Prayer ministry problems

Something that has increased in importance for me over the last number of years is how important prayer is. The more I pray the more I realize that what I am doing has great effect. This is not because of any merit I might have, but rather, I believe God honors the ones who persevere in prayer. It was what Jesus wanted:

Lk. 18:1 Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. 

Many great people of faith in history were dedicated pray-ers. They discovered that real spiritual power, spiritual maturity, spiritual discernment, and spiritual ministry can only happen via prayer. They saw many answers to prayer, miracles, and revival. Their ministries were empowered by the Holy Spirit in a way that a lot of other Christians do not obtain.

Many Christians give prayer lip-service, and maybe they even say some perfunctory prayers, but as far as the "business" of prayer, well, they just don't have the time or the desire. I think this is the primary reason the church doesn't see revival, harvest, or the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

Maybe there are people in the church who are dedicated to prayer, but as far as joining up with others to regularly pray, well, they are often not there. I think this is a key objective for the church, that people would frequently join together in prevailing, persevering prayer. Some things take years or even decades to pray in. Other things happen quickly. In either case, we should be committed to pray together until we receive answers.

Why doesn't the church have a vibrant prayer ministry?

• There will never be a vibrant prayer ministry in the church until the environment changes. 
• There will never be a move of God until there is a vibrant prayer ministry.
• There will never be a move of God until the church environment changes.
• There will never be a change in the environment until the church decides it is necessary. 

These are very nearly axiomatic. Now, I do realize that God does move sovereignly, and that He doesn't require prayer to do what He wants when He wants. But when revelation comes to us; when we discover that we must pray; when we come to understand that God hears our prayers and answers them; when the burden for prayer becomes real in our lives; it is I think at that point that God choses specifically to move according to the prayers of His people.

In other words, He give the burden, then responds to those who are burdened.

What about those who are dedicated to prayer?

So what about those who have prayed for years or longer, mostly solo, sometimes with others joining them, but see no church-wide dedication to prayer? What happens when there is spotty participation, little or no response from the church, and no leadership participation? Why aren't prayer meetings, or even the possibility of forming a prayer ministry, mentioned from the pulpit? Does the leadership even have interest in installing a prayer ministry? 

How can something so critical be so ignored or minimized?

Those who are dedicated to prayer might find themselves faced with making choices. They might feel so alone, so unappreciated, so cut loose from the pulse of the church, that they think they need to make a change.

So, what might be the response of those who are dedicated to prayer right now?

• Persevere in prayer with the hope that things will change
• Persevere in prayer without regard for if things will change
• Petition the leadership for action
• Form a prayer group/ministry apart from leadership involvement or approval
• Decline to participate in church organized functions 
• Give up
• Find another church

These are all possible, but not all are good. But they are real, because discouragement and disillusionment are common outcomes leading to bad choices.