the prayer of all pastors (or at least it should be)

Colossians 4:2-6

Prayer is the key word and theme of this passage which indicates that Paul was concerned about the prayer life of the church at Colossae. He is also concerned about his own ability to preach the good news message of Jesus and specifically asks that he would be given the opportunity to make the message known and when he gets that opportunity that he would speak clearly. Finally, Paul is concerned with how the church treats those who are different, telling the church to take the opportunities that God gives them to proclaim and demonstrate his love and grace. Paul indicates that the method of proclaiming the gospel is as important as the message of the gospel - that the method is actually part of the message.
I am challenged by all these instructions but two in particular: first, I pray consistently that the message I share would be clear and true but I don't often involve others in praying for me. I have always wanted to form a team of people that would pray for me, critique me and help me be better at what God has called me to do. This passage reminds me of the importance of this: to do otherwise is actually kind of arrogant, indicating that I don't think I need help. With that in mind, I am preaching 3 of the next 4 weeks and would appreciate your prayers that I would have insight into the passages I am studying and that I would communicate the truth of those passages clearly in a way that is helpful and challenging.
Second, I am challenged by the instruction to be wise in the way we act towards "outsiders". One of the passages I am preparing to speak on talks about how the birds of the air will find shelter in the branches of the kingdom of heaven. I really think what Jesus was teaching was that the kingdom of heaven exists for the other than. It existed for us who were "other than" God and then once we get in, we try to bar the door to those who are different from us. Paul (and Jesus) are reminding us that xenophobia has no place in the kingdom of heaven. We are to be a haven for those who don't fit anywhere else, a shelter for those who are different. My concern is that my church is pretty xenophobic. When I look around, everyone pretty much looks the same (with some, very few exceptions). I wonder if we are being wise in the way that we act towards outsiders. By the way, I think we need a better name than outsiders...