Prayer Request 2/18 - 2/24

TuesdayFor many Chinese churches, their outreach and caring will include smaller meeting points in the remote areas. Pastors must travel back and forth to lead services as part of their responsibility, because there is no one else to help out, and often the result is less than desired. We pray that more churches will cooperate with one another, and building up a younger generation of ministry leaders. We too ask the Lord to rise up those believers who are inactive, stir them to get involved and willing to share the Gospel with others.
Wednesday
Since they are only children due to the “one child” policy of the government and they have been born into an era of increasing prosperity, young people across China consistently say they tend not to share their parents’ compulsion to save for retirement and the education of their children. Many say these young people are very self-centered. We pray for believers who will be willing to befriend the youth, understanding and embracing them with a less judgmental and critical spirit. May the Lord give us more leaders who will make youth their priority.
Thursday
Young Chinese in China spend nearly as much on new clothes each month as they spend on food or rent. But, since at least twenty-five percent of recent college graduates have failed to find jobs, these young people have to rely on family or savings to afford such a lifestyle while they look for a job. We pray for Christian parents whose children cannot find a job. May the Lord give them an encouraging spirit that will continue to trust in the God Who will provide for their children and remind their children to pray and stay close to God.
Friday
In China, young college graduates refuse to take jobs in the factories but still want to spend money and buy things. They say, “I want a job for which I was trained or else my education is wasted. I don’t want to work in a factory.” Often the people in the churches do not think highly of young people because they do not contribute financially to the church, immature and are generally unreliable. We pray that churches will give young people opportunities to serve and give them room to grow or even to fail. May the Lord give us a gracious spirit to mentor young believers.
Saturday
In China one thing that complicates matters is the fact that many of the young people avoid lower-end service jobs as well as jobs in the factories. The rate of graduation from high school in China is rapidly approaching three–quarters of a million yearly and the number of university graduates has nearly quintupled since 2000. We pray for church leaders who will give praise, affirmation, and encouragement to young people who are believers. We must be willing to let young people serve and to train and teach them as well as to learn from them.
Sunday
Cultural norms in China discourage high school and college graduates from accepting jobs in factories or even restaurants. For many young people, the most prized job is a position in a governmental or Communist Party bureaucracy, and their parents will do everything in their power to help them get such a job. Believers there have the same low view of those who serve in the churches because of the low pay and lack of benefits they receive. May the Lord have mercy on all the churches because this is the biggest reason why many are called but few are able to get past the opposition of their parents.
Monday
Twenty-five or more percent of recent college graduates are unemployed. Economists question how the Chinese economy will produce enough desirable jobs to bring down the unemployment statistics for youth, particularly among college graduates, a group that has been among the most politically volatile. We give thanks for the many college students coming to know Jesus on campus through Bible studies but many of them are lost to follow-up once they are on their own or move to another city. We pray the Lord will protect these young Christians and that their mentors will connect them quickly to new churches.

星期二
中國教會的牧會與信徒關顧工作常需涵蓋很大區域及很偏遠地區，在人力有限的情況下，同工往往疲於奔命，且果效不彰。求神幫助教會能彼此相助，照著各體的功用，靠主聯絡得合式，百節各按各職，並有系統培訓下一代同工起來接棒。也求主感動不冷不熱的信徒動起來，把福音傳給更多的人。
星期三
在政府的「一胎化」政策下，新一代的年輕人大多是獨生子女，且生在一個經濟日益繁榮的年代，所以大多不會像父母輩那樣為養老和子女教育存錢。普遍的年輕人都給人一種很「自我中心」的印象，我們禱告求神興起更多願意聆聽年輕人的心聲的同工，能有智慧地嘗試理解和接納他們，而不是一味的論斷和批判。願主幫助教會領袖以發展年輕人的事工為優先。
星期四
時下中國年輕人每月的服裝費跟住宿和膳食的花費差不多，而近期畢業的大學生有四分一仍然待業。這些待業的年輕人一邊尋找合適的工作，一邊靠家人和積蓄來維持自己的生活方式。我們在禱告中記念有子女在尋找工作的主內家庭，求主賜給他們信心依靠神，也能鼓勵孩子更多禱告親近上帝。「在世為人不靠人的聰明，乃靠神的恩惠」(林後1:12)。
星期五
大學畢業生不願意做工，也不願意降低自己的生活水平；他們總是說：「我希望能找到一份專業對口的工作，不然就白學了。我可不想去工廠工作。」不少教會仍然輕看年輕人，認為他們不夠成熟，做事不牢靠、甚至覺得他們沒有奉獻的能力。我們為教會能重視培訓年輕信徒禱告，願意多給他們服事的機會，給予成長和失敗的空間。以牧羊人的心腸來導引年輕一代。
星期六
現今的中國年輕人，不光不願任職工廠，也不願做低端服務工作。年輕人高中畢業率正迅速增長至近四分之三。大學畢業生人數與2000年相比，更增加近四倍。求主賜教會有更多像保羅與巴拿巴型的領袖，以稱許、肯定和鼓勵支持年輕信徒，樂意為主栽培更多的「提摩太」與「馬可」，使信仰能薪火相傳。同時也願意讓年輕人有服事的機會，訓練並教導他們，也願意放下身段從年輕人身上教學相長。
星期日
中國傳統對職業的階級觀念依舊普遍存在，導致許多畢業生不願接受工廠或餐廳的工作。對於很多年輕人來說，最棒的工作是在政府及黨的機構任職。中國教會傳統往往看輕傳道人的職份，也認為傳道人當憑信心過日子，不給與合理的待遇，這也是父母極力反對子女全職在教會服事的最大理由。求主憐憫眾教會，受召的人多，但真正能出來全職服事的人少，以致神家中缺少年輕同工。
星期一
中國大學生的失業率在25%以上，經濟學家質疑經濟如何能創造足夠的理想工作，降低年輕人的失業率(尤其是大學生)。 感謝主使許多大學生在校園的查經班信了主。然而，一旦他們畢業後，遷移其他城市，就很難跟進，而他們也逐漸失去信仰生活。願主保守這些寶貴的初信者對神單純的心，也很快在新的教會裡預備人去關心他們的靈命成長。