Cycles of learning, constant teaching drive evolution of Bahá’í Community

Excerpts from a paper by House of Justice member Paul Lample which he adapted in giving his plenary talk given at the 32nd annual conference of the Association for Bahá’í Studies – North America, 29 August to 1 September 2008. A link to the full text is available here.  Audio of the talk can be accessed from here.

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Learning and the Evolution of the Bahá’í Community

by Paul Lample

With regard to the harmony of science and religion, the Writings of the Central Figures and the commentaries of the Guardian make abundantly clear that the task of humanity, including the Bahá’í community that serves as the “leaven” within it, is to create a global civilization which embodies both the spiritual and material dimensions of existence. The nature and scope of such a civilization are still beyond anything the present generation can conceive. The prosecution of this vast enterprise will depend on a progressive interaction between the truths and principles of religion and the discoveries and insights of scientific inquiry. This entails living with ambiguities as a natural and inescapable feature of the process of exploring reality.”

(On behalf of the Universal House of Justice, letter to an individual, June 19, 1995.)

How do we Bahá’ís, with our diverse, sometimes conflicting, understandings of Bahá’u’lláh’s teachings, collaborate to bring about the society that reflects His will? The answer will have to be found in learning, over time, to better understand the text and translate it into efficacious action consistent with its divine intent.

      To expand the Faith, to build Bahá’í communities, to apply the teachings to address social concerns, to educate youth or children, to engage in scholarly study and research or to work in any other area for the progress of the Cause or the advancement of civilization provides opportunities for achieving a balance of study and action in which questions are raised, problems defined, and solutions attempted. By engaging in an ongoing conversation about how to understand the teachings and, simultaneously, an ongoing reflection on action about how to translate these teachings into reality, the Bahá’í world gradually learns how to contribute to the emergence of a civilization that reflects the oneness of humanity.

      For, on the one hand, the teachings do not provide a recipe for the creation of a new world order, while on the other, there are certain principles, procedures, methods, and processes found in the Revelation must be properly implemented. There is not “one way” to do things, but, at the same time, we cannot indiscriminately support all activities and all methods.

      Learning—consultation, action, and reflection on action in light of divine guidance—over the course of our lives and over the course of the dispensation is the means by which we find our way forward toward Bahá’u’lláh’s intended purpose for humanity. To speak of the need for learning is an acknowledgement that we are not perfect, we make mistakes, and we must learn to do things better over time. It is an appreciation that human knowledge is limited, and we must continually strive for a better understanding of the meaning and implications of the Revelation. It is also an acknowledgement that the Faith is organic, our responsibilities will evolve and capacities will develop over time, and we will act at ever higher levels of complexity and achieve greater results in the future. Without learning, our thoughts and actions are trapped in an endless circularity. The challenge is to grasp this learning process and use it to support systematic action—to learn how to learn.

      For decades, the Bahá’í world struggled with the problem of sustaining large-scale expansion. In the Four Year Plan, the Universal House of Justice focused attention on consciously cultivating a capacity for learning about growth, and by the year 2000, observed that it had taken root.

The culture of the Bahá’í community experienced a change. This change is noticeable in the expanded capability, the methodical pattern of functioning and the consequent depth of confidence of the three constituent participants in the Plan—the individual, the institutions and the local community. That is so because the friends concerned themselves more consistently with deepening their knowledge of the divine Teachings and learned much—and this more systematically than before—about how to apply them to promulgating the Cause, to managing their individual and collective activities, and to working with their neighbors. In a word, they entered into a learning mode from which purposeful action was pursued.(5)

The culture of learning that is emerging is characterized by dialogue rather than debate, by constructive experience at the grassroots level rather than elaborate planning from the top, by systematization rather than freneticism, by reflective refinement rather than derogatory criticism. It has proven effective in resolving long standing challenges that paralyzed the progress of the community. This paper will examine the learning process that is driving growth and will explore its implications for other areas of concern to the further development of the Bahá’í world. …

      Shoghi Effendi explained that the growth of the Faith would involve three stages, beginning with a “steady flow” of fresh recruits that would be followed by entry by troops and, eventually, mass conversion.(12) Signs of the start of the second stage, marked by the entry of large numbers of new believers, were already evident in some countries in Africa and in Indonesia during the lifetime of the Guardian.(13) Starting in the late 1950s, and accelerating over the next three decades, campaigns of rapid enrollment unfolded whereby hundreds, thousands, and even tens of thousands entered the Faith quickly in country after country. Membership in several countries surpassed 100,000 believers, while in India, the number of believers surpassed two million.(14) Despite the success in obtaining new enrollments, however, no national community was able to achieve the appropriate balance between expansion and consolidation necessary to sustain the process of entry by troops.

