Prayer Request 5/19 - 5/25

TuesdayThe gospel reached China more than two centuries ago and there have been rumors that China would be a major country to send missionaries to other places. Some even talked of the churches in China sending enough missionaries out to surpass the nations in the West. We pray for humility in everything we do as we imitate those who are imitating Christ before us. May the Lord convict us of our tendency to be arrogant and bragging.
Wednesday
Chinese believers "taking the gospel back to Jerusalem" and "churches in China sending out 100,000 missionaries" still remain as elusive goals and empty slogans. Chinese people tend to make a slogan and paint a grand picture for things without even doing any planning. We pray for repentance for our arrogance and the sin of trying to profit from any movement.
Thursday
According to a report from a recent missions conference, there are 29,000 missionaries from the United States, 20,000 from South Korea, and 300 from Mongolia in the world. But, China gave the frustrating answer, "We are still waiting to send them out." We pray that the churches in China will not just find a slogan for everything ("Back to Jerusalem" is not exclusively Chinese.) but will be truly obedient and deeply committed to please God rather than merely speaking eloquent words.
Friday
Global evangelization is not the exclusive task of the churches in China. The idea of their completing the last leg of the Great Commission and somehow finishing what American and Korean churches began cannot be supported Biblically. There are always many false claims and a lack of accountability when a large donation is involved and money has always been a problem in the churches in China but we pray that the new generation of leaders will be God-fearing and seek to please only the Master.
Saturday
It is an alarming fact that many Arab countries have taken notice and been troubled by the propaganda of the "Back to Jerusalem" movement. We know that sending missionaries to some countries should be done cautiously and we pray that believers in China will learn to serve quietly and do all things well whether in missions or at home.
Sunday
The "Back to Jerusalem" movement has exposed the weakness of churches in China as well as their lack of candidates, poor strategies and planning. Much of the organization and fundraising for the movement were done from abroad and China herself merely provided missionaries. It also exposed how power and money caused even leaders to be corrupt. We pray that the churches in China will learn to co-operate with others and not want to just do things their own way.
Monday
Currently the churches in China are unable to raise money the way countries in the West do. Without legal status, house churches cannot raise funds for any large mission projects. In the past churches in China have provided their people with money that came from abroad. We pray that these churches will soon be sending both people and money--give to the Lord the best they have rather than being content with second best.

星期二
福音傳入中國至今已經超過二百年。十多年前開始有人談論中國何時會成為宣教大國，甚至有人誇口中國必做普世宣教的超級巨星，超越西方國家。求主提醒並幫助我們在任何事上都有謙卑的心志，能效法屬靈前輩，正如他們效法主一樣；不憑人意誇口，自高自大。
星期三
中國弟兄姊妹回應將福音「回歸耶路撒冷」(Back to Jerusalem〔B2J〕)運動，提出差遣十萬宣教士的口號，然而跨文化宣教浪潮至今仍只是「只聞樓梯響、不見人下來」。 中國人熱衷喊口號，往往先講卻不做是我們的弱点。求主光照我們，赦免我們的自傲和總想在各型運動中”占個地”的罪。
星期四
據不久前一個匯報，美國宣教士人數有29,000、韓國(剛超越) 20,000、蒙古300，至於中國，卻是一個令人氣餒的回應:「候選者正蓄勢待發中！」。我們為中國教會禱告，讓大家不要將「回歸耶路撒冷」口號化，因普世宣教不限於此，也不專屬於中國人。求主幫助教會學習忠心跟隨、順從祂的帶領和默默擺上，盡心討神喜悦，而不是大放厥詞。
星期五
普世宣教的使命並不是福音只能沿著美、韓、中、耶路撒冷的路線前進。這樣的思路是既輕率又沒有聖經根據的。金錢總是敗壞中國的教會。當牽涉到大筆奉獻及捐款，就必定會有很多虛假和不透明發生。我們禱告新一代的教會領袖能全然讓主得著，成為敬畏神，專一討主喜悅的新血輪。
星期六
由於「回歸耶路撒冷」運動的宣傳聲浪，一個負面的警訊是，許多中東阿拉伯國家已經開始對中國教會的宣教動向起了疑慮。其實在創啟地區開展宣教事工的首要姿態，就是要低調與務實，求主幫助我們，不論在宣教事工或其他事奉上，都應學習沉穩、全然倚靠主的帶領，因為祂是得勝的旌旗。
星期日
「回歸耶路撒冷」的運動，暴露了中國宣教士的不足，教會沒有良好的策略與規劃。而參與的模式也大多是由海外教會組織項目、籌募資金，中國教會只是差派宣教士參與其中，少有能獨立支持宣教差傳的。 其間往往也暴露了金錢和權勢能敗壞教會的領袖。求主幫助教會能體認到為主的國度，宣教不是孤軍作戰，更要有意願與別人溝通與合作。
星期一
中國教會目前所處的環境，很難照搬西方式的資金籌募 。因為教會仍未能取得合法、獨立的身份，更遑論合法籌募資金的資格。中國教會向來是「出人」，而讓海外「出錢」。我們為中國教會早日能「出錢出力」來代禱，願信徒都能將主所賜下最好的奉獻給主 。