Dear Friends,
This week, please join us in prayer for Dr. Julie Lee Wu in Hong Kong.
Over 7.5 million people (54% irreligious, 28% Buddhist or Taoist, 12% Christian, and 4% Muslim) reside in Hong Kong, a special administrative region in the People’s Republic of China. After colonizing Hong Kong for 150+ years, the British returned the territory to China in 1997. Supposedly, Hong Kong is guaranteed its own jurisdiction under the “one country, two systems” policy until 2047. However, in recent months, Beijing has implemented a controversial national security law that criminalizes previously protected dissent and also imposed electoral changes to block its critics from political power in Hong Kong.
Since 2002 Julie has served as President of China Bible Seminary in Hong Kong. Originally founded in 1930 by a group of Chinese Christian women in Shanghai, China Bible Seminary (CBS) was reestablished in Hong Kong in 1964. Emphasizing spirituality and missions in its curriculum, CBS prepares women and men for pastoral ministry, seminary teaching, Christian publication, and evangelism in China and beyond.
One of ScholarLeaders’ earliest scholarship recipients, Julie earned a PhD in New Testament from Fuller Theological Seminary. In recognition of her exceptional leadership, Julie received the 2012 ScholarLeader of the Year Award. The award contributed to the successful relocation and expansion of CBS’s main campus in Hong Kong.
Julie shares the following message:
After facing large-scale social unrest in late 2019 and then the COVID-19 outbreak in January 2020 until now, Hong Kong has experienced drastic change in the last two years. Tens of thousands of residents have now moved out of Hong Kong and immigrated to other countries. The economy has also suffered much. The unemployment rate is about 7%, according to official government records. Consequently, churches, parachurches, and seminaries have also faced unprecedented challenges.
While believing everything is under God’s sovereignty, we Christians need much wisdom from above to carry out our missions and tasks. For example, many seminaries have faced record-low new student enrollment numbers in the last two years. Parachurches have suffered significant financial pressure due to fewer donations. Church attendance has dropped due to gathering restrictions. Though we cannot turn back the clock, our hope remains in our God, who is wise and almighty.
Prayer Requests
1. Pray that the COVID-19 pandemic will get under control, so that life and business can return to normal, and so that people can find jobs in their fields.
2. Pray that Christians will stay firm in their faith in God, even while facing new challenges and new orders of life.
3. Pray that young people would be willing to respond to God’s calling and would bravely proceed to train for various Christian ministries in the years to come.
4. At China Bible Seminary, we began our Spring Term on March 29. Please pray that all students and faculty will maintain good health, and that classes can be held as usual, without interruption.
5. Also, please pray for this year’s commencement, which is scheduled for June 18 (Friday evening). May the pandemic remain under control so that the event can be held in person, just as it was last year.
6. Lastly, please pray for more new students to enroll in the 2021-22 school year.
Your kind and loving intercession is greatly appreciated.
Julie Lee Wu