Prayer Request 11/25 - 12/1

TuesdayIn China, there is much inequality in the opportunity for education in different areas.​ One research report showed that an applicant from Beijing is forty-one times more likely to be admitted to Peking University than a fellow student from the province of Anhui which is largely poor and rural. Churches often lack vision and direction in their ministry with youth and some have simply given up because of various difficulties. May the Lord help us not to forsake caring for young believers and considering them less important than others because they cannot contribute financially.
Wednesday
Even an urban residency status does not ensure educational equality among city dwellers in China. The quality of urban schools varies widely and the competition to enter top schools has spawned rampant corruption.​ ​In Beijing churches started youth ministry only a few years ago and usually they began with fewer than twenty young people. We praise God for these​ churches and ask Him to use them to mobilize more churches to care for the spiritual health of the young believers who attend.
Thursday
Although elementary schooling in China is supposed to be free, parents must still pay tens of thousands of dollars under the guise of "voluntary donation​s" to secure a slot for their children in an elite elementary school. Christian parents in China want good Sunday school programs for their children but few are willing to be trained to serve as a teacher themselves. We pray that more parents will answer the call to serve as teachers of God's love.
Friday
Although it is frowned on by the authorities, parents in China who can pay well to hire teachers for their children can help their children get an advantage over the average ​student, and many do this. Christian parents tend to emphasize high grades, top notch schools, and the health of their children more than teaching them to live a spiritual life. May the Lord have mercy on us so we do not honor our children more than we honor Him. (I Samuel 2:29)
Saturday
The educational system in China has always placed a large emphasis on​ test scores but now it is dependent on the costs of their "cramming" lessons, the years their parents have toiled in cities to get a residency permit, and the admission quotas universities allot to the provinces. Many churches simply give up on having a ministry for children because they have neither the vision nor the resources to start one. We pray that churches will get seriously involved in caring for the spiritual health of their youth and children before they completely stop attending church.
Sunday
According to statistics there are some 8000-9000​ house churches in Beijing but fewer than twenty of them have any form of youth ministry. There are only a few so-called youth workers and none of the full-time pastors is dedicated to youth work. Many churches try to minister to their youth, but they do not really know how to begin. We pray for a unity of parents and leaders as they search for ways to be more effective in helping young people walk close to Jesus.
Monday
​Those who are involved in youth ministry in China have no training for such work. They are usually high school graduates in the city churches and​ those in the rural churches have only a junior high education. We pray for more courses to teach people how to do youth ministry, teaching them how to develop a relationship with young people as a friend and mentor rather than the traditional role of a teacher. May the Lord empower each one to be able to influence the lives of their youth with their own and His love.

星期二
中國 高等教育機會不平等。根據研究，一名北京本地學生相較於來自貧窮的安徽農村的學生，考上北大的機率幾乎是後者的41倍。教會普遍缺乏發展青少年事工的異象和目標。有些教會做了幾年青少年事工，因種種困難就停止了。求主幫助教會不放棄年輕人的事工，也不因他們沒有金錢上的奉獻就看輕他們。
星期三
中國教育資源的分配也極不均等。即使是在城市的居民，城市內學校間質量良莠不齊，且要進入頂尖學校的競爭裡，也滋生了嚴重的腐敗問題。教會中有青少年團契的，也是近幾年才開始發展起來的，人數從幾個到二十不等。我們為這些教會感恩，但願神使用他們激勵其他教會，更多地關心年輕人的靈命成長。
星期四
雖然小學教育是免費的。但是為了讓孩子獲得一個進入頂尖小學的名額，父母們常常繳納上萬元的「自願捐贈」。基督徒父母往往為他們的孩子要求有好的主日學課程，但很少有人願意成為上帝差派的愛的老師，求主呼招更多看重下一代靈命的肢體，願意委身在兒童事工當中。
星期五
中國學生的家長捨得花錢在孩子身上，例如請老師給孩子單獨補課，儘管這種行為被有關部門明令禁止，但在現實中仍比比皆是。信徒家庭普遍注重孩子的學習成績，名校、身體健康等，遠超過他們的靈命成長。求主憐憫我們，不叫我們看重我們孩子屬世的成功，過於尊重神（撒母耳上2：29）。
星期六
中國的教育一貫極其注重考試分數，考分的高低跟他們在補習班中所傾入的費用相關，還有他們父母為獲得城市戶口而四處奔波所挹注的心力，以及大學在他們的省份分配的錄取名額。許多教會因為沒有真正的異象或資源，在嘗試發展青少年事工時, 往往就半途而廢。我們為教會能認真及努力關心下一代的靈命，不讓年輕一代流失來禱告。
星期日
北京約有8000-9000間家庭教會，但有青少年團契的教會不到20家。 全職做青少年事工的牧者寥寥無幾，專職的青少年牧師對中國教會來說實在太稀有了。許多教會嘗試做青少年的事工，卻是有心無力。我們為這些教會，家長與教會領袖之間有合一的靈，試著用智慧以各樣方式、途徑，更有有效地幫助他們的年輕人與主同行。
星期一
從事青少年事工的中國牧者多半沒有受過任何相關的培訓，他們的教育程度，也以初中和高中為主；求主興起更多青少年事工的培訓，特別幫助那些服事青少年的同工，擁有美好的人際關係，能從傳統的牧養關係，變成教練與朋友的關係，流露對孩子們的關愛，用生命來影響他們。