Today, the house church continues to operate in Xiamen. As one local pastor shares, this inheritance of faith has had great influence over the churches in the region, and “the long years of pastoral care have enabled the present house churches to interact with each other and pass on the faith from generation to generation. It is all by God's grace.” As we finish the year, will you join us in praying for our brothers and sisters in Xiamen? |
This Week's Prayer Guide December 1 - This December, we are praying for the southeastern city of Xiamen. Pray for the gospel to go deeper and wider among the churches and people of Xiamen. December 2 - Xiamen has a history as an entry point for foreign influence in China, including the establishment of the first Chinese-built Christian church. Pray for God to continue building on this rich spiritual history, that the gospel will grow deep roots in the city of Xiamen. December 3 - A pastor in Xiamen shares that, spiritually, the city of Xiamen has rich resources but struggles with comfort-driven complacency, superficial ministry depth, and inconsistent spiritual vitality. Pray for the Holy Spirit to awaken a hunger for spiritual things in the people of Xiamen. December 4 - A pastor in Xiamen shares that the city is picturesque, with favorable weather and a relaxed lifestyle. Pray for the church in Xiamen to be an example of true joy and hope to people who are living in comfort. December 5 - In recent years, the once-thriving economy in Xiamen has grown worse. Housing prices have gotten very high, causing many people to leave the city. Those that stay have deprioritized spiritual pursuits. Pray for churches to adapt to these challenges and know how to engage deeply with local residents. December 6 - A pastor in Xiamen shares, “Churches face challenges such as persecution, loss of gathering spaces, and declining faith engagement. Yet, despite this, there has been a shift towards gospel-centered life-building.” Pray for the church to continue to mature in the gospel even in the midst of these challenges. December 7 - A pastor in Xiamen shares, “In 2019, the government started to ban house churches in the Xiamen area, and all the house churches that met openly went underground. It became the norm for churches to move their meeting places or meet online.” Despite this, this pastor shares that Christians have exercised faith in the midst of fear and have gone on to plant churches in the surrounding region. They have experienced “growth in numbers, more involvement in kingdom ministries, and a closer relationship with the congregation.” Praise God for how he works to strengthen his church, even in the midst of hardships. 12月1日——今年12月，我们为东南部城市厦门祈祷。祈祷福音在厦门的教会和市民中传播得更深更广。 12月2日——厦门是海外文化进入中国的门户，包括建立了中国的第一座基督教教堂。祈祷上帝继续在这段深厚的属灵历史基础上发展，让福音在厦门扎根。 12月3日——厦门的一位牧师分享道，从精神层面来看，厦门拥有丰富的资源，但同时也存在安逸自满、事工肤浅、属灵不稳定等问题。求圣灵唤醒厦门人对属灵事物的渴望。 12月4日——厦门的一位牧师分享道，厦门风景如画，气候宜人，生活悠闲。为厦门的教会祷告，愿他们成为生活在舒适环境中人们的真正喜乐和希望的榜样。 12月5日——近年来，厦门一度繁荣的经济状况每况愈下。房价高企，导致许多人离开这座城市。留下来的人也不再重视属灵追求。请为教会祷告，希望他们能够适应这些挑战，并知道如何与当地居民深入互动。 12月6日——厦门的一位牧师分享道：“教会面临着迫害、聚会场所减少和信仰参与度下降等挑战。然而，尽管如此，人们还是逐渐转向以福音为中心的生活建设。”请为教会祷告，让他们即使在挑战面前也能继续成长。 12月7日——厦门的一位牧师分享道：“2019年，政府开始禁止厦门地区的家庭教会，所有公开聚会的家庭教会都转入地下。教会转移聚会地点或在线聚会成为常态。” 尽管如此，这位牧师表示，基督徒在恐惧中仍然坚定信仰，并在周边地区建立教堂。他们经历了“人数增长、更深地参与国度事工以及与会众的关系更加紧密”。赞美上帝，即使在艰难时刻，祂仍然努力巩固自己的教会。 |
