. . . those of us who serve the Lord in a ministry of prayer need to become more assertive.
In our desire to emulate our Lord's humility, many of us have failed to speak out during a planning meeting when human ideas require spiritual inquiry. While intently listening with a Holy Spirit sensitivity, many of us have failed to speak up and remained silent instead of suggesting prayer as a solution. Driven by a vision only for our Father's glory, many of us have failed to speak into a circumstance or process calling for a prayer pause.
Haven't we become too passive? Rather than seizing a prayable moment,
we timidly ask permission or even refuse to merely offer the suggestion
to insert prayer. While we, appropriately so, pray in quiet for our
pastor, we seldom compel them in love to implement our Lord's command
that the community of believers become a house of prayer. And, does
less than one per cent of the yearly budget bother you enough to ask
for more?
Those who champion prayer must be assertive; but not angry, not
aggressive. Never judgmental nor sarcastic. Not even impatient.
Certainly not holier than thou. Prayer champions wave the flag, blow
the trumpet, throw the party--any action to call attention to the
priority and promise of following Christ in the practice of prayer.
It is time to confront ("together; facing") the problem, to speak
clearly the commands of scripture regarding the corporate prayer life
of the community of faith. To recognize that the problem is not my
pastor but his prayer-perceptions. The problem is not the
Elders-Deacons-Council but a prayerless process. So, rather than
confront and risk conflict ("together; striking"), eschew aggression or
anger-motivation. Share examples and experiences that are irrefutable.
Provide opportunities and options, some of which may cost you money (
i.e., paying the pastor's way to a prayer summit).
Champions speak up and out. They should be ambassadors and advocates
for the penetration and saturation of prayer into every aspect of our
corporate life in Christ,
Phil Miglioratti
http://www.prayerleader.blogspot.com
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September 2006 
