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

We've seen that spiritual change is a journey, not an event. Life-changing spiritual decisions may appear to occur in a moment, but they are usually composed of a variety of elements that, in principle, can be known, planned for, and acted on. Partnerships can help link people at various stages of the journey. Any audience we are seeking to reach or serve for Christ is made up of certain predictable elements. The journey an individual member of the audience takes toward Christ is similarly made up of predictable elements. Understanding these elements, widely documented in scripture, can transform the effectiveness of a strategic partnership.