Prayer Request 11/10 - 11/16

Tuesday
In 2008 the Chinese language officially gained 359 new phrases. The most popular ones were bandits, a Chinese copycat version of melamine, the toxic contaminant in milk and landslide blocked lake which means anything that causes a blockage of flow. Many new phrases are coined online. The most commonly used Chinese Bible is the Union version which is nearly one hundred years old but is loved dearly by believers. We pray that the eternal word of God can be better understood by today's youth. We also remember those who are involved in the contemporary translation of the Chinese Bible.

Wednesday
A "mistake" of the church in China is that of focusing much effort and resources on evangelism which cares for new believers and trains co-workers. In doing this, they spend much less time giving spiritual help to those pastors, Sunday school teachers, and co-workers who are who are already serving and have both personal and family needs. The devil attacks the shepherd and the workers and weakens their marriages and their spiritual roles in their homes. Husbands and wives put on a fake front in church but at home, they are bitterly angry with each other. Lord, we pray especially for those who minister in church but are having rocky marriages, poor family relationships, and are even bound by sexual sins.

Thursday
As a whole, the churches in China have not been affected by the current economic downturn although churches that have people who came to work in factories in them have seen a drop in finances, particularly in the Shanghai (Yangtze River) and Guangdong (Pearl River) delta regions. Frankly speaking, churches in China have not been helping each other for various reasons but this attitude is improving and we praise God! Let us pray that these churches will be willing to openly talk about how they can cross all kinds of boundaries and be willing to accept and support each other and their ministries.

Friday
Behind the facade of new city apartment buildings, there are many homeless people. Millions of rural people enter cities to look for work. Many of them end up destitute, without jobs, with no family support and are unable to return home. These people are literally on the edge of the society, overlooked and considered, by the neighbors, a "nuisance" and are "unwanted". It is true that every nation has homeless and poor people. But, we pray that Chinese believers would extend their compassion to those we regard as "lazy," "who will not look for opportunities to better themselves." May the Lord help us to see that we are so blessed and He is gracious to us.

Saturday
The mentality of many Chinese emperors, leaders, and even church leaders has been, "Those who are for me get promoted and those who are against me perish." The inability to accept a differing opinion or even a dissenting view is a common phenomenon in Chinese churches. The attitude of "I am the only one who is Biblical and everyone else is wrong" often plagues the leadership teams in the churches. Let us pray sincerely for humility and the willingness to accept others, and as the Bible says seeing others as better than we are. May the Lord grant us true obedience and not merely paying lip service to being God's servant or a ruler over other believers.

Sunday
Guangdong Province as a port of entry to China claims up to a third of all the foreigners who enter the country. There are more than a million aliens living there whether short term or long term. However, Guangdong also has the most foreigners who have illegally entered, overstayed their visas, or are working illegally in the country. Many of these are people from the continent of Africa. Guangdong has many unique social phenomena and also provides many unusual ministry challenges and opportunities. Let us pray for the many churches that are reaching out to factory workers and training them to share the gospel in the work place and even sending them home as church workers. We also remember the many people who enter China through this area to help train pastors and church workers.

Monday
Why do Chinese believers so easily fall prey to the occult? The teachings of these cults and extremists are ludicrous but many people are willing to follow and it seems that a place like China is just the perfect fertile ground for them. There are many believers whose faith is shallow and who will follow any teaching blindly. Certain occult teachers target churches and intentionally attack leaders through cheating, kidnapping, and seduction. Once the leaders become victims they hijack the entire church. Lord, we pray for protection for all the weak churches, especially those without strong leaders. We pray, too, for deliverance for all who have fallen into the trap of the cults.


星期二
在2008年度正式納入中文的359條新詞語中，「山寨」位居使用頻次之首，「三聚氰胺」（毒奶的原料）、「堰塞湖」 (地震山崩造成的湖)分列第二、三名。許多新詞語都是來自網絡媒體，成為流行詞語。最常用的中文聖經譯本要算是「和合本」。雖然刋行至今已有近一百年歷史，但基督徒對它總是情有獨鍾。我們禱告今天的年輕人能更多認識神永恆的話語，並記念參與當代中文聖經翻譯的同工。

星期三
很多中國教會往往把精力和資源放在發展福音工作、關心照顧初信者以及培訓同工上。而服事的牧者和同工個人及其家庭的屬靈需要都倍受忽略。撒旦常會攻擊牧者，和神的工人，破壞他們的婚姻，削弱他們在家中的屬靈角色。以致夫妻在教會戴上相親相愛的面具，掩飾內心的苦毒。我們特別求主幫助那些身在教會事工崗位，家庭關係困難，婚姻瀕臨破裂，或陷入情欲罪中的教會同工們，使他們能夠靠主回轉。

星期四
中國教會大體來說，受金融海嘯影響並不那麼顯著。但如珠江、長江三角洲地區內那些以外來信徒為主體的教會影響比較明顯。談到幫助其他的教會，一般的中國教會總是自掃門前雪，找出種種藉口規避。感謝主！近來有不少教會願意更多的參與幫助貧窮的教會。求主幫助我們不迴避討論如何拓展國度觀念，能真正跨出狹隘心態，以謙卑來彼此接納，實踐肢體間愛心的關顧與合一。

星期五
中國城市裡簇新建築樓宇背後，隱藏著無數無家可歸的人。數以百萬計的農村居民湧到城市找工作，許多人到頭來窮困潦倒，或無工可作，或失卻援助，或無法安抵家園。這些社會邊緣者，既被人忽視，又被鄰居標籤為「討厭的傢伙」，「問題人物」等。讓我們祈求中國的信徒能明白自己蒙福，全賴神豐盛的恩典與保守。樂意伸出同情之手，去關懷這群也是神所鍾愛的人。

星期六
領袖容易產生「順我者昌，逆我者亡」的念頭，中國歷來許多帝王和領導如此，教會領袖亦然。華人教會常見的問題之一就是容不下相異的見解。領導者或領導層容易唯我獨尊，認為別人都不如自己合乎聖經真理。求主幫助我們，使我們凡事存心謙卑、各人看別人比自己強，能用愛心彼此接納。尤其神的僕人們，能真心順服神的教訓，彼此服事，不持「神僕」的身份「管轄」其他信徒。

星期日
經廣東出入境的外國人，占全中國的30%；在粵常住的外國人已達到5.7萬人，而臨住的更是超過114萬人。然而，廣東省非法入境、居留、就業的「三非」外國人也越來越多，衍生出許多社會問題，尤以非洲裔最多。在廣東有許多中國社會中獨特的現象，也是福音事工獨特的挑戰和機會。有許多教會積極接觸工廠工人，裝備他們在工廠里分享福音，甚至讓他們回到農村去服事教會。我們也紀念許多經由廣東省，進入中國做培訓和牧養工作的每一位同工。

星期一
中國是信仰上的肥土，再荒誕可笑的異端都能滋長壯大。中國信徒為何容易輕信異端，成為他們囊中之物呢？由於信仰根基粗淺，無數的基督徒因盲從而輕易流失。有些異端專與教會作對，用坑蒙拐騙等手段對付教會的同工、領袖。一旦領袖被擄，他們便占據整個教會。我們求主保護所有信仰根基軟弱的教會，尤其那些缺乏良牧領導的教會，也求主拯救困陷異端魔爪的信徒。