Another idea, this one more important, and likely easier to implement, than the AC idea. Empowerment can be a bitch simply speaking. If you have an Imm that is inactive or plays comepletely opposite hours than you it can be diffacult. So here is my idea to help fix this a bit.

1. Fully Empowered Priests of the sphere/religion (maybe all three spheres?) of the God that are level 25 or above have the capability to grant partial empowerment in the name of their god to priests. This partial empowerment would be to 25 only. This would help ease the time spent praying at level 10-15 since you really are worthless much above that and will just die repeatedly. This would also leave some time for the immmortal to do other things.

2. High Preist. Perhaps have a High Priest of a God that can fully Empower, or maybe empower up to level 40 in the name of their god.

3. If neither of these are considered viable, maybe have a system where priests of a god can "recommend" a lower priest and then another god or high priest could empower the mortal in place of the god.

These are just ideas I had. I thought it would make religions more religous since people would actually be seeking to spread religion more and other seeking to learn from it. As a side, I also think a high priest of a religion (doesnt have to be an empowered char mind you) could give the religions tatto... a non glowing kind. It doesn't do anything but mark them. Only the god could give a tattoo of power, this one glowing. Just another idea to help spread religion and RP.