Pray this week for the unity of the Chinese house church. Satan loves to see God’s children separated from each other. In daily life all churches must constantly fight the temptation to divide – and the Chinese church is no different! Let us pray for the Lord’s protection over a young church that is growing and maturing, but still vulnerable in many ways.
How to pray:
– Often conflicts arise over differences in philosophy of ministry. Pray for unity in vision among pastors, church leaders, and congregants, and pray for patience and grace when and where differences do arise.
– Pray against interpersonal conflict. Personality differences can be hard to manage in any culture! Pray for churches to celebrate differences in personalities and talents. Pray that conflict can be used for growth and creativity rather than division.
– Pray for churches to learn Biblical church order, loving each other, submitting to elders, and maintaining order within the leadership team.
– Pray for repentance and healing where division has already taken place. Ask the Spirit to work in hardened and hurt hearts so that true reconciliation can take place. Pray for effective mediation and council.
– Pray against church splits. Pray that church planting will not be used to cover up wounds, but rather that it will be conducted out of gracious motivations.
– Pray for the witness of the Chinese house church. Division, conflict, and church splits not only impact the churches involved, but the greater witness and effectiveness of God’s children in Chinese society. All church division is a matter of spiritual battle – pray that God is glorified above all! Ask to protect his church, his gospel, and his glory as the church grows in China.
– Praise God for the ways he has preserved his church in China thus far and for times of repentance and growth in situations of division. God is at work and hearts are being changed!
