1 Way to Pray for China This Week

This week we continue praying through China’s major cities with Hangzhou. Known for its legendary West Lake, Hangzhou is an ancient and famous city in China that plays an important role in much of China’s literary and artistic history. It is one of China’s ancient capital cities and has a history of more than two thousand years. Hangzhou was long the center of the silk industry and trade.

Today Hangzhou is home to 21 million people across its broader metropolitan area and 7 million in its urban center. In addition to an ongoing textile industry, technology has become a major part of Hangzhou’s economy and the city has close links to its neighbor nearby, Shanghai. Hangzhou is home to Zhejiang University, one of China’s oldest and most prestigious institutions. All of the above make Hangzhou a major tourist destination for both international and domestic tourists, and it is widely considered by Chinese to be one of their most beautiful and romantic cities.

As you take time this week to pray for Hangzhou, consider joining us to pray at 10:02am every morning!

How to pray:

-  Along with many other Chinese cities, Hangzhou has grown rapidly and faces many demographic challenges. As people continue to move to the area in search of work and economic opportunity, the city continues to grow more crowded and social services are increasingly stressed. Pray for good city planning and wise management.

- Pray for the physical reality of Hangzhou. Pray for the pollution to be addressed with sound solutions. Pray for the health of the population and for good healthcare.

- Pray for Hangzhou’s government. Pray for wise men and women to lead the city in righteousness. Pray for peace and stability.

- Pray for Hangzhou’s educational institutions and its student populations.

- Pray for the wealthy in Hangzhou to show mercy and charity in order to use their wealth for the good of the city. Pray for protection for the poor in Hangzhou and for their identities as bearers of God’s image to be recognized. Pray for the middle class in Hangzhou to be just and righteous in the callings God has given to them.

- Pray for the families of Hangzhou. Pray for men and women to be faithful and loving in their marriages. Pray for children to honor their parents and for parents to wisely guide their children. Pray against a rising divorce rate in China. Pray for single men and women who are desperate to find spouses in a culture that puts great emphasis on marriage.

- Pray for the church in Hangzhou. Pray for the church to love the city and seek its good. Pray for the church to be bold in serving its neighbors and in proclaiming the good news of Jesus. Pray for unity among the brothers and sisters; for doctrinal soundness and protection against cults; and for wise servant-leaders among the pastorate.

Links:

Hangzhou, China

Zhejiang University

- Hangzhou G20: China's ambitions for global leadership

- 10 things Hangzhou does better than Shanghai

China Partnership