This month, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) commemorates its 75th anniversary On October 1, 1949, Mao Zedong proclaimed the new nation’s government—the Chinese Communist Party—was officially in charge. The announcement marked the end of a prolonged and full-scale civil war between the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the Nationalist Kuomintang (KMT) government.
Over the decades, China has undergone significant transformations—it now boasts the second largest economy in the world, a seat at the United Nations, and a powerful military. And yet, the country remains hostile towards foreign, particularly Western, ideologies and beliefs that challenge its stability and unity. Even after 75 years, the CCP continues to uphold its official stance of atheism, dismissing the practice of any religion, especially Christianity, which is often seen as a religion of the West.
This month, as the People’s Republic of China celebrates 75th year anniversary, here are seven ways to pray for our brothers and sisters in China, the government, and all Chinese citizens.Pray for Christians in the country to stay steadfast in their faith and grow their relationship with the Lord. Pray that the Chinese church will continue to take part in the Great Commission and become God’s living testimonies in and beyond China.
1. Pray for the Chinese church.
- Pray for every registered church to pursue what is true and right before the Lord. As they are government-sanctioned, these churches are under a significant amount of pressure to adhere to rules and regulations that can could compromise biblical truth.
- Pray for every unregistered church in the country to navigate safer ways to gather—away from the prying eyes of the local authorities and the community. Pray that even when they are discovered and face consequences, they will continue to pursue Jesus.
- Pray for churches and believers who use digital platforms to share their faith and spread the gospel. Online Christian resources are blocked or taken down, limiting even further the sources of Christian literature for believers. Even online, Christians are also at risk of being monitored, interrogated and in very rare cases imprisoned (particularly in cases where they sell religious books from overseas).
- Pray for local churches, groups or individuals who have different ministries in the country. Oftentimes, when they are found out by the local authorities, they are interrogated and accused of doing things like conducting illegal business operations or illegal crowdfunding through tithes and offering. Normally, these accusations come with a hefty price.
2. Pray for converts from Islam
- Pray for Christians who have converted from Islam in the northwest region of the country. This area has long been on the government’s radar. The believers in this area are considered the most persecuted Christian group in the country as they face a more elevated level of surveillance, which causes stress, fear and more restrictions to practice their faith. They additionally can face pressure from their families and communities, simply because the area is majority-Muslim.
- Pray for church leaders in this area, especially those who are loosely monitored by the government. Many church leaders sometimes find the area desolate, so they start feeling alone and hopeless.
- Pray with them Proverbs 4:23: “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” Pray that the Lord will continue to provide them a community that will help them in their walk with God.
3. Pray for converts from Buddhism
- Pray for strength for converts from Buddhism. In areas where Buddhism is the dominant faith, these believers oftentimes face opposition from village heads and villagers after they convert to Christianity. Once they turn their backs on Buddhist traditions, they are accused of being traitors, and, as a result, they are treated as outsiders or abandoned by their families or community.
- Pray that they will press on in every circumstance. Pray for wisdom to deal with people who come against them and their faith.
- Pray for believers reaching out to Buddhist converts. Many, usually Christians from other parts of China, are sent by their home churches to minister in the Buddhist areas often mountainous and remote. Sometimes, the distance from one community of believers to another is thousands of miles. Pray that the Lord will continue to provide for these ministry workers’ needs.
4. Pray for the next generation of the Chinese church
- Pray for children and young people in China to encounter and pursue Jesus from a young age. Pray for those who long for Jesus yet are legally unable to attend church activities and meet with other believers, as they live in areas where restrictions on minors in church are strictly observed. Pray that the restrictions will not stop them from knowing Jesus more deeply.
- •Pray for the next generation as they form their core values and identities. Many young people are attracted to and distracted by values and patterns of the world, especially materialism. Many are obsessed with social media or mobile gaming, taking their time away from the Lord and their families.
- • Pray for church and ministry workers who reach out to China’s next generation. They are often the ones who bear the brunt of persecution when it’s discovered that they are working among this age group. They are at risk of interrogation and imprisonment. Pray they are able to come up with effective, relevant and engaging materials and programs to help the next generation remain rooted in faith.
5. Pray for our partners’ activities supported by Open Doors in the country
- God has blessed Open Doors to journey with believers inside the country in many ways through local partners, experts and churches. Pray that the Lord will continue to provide our partners with the right connections and venues to carry out training and activities that will help strengthen the Chinese church.
- Pray for our partners in the field who are constantly looking for ways to serve persecuted pastors and believers, ethnic minority Christians, and the next generation of young believers. Pray that they all embrace Brother Andrew’s belief that every door is open to the gospel—especially for those willing to suffer.
6. Pray for the salvation of non-believers
- Pray for Chinese non-believers, that God would open their eyes and remove spiritual blindness so that they will believe the gospel and be transformed like Paul on his way to Damascus.
- Pray that once new believers commit to follow Christ, they will not turn back but persevere.
- Pray that they may have an authentic and intimate relationship with the Lord.
- Pray for Christians in China to be salt and light in their communities—a city on a hill that cannot be hidden. May their witness draw unbelievers close to God.
7. Pray for China’s national leaders
- Xi Jinping, President of the People’s Republic of China opposes Western values and culture. He believes that Christianity is very much part of the Western value system. To counter this, Xi pushes for the Sinicization of Religion—a proactive attempt to make religion more Chinese. Sinicization is an effort to remove the foreign elements of religion to bring religion more in conformity with China’s traditional culture and demands of the CCP.
- Pray that Xi—along with the other leaders in China—will acknowledge the sovereignty of God over the country. Pray that the gospel will touch their hearts, and that many among them will come to know Jesus and accept Him as their Lord and Savior.
