Prayer Request 11/18 - 11/24

TuesdayAn interpretation by the Supreme Court of China in 2011 the 1950 Marriage Law stated that, when a couple divorces, property should not be shared equally, but each side should keep what is in his or her own name. It is not uncommon to have Chinese parents buying an apartment for their children as a wedding gift. We pray for young believers to seek God’s will for their marriage, rather than base ​it ​on whether the family has money or not.
Wednesday
This ruling of division of properties at ​the time of ​divorce has serious implications. In the big Chinese cities a third of marriages now end in divorce. Only about 30% of married women have their name on the deeds of the marital flat. Divorces are common among believers now. We pray not only for more teaching of Biblical principles of marriage, but also more emphasis and practical teaching on resolving marital conflict.
Thursday
​​By 2010，26% of urban women​ in China​ had university degrees, double the proportion ten years earlier. Women now regularly outperform men at Chinese universities, which has led to gender-based quotas favoring men in some entrance exams. More women receive Bible training ​than men ​but only some​ of​ them are serving in teaching roles. We pray for ​the​ blessing of God for all the women pastors as​ they exercise their gifts. We pray ​especially for strength and joy for those who are single.
Friday
There is the perception that items bought in Hong Kong are of better quality and likely not to have been counterfeited or tampered with. This is important to Chinese who are constantly unnerved by scandals involving adulterated food and medicines. Hong Kong churches have significantly withdrawn their support to churches in China. We pray that Hong Kong churches can still supply the talents and experience of their cross-cultural missionary effort, which can be a great mentor and template for China churches.
Saturday
An​ annual salary of 150,000 yuan is considered to be the cutoff for the new Middle Class in China. Unlike the so-called "wealthy second generation" who receive handout from their rich parents, this income must be earned with their education and hard work. Although young professional believers are very affluent, they still need to learn about giving to churches financially, more so than the average believers. We pray that all believers will give willing and joyfully, knowing God will richly reward us when we give our best to Him.
Sunday
The greatest pressure​ for youth in China is the gao kao, the college entrance exam which pretty much decides the future of each youth by deciding whether he/she can enter college or not. It is always awkward for a church when they give thanks publically for some of the youth who got into good colleges but say nothing about others who have not done well on the gao kao. We pray that churches will be Biblical in teaching God's desire for us as parents and that His measure of success is different from ours.
Monday
Gao kao​ is held once a year. Since families in China have only one child and the hope of the entire family rests on how well that child does in this single exam, a good outcome is a great honor for the entire family. The pressure to get into a good college is very intense and begins early. This is one reason the youth meetings in church are not well attended or it is even difficult to start one. We pray for a vibrant ministry for those churches that put an emphasis on youth as well as those that lack this emphasis, that all will have a vision to care for youth.

星期二
2011年最高法院對1950年婚姻法的解釋是夫妻二人離婚時，房產不應該平均分配，雙方只能擁有在其名下的東西。不少中國父母購屋是幫助子女成家立業的起步，這也是社會傳統的常例。我們為年輕未婚的信徒禱告，讓他們知道要尋求神的旨意，明白有共同信仰的重要，而不是只看對方經濟條件如何。
星期三
在大城市的離婚律是三分之一，但是大約只有30%的已婚女性住房的契約上有自己的名字。2011年最高法院解釋對離婚時財產分配，雙方只能擁有在其名下的東西。這一裁定會造成嚴重的影響。弟兄姊妹當中有離婚的目前也蠻普遍的。我們為眾教會要多教導從聖經原則出發的婚姻觀來禱告，同時也要幫助弟兄姐妹如何處現實婚姻裡的難題和衝突，看重實際的輔導與幫助。
星期四
截至2010年，26%的城市女性擁有大學學歷，這個數字是十年前的兩倍。在大學裡中國女性的表現經常超越男性，這就導致在某些入學考試中會增加男性名額數。姐妹們有聖經裝備的比率很高，但是有教導機會的不是那麼多。我們求神更多使用女傳道們的恩賜，在服事上更有力量與喜樂。我們也在禱告中特別紀念單身的女傳道人。
星期五
中國旅客喜歡在購物，他們認為境外的商品質量更好，買到假貨或摻假產品的可能性更小。在一個受食物和藥品摻假醜聞困擾的國家裡，這是一個很重要的考量。香港教會目前參與中國教會的力度逐漸減少，但仍可從軟件上支持內地教會，求主繼續使用香港教會提供的人才培訓，也能分享他們多年跨文化宣教的經驗。
星期六
新中產階級的年收入，15萬元是一個可以參考的分界線。當然，是從職場上用自己的知識和勞動所獲取的報酬，而不是富二代用老爸給的零用錢。雖然年輕專業的信徒經濟條件非常優渥，但是在奉獻的認真上比一般信徒還有許多欠缺。我們為所有信徒甘心樂意的奉獻來禱告，因為甘心樂意奉獻的神必賞賜。
星期日
青少年的最大壓力源是一直備受批評的高考制度。對許多中國學生來說，考取好成績就意味著拿到了一張通往更美好未來的入場券，因為高校招生只看高考分數。 教會在處理年輕人進入大學的議題總是有些尷尬，我們會為能進好學校的人感恩，但是名落孫山的就不知如何應付了。 求主恩待教會要教導父母以聖經為主的養育方式，因為神衡量成功的標準是不一樣的。
星期一
高考成績優秀對整個家庭都是一種巨大的榮耀 ! 許多中國家庭都只有一個子女，全家人的希望都寄託在孩子身上。一年一次的高考是從小到大漫長激烈競爭的驗收，考進大學的激烈競爭是從小開始。升學考試也是教會的青少年事工無法持續，甚至不能開展的主因。求主恩待、興旺有青少年事工的教會，也將關心第二代的負擔加給沒有年輕人的教會。