Congregations seeking to transform often do not have the luxury of visibly observing their community context growing or shifting with new residents. Unlike the suburban edge of cities they do not see the new houses. Their housing stock is substantially present. Yet, their community context may be experiencing major transition.
Congregations need to discover these transition patterns, identify the families/households transitioning into their context, and connect with them within the first 6 to 18 months they are present. If this connection is not made in this time frame, the social patterns of the new residents will already be established.