News on Christian Today: 〈Month of prayer to protect China's persecuted believers during Olympics〉
備註:下文內容為取材自上文連結之中譯,摘自基督教論壇報,由特約記者方仁宏編譯。版權屬論壇報所有,摘錄內容為手打,若有錯誤,敬請指正。
另,若親愛的讀者是來自中國的朋友,建議另外延伸閱讀這一篇〈傷害13億人民感情的‥‥〉,避免不必要的誤解。
(上略) Day 16 Day 17 Day 18 Day 19 Day 20 Day 21 Day 22
原本期待奧運期間中國信徒可以擁有較多的活動空間,然而在中國政府對家庭教會的大力掃蕩下,似乎讓全球遊客進入中國的奧運觀光期間,再次為中國政府迫害宗教的行為添上紀錄。根據報導指出,中國政府以「妨礙奧運進行」的理由,加速對異議份子的掃蕩。
許多宗教自由團體提出代禱呼籲,希望將中國政府迫害家庭教會領袖的行為公諸於世,並且呼籲全球信徒在奧運舉行的一個月期間,為中國教會禱告。
中國的家庭教會基督徒在四川大地震中不斷投入救災活動,不過他們反而在這段時間被公安盯上,許多家庭教會領袖因而被捕,更有許多投入救災的基督教人權團體,因救災行動曝光後輩留置偵訊。
最近發出的代禱呼籲,每天都有代禱主題,希望可以在八月份的每一天,都能為中國的家庭教會信徒禱告。主導這個活動的國際救援組織(Release)執行長 Andy Dipper 表示:「我們邀請全球信徒為中國禱告,為這廣大共產主義的土地代禱,求主的國度在中國拓展開來。」
8月8日是奧運的開幕式,這份代禱呼籲的發表也與中國各地歡欣鼓舞迎接奧運的景況形成強烈對比。除了參加代禱活動的共同發起單位之外,許多在中國地區有工作進行的人權團體也對中國政府壓迫基督徒的行為表示抗議,並且認為奧運會期間迫害不僅沒有趨緩反而加劇。
中國救助協會(China Aid Association,CAA)在本週二公布了仍被拘留的家庭教會領袖名單,從名單上的數量看來,過去幾個月以來,中國政府對家庭教會的掃蕩行為仍持續進行。
CAA表示,中國政府在身為奧運會東道主期間所釋放出的善意與其壓迫教會的行為相較之下,不過是偽善的彰顯。
以下是第一到十五天的禱告指引(十六日後之代禱事項待譯)。
【第一天】請持續為四川地震災民禱告。也請為中國救災曝光的教會領袖禱告,求主保守中國政府挪去他們對家庭教會領袖的敵對態度。
【第二天】請為新疆維吾爾族代禱。維吾爾族多為回教徒,不過部分少數的基督徒被中國政府以分裂國家的罪名逮捕,請為他們的獲釋禱告。
【第三天】請為七月2日被捕的北京家庭教會領袖華慧棋和他的家庭禱告。他去年已經入獄服刑六個月,今年再度在奧運前夕被捕,並且被禁止進入北京城。
【第四天】請為華慧棋的母親禱告。華母已經入獄服刑兩年,中國政府希望華慧棋可以放棄教會工作及人權工作,挾華母以令其聽命,請為華母的健康代禱。
【第五天】請為今年一月份被中國官方逮捕的北京書商徐偉翰禱告,求主保守他在拘留期間的身體健康,他有嚴重的糖尿病,亟需保外就醫。
【第六天】請為中國基督徒的智慧感恩。北京的家庭教會於聚會時被武警突襲侵入,就在武警破門而入時,正在聚會的基督徒與武警握手,表示歡迎他到教會。這樣的舉動反而讓武警傻眼,求主繼續開中國當局的心眼,讓他們看到福音的好處。
【第七天】今年六月,中國家庭教會資深領袖張明選牧師被留置偵訊數個小時,北京當局希望可以延誤他與歐盟領袖見面的行程,北京當局也關閉了他成立的孤兒院。求主繼續與張牧師同在,保守他的安全。
【第八天】去年中國當局留置了超過六百名基督徒偵訊,並請將其中卅八名基督徒起訴入獄。求主張開祂的臂膀,幫助這些因信仰受迫害的信徒。
【第九天】今年五月中國政府舉辦了「管理基督徒大會」希望可將家庭教會列管,並且接受政府的管控。最近許多家庭教會聚會時被公安打斷,並且將房東趕走,不再租屋給他們聚會;求主保守中國信徒聚會時可以不受打擾,自由的敬拜上帝。
【第十天】許多國際領袖在奧運期間訪問北京,求主保守他們並使用他們,讓他們可以影響北京當局,在人權工作上有好的進展。
【第十一天】去年四月,一位被中國政府逮捕的江蘇省基督徒直到今日仍被拘留,請為他禱告。該基督徒為回教徒施洗,因此被以「羞辱少數民族」的罪名逮捕入獄,並被安排在回教徒居多的牢房,飽受回教徒憎恨的對待。求主與他同在。
【第十二天】請為到北京比賽的選手禱告,求主使用北京當地的基督徒見證祂的榮耀,引領這些運動員歸主。
【第十三天】一年前就有傳言表示北京當局派人假裝會有滲透進當地教會,直至今日仍讓家庭教會人心惶惶,求主保守教會的合一,並保守滲透的人可以遇見真神。
【第十四天】由於大陸的一胎化政策,因此四川地震中許多喪生的孩子是家中獨子。憤怒的家長在四川人民法院外要求政府給公道。求主親自安慰這些失去孩子的父母,讓他們可以重新找到生命的盼望。
【第十五天】許多奧運會其間在北京擔任志工的中國民眾是基督徒,求主使用他們成為福音的出口,並保守他們有智慧的分享,也與他們同在。
Daniel Ng and his wife are Australian citizens who own a large company in China. Since August 2007, they have been barred from leaving the country and their assets have been frozen. Their firm was shut down by the authorities amid allegations of illegal religious activities – based on the fact that the company has a Christian ethos. Please pray for God’s protection for Daniel and his wife. Pray too that the Lord will raise up more Christian business leaders to bring His light into the business community.
