Prayer Request 3/6 - 3/12

Tuesday
In the urban churches in China there are believers of all backgrounds​ but they are clearly younger and more educated now than they were formerly. Each church has these groups: college students/young intellectuals or professionals, middle age or older believers, retirees, and migrant workers. We pray that leaders in the urban churches will have a vision and good strategies to minister to the special needs of each of the diverse groups and care for them as good shepherds.
Wednesday
College students and young intellectuals in China​ are more open today to make contact with churches and even attend services than before. Often this openness comes when they are searching for the answer to difficulties they face. ​Churches in China need a new generation of pastors who understand and minister to college students. In the meantime, we pray these young seekers will have patience, humility, and the willingness to serve in their churches.
Thursday
In China, people in urban churches are​ younger and more highly educated than before because of the large number of college students and professionals. The overall quality in the churches has improved also as these young people grow spiritually and become willing to even serve as pastors of churches. ​We praise the Lord for these new pastors who are able to minister to a vastly more educated believer now. We pray that the Lord will guard their hearts to serve and that they will do so by faith and prayer, not just by their gifts and strength
Friday
In China, some of the intellectuals in the churches are professional people who have good-paying jobs and a respectable status in the community. However, they are generally busy and not likely to become involved in the church. At the present time this group is mainly made up of people who were educated abroad.​ ​These believers who were exposed to churches overseas often have difficulty with the lack of transparency and the highly authoritative administrative style of the churches in China. We pray for them as they adjust, that they will be humble, not deliberately judging but being willing to serve God there.​
Saturday
A small number of believers in the urban churches in China are those who have returned​ from study abroad. Since the economic reform and opening of China thirty years ago, about 160,000 students have returned to China after they finished their studies abroad. Many of these people have become Christians while they were in foreign countries. These people do have a certain influence in the churches in China because of their ability to contribute financially​, but they do have issues when it comes to mixing well with the believers already there. Let us pray for them specifically that the Lord will connect them with mature believers who can spur them to grow spiritually and be willing to submit to the leadership of their church.
Sunday
In the urban churches in China, there is a large group of​ middle-aged and older believers who are mostly retirees. Many grew up in Christian homes and have been believers all of their lives. Many are very pious and firm in their faith. ​We pray that these Christians will be greatly used by God as they serve Him with their time and spiritual knowledge in their churches. May the Lord use them, especially in caring for fellow believers and helping their pastors in visitation.​
Monday
​Some of the believers in urban churches in China are relatively new Christians. They have come to know the Lord through relatives or friends who have​ shared the gospel with them and some were baptized while they visited their children abroad. ​We pray that these new believers will continue to mature in the Word of God and stay fervently following the Lord as well as beginning to fervently serve in their churches​ and begin to lead others to Jesus Christ with their powerful testimonies of transformed lives.


星期二
近年中國的城市教會明顯年輕化和知識化。目前城市教會的主要會衆群體有幾種：在校大學生與青年知識份子及專業人士、中老年傳統基督徒、下崗工人和民工。我們為教會領袖禱告，求主賜下異象，有策略來牧養經濟文化背景不同的群體。雖然弟兄姊妹的需要各有不同，但牧者都能按著神的心意看顧牧養。
星期三
大學生和青年知識份子往往思想開放、也比較願意接觸信仰而來到教會，並且能夠在教會中找到解決人生問題的答案。求主為教會預備新一代牧者，能有智慧和足夠的裝備來更好的牧養大學生，了解他們特別的文化和需要。也求主賜給這批信徒更多忍耐和謙卑，能積極參與教會服事。
星期四
由於大量大學在校生和畢業生湧入教會，使整體會眾越來越年輕化和高知識水平。他們在教會中迅速成長，擔負教會基層的日常工作，也有人獻身專心以傳道為事。我們來高學歷年輕人願意服事及獻身感恩，求主使用他們能餵養教育程度越來越高的信徒，也保守他們的服事，不是靠著勢力和才能，乃是靠著神的靈以信心和禱告成就事工。
星期五
教會知識份子信徒中還有一部份是專業人士，主要來自海歸。他們擁有固定的工作，較豐厚的收入，受過較高的教育和有社會地位，但是他們普遍是忙碌的。從海外回來的，或是在海外信主的信徒，習慣了國外教會的透明度及牧者的牧養方式，其實也不太容易融入中國教會。求主保守他們，賜給海歸信徒有謙卑追求，不刻意去比較，而是樂意參與服事的心態。
星期六
中國改革開放以來，約有 16 萬人回國，是所謂的海歸。這批人中有不少在國外時成爲基督徒。 這部分人在國內城市教會的整體人數還不多，但具有一定的影響力，在經濟方面的奉獻也比較多。海歸信徒通常不易全面融入教會，我們求主預備成熟的信徒，成為他們的良師好友，激勵靈命繼續成長，也能願意委身中國式的教會領導。
星期日
城市教會中還有一個比較大的群體是中老年基督徒，不少是退休的普通市民。其中有些是出於傳統基督徒家庭，從家庭中承受基督教信仰，一般都會比較虔誠與堅定。我們為這批信徒祈求，願神大大地使用他們，因著有時間，信仰亦有深度，在教會有更多的服侍，尤其是關懷有需要的會友，探訪新來的慕道友和協助牧者等等。
星期一
城市教會中不少會眾是初信的。他們有不少是因著親戚或朋友分享福音而接受相信主耶穌，也有的在出國探親時認識相信並受洗，回來再尋找教會。我們為他們感恩，求主繼續吸引他們，持續追求走屬天道路，不單在聖經的知識上大有長進，也能幫助別人，在親友圈子中見證神對他們人生的指引與奇妙作為，領人歸主。