Prayer Request 5/31 – 6/6

Tuesday
Amid the decline in other countries the latest survey shows that more and more Chinese women are breaking the professional barrier and becoming corporate executives. While the global average of women CEO's is only 8%, in China the average is as high as 19% which is second to only Thailand. We know that China probably has the highest percentage of women pastors of any country in the world and we lift up each and every one of them in our prayers. May the Lord strengthen them to know how to manage their duties well, to have wisdom to meet the needs of all who are under their care, and grant them a tireless desire to live out the compassion of Jesus.

Wednesday
Nearly 49% of collegians are female and the proportion of women who are going on to higher education in China is rising. Meanwhile, more than 75% of Chinese women desire to be in senior positions which compares with only 50% of the women in the USA who wish to do so. Among those who come to know and accept Jesus Christ in college, female students are also in the majority. Their families have high expectations for them to study abroad, to get a high paying job, and to marry quickly. We pray for all the young female believers. May the Lord give them courage to be powerful witnesses to their parents along with a strong commitment to follow Jesus.

Thursday
Many of the financial executives in China are female. Among the Chief Financial Officers 69% are women with 37% who are sales directors, and 23% in operation management. Many of these female executives function in multiple roles that involve finance, human resources, sales, operation, and other aspects of the work.Among those who are in training to be workers in the churches there are many more women than men. We pray for them because many of them are under great pressure from their families to quit, to get a secular job, or to get married. May the Lord grant them a special comfort knowing that He will surely provide for them and meet all of their needs.

Friday
Those born in China after 1980 are seen as the future middle class but in every major city there are many people 20-30 years old who have no real jobs and are unable to even pay rent. Consequently they resort to renting a cheap room together with several others in the outskirts of a city. The media has given them the name of "ants" because they live in groups. More of the churches in China are beginning to realize that there is a sub-segment of young people called "ants". It is easy for Christians to condemn them for a lack of drive and their immorality but the churches have little to offer "ants" or even anything to attract them. We pray some young Chinese Christians will rise up to reach out to millions of these young people, dialogue with them, and share the Good News with them.

Saturday
Another term used to describe many young people in China is "shrimp people" because they live so frugally and buy only discounted and inexpensive furniture. They take busses and never a taxi trying to save every penny possible. Many of them try to spend less than ten yuan ($2.50 US) a day. Chinese youth today are not quite so homogeneous as many once thought and the churches in China have historically been disconnected and out of touch with young people. The leadership in too many churches has the attitude that young people are immature, unreliable, and too fickle to invest time and effort in them. May the Lord give us wisdom and humility knowing we should not put stumbling blocks between the youth and Jesus.

Sunday
Many of the farmers in China are making twice as much money as they were three years ago. They are buying new appliances as part of a government program to boost rural economy. Another phenomenon that is sweeping over China is that many households are leasing out their small holdings resulting in bigger and more productive farms. Rural economy is improving but the cost of living has also increased substantially which wipes out much of the gain. As farmers gain more access to entertainment via television and cable, fewer people are attending church services, especially on weekdays. Let us pray for spiritual revival for rural Christians in China.

Monday
In the past it has been the general policy of the government to shut down all house churches or meeting points. If they could not stop the churches from meeting, their policy was to limit the growth by forcing churches to register with the authorities. In many ways these practices have now been relaxed to some extent.Although the decision to register or not to register is no longer debated so much, let us pray for those house churches that have registered and are planning to purchase places for worship or to expand their ministries. May the Lord give them vision and boldness and greatly bless them in all they do.


星期二
最新調查顯示，在全球女性高階主管比例逐年下降的趨勢下，中國女性工作者反而突破職業「天花板」，成為企業高階主管的比例不斷提高，女性擔任總裁一職的比例高達19%，遠遠高於全球8%的平均水平，僅次於泰國。中國女傳道的比率或許是全世界最高的，讓我們為他們的身心靈健壯禱告，有屬天的智慧事奉主，成為神供應餵養羊群的管道，更有像主一樣的溫柔和憐憫任重道遠。

星期三
女性受高等教育的比例不斷上升，目前女大學生比例已超過 49%。中國女性超過75%渴望獲得企業高管職位，比率遠高於他國，而美國僅為50%。在大學階段認識及接受耶穌基督的學生中，女性也佔大多數。家人寄望她們能出國留學，有份高收入的工作並能盡快結婚。我們特別為這些年輕的姊妹禱告，求神賜她們勇氣，在家人面前為主做強而有力的見證，也有堅定跟隨主的心志。

星期四
女性高階主管多為財務精英。在中國女性擔任的職務方面，首席財務官或財務總監排首位佔69%，其次為人力資源總監（43%）、銷售總監（37%）和運營總監（23%）。許多女性在企業中往往身兼數職，涉及財務、人力、銷售和運營等。在中國接受神學裝備的年輕人中，姐妹遠比弟兄多。很多姐妹要承受家人的壓力，逼使她們找一份普通的工作不然就是嫁人成家。我們需要用更多的禱告托住她們，在面對各方壓力時，願主成為她們隨時的幫助。

星期五
中國的「80後」曾被期待為今後中產階層的主幹。但在每個大城市，一些二、三十歲的年輕人，無正式職業，不用說買房就連房租都付不起，往往聚集在一起到郊外合租一間簡陋的住房， 被稱為「蟻族」。 更多中國教會開始關注「蟻族」，也體會到年輕人的多樣性。 基督徒很容易批評年輕人不上進，缺乏上一代的道德觀，但教會卻鮮有提供針對性項目吸引年輕一代。求主賜下一批青年信徒，能與千百萬年輕人對話、分享大好的福音。

星期六
多元化的年輕一代，不少是所謂的「「蝦族」，他們極力控制生活支出，使用簡易折價家具並到處尋找打折降價商品；能乘公交就不打車，能省一角就省一角。他們厲行節約，降低消費，甚至每天消費額控制在15元以內，若有超支則次日拒絕消費。過去中國教會似乎與年輕一代「無緣」，不少教會領袖認為年輕人不牢靠，不值得花費精力。求主憐憫我們不成為年輕人的絆腳石，阻擋他們來到主面前。

星期日
現今中國農民的收入已有相當大的改善，幾乎比三年前多了一倍。許多人將耕地租出，農民可耕地擴大，效率相對提升。農村經濟雖有改善，但生活費用卻也大幅增加，農民仍然是相對的貧窮。另一個對農村的影響，來自政府的農村經濟改革計劃。此計劃幫助農民添購許多新電器用品，能有更多機會享受有線的娛樂節目，週間甚至主日參加教會聚會的人數也因此劇減，求主憐憫、復興農村的基督徒。

星期一
過去取締家庭教會一直是中國政府的一貫原則，即使不能完全取締，也得限制家庭教會的發展（例如強迫登記在官方教會之下）。近年來政府對家庭教會的管制雖然似有一定程度的放鬆，家庭教會是否應該登記對領袖們而言已不再像以往那麼進退維谷。讓我們在禱告中特別記念那些已經向政府登記，並計劃購買聚會場地或擴展事工的教會，求主賜下異象和勇氣，大大祝福他自己的教會。