Construction of the Centre of the Study of the Texts

The Seat of the Universal House of Justice, and entrance to the Centre for the Study of the Texts in foreground

      In 1996, Bahá’í communities were, for the most part, small and inwardly directed. In some countries this was the result of the lack of effective teaching, and, in others, the lack of success in deepening the new believers who were enlisted in successive waves of teaching activity. The December 26, 1995 message of the Universal House of Justice that introduced the Four Year Plan “focused the Bahá’í world on a path of intense learning about the sustained, rapid growth of the Faith.” It drew on previous experience, but could only describe “in general terms the nature of the work that would have to be undertaken in meeting the challenges ahead.”(15)  By 2006, after a decade of learning, the House of Justice was able to describe a new pattern of action involving a coherent integration of activities for expansion, consolidation, and spiritual upliftment that were mutually reinforcing and which could be readily replicated in other areas. “The elements required for a concerted effort to infuse the diverse regions of the world with the spirit of Bahá’u’lláh’s Revelation,” it stated, “have crystallized into a framework for action that now needs only to be exploited.”(16) “The way forward is clear, and at Ridván 2006 we will call upon the believers to steel their resolve and to proceed with the full force of their energies on the course that has been so decidedly set.”(17)  The problem of sustaining large-scale expansion that stymied the Bahá’í world for almost four decades found a resolution in less than ten years.

      The achievements of the Four Year Plan were attributed by the Universal House of Justice to a change in the culture of the Bahá’í community that resulted from a new capacity for learning. Learning drove progress across the entire decade, from the first efforts to establish training institutes at Ridván 1996 to the emergence of intensive programs of growth in certain clusters by Ridván 2006. What was the nature of this learning process? What were some of the specific lessons learned?

      At the start of each Plan, and at Ridván and other strategic points during the decade, the Universal House of Justice provided guidance to the Bahá’í world based on its current level of development, summarizing what had been learned and accomplished, and outlining new directions and challenges… As the institute process was established in a cluster, the believers involved acquired the habit of gathering periodically in reflection meetings to study the guidance from the Bahá’í World Centre, consult on the progress of their area, share experiences, analyze the strengths and weaknesses of their efforts, and try to discover more effective approaches. A steady stream of questions flowed to the Bahá’í World Centre, to which the Universal House of Justice would respond with clarifications or additional elucidation. The flow of guidance to all parts of the world resulted in the blossoming of new activity and in a flow of experience and insights from communities around the globe back to the Bahá’í World Centre. …

      Learning about growth did not result in a simple formula for action. Rather, sacrifice and perseverance, critical thought, and constant valuation and revising of methods were required. In clusters where progress may have been stalled by one or more vexing challenges, it was often difficult to appreciate the accelerating movement of advanced clusters that was unmistakable from a global perspective. And invariably, obstacles would arise whenever the friends in a cluster advanced into new, uncharted areas of endeavor. Within a cluster, it was the daily struggle of individuals to grasp the Plan and act on it that drove progress. …

      While it is impossible to summarize all the lessons learned in the decade from 1996 to 2006, the following examples illustrate how various elements emerged and were combined to shape an integrated pattern of action that has proven its effectiveness in diverse settings worldwide.

• At the start of the Four Year Plan, the House of Justice observed that institutes “must offer courses both at a central location and in the villages and towns so that an appreciable number of believers can enter its programs.”(18)  No specific approach was described, however, for offering the courses at a distance. By 1998, as a result of the experience in one area, a practical approach was discovered involving the establishment of study circles, groups of some “six to ten believers in the towns and villages throughout the country, who will go through a series of basic courses together with a tutor.”(19)  Because of their proven effectiveness, study circles soon became a feature of institutes worldwide.

