Excerpt reprinted with author's permission from Well Connected: Releasing Power, Restoring Hope Through Kingdom Partnerships (Authentic Media/World Vision, 2006)

Are you building a lemonade stand or a skyscraper? Trying to gather neighbors to reach the kids in your neighborhood or twenty ministries to reach a major people group? Do you need a constitution, memo of agreement, or simple consensus? Do you need dues, membership fees, or can you realize the dream on voluntary contributions? Take the simplest and most direct route—which is usually the most effective.