Jumpstarter 7 of 10

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Question 7

The chapter urges serious intercession—Paul’s “night and day,” “do not cease,” and the concrete challenge: “Start praying daily for each family in your congregation.” What would be the cost (time, attention, self-focus) of that kind of intercession, and what do you think it would expose about how we view church community?

Another way to ask: What would it cost you to pray every day for each family in your church (time, focus, less attention on yourself)? What might that show about how you really see your church community?

Direct Answer The cost is real: sustained time, focused attention, and a major shift away from self-focused praying toward carrying others before God. Bercot suggests it would expose whether we treat church as a true spiritual family or mainly as a weekly event centered on our own needs.

Support from Transcript:

He places intercession after thanksgiving: “After thanking God, we should intercede on behalf of our family, friends, church family…”
He highlights Paul’s intensity: “Without ceasing, I remember you in my prayers night and day” (2 Tim. 1:3).
He emphasizes persistence: “do not cease to pray for you” (Col. 1:9-10).
He gives a challenging practice: “Start praying daily for each family in your congregation.”
He predicts impact on the whole body: “Imagine the spiritual health of our congregations if we all prayed for one another….”
He notes it changes the intercessor too: “Not only will this bless others, but it will also have an amazing spiritual effect on you.”

Discussion Follow-ups What does your current prayer time reveal about how central the church family is to you? If you prayed for every family, what distractions or priorities would have to be cut?

Jumpstarter 7 of 10

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Jumpstarter 7 of 10