不到20%的受訪者將換尿布和做飯列為自己的育兒責任。許多信徒無法真切感受神是天父，因為他們與自己父親的關係冷淡、不健全。我們為弟兄們能滿有溫柔、熱誠，喜歡與子女溝通來祈求，最重要的是，願意教導自己孩子神的話語，並與他們一起禱告。
星期一
另一項調查資料顯示，81%的受訪市民感覺當前社會中，父親在子女教育中扮演的角色不夠充分；僅17%的人表示，父親在自己的成長過程中承擔了重要的教育責任。「嚴父」是一般中國人對父親的形象符號。求主幫助 「作父親的、不要惹兒女的氣、只要照著主的教訓和警戒、養育他們。」 (弗6:4) ， 我們來為與父親關係不好的信徒祈求，求主賜下寬恕及醫治，重拾神要賜福我們享受的天倫之樂。