Prayer Request 3/17 - 3/23

Tuesday
Many in China were very savvy consumers. The viral epidemic had turned them into online buyers, even to buying groceries from the neighborhood markets. Online purchases transcend any restriction of movement. We pray that churches will begin to brainstorm how to provide spiritual feeding and equipping online, in addition to the Sunday preaching.
Wednesday
The viral epidemic caused all the churches to be not able to have normal worship and pastors unable to meet the members. Many churches did the only option possible by conducting services online or using social media. We pray that churches in China will put effort into sharing, communicating with the media. Most importantly, producing quality and solid spiritual content that will nourish their members and benefit other churches too.
Thursday
During the lock-down in China, believers could only contact each other via social media. But, only a few churches could provide teaching online or have the ability or experience of sharing their teaching online. We pray that more pastors will be able to use the internet and social media effectively in their ministry，and there will be a revival among believers because of these useful tools.
Friday
Preaching must be practical and spiritually relevant because many preachers in China give the impression of speaking from an ivory tower. Followers will naturally look for online content if they feel unfed spiritually, especially young believers. We pray that leaders and believers will see how to use all kinds of media, text, voice, and video to get the word of God to believers.
Saturday
During the viral epidemic in China, the only businesses operating profitably have been those able to get orders online and deliver to customers. May the gracious God give church leaders who possess vision and ability to teach, and believers who are mature and willing to serve. Just as Paul said, “ And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.” (2 Tim 2:2 NIV)
Sunday
Of course, churches are not take-out restaurants or businesses, but we must be innovative (not imitating) in how to lead people to Jesus.We pray for His wisdom for churches in preaching the gospel, leading people to Christ and building up His Body. We must reach out to more people, lest we are marginalized and our light ceases to shine.
Monday
In the past, inviting friends and relatives to church meetings has been the way of evangelism in China. But, the new religious policies and the viral epidemic have shut this door. In China, the only viable and effective way of ministry now is to care in a small group and conduct one-to-one discipleship. We pray that many believers will emerge well-equipped and deeply love the Lord.

星期二
許多中國人雖然已經是網絡消費的老手，但是沒想到一次疫情，連日常到附近商場、超市、菜場採購食物，都換成以網絡代替出行。雖然人身自由受制，幸好網絡卻仍能暢通無阻。求神幫助祂的眾兒女無論在甚麼景況下，都有彼此相愛的心，使眾人能認出我們是祢的門徒。又求主給教會帶領者智慧，除了主日講台证道之外，教會還可以怎樣利用現代網絡科技提供信徒和慕道朋友充足的靈糧和屬靈裝備？
星期三
這次新冠肺炎疫情令教會無法正常聚會，許多牧者甚至不能與信徒相見；也有教會使用社交媒體或進行線上聚會。顯然，網絡聚會成為當下基督徒唯一可行的「聚集」方式。求主幫助教會在資訊、溝通和媒體上下功夫，最重要是內容要紮實；有屬靈份量的內容不但能造就自己教會的信徒，更因資源共享而能幫助各地的肢體在主裡一起同心互勉, 一起成長。
星期四
中國信徒因疫情被迫隔離留在家中，只能使用互聯網與外界聯繫，可惜並沒有多少教會能有能力和經驗即時提供網絡上的屬靈資源。在這次疫災中，也試驗出好些信徒的實際靈命狀況：平日少有靈修和禱告，也沒有獨立追求成長的習慣。求主興起中國教會在運用互聯網等社交媒體， 幫助信徒靈命增長，例如網上牧養、講道、相交，甚至佈道。又提醒信徒切實將神的話行出來，「好比一個聰明人，把房子蓋在磐石上，雨淋、水沖、風吹，撞著那房子，房子總不倒塌，因為根基立在磐石上。」(太7:24-25)
星期五
些得不到飽足的信徒（特別新一代信徒），有人會虛弱無力，有人會在網上尋找其他資源，這都不是教會希望看到的。求主藉著這次人看為的禍患，提醒和光照屬靈領袖和信徒的心，並興起人曉得如何用諸般智慧，或文字或語音或錄音，使神的話能暢通無阻，供應群羊。
星期六
經歷這次疫情，很多企業才發現「線上獲客」能力的本質。由於客人不能進門，而那些仍能持續營業的，正是那些能接受網上訂單，也能做到把貨物送到客戶門前的公司。求主施恩給眾教會，為神家預備更多有遠見的領袖，積極栽培那些善於教導人的主僕 ，又興起靈命成熟，甘心擺上的信徒承擔職事。「你在許多見證人面前聽見我所教訓的，也要交託那忠心能教導別人的人。」(提後2：2)
星期日
教會雖然不是一間餐廳或一門生意，然而如何吸引人來接受福音？我們也可以有智慧參考現今社會上企業有效經營的模式（注意：是參考，不是照搬）。讓我們牢記教會的責任是傳揚福音，領人歸主，建立基督的身體，求主時常提醒我們不要倚靠人的聰明，乃要仰賴祢所賜的智慧，務求接觸更多靈魂，不被社區邊緣化，不做斗底下的燈。
星期一
邀請親朋到教會參加聚會的傳福音方式在中國一直以來都行之有效。然而在新宗教政策和當前的疫情下，這道門被迫關上了。現時，將牧養化整為零，以小組形式互相關懷，和做一對一的門訓，是最有效和最實際的方式。我們祈求主藉著現今這樣的考驗，興起更多有好裝備，堅定愛主的信徒，同心協力為主作工。

