Prayer Request 12/2 - 12/8

TuesdayThe gulf between the haves and have-nots in Hong Kong is among the world’s widest. Expatriate business people are at the very top, while the domestic servants from Southeast Asia are at the bottom. Churches in Hong Kong became deeply divided over the recent political demonstrations. We pray for unity of believers, safeguarding of His churches, respecting and loving one another. May the Lord give us maturity, rather than resenting or hateful against each other.
Wednesday
Domestic servants, called helpers cannot apply for permanent residency in Hong Kong. They are subject to a special pay scale, about two-thirds less than Hong Kong’s minimum wage of $3.87 an hour. If dismissed, they have fourteen days to leave the country. We pray for some local churches and groups of believers who reach out to foreign workers in Hong Kong and Taiwan. There are churches that allow foreign workers to use their facilities and people who share the Gospel of Jesus with them, especially those from Muslim countries.
Thursday
Admittedly, traditional Chinese religions have had a great deal of influence on the development of Christianity in China. Many older people regard Christianity as merely another sect. During the 1980's when the rural churches grew quickly, many were led and organized in a team fashion similar to the way Buddhist and Taoist religions were. ​It is always difficult for churches in China to reach​ older people because they follow traditional religions and are physically limited from traveling to other places. We pray that believers will intentionally reach out to the seniors around them showing them the love of God and leading them to salvation in Jesus Christ.
Friday
In both Anhui and Henan where the people are not impoverish but have lower educational standards than other places in​ China, rural churches organized and led in team fashion are very common. We pray that every leader in the churches in China will have a shepherd's heart along with the attitude of a servant so they will not merely desire to be respected but will have humility and the fragrance of our Lord Jesus Christ in their lives.
Saturday
The​ educational system in China is known and criticized for its overemphasis on the mere regurgitation of facts as well as the fierce competition it causes. Families with means enroll their children in extra/cram classes to get them ahead since there is so much competition even beginning in elementary school. We pray especially for parents whose children are not academically strong that the Lord will open their eyes to see how precious their children are and then will have faith to trust God's great plan for their children.
Sunday
Some of the key churches in major cities of China have run into a bottleneck in expanding their ministry.​ They have grown into congregations of hundreds and even thousands of people which has forced them to move from renting an apartment to renting an entire floor of an office building to accommodate the crowds at the Sunday services. We praise God for adding numbers of saved people to these congregations and enlarging their churches and ask the Lord to give them the space they need and that they will find favor in the eyes of local officials who constantly monitor large church gatherings.
Monday
Many churches in China know neither where nor how to begin a​ youth ministry. Some of the church leaders appreciate the need to reach out and minister to young people but the traditional form of worship they use makes it difficult to attract the youth. These churches often emphasize Bible knowledge and the teachings in it without making practical life applications. We pray that churches will truly accept youth and their culture by making changes in some of the age-old traditions and even more by being an example of faith for these young people.

星期二
香港是世界上貧富差距最大的地方之一。最富裕的是拿高薪的外國商務人士，而最貧窮的是外勞，如來自東南亞的女傭人。最近香港教會因政治立場的差異而分裂，肢體間傷了合一。求主保守祂的教會，學習彼此相愛和尊重，更求主幫助我們靈命和品格更趨成熟，以免基督的身體因著信徒屬世血氣的爭拗，成為那惡者仇敵襲擊眾教會和羞辱神的破口。
星期三
香港法院已宣判作為家庭雇傭的外藉人士不能申請永久居留。外傭現時的薪金只有香港本地人最低工資(每小時3.87美元)的三分一。他們一旦被解僱，需在14天內離開香港。我們要為在香港和台灣地區關懷外籍勞工的教會代禱，求主感動教會願意開放場地、設施供他們聚會，也藉著關心、接納，與她們分享主耶穌的福音，尤其是為主接待那些來自回教國家的外傭。
星期四
中國民間傳統宗教深深影響基督教，甚至有些老年人認為基督教與民間宗教差不多。在上世紀八十年代，農村教會的團隊制度與民間宗教非常相似。教會不容易接觸老年人，一方面是長者們受民間宗教影響極深，另一方面他們固守鄉里，在行動上亦不方便到教會參與聚會。求主恩待信徒，能刻意將福音分享給年長者，藉著關懷與愛心，為主引領他們歸主。
星期五
團隊類型教會多在安徽、河南這些經濟還在發展的中部地區，當地是基本溫飽解決了，但精神文化層面仍落後的地方。我們為教會領袖有愛群羊的心禱告。不但如此，也有僕人的心志，不是喜愛被人尊敬，而是願意謙卑服事，生活言行都流露著主的香氣。
星期六
中國的教育因為過於注重死記硬背以及激烈的競爭而飽受詬病。條件好的家庭常常會讓孩子參加各種輔導班，指望他們比同齡孩子起跑早，會更有優勢。學生從小學到大學，每一階段都要面臨激烈的競爭。我們特別為孩子學業成績不出色的家長禱告，願主幫助他們能看見祂所賜的產業是多麼寶貴，不對神失去信心，相信神在每一個孩子身上都有祂獨特的計劃和美好的引領。
星期日
近來一些重要城市的家庭教會再次遇到發展瓶頸的挑戰。這些教會的信徒迅速增長，形成了幾百人到上千人的教會。有些教會也已經從社區家庭聚會的模式，轉型到寫字樓、甚至包下整層樓當堂會聚會的模式。我們要為得救人數的加添感謝神，求主為他們預備聚會的場所，也使他們在主管的官員眼前蒙恩。
星期一
許多教會對青少年事工感到無從下手。教會領袖知道青少年需要被神得著及引導，但實際上教會傳統的敬拜模式難以吸引青少年進入教會。中國教會一般偏重孩子聖經知識、條規，但教導和種種與現實生活脫節。求主感動牧者能從真正接納年輕人及他們的文化開始，也嘗試更新教會的種種傳統。會眾們更是在生活言行之中活出好見證，成為青少年信仰的典範。