In May 2008, a prominent house church leader from the Uyghur community, Luo Yuanqi, was detained in Xinjiang province on charges of ‘inciting separatism’. He has been badly abused in custody. Pray for physical and spiritual healing for Luo and ask God to bless his ministry.
It is illegal in China to share the gospel with people under the age of 18. Many churches do not have an active Sunday School programme and some do not recognise the importance of children’s ministry. On 28 February, 2008, 11 children in Xinjiang were detained for a day when they were caught attending a children’s Bible study. Pray that more churches will catch the vision for teaching children to grow up following Christ.
Many churches had property and land confiscated by the communist regime in the 1950s – and many congregations are still pressing for this property to be returned. The Chinese authorities have resisted this. In Fanzhi, Shanxi, a pastor and several other Christians were injured recently when they remonstrated with builders redeveloping land which had belonged to them before the government seized it. Pray for justice to be done for these churches’ sake.
The Chinese administration under President Hu Jintao has the stated aim of creating a ‘harmonious society’. Please pray that Hu Jintao and his ministers will be more open-minded about Christians and recognise the contribution they already make to social harmony by being good citizens.
Chinese constitutional law grants citizens the right of religious freedom, yet many house church members do not know how to summon this right in defending themselves against allegations of ‘illegal’ religious activity. Christian lawyers are starting to educate Christians about their constitutional rights and have helped bring several successful lawsuits as a result. Ask God to protect these Christian lawyers and their families as they undertake this high-risk work.
China has been fiercely criticised over its harsh repatriation policy for North Korean refugees found in its territories. North Koreans repatriated from China – about 4,000 a year – are reported to face brutal treatment as defectors, even execution. Pray that China will recognise the brutality of the Pyongyang regime and scrap its repatriation policy.
• Release has just launched a new petition urging China to end its policy of repatriating North Korean refugees. The petition can be downloaded at: www.releaseinternational.org/current
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