Prayer Request 3/3/ - 3/9

Tuesday
As the Protestant Christianity moved into inland China, Wuhan (Hanko) was the very first port back in 1861. John Griffith, an English missionary was the first missionary to enter the inland provinces. He preached the gospel in China for 55 years and returned to England only three times.Many "firsts" had happened in 2020. For the first time, cities and millions were locked down, neighbors monitoring each other and the inability to meet for worship, plus the unprecedented discrimination against Hubei people. We praise God for the compassionate responses of Christians, the responses we know, and communication via WeChat.
Wednesday
Griffith John was known for his extensive travels in the interior of China, Hubei, Hunan, and Sichuan. In 1857, he was granted the privilege of preaching freely in the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom (an unrecognized rebellious state in Qing Dynasty).Let's continue to pray for the healing of the epidemic in China. God called the Israelite "stiff-necked" because they repeatedly turned away from Him. We pray that our kinsmen will turn away from sins and come to know Jesus Christ as their Savior, and believers will once again be revived, especially in the interior China provinces.
Thursday
The other major contribution of John Griffith was his writing and translation. He studied the language and was able to speak and write fluently. His eloquent preaching and mastery of Chinese language was very popular and often attracted a large audience. Although churches in China are not able to meet publicly and regularly during the crisis, prayers and sermons have filled the online media. Prayer is the privilege that God gives to each of His children. We pray that believers will continue to be strong prayer warriors, interceding for others, not depend on our own strength, nor boasting about our church buildings or numbers of believers.
Friday
John Griffith wrote and printed many Chinese gospel tracts used by all foreign missionaries to help them bridge their gap of communicating in Chinese. (A 1899 statistic shows that 80% of tracts used in China were written and printed by his sending mission society). Churches in China are under duress and believers are frightened. May the Spirit of God convict us all, "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." 2 Chron. 7:14 (KJV)
Saturday
In Wuhan there was a great influx of population in recent years. The net rate of increase of young people is now second only to Shenzhen. Wuhan is the one city in China which has the most people from other provinces in it and it ranks number seven in terms of urban vitality in the world. Students and young people should bring a lot of vitality to churches, but because of the severe limitations imposed on campus ministry and inability to attract young professionals and young families, churches have been stagnant. We pray that gospel work in Central China will grow because of the many urgent prayers for them.
Sunday
As tens of millions of people were locked in their homes, information continued to stream via the smartphones. In this epidemic, we have witnessed the special power of WeChat. We pray that God will continue to raise up people who can share the gospel, witness and equip believers on this mobile platform. Believers need peace from God, especially in times of great trouble. It is imperative for the church to preach the gospel, preach the doctrine of sin, leading our kinsmen to repentance, to seek refuge in Christ, and to enjoy peace through the redemption of Jesus Christ.
Monday
The Central South Theological Seminary in Wuhan is the only four-year seminary in the region. Since 1985, more than 700 have graduated and many have served in central and southern China. More than 300 were ordained, more than 120 were teachers, and 170 were elders. Many of them became Lianghui ( members of government churches' ruling bodies) or officials in charge of religious affairs. Let us pray for the great need for the workers of the gospel, especially good shepherds in China. “Be shepherds of God’s flock that is among you, watching over them not out of compulsion, but because it is God’s will; not out of greed, but out of eagerness; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. (1 Pet.5:3-4 NLT)

