Prayer Request 5/27 - 6/2

TuesdayFor years the music of Kenny G's hit saxophone music "Going Home" in all of its seductive beauty has been a staple of society in China.​ It has been piped into shopping malls, schools, train stations, and fitness centers as a signal to the public that it is time to close shop and go home. ​Christian-style weddings along with Christmas celebrations are popular in China now but few understand their purpose and significance.​ We pray that Christians will take the Great Commission seriously and make good use of every opportunity to share the Gospel and that churches will reach out to their neighbors with the gospel.
Wednesday>Nearly half a century ago, Mao pulled millions of young students out of schools and sent them to work on farms.​ The recent unrest in Xingjiang has prompted the government to send 200,000 young civil servants to the countryside and 70,000 of them are now serving in Muslim villages.​The Chinese government frowns on any missionary efforts to convert Muslims, especially those in Xingjiang and the same is true in Buddhist Tibet. We pray for the work of the Gospel in these regions and that the Lord will protect missionaries there as well as the believers so they will not be discouraged.
Thursday
​The government in China sends young civil servants to the villages hoping to win the hearts of Muslim by performing voluntary work on the farms. Uyghur has a large Muslim ethnic​minority and a long history of strife with the government. In 2011, 20,000 officials to Tibetan villages but it paled in comparison to what is happening in Xingjiang today. ​There are few converts to Christianity in the Muslim community in China​ today. Let us pray for all Chinese Christians who face opposition from their Buddhist or Muslim parents. May the Lord grant them great courage and faith in God along with a good testimony to share with their parents.
Friday
For years the relationship between the Uyghur and the government of China has been contentious at best and violent at times. They adhere to the fundamental beliefs of Islam and are unwilling to learn or speak Mandarin，so young civil servants sent there can communicate only with body language. ​The churches in China talk about taking the Gospel to Muslims but their language and culture have proven difficult to ​master. Evangelism is also hampered by their hatred toward the Han Chinese and economic disparity. Let us pray for wisdom to overcome these difficulties.
Saturday
​The disparity between the cities and the villages is great in Xingjiang and life is rough for those who are sent​ to serve in the villages. They live and travel together for safety. They must raise their own food and many places have little water for bathing. ​Perhaps the best opportunity for ministry to Muslims in China is to reach their college students who are away from home studying in the cities. Let us pray for the efforts to share Jesus with Muslim students that the Lord will soften their hearts and help them to have courage to accept Jesus as their Savior.​
Sunday
​There are many things about modern China that defy an easy explanation, such as parents allowing their children to pose for pictures next to live tigers, the sight of grown women wearing furry cat-ear headbands while shopping, and strangers napping together in IKEA beds in a display.​ ​The churches in China also have many things that seem strange to us. Pastors are supposed to be poor so they can show their total dedication to God like the Buddhist monks do. May the Lord help them to correct these kinds of unbiblical view but especially their emphasis on external piety and false humility.​
Monday
In recent years the level of education has risen greatly in China, especially in the coastal provinces. Seminary students usually have a high school education. However, in the West, those who get Bible training usually have only a junior high level of education. May the Lord bless the development of the church in the western part of China. Pastors there need more comprehensive Bible training than they have in order to expand their ministries. We also pray that churches in the eastern region of China will support those in the West and help their pastors to get better training.

星期二
美國薩克斯管巨星肯尼·基(Kenny G)的迷人曲子《回家》，已經成為了中國社會的一個主要元素。商場、學校、火車站個場所都會播放它，告訴大家「現在是回家的時候了」。 中國非常流行慶祝聖誕節和採用以基督教儀式的婚禮，但很少人知道真正的意義及目的。我們為信徒看重主耶穌的大使命，跨出教堂的四面牆，主動接觸他們的社區，把握每個傳福音的機會來禱告。
星期三
半個世紀以前，幾百萬中國知識青年響應號召上山下鄉服務群眾。近年來新疆局勢日趨不穩，在未來三年，將抽調約20萬名機關幹部下基層駐村進點。目前首批七萬人已經到位。政府竭力阻止任何穆斯林改教，新疆執行得特別嚴厲，與佛教的西藏一樣。我們為這些地區的福音事工祈求，願神保守在那裡的傳道人和信徒們，安慰他們不灰心喪膽。
星期四
政府讓新疆幹部下鄉幫助村民做農活、為要贏得民心。維吾爾族人是一個主要的穆斯林少數民族， 與政府的關係並不融洽。在2011年，兩萬多名幹部也曾被派到西藏，但與新疆下基層的規模不能相比。穆斯林改信耶穌的不多，也一定受到家人的壓力，甚至迫害。我們為所有成為基督徒，卻有來自佛教或穆斯林的父母反對的信徒禱告，求主賜給他們勇氣和對神的信心，並有美好的見證與父母分享。
星期五
南疆地區非常偏向伊斯蘭傳統主義，不同民族間沒有一種共同的語言，許多人都不願學和說普通話。多年來政府一直沒能有效地貼近當地的維吾爾族百姓。下鄉的漢人干部多只能用「肢體語言」與當地人溝通。 多年來中國教會一直希望能向穆斯林傳福音，但是在語言和文化學習上一直有障礙。近年來回漢之間的摩擦和經濟的差距，使穆斯林福音事工更不容易，求主加添智慧，克服這些困難。
星期六
在新疆，城鄉差距比內地更大。下基層的干部們生活條件艱苦，住在集體宿舍裡，耕種自己的糧食。由於水資源匱乏，有些一周只能洗一次澡。為了安全起見必須集體結伴外出。但離家在城市學習的穆斯林大學生們是傳福音的上好對象。讓我們紀念穆斯林學生的事工，求主軟化他們的心，好叫福音的種子能生根發芽，也賜給他們有勇氣接受耶穌為個人救主。
星期日
當今中國有很多事情都難於解釋，舉例：父母讓孩子在活生生的老虎旁邊拍照，成年女性戴著毛茸茸的貓耳頭飾外出購物，陌生人一起在宜家(Ikea)的展示床上睡覺。中國教會也有不少的「怪事」，例如，牧師應該越窮越屬靈，因為這代表他們是不愛金錢，單靠信心過日子，如同出家的僧侶。求主更正我們許多不符合聖經的觀念，僅看重外表的虔誠和虛假的謙虛。
星期一
沿海地區進入神學院裝備的信徒都具備一定的教育水平。但西部地區的情況就不同了，能進神學院的信徒大多只有初中水平。求主看顧西部教會的發展，使教會工人能得到更全面的聖經裝備，以應教會各類事工發展的挑戰。求主感動東部教會繼續支援西部教會發展，在基督的身體裡彼此關顧、祝福！