Prayer Request 4/17 - 4/23

Tuesday
Although rural migrants​ in China earn more in cities than those who stay in the countryside, they are excluded from many of the social welfare benefits and subsidized housing often reserved for registered urban residents. ​It is a fact and a worsening trend that rural churches are losing people who can give financially. We pray for those believers who work in the cities, that they will continue to give financially to their churches back in the villages.
Wednesday
The decline of rural churches in China is real and heartbreaking. Many of those pastors see their churches deserted with only spiritually weak and ill believers left.​ ​We lift up all the pastors in China who feel helpless and even hopeless as they minister for Christ. May the Lord renew their bodies, hearts, and spirits knowing that the Great Shepherd requires only their faithfulness in ministry. Lord will bless their sacrifice and effort.
Thursday
Churches in China can consider sending their missionary candidates to Western sending agencies, so they can live and learn how to be an effective servant of God, humble and with care, from foreign missionaries. In the past, missionaries sent out from China have failed because they did not take the time to learn the language and study the culture. We pray that mission effort is purely motivated by God’s command, not because of nationalistic or ethnic pride and certainly not of slogans.
Friday
Due to political and fundraising limitations, churches in China trying to send out cross-cultural missionaries still heavily depend on funds from outside of China. It will be at least another decade before these churches can send out fully-supported missionaries.​ ​Much of the giving in churches there goes toward building new churches. Little is spent on compensation for the pastors and less on outreach and missions. Let us pray that pastors and believers will give faithfully and generously for Kingdom purposes.
Saturday
Besides those in the Three-Self system, many local seminaries are upgrading from a three-year program to a four-year program college level. Some are even going from college to a master'​s program level. ​May the Lord continue to show great favor to the churches in China so pastors can have good training and the co-workers in the church can also benefit from quality Bible training, both of which are badly needed.​
Sunday
House churches in China have formal Bible schools and seminaries, some are even bold in building libraries and long-term facilities. Theological training of different house church groups is taking on a​ different emphasis and ​includes ​specialized programs. We pray for enough quality teachers for these seminaries and schools set up by house churches, especially teachers with spiritual maturity and experience in pastoring churches.
Monday
There are increasing exchanges between churches in China and abroad in theological education, short or long term. Many younger church leaders seek more training or ordination because the society demands professionalism. We praise God for pastors in China receiving more theological training. We pray that they will be able to engage and minister to the young professionals more effectively.


星期二
儘管農民工在城市裡掙的錢比留在鄉下的人多，但很多社會福利及住房補貼項目卻享受不到，這些福利通常是保留給有城鎮戶口的居民。農村教會缺少年青力壯的信徒，在人和財上皆嚴重短缺是個事實。求主興起愛主的農村信徒，雖然離開老家在外地工作，卻也能不忘家鄉教會的發展和需要，繼續為神的家奉獻。
星期三
農村教會正面臨嚴重荒涼的危機。傳道人看到教會的荒涼，信徒靈性軟弱、乾渴，不少 同工感到灰心沮喪，甚至自責是自己牧養不好。我們為灰心甚至想放棄的傳道人禱告，求主施恩加力，深信大牧者所求的是僕人的忠心，深知他們一切的難處，會記念他們的擺上及奉獻。惟願我們都堅守著自己的崗位，憑信心仰望主來動工。
星期四
過去中國宣教士無法持久服事，往往是因為沒有在語言和文化學習方面下足功夫。教會其實可以考慮將預備到國外的準宣教士差派到樂意接納他們的國際差會中實習、鍛煉。藉此與海外宣教士同吃同住，謙卑學習，了解工場需要，可逐步訓練成更合乎主用的僕人。求主校正我們的眼光，願意虛己來回應主的大使命，而不夾帶民族優越感，或是趨附各樣的口號。
星期五
因著政治和經費籌募的限制，中國教會的跨文化宣教事工仍需海外資源的大力支持。預計十年後，中國教會才能在財務方面自主，完全自立運作。一般中國教會的奉獻主要是用在教會硬體設備上，其次才是給牧者的經濟支持，剩下作為宣教費用已不多了。求主幫助牧者和信徒們，慷慨的投資在神的國度中。
星期六
在三自教會體系裡，不少地區的神學院都在爭取升格，從三年制變成本科的四年制，從四年制延伸到碩士班。 願神繼續恩待中國教會，有更多屬靈深度的牧者，也能有提高同工靈命裝備的培訓。
星期日
家庭教會的聖經學院和神學院也漸漸走向正規化，有些更勇敢地建立較為齊全的圖書館和神學設施。各地的家庭教會神學系統慢慢會走向不同學術程度的分流和分工。我們求神賜給家庭教會的聖經學院和神學院，有足夠質量的教師，有屬靈深度及有牧養經驗的栽培，能紮實建造弟兄姊妹的靈命。
星期一
近年中國教會參與各種神學教育的交流，短期或長期出國的深造機會都不斷增加。再加上教會領袖面對社會不斷知識化的挑戰，中壯年的領袖有一股進修潮和按立潮。我們為中國教會的牧者有更好的神學訓練感恩，願主使用他們能更有效地接觸和餵養年輕知識份子。