• In 2001, the House of Justice made reference to stages of community building and observed that “among the initial goals for every community should be the establishment of study circles, children’s classes, and devotional meetings, open to all the inhabitants of the locality.”(20) One year later, as a result of the experience gained by implementing these activities, the House of Justice observed an evolution in these activities that went far beyond what was originally envisioned:

Where a training institute is well established and constantly functioning, three core activities—study circles, devotional meetings, and children’s classes— have multiplied with relative ease. Indeed, the increasing participation of seekers in these activities, at the invitation of their Bahá’í friends, has lent a new dimension to their purposes, consequently effecting new enrollments. Here, surely, is a direction of great promise for the teaching work. These core activities, which at the outset were devised principally to benefit the believers themselves, are naturally becoming portals for entry by troops. By combining study circles, devotional meetings and children’s classes within the framework of clusters, a model of coherence in lines of action has been put in place and is already producing welcome results. Worldwide application of this model, we feel confident, holds immense possibilities for the progress of the Cause in the years ahead.(21)

• The experience with some twenty-five area growth programs in the Twelve Month Plan contributed directly to the specification of propitious conditions for the establishment of intensive programs of growth presented in the Five Year Plan. Yet in 2001, it was not possible to describe the specific nature of an intensive program of growth, but only to clarify some desirable conditions and outline general principles. “Success will depend on the manner in which lines of action are integrated and on the attitude of learning that is adopted,” the House of Justice wrote. “At the core of the program must lie a sound and steady process of expansion, matched by an equally strong process of human resource development,” it further explained. “A range of teaching efforts needs to be carried out, involving both activities undertaken by the individual and campaigns promoted by the institutions.”(22)

      By the midpoint of the Plan, the features of the intensive program of growth emerged from experience and, by its end, they could be clearly defined… While, in 2001, it was not possible to describe an intensive program of growth, by the start of the new Plan in 2006 they were well understood and a goal was established to multiply their number to more than 1,500 worldwide.

While these examples provide some insight into the progress made, a number of problems also arose… In the effort to establish a culture of learning, it is difficult to escape the pull of old patterns of behavior. …

      Some countries struggled for years to have their institute become fully operational and to integrate training with systematic growth. The initial implementation of the sequence of courses and the translation of new skills into action was often wooden and awkward. Out of a desire to apply the guidance “correctly,” there was a tendency in isolated cases to go to extremes… Among some of the specific problems that arose were the following:

• Study circles, initially intended as a means to provide institute courses to individuals in their communities proved to be attractive to those who were not Bahá’ís but were interested in studying the teachings. As many of these individuals accepted the Faith, often after studying one or two books, it was realized that study circles could be tools of teaching as well as training. Some mistakenly concluded, however, that Bahá’ís were being told to abandon firesides or other teaching methods and replace them by study circles. To a query on this matter a letter written on behalf of the House of Justice responded:

To call upon the Bahá’í world to focus its energies on a certain set of activities at a particular stage in the unfoldment of the Divine Plan does not in any way diminish the importance of other endeavors. . . . While it is highly desirable to include seekers in study circles wherever possible, the individual believer retains the inescapable duty to teach the Faith on his or her own initiative.(26) …

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Participants at the 32nd annual conference of the North American Association for Baha’i Studies meet in a break-out session. The conference was held in San Diego.

(Emphasis added. Photos Copyright Bahá’í international Community – view here, here and here.)

House member: Purpose of core activities to raise capacity to serve society, promote community development

 (September 2009)

Thanks go to the blessed soul who took and shared these cursory yet enlightening notes from a recent talk by member of the Universal House of Justice Dr. Payman Mohajer. 

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The Purpose of Core Activities

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In the course of the consultations, Dr. Mohajer posed a thought-provoking question to the participants, “What is the purpose of our core activities?”

