A Prayer a Day for East Asian Peoples

Officials in areas of China are trying to persuade pastors to include communist ideology in their sermons and to affirm traditional Chinese beliefs, such as ancestral worship. Government-approved churches face severe restrictions. Pastors who fail a test on communist beliefs are not allowed to be pastors. Christian doctrines such as eternal life, heaven, and hell are prohibited from being included in sermons.

Ask the Lord to give wisdom to the affected pastors. Pray the Holy Spirit will lead them as they deal with government authorities. Pray this situation will embolden Chinese pastors to preach the gospel faithfully as they reflect on Peter’s answer in Acts, “‘Whether it’s right in the sight of God for us to listen to you rather than to God, you decide; for we are unable to stop speaking about what we have seen and heard’” (Acts 4:19b-20).