Prayer Request 10/20 - 10/26

Tuesday
A famous technology CEO said Chinese students "must return to China before it is to late!" if they want to start their own businesses. It is still beneficial for Chinese students to get an American education but the advantages are getting fewer every day. The new crop of successful Chinese entrepreneurs is by and large not foreign-educated. Let us pray for those who have accepted Jesus while they were studying abroad and are deciding whether to return to China or stay abroad. The choice is difficult to make. We pray especially for those who want to return to be able to use their profession as a way of sharing Jesus or helping churches in China.

Wednesday
This year another Chinese received the Nobel Prize. The education and training of a Nobel Prize winner is always closely scrutinized and technically none of the Chinese laureates so far has been granted to a person who took his/her higher education or did research in China. Historically, most of the Chinese theologians and seminary teachers are also educated abroad. Chinese seminaries are totally occupied in the training of students and faculties have little time for anything else. Let us pray for all those who are involved in teaching and training those preparing to serve the churches. May the Lord give each of them the heart of both a scholar and a shepherd.

Thursday
After the Cultural Revolution in the late 1970's millions of high school students and young intellectuals were sent to the countryside to be reformed. Those young people from the cities who were of a marriageable age were told to marry the farmers and settle on the farms where they were serving. A great majority of those marriages ended in divorce. Couples cite irreconcilable differences as the most common reason for divorce and we know that many Christian couples struggle with this problem also. It is never easy to practice the love we find in 1 Corinthians 13 but let us remember to pray for the marriages of all believers, especially those that are on the verge of divorce.

Friday
How do students from Mainland China measure up against students from Taiwan? According to an expert, Taiwan still has an advantage in the educational process with more experience in training talented students. However, he also says that students from Taiwan do not work so hard and have less drive than their Mainland counterparts. A similar comparison can be made between Bible school students in the two places. Let us pray for all those who are in various stages of training for church ministry. People are always amazed at how well the Mainland students can recite Bible passages. May the Lord mold their characters, shape their personalities, and conform them to be more like Christ Himself.

Saturday
In China it is not uncommon to see one pastor shepherd multiple congregations. Such disparity in the pastor/member ratio creates a situation where pastors are unable to meaningfully care for the needs of belivers. Pastors are extremely busy because they have the responsibility of administration (paying utilities, rent, and other expenses) for multiple meeting sites. A common problem for many churches is the lack of a team of co-workers since many churches are run in a very centralized and closed fashion. Let us pray for all the churches as they seek to find people who are willing to commit to and build up the leadership team.

Sunday
To impove both the quantity and quality of pastors is one of the biggest challenges of churches in China. Many have answered the call but lack systematic theological training. Many also lack the concept of how to properly minister to the congregation so these are sent out to do a task that is very demanding and for which they are inadequately equipped. We must continue to beseech the Lord to strengthen the shepherds and send out more workers. In the mean time we are committed to pray for those who badly need encouragement refreshing and equipping. We pray, too, that their sheep will empathize with them and be appreciative of their pastors instead of being critical and demanding.

Monday
Frankly speaking, house church pastors in China get most of their training in Biblical knowledge so they are able to preach effectively and Biblically but we know that ministry is far more than preaching on Sunday. It also includes prayer, visitation, counseling, and discipleship to help the believers hone their spiritual gifts. The fact is, however, that pastors in China can focus only on preaching because many of them have to have another job to support themselves. We take this time to pray for all the workers who must balance their income-producing jobswith their service in the church along with family life. May the Lord give them insight and wisdom as they prepare to feed the hungry sheep.


星期二
「再不回去（中國），就來不及了！」針對留學生回國創業，一位著名的企業家有此感言。今天大中國學生在美國受教育，對回國創業，是有一定的優勢，但這種優勢，每天都在削弱。今天在中國最紅的網路名人，多都是 「非海歸」。讓我們為在留學期間信了主，正舉棋不定要回或要留的學生禱告。這不是容易的決定，求主引導他們的方向。我們特別求主保守決定回國的，讓他們能以各自的專才，宣揚基服事教會。

星期三
今年諾貝爾獎主，華裔榜上有名。獲獎者的學經歷，一直是分析家關注的重點。但至今華人獲獎者的高等教育或研究經歷都是在海外，真正與在原生地受的教育其實都沒有直接的關係。近代大多數的中國神學院的老師們也多是國外訓練的。華人神學院多是忙於培養服事的工人，根本沒有時間來從事研究。讓我們為所有在神學院及各階層的培訓班教導的老師們來祈求，願主賜給他們每個人的都有一個學者和牧者的心腸。

星期四
70年代文革後期，知識青年從城市被送到農村接受改造，適婚年齡的知青受促與農民結婚，並在所服務的農村定居。這些婚姻大多以離婚收場。申辦離婚最常見的理由是“存在不可調和的分歧”。許多基督徒夫婦也面對同樣的難題。哥林多前書13章所描述的愛，實在知易行難，讓我們為所有信徒的婚姻禱告交托，尤其是已經臨近離婚邊緣的，更是求主親自介入調和、挽回。

星期五
談到台灣與大陸人才的優勢時，一位著名的企業家分析，整體來說，台灣人才的培養時間比中國還長，有經驗的還是比較多。但問題是，台灣的學生沒大陸人那麼努力，對成功的渴望和企圖心也沒那麼強。同樣的差異也可見於兩地的神學生。我們為所有正在各個階段接受裝備以從事教會事工的信徒來禱告。大陸學生背聖經的能力總叫人讚嘆不已。求主在品格和個性上塑造他們，好叫基督的僕人個個都更有基督自己的樣式。

星期六
在中國一個傳道人牧養多個教會的情況到處可見。牧養人員與信徒的比例失衡，有限的牧者很難顧及眾多信徒的全部需要。有些教會的牧者甚至兼任管理教會的行政事務，包括繳交水電、雜費，租金等，以致總是忙得不可開交。許多教會有一個共同的問題，就是缺乏能真正同工的隊伍，原因是他們的管理方式過於中央集權和封閉。我們為眾教會在尋求願意獻身服事的人，以及建立領導團隊上的需要禱告。

星期日
中國教會當前最大的挑戰莫過於傳道人質與量的改進。許多人回應了神的呼召，卻得不到有系統和全面的神學訓練，很多踏進牧場仍缺乏牧養的概念；當中有很多對所委於他們職責感到吃力。我們務必要繼續懇求主多賜力量給所有的牧人，以及感動和差派更多的工人。與此同時，我們也要為那些急需要扶持、更新、和裝備的牧者獻上禱告，也求主讓他們的羊群能夠顧念他們，看到牧者們的勞苦，而給予他們嘉許而非諸多挑剔和要求。

星期一
大多數給予中國家庭教會傳道人的培訓，都屬聖經知識方面-好教他們的講臺信息。然而，教會的牧養工作除了主日講道和聖經教導，還包括代禱、探訪與關懷、輔導和門徒訓練、協助信徒發掘屬靈恩賜等等。其實，中國有許多傳道人之所以只能專講信息，是因為他們需要另外兼職來補貼家用。他們需要在工作掙錢，服事教會，和照顧家庭之間取得平衡，需要我們的代禱。我們求主常常在他們為羊群準備靈糧之時，賜給他們智慧和亮光，使得饑渴的羊都能得到飽足。