Prayer Request 4/3 - 4/9

Tuesday
Three megacities in China, Guangzhou, Shanghai, and Beijing have "first-tier cities" status. They are recognized because of their gross domestic product (GDP), population and level of political administration. We praise God for the vibrant churches in these First-tier cities. They are pacesetter for the rest of churches. The Lord continue to empower these churches, adding numbers of saved. We pray that they will assist and bless poorer churches in the smaller cities nearby.
Wednesday
Recently, 13 Chinese cities joined the rank of new first-tier cities. Based on their commercial appeal, they include Chengdu, Hangzhou, Tianjin, Wuhan, Chongqing, Nanjing, Suzhou, Xi'an, Changsha, Shenyang, Qingdao, Dalian, and Ningbo. Churches in these cities still have room to grow and mature. Their help is vital to smaller churches in their provinces. We pray that they will reach out and minister to the college students in their cities and be blessed by the energy of young people.
Thursday
Two more cities in China, Dongguan, and Zhengzhou also made the list of first-tier city list for the first time. Dongguan is a major hub for electronics manufacturing and a magnet for international brands. All these new First-tier cities have large number of migrant workers. May the Lord bless all church leaders and inspire them to share the gospel with migrant workers in their community and not turn their backs to them.
Friday
China is pushing the wide-reaching "One Belt, One Road" (OBOR) initiative. This grand plan will economically connect China all the way to Europe. This could potentially improve Dongguan's fortunes. Located in the south of China, Dongguan could become a logistics hub for the OBOR. We pray churches will see the opportunity of taking the gospel along the OBOR into Pakistan, India and all the Muslim countries in central Asia. Churches must have strategies and good training for the missionaries they send out.
Saturday
A survey shows only 3 percent of people ages of 18 and 29 in Hong Kong, describe themselves broadly as Chinese which is the lowest level since the handover in 1997. Young people there see themselves broadly as Hong Kongers. Churches in Hong Kong are big supporters for churches inside China. Obviously, politics in Hong Kong affect the passion of believers for the mission to China. May the Lord protect and bless all the good works Hong Kong churches are doing to broaden their impact.
Sunday
There is a radical sentiment and idea that many Hong Kong people are considering uniting as an independent nation. They feel as long as Hong Kong is under China’s rule, there will not be a democracy. However, Hong Kong is totally dependent on China economically. Hong Kong churches have generously supported China’s churches for several decades. Many believers from China attend meetings and training in Hong Kong, we pray that these experiences are blessing to their church in China.
Monday
The sentiment in Hong Kong is that they are culturally different from Mainland Chinese. The differences are obvious and easily spotted. Hong Kongers use different language — traditional scripts and Cantonese — and they had the British colonial experience. Chinese from Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan and North America, all have a very different cultural background, even though they are Chinese. We pray that Chinese churches from outside of China will be even more fruitful in their support and theological training inside China.


星期二
廣州、上海和北京均有「一線城市」的稱謂，這並不是官方正式的用詞，而是基於生產總值（GDP）、人口和政治行政水平而得到公認的認可。感謝神，這些一線城市的教會都非常有活力，在神學訓練和關懷事工上都是全國的榜樣。求主感動這些教會，不單在信徒的質和量增多上有果效，也能更關顧及幫助在小縣城的貧弱教會，分享神賜福的各樣恩惠。
星期三
近來，成都、杭州、天津、武漢、重慶、南京、蘇州、西安、長沙、瀋陽、青島、大連及寧波等十三個城市也被列為「新一線城市」。這些新一​​線城市的教會，在事工上仍然有許多成長空間，但是他們能實際幫助附近縣城的弱小教會，我們為此感恩。求主更多使用這些教會，參與大學生的福音事工，也因此促使教會更年輕化，更有充沛的活力。
星期四
今年，東莞和鄭州兩個城市首次登上一線城巿名單。東莞是電子製造業的重要樞紐，近年更吸引很多國際品牌進駐。在新一線城市裡，有龐大來自農村的民工群體，求主興起忠心回應大使命的教會，對他們周遭的民工有傳福音的異象，也有同靈同心接納關懷不同背景肢體的負擔。
星期五
近幾年政府推動所謂「一帶一路」的項目，連接中國的經濟到歐洲，東莞成為構成OBOR的兩條路線的物流中心，使這個城市的前景更理想。我們為中國教會禱告，求主幇助我們能藉著一帶一路的機會將福音傳到印度、巴基斯坦和中亞地區，並在宣教上有前瞻性策略，能切實訓練好的人才而不流于喊喊口號而已。
星期六
最近香港大學一項調查顯示，18至29歲的香港人比1997年以來任何時候都更願意將自己視為香港人。現在只有大約3％的人寬泛地稱自己為中國人，這是自回歸以來的最低水平。香港教會是廣東沿海地區教會的最大同工，求主保守祝福香港教會，不要因中港人民的矛盾而影響對事工的參與。願神繼續使用香港，成為更多中國教會經歷主恩的渠道。
星期日
香港近年因為政治問題鬧得滿城風雨，有些激進派更提倡港獨，要脫離中國，追求民主自治；然而，香港的經濟卻十分依賴中國大陸。香港教會多年以來在人力和金錢上一直是內地教會的重要支援，亦是海外眾教會的榜樣。我們為許多來香港參加會議，培訓的信徒禱告，願他們在屬靈上得著的造就，能成為他們自己教會的祝福和實際改進的契機。
星期一
香港人認為他們與內地人有很大差異，不僅是方言與字體明顯不同，就是價值觀和文化内涵也大相徑庭；還有只有港人才擁有英國殖民統治的集體回憶。雖然同是中國人，但是各地人的生活文化都會有異。我們為海外華人教會禱告，包括新加坡、馬來西亞，北美及台灣教會，求主繼續感動海外教會共同關心中國境內的教會與神學培訓的發展。