星期二
武漢是中國內陸省份中，基督教(新教)最早傳入的地點。1861年漢口開埠，來自英國的宣教士楊格非來到漢口，是第一個進入中國內陸省份的宣教士。他在中國傳福音五十五年，只有三次回國述職。2020庚子年一開初，中國便發生許多個「第一次」，第一次封城封村，民眾閉門不出，因疫情無法聚集，還有前所未有針對地域性的歧視。求主叫我們的心緊緊靠主，不要被現今景況奪去心中的平安。我們感謝主，仍能使用互聯網通訊軟件，使弟兄姊妹相互聯絡、彼此關心和代求，基督的愛也藉此彰顯。
星期三
楊格非以在廣闊的中國內地旅行佈道而聞名。他1857前往南京，獲得在太平天國境內自由傳教的權利。他也是第一個進入湖北、湖南、四川三個省份的新教傳教士。求主憐憫武漢這座城市，當地人民因為嚴重的疫情而陷入恐慌、不安與無助當中，求神施恩阻斷疫情繼續擴散。我們深信即使「洪水泛濫之時，耶和華坐著為王。」(詩29:10)，求祢賜下力量和平安給屬祢的人。神稱以色列人民為「 硬著頸項的百姓」，因為他們不斷地悖逆神。讓我們繼續為中國百姓遠離罪惡、願意接受耶穌基督為救主恒切禱告。
星期四
楊格非擁有出色的演講、佈道、翻譯方面的恩賜，被譽為「華中宣教之父」和「街頭佈道家」。他能夠熟練地使用中文，說、寫都非常流利。來到中國的宣教士必須花多年的功夫，才能有效地分享福音。雖然各處教會因疫情無法正常聚會，可是禱告文和勉勵的信息仍然能在網上流傳，幫助信徒在主裡相交，繼續屬靈的追求。禱告是神給予祂兒女的特權，求主幫助中國信徒經歷這次災難後，成為禱告勇士，不依靠自己力量，不再誇耀教會的建築或信徒的人數，而是謙遜跟隨主的脚步，親眼見證神的大能作為。
星期五
楊格非專門編印佈道單張與小冊子供外出傳教時派發，以補外國傳教士漢語不精通的弱點。據1899年統計，全國基督教所用的街頭佈道文字材料，八成都是由楊格非所屬的差會印刷。近年來，因著種種限制和恐懼，信徒的心漸漸冷淡，許多教會沒有成長。願聖靈光照我們，謙卑地來到主面前，懇求主眷顧我們的城市、我們的土地。讓我們彼此提醒和代禱: 「這稱為我名下的子民，若是自卑、禱告、尋求我的面，轉離他們的惡行，我必從天上垂聽，赦免他們的罪，醫治他們的地。」(代下7:14)
星期六
武漢近年來對外來人口的吸附作用日漸增強，年輕人口淨增率現僅次於深圳排名全國第二，是全國吸引外來人口最多的城市之一，城市活力排名全球第七。近期因為校園事工空間受到極大的縮限，教會無力吸引年輕信徒，推展家庭事工也有很多困難，教會整體氣氛變得昏沉。求主親自幫助內地信徒在黑暗中看到光明，仍然保持信心和鬥志不灰心氣餒，「 趁著白日，我們必須作那差我來者的工；黑夜將到，就沒有人能作工了。」(約9:4)
星期日
中國數座城市因疫情如千萬人口的武漢般被封，人們雖然不能出門，但是藉著互聯網路，資訊仍可不斷。在這個非常時期，求神的醫治大能和憐憫臨到各地，在眾人心靈軟弱之時賜下力量；在憂懼之時賜下屬天的平安。教會此時當務之急是切切禱告，並傳揚福音，引領同胞悔改歸正，投奔到基督這個真正能蔭庇人的避難所，享受基督救贖帶來的真平安。我們又求主繼續興起更多能分享福音的平台，繼續栽培、建立信徒。
星期一
中南神學院是武漢目前唯一四年制的神學院。自1985 年開辦以來有七百多名畢業生，主要在中南部地區服侍，當中有三百多人被按立為牧師，一百二十餘人擔任教師，一百七十餘人擔任長老，其中也有不少擔任三自、兩會和政府宗教代表。 求神賜給中國福音工人和合神心意的牧者，在特定的時期回應神的恩召。「牧養在你們中間神的群羊，按著神旨意照管他們；不是出於勉強，乃是出於甘心；也不是因為貪財，乃是出於樂意；也不是轄制所託付你們的，乃是作群羊的榜樣。」(彼前5:3-4)