Prayer Request 10/12 - 10/18

Tuesday
China has angrily condemned the decision to award the Nobel Peace Prize to a jailed dissident who is currently serving a sentence for inciting subversion after he drafted Charter 08- which called for multi-party democracy and respect for human rights. Overall, Christianity has enjoyed substantially more freedom in the past five years than in the past. Generally there is better unspoken understanding between the police and local churches. We continue to pray for a good relationship between churches and local officials.
Wednesday
Among urban Chinese women we often hear the phrases: "eight-minute dating" or "speedy blind date". Their main questions for suitors are: Do you own a car? An apartment? What is your income? The entire focus is on making sure she will have a comfortable and secure lifestyle after marriage. Let us commit all the young Christian couples who are planning to wed into the Lord's hands. We pray that they will have faith in God knowing that He will provide and also that He has a great plan for them, not just having a car or a house but having Jesus as the Head of their home.
Thursday
The birth rate in Taiwan is now the lowest in the world and literally more people die than are born each year. In the past six years the number of preschools in Taipei has dropped by 60%. In the next 3 years the number of classes in schools will decrease by 1000 and in 10 years, 30% of the colleges will have no students. Will the church in Taiwan grow in the next twenty years? Let us pray for Sunday school attendance which is declining in many churches now. May the Lord quicken churches to see the alarming decline ahead and be quick to evangelize, not be discouraged by it.
Friday
The leadership in many of the house churches in China is made up of relatives and friends. This is good in that there is a built-in trust with the close relationships but it also often operates like a family business in that others are not allowed into the leadership role and the church quickly becomes literally dictatorial.Let us pray for believers who are frustrated with their current churches and the tension they experience there. We also pray for leaders in the churches that they will be able to accept believers who are not related to them and allow them opportunities to serve. Lord, we pray for humility in the lives of all believers.
Saturday
As the house churches grow in China both in the number of churches and in attendance in individual churches, it is important to break the mold of having the church run like a family which includes only close friends with leadership not open to outsiders. Dictatorial leadership and co-workers forming factions are the two major problems house churches face.Many churches are crippled by these problems and unable to work through the issues connected with them. We pray for humility, especially for church leaders who so often preach about modeling Jesus Christ but find it difficult to live out lives showing His humility.
Sunday
In some of the urban churches in China, many of the members are now college graduates who desire to learn more about the Christian faith, as well as how it can be lived out and connected with society. Such requests require that their pastors have higher education and theological training so many pastors feel inadequate and pressured in front of their "more educated" congregation.We pray for wisdom for all of the shepherds and opportunities for them to receive more training on their own. The churches in China need many more pastors who are able to communicate with the new group of intellectual and professional believers.
Monday
In the 1990's pastors in China were either self-taught or had had only a short time of theological training. Today, young pastors are expected to have had theological training in order to lead a church. Older pastors complain that the younger ones have only knowledge and no passion for ministry. Younger pastors look down on the older ones for not having had a proper education. Let us pray for humility, acceptance, and unity for all of the church leaders in China.

星期二
中國外交部發表聲明，指諾委會授予劉曉波諾貝爾和平獎是對該獎的褻瀆。劉曉波因推動中國民主改革，發起「08憲章」，遭政府判以「煽動顛覆國家政權罪」，判刑11年。總括而言，中國基督教過去五年比前享有更多自由，而教會與地方官員之間亦建立了一份默契，免卻許多阻撓。我們繼續為教會與官方之間有良好的關係祈求。
星期三
近年都會的女性流行透過「8分鐘約會」、「速配相親」尋找愛侶。她們往往只問有否車、房？收入幾何？無關情投意合，是因為擔心婚後為柴米油鹽、哺兒奶粉與安身之所疲於奔命。求神的手帶領正準備結婚的肢體，賜給他們信心，深信神有美好的計劃，也必供應一切需用。也明瞭蒙福的婚姻不是單求有車有房，乃是要尊主為大，讓主成為他們一家之主。
星期四
台灣生育率跌至世界最低，出生人數低於死亡人數。過去六年，台北市幼托機構已減六成，未來三年，全台灣國中小學將減一千班，十年後大學要倒閉三分之一。台灣教會在未來二十年如何成長呢？普遍的現象是教會的兒童主日學人數不斷下降，求主讓教會看到這個令人驚心的事實而不氣餒，堅持努力忠心地傳揚福音。
星期五
不少中國家庭教會的領導方式，是由親戚或朋友構成事工團隊。依靠血緣和關係帶來的信任使教會儼如家族產業一樣，形成由至親或密友構成的圈子來領導。讓我們為那些對教會不滿甚至失望的信徒禱告，求神安慰他們的心，又賜下恩典，以致能盡其職份建立基督的身體。我們也禱告教會領袖謙卑順服主，體察神旨意照管而不轄制羊群，接納「非內圈」信徒，一起服事，彼此配搭。
星期六
隨著家庭教會的迅速成長，如何打破個人的，家族、黨朋式及封閉化的教會模式，如何防止中國教會專制與腐敗等問題，成為今日教會的巨大挑戰。這些「內憂」削弱了不少中國教會，使教會不能健康地成長。求主賜下謙卑的心、溫柔的靈，幫助領袖們甘心樂意效法大牧者，不但能傳講福音，更能活出基督捨己無私的樣式，以愛心服事眾信徒
星期日
目前中國的城市教會，隨著會友教育程度的提高、對信仰有更多的渴望，及對自身生活實踐及社會問題更多的關注，會對牧者的神學及教育水準，提出更高的要求。我們禱告牧者有來自屬天的智慧，也有機會接受更多屬靈的訓練與裝備。中國教會需要有更多能與知識份子溝通，按著他們的處境來分享信仰的弟兄姊妹，求主差派合適的工人，也教導牧者如何有效地牧養那些白領專業的信徒。
星期一
上世紀九十年代成長的教會帶領者，常是靠自學或短期的神學課程來加深對神話語的認識，承擔起牧養教會的責任。對於近年成長的第二代領導者而言，有系統的神學教育則是牧會不可或缺的裝備。老一代的傳道人抱怨年輕的傳道人，多有知識卻少了愛主的熱忱。年輕的也常會輕看老一代沒接受過正規的神學訓練。求主幫助我們在基督裡學習謙卑放下己見，彼此包容和接納，同心興旺福音。