 

Dr Mohajer then went on to share an explanation by giving the example of a glass. He said that while it is not inaccurate to say that the glass is transparent, it is evident that transparency is not the purpose of the glass. Transparency is one of the attributes of the glass, but its purpose is to hold liquid. Similarly, one of the attributes of our core activities is that they become portals for entry by troops or instruments for teaching — but that is not their purpose. Dr. Mohajer stressed that the purpose of our core activities is to enable us to serve society and help “translate that which hath been written into reality and action” (ToB 166).

 

How many of us have looked at core activities as a way of building an ever advancing civilization, of creating a new race of men, as a way for the betterment of society? Perhaps for a lot of us core activities are simply about teaching the Faith and getting new declarations. But the primary purpose of our core activities is to raise our capacity to serve society, such that these activities become instruments for developing communities, and not merely instruments for teaching the Faith.

 

Dr Mohajer encouraged the participants present at the seminar to re-read the Ruhi Institute books 1 to 7 with an eye to society and to reflect on how the concepts embedded in them could be used for social action and not just for the sake of expansion and consolidation. For instance, the very first quotation in Ruhi Book 1 talks about the betterment of the world being accomplished through pure and goodly deeds (ADJ 24-25).

 

Did we ever think about ‘Abdul-Bahá’s quotation, “let your heart burn with loving kindness for all who may cross your path” (PT 16) as applicable to the removal of prejudice? Do we remind ourselves that the reason for becoming more truthful is to contribute as much to a better society as it is for the sake of our own spiritual progress? It is clear that we need to imbue participants engaged in our core activities with a vision of social transformation as well as of personal transformation.

 

Now if someone were to ask us whether the purpose of our inviting them to join study circles is to make them Bahá’ís, we can confidently say ‘no’ and tell them that the purpose of our core activities is to assist in the transformation and betterment of society.

 

 

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Information about the core activites:

 

Devotional Gatherings for Inspiration and Renewal

Moral and Spiritual Education for the Next Generation

Collaborative Study for Individual and Social Transformation

 

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 Example of a Baha’i children’s curriculum, known as the Peace Pack, developed in Western Australia for State Schools classes. It is accompanied by a CD of songs for children, prepared by Western Australian Baha’i musician Greg Parker.

 

 A Baha’i Education in State Schools class in Norfolk Island, New South Wales, Australia.

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To whatever place We may be banished, however great the tribulation We may suffer, they who are the people of God must, with fixed resolve and perfect confidence, keep their eyes directed towards the Day Spring of Glory, and be busied in whatever may be conducive to the betterment of the world and the education of its peoples.

  - Bahá’u’lláh, GWB 270

 

Promote ye the development of the cities of God and His countries, and glorify Him therein in the joyous accents of His well-favoured ones. In truth, the hearts of men are edified through the power of the tongue, even as houses and cities are built up by the hand and other means. We have assigned to every end a means for its accomplishment; avail yourselves thereof, and place your trust and confidence in God, the Omniscient, the All-Wise.

 - Bahá’u’lláh, KA 77 §160

 

Bahá’í House of Worship in Ashkhabad before its destruction by an earthquake

You are welcome this afternoon, most welcome. I am ever happy to see you. … I hope that these gatherings may be productive of great results, and there is no greater result than the love of God. There is no greater result than bonds of service in the divine Kingdom and attainment to the good pleasure of the Lord. Therefore, I desire that your hearts may be directed to the Kingdom of God, that your intentions may be pure and sincere, your purposes turned toward altruistic accomplishment unmindful of your own welfare; nay, rather, may all your intentions center in the welfare of humanity, and may you seek to sacrifice yourselves in the pathway of devotion to mankind. Even as Jesus Christ forfeited His life, may you, likewise, offer yourselves in the threshold of sacrifice for the betterment of the world; and just as Bahá’u’lláh suffered severe ordeals and calamities nearly fifty years for you, may you be willing to undergo difficulties and withstand catastrophes for humanity in general. May you bear these trials and tests most willingly and joyously, for every night is followed by a day, and every day has a night. Every spring has an autumn, and every autumn has its spring. The coming of a Manifestation of God is the season of spiritual spring. …

