Prayer Request 11/17 - 11/23

Tuesday
Henan province in central China is mostly a flat expanse of fields, towns and villages whose one hundred million people are sometimes looked down on by the rest of China as "bumpkins". However, Henan is probably the one province in China with the most Christian people living there. We remember the great revival of the Holy Spirit Who worked there. We pray today for the renewal of the church in Henan and that the Lord will save the people there from vicious attacks by the cults.
Wednesday
Adding to the humiliation of the people in Henan, the Chinese government​ has skewed opportunities away from them in the area which means so much to Chinese people--getting their children into universities. Historically, the believers in Henan are poorer and less educated than people in other areas of China which causes them to be less deeply rooted in Biblical teachings and it has been easy for them to fall into heresies. We pray for solid Bible teaching there and especially for those who aren't well-educated.
Thursday
People in Henan have long complained that funds for education and openings in the universities have been tilted away from them and other large crowded provinces in favor of the wealthier and more privileged parts of the country, especially Beijing and Shanghai.​ We​ praise God for the rise of urban churches in China that have added many well-educated believers and we pray for wisdom for the churches to know how to disciple them and that they will not neglect believers with less education like those in Henan in teaching them to live out the teachings of Jesus Christ.
Friday
China's system of university recruitment is just one way in which inequity and political favoritism undercut the government's vows to deliver equal treatment to all citizens, creating an enormous chasm between villages and cities. ​We don't know the future of the rural churches in China but the sheer numbers ​of people in rural areas cannot be ignored as a mission field. We pray for better strategies to help the rural church grow and disciple more believers.
Saturday
The vicious cycle of inequality of education persists for the people in Henan so they feel that it is better to be born in the city than in the countryside, better to be born in Beijing than Henan.​ We pray for rural believers not to feel discouraged or doomed, but rather ask the Lord to use their children, knowing God has His wonderful plan for all of them, and He will use those who are willing and faithful.
Sunday
Educational inequality riles many Chinese families because they see education, especially getting admitted to a prestigious university, as an escape from a hard, uncertain life for both themselves and their children. Many parents see the success of ​their ​children’s education as their ticket to a good life and retirement. We pray for those believers who are disappointed in this aspect, and ask the Lord to remind, comfort and instill in us all, how to raise children to love God, the way He intended.
Monday
Under China's Intensely competitive and stressful system of exams to get into a university, each province and each city (such as Beijing)​ sets its own cut-off score for the exam. So when students apply to a school, they are not guaranteed to get in if they are past the cut-off number. We pray for all of the high school students in the churches as they face such immense pressure from their parents and the college entrance exams. May the Lord grant them strength, wisdom, and grace to persevere at this difficult time.


星期二
中部的河南省大部分處於平原地區，該省的城鎮和鄉村里居住著一億左右的人口，人們不時會貶稱河南人為鄉巴佬。讓我們記念河南也是農村教會最多的地方，更曾經歷聖靈奇妙的大復興。求主再次拯救那裡許許多多冷淡倒退的教會，敗壞異端的攻擊。
星期三
政府長期以來對河南學生上大學的問題上，採取對不利的政策。河南的信徒一般教育水平不高，導致聖經的教導難以深入。這是河南信徒容易被異端牽引的一大原因。求主幫助中國教會在真理教導上能有根有基，也能有策略幫助教育程度不高的信徒，紮實聖經真理的建造。
星期四
河南有一億左右的人口，但教育經費和大學名額的分配不足，人們認為分配往往歧視河南省及其他人口眾多的農業大省，流向更富裕、更優越的地區。城巿教會的興起，讓神的家増加了許多高知識的信徒，我們為此感恩。求主賜教會智慧牧養他們之餘，也不忽視大多數教育水平較低的信徒如河南省者，幫助他們能活出主耶穌的生命。
星期五
中國大學的招生制度，往往充斥著種種不公平及偏袒，也削弱政府平等對待所有公民的承諾。我們不知道農村教會在未來中國教會當中扮演什麼角色，但是廣大的農村人口仍是急待深耕的宣教工場。求主幫助我們能有更好的策略來幫助農村教會成長，提供機會使信徒得造就。
星期六
在受教權益的不均的河南人常自嘲:「生在農村不如生在城市、生在河南不如生在北京。」生長在中國農村，在教育競爭上，畢竟是吃虧的。求主安慰農村信徒家長，不因此灰心喪氣，而是更向主懇求，讓 孩子一生為主使用。深信神對孩子有一個完全美好的計劃，祂也樂意使用忠心虔誠的人。
星期日
在中國教育機會的不平等，令家長非常焦慮。他們認為教育(特別是名牌大學) 是讓他們的子女及自己擺脫艱難不確定命運的唯一途徑。許多家長將他們一生心血甚至養老，全寄望在孩子的教育上。我們為那些曾經失望過的信徒家長們禱告，求主提醒、安慰，並校正我們的養兒觀念，曉得如何按神的心意，以教導孩子敬虔愛主為首要責任。
星期一
在中國激烈競爭且緊張的大學入學考試—「高考」中，學生報名他們心儀的大學，高考分數決定他們是否能被錄取，中央給大學設置各地分配錄取名額。我們為教會的高中生禱告，在面對各方的壓力下(尤其是來自父母的壓力)，仍能緊緊倚靠神。願神加添他們力量、智慧，在力不能勝時繼續仰望主的恩惠。