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。