Praise be to God that the teachings of God are revoiced, the light of reality has dawned again, the effulgence is increasing daily, and the radiance is shining more gloriously in the zenith. From the cloud of mercy a deluge is descending; the Sun of Reality is brilliant in its eternal station. Again we are hopeful that the same springtime may pitch its tent and that these boundless bestowals may appear once more among us. Through your efforts and sincerity this is made possible. If you arise in the Cause of God with divine power, heavenly grace, the sincerity of the Kingdom, a merciful heart and decisive intention, it is certain that the world of humanity will be entirely illumined, the moralities of mankind will become merciful, the foundations of the Most Great Peace will be laid, and the oneness of the kingdom of man will become a reality. This is the great bounty I desire for you, and I pray and supplicate the divine threshold, imploring in your behalf.

  O Thou merciful God! O Thou Who art mighty and powerful! O Thou most kind Father! These servants have gathered together, turning to Thee, supplicating Thy threshold, desiring Thine endless bounties from Thy great assurance. They have no purpose save Thy good pleasure. They have no intention save service to the world of humanity. 
O God! Make this assemblage radiant. Make the hearts merciful. Confer the bounties of the Holy Spirit. Endow them with a power from heaven. Bless them with heavenly minds. Increase their sincerity, so that with all humility and contrition they may turn to Thy kingdom and be occupied with service to the world of humanity. May each one become a radiant candle. May each one become a brilliant star. May each one become beautiful in color and redolent of fragrance in the Kingdom of God. 
O kind Father! Confer Thy blessings. Consider not our shortcomings. Shelter us under Thy protection. Remember not our sins. Heal us with Thy mercy. We are weak; Thou art mighty. We are poor; Thou art rich. We are sick; Thou art the Physician. We are needy; Thou art most generous. 
O God! Endow us with Thy providence. Thou art the Powerful. Thou art the Giver. Thou art the Beneficent. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, PUP 54-56 

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(Emphasis added) (Image reproduced with permission of the Bahá’í International Community - view here and here; direct links to first two photos here and here) 

Accompaniment key to building confidence for service, teaching

 (US-DC, 27 August)

A report (slightly edited) that sets out the path to and delineates the processes involved in establishing the new pattern of community life that the institute courses are seeking to build.  

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Bulls Eye in DC

A report from Washington, DC (A-stage cluster): THIS IS WHAT THE FIVE YEAR PLAN IS ALL ABOUT—raising up and empowering human resources.

Ms.__ is a new believer who declared her Faith in March of this year during a neighborhood teaching effort. She has completed Book 1 and is in the middle of studying Book 2, Arising to Serve. I have been working with her as the tutor.

In the course of studying Book 2, Ms.__ gave a presentation on the deepening theme about the Eternal Covenant to a group of Book 1 study circle participants, several of whom are seekers. Before doing so, we had practiced several times going over the presentation until she felt comfortable with the content and progression of ideas. Although she said she felt a little nervous in front of the group, she made a clear presentation and felt very happy about it.

Afterwards, she was encouraged that the next step in doing the practice of Book 2 is to present the deepening theme in a more conversational manner in the home of new believers or those who are interested in the Faith. An opportunity to do this soon came up, since there are people waiting to receive home visits as part of the consolidation phase for the present cycle of growth. I invited Ms.__ to assist in such a visit, and asked her to be prepared to offer the deepening theme. She accepted the invitation and practiced going over the deepening theme so she could, as she put it, “do it in my own words and be eloquent.”

Thursday night Ms.__ came, and after saying prayers with her, we both visited a woman whose granddaughter is in a children’s class that has recently been formed in the neighborhood. I had visited this lady before, and when we arrived, I asked if we could say some prayers and for Ms.__ to do a presentation on the Eternal Covenant. The woman asked, “What is the Covenant?” to which Ms.__ responded, “It is God’s pact with us, with you and me, that He will never abandon us and He will always send a Manifestation to teach us His Word and Bahá’u’lláh is the latest Teacher.” The lady invited us into her home.

What followed next was an hour of connecting with the lady, talking about different subjects, laughing and praying. During this time Ms.__ spoke about the Eternal Covenant in an eloquent and forthright manner, answered questions about the Faith and in the process described how she became a Bahá’í and the joy and calm she feels since becoming a Bahá’í… She spoke about the theme of Book 2 which is to serve humanity, invited the lady to investigate the Faith further, and offered to come back and read from the Bahá’í scriptures with her and answer her questions. The lady liked the idea. We said a few healing prayers and the visit ended.

Afterwards, as we were reflecting on what happened, Ms.__ said she really loved this experience and felt the spirit was truly guiding her. We talked about why we teach, to which she commented that we teach not because of any rewards but because the act of teaching is sacred and precious, and then she said, “Isn’t this the theme of Book 2?”

Last night in the Book 1 study circle at our home (where she had initially practiced making the presentation), Ms.__ told everyone how the home visit went. This was good not only for her but also for the Book 1 participants: They were able to see how these practice components of the training institute courses can help build community by making this kind of visiting and spiritual discussions part of the normal pattern of life.

Ms.__ plans to take Book 3 as soon as it is offered so she can teach children’s classes.

 

Warm regards,

M

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Making a home visit in Norte del Cauca, Colombia

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The thirsty ones are many yet the bearers are few. The seekers abound but the teachers are scarce. The thirsty ones are there in troops yet the guides of the True Path are scarce indeed! At present few indeed are the teachers of the Cause and so from every side the cry is raised, “Whither are the teachers? Whither are the teachers?”

No solution is there to this, save the establishment, in each town, for instructing the believers in teaching the Cause of God. Perchance the children of the Abhá paradise who are filled with yearning, longing, excitement, and enthusiasm could study the skills of teaching. If this is done in a proper and befitting matter, in a short while, in every town, there shall appear perfect teachers and steadfast orators of the Cause.
 
- ‘Abdu’l-Bahá

(from a newly translated tablet)

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(Adapted from the teaching blog http://teaching.bahai.us/2009/08/bulls-eye-in-dc.html. Emphasis added) (Image reproduced with permission of the Bahá’í International Community - view here)

Becoming enthusiastically involved in the implementation of the Five Year Plan

The following article is adapted from an address given by Dr. Vahid Saberi to a recent conference in Victoria, Australia.

The task of transforming the human race begins with transforming ourselves.

The Four Year Plan, Twelve Month Plan and the last and the current Five Year Plans are nothing more than instruments to achieve this great goal.  The power to achieve this rests with us individuals.

Bahá’u’lláh deliberately left the assignment of transforming the human race to countless ordinary, unassuming people like us.  Look at the first disciples of Jesus; they were just fishermen, but they took on the world and changed it utterly.

We are now called upon to do the same, but on a far more momentous scale.

He has entrusted us to begin by transforming ourselves.

Consider the plight of the world; never, at any other time in history, have so many people been so materially prosperous, and at the same time, so spiritually lost.  Never has there been so much despondency, depression, dysfunction, loss of purpose and fear.  Why is this happening?

We know that the “…world’s equilibrium hath been upset through the vibrating influence of this most great, this new World Order….revolutionized through the agency of this unique, this wondrous System.”

Shoghi Effendi has told us that only Bahá’ís “….know full well whence it comes, and what it will ultimately lead to [and that] they clearly recognize its genesis, are aware of its direction, acknowledge its necessity ….”  And it is cleansing the world.  Gripped in the clutches of this tempest, humanity, even while it is bewildered, continues painfully to move towards peace and unity.

That turmoil will continue because humanity has not yet turned away from Godlessness.  That is why Shoghi Effendi told us that “…all humanity is disturbed and suffering and confused; we cannot expect to not be disturbed and not to suffer – but we don’t have to be confused.”

We know that the only panacea of the world’s ills is the Revelation of Bahá’u’lláh, which is why ….  “The believers must rest assured that having the Faith, they have everything”.

That is why we must act.  Through taking ownership of our personal suffering and spiritual development, we can learn to be more compassionate and concerned for others, until “confidence and assurance, hope and optimism are our prerogative”.

But how do we measure our efforts?

Apex of Bahá’í House of Worship, India

Shoghi Effendi clearly states that ….. “The successful carrying out of our various Plans is the greatest sign we can give of our faith and inner assurance, and the best way we can help our fellow-men out of their confusion and difficulties.”

Bahá’u’lláh Himself took on humanity’s turmoil when He was imprisoned in the “Siayh-Chal”.  In this grim place of utter darkness reserved only for the most degraded of criminals; amidst foul stench, deprived of food and drink, rest and sleep, with a huge chain galling his neck, Bahá’u’lláh experienced a moment of intense illumination which revealed His task to be the Manifestation of this unprecedented Age of Fulfilment.   In the Black Pit, God promised Bahá’u’lláh that “Ere Long shall the Lord send forth and reveal the treasures of the earth, men who shall give Thee victory by Thyself and by They name …”

So, how can we be silent?  ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’’ reminded us of this responsibility when He wrote: “Why then are ye quenched, why silent, why leaden and dull?  Ye must shine forth like the lightning, and rise up a clamouring like unto the great sea.  Like a candle must ye shed your light, and even as the soft breezes of God must ye blow across the world … know ye the value of this chance, ere it slip from your hands.”

In reality, the time we give to serve the Faith matters above all else.  As many aspects of society continue to break down and the surrounding community begins to disintegrate, Bahá’ís must respond by building a genuinely loving, compassionate and inclusive community.

Gradually, we can learn to purify our motives, live prayerfully, strive to understand and do only what is right, and work together in love and harmony.  Our victories over ourselves must be demonstrated through how we work and consult together, both with each other and with those around us.

Above all, we must enthusiastically involve ourselves in the implementation of the Five Year Plan.  We must implement the core activities, which are nothing more or less than creative opportunities to teach.

They are about opening the hearts to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s message, They are about listening intently, like ‘Abdu’l-Bahá did.  They are about using Bahá’u’lláh’s Words, rather than our own, to teach.

They are about learning to be responsive to the needs of seekers.  They are about gaining new skills and personal resources.

Above all, they are about making teaching the dominating passion of our lives.

So, my task and yours are crystal clear; take the next step whatever it is.  Those who have completed Book 1can move onto Book 2.  Those who have completed Book 7 can become tutors.  And once your cluster achieves an “intensive programme of growth”, the heartbeat of each of the core activities begins to quicken.

When starting a fire, you fan a tiny spark.  Then, carefully shielding it, you softly blow until it is ready to burst into flame.  More time and purposeful effort is needed to bring that flame to a fire and ensure it becomes a blazing inferno.  This is how the intensive programme of growth works.  It starts slowly and then organically grows and intensifies.

So, let us not neglect our task.  Let us not lose our chance.  If we neglect our role, we have no right to call ourselves Bahá’ís.

‘Abdu’l-Bahá has added: “Soon will our handful of days, our vanishing life, be gone, and we shall pass, empty handed into the hollow that is dug for those who speak no more.”  There is no need to be overwhelmed when we can: “Be confident in Bahá’u’lláh’s help.  His Spirit will help you, and will feed your soul with that spiritual sustenance whereby you will be able to overcome the obstacles which seem to so hopelessly beset your path”.

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Sharing the Teachings, Cidade de Bahia, Brazil

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The Blessed Perfection, in a clear text, hath promised us in the Book: “Verily I behold you from the Horizon of Abha and will make victorious whomsoever will arise in the service of my cause with the hosts of the Supreme Concourse and the cohorts of the favored angels!” Praise be to God! that this victory and confirmation became visible and manifest and hath shone forth from the horizon of the world like unto the sun. Therefore, O ye friends of God! Show ye forth an earnest endeavor and display ye a resolute effort, so that ye may become assisted in the adoration of the Ancient Beauty and the Manifest Light; to be the cause of spreading the light of the Sun of Truth; to infuse into the dead, antiquated body of the world a new spirit; to cast in the fields of the hearts pure seeds; to arise in the service of the Cause; to speak with eloquent tongues; to become candles of guidance in the assemblage of the world; to become shining stars in the horizon of the existent being; to become merciful birds in the rose-garden of oneness; to sing the melodies of realities and significances; to spend every breath of your lives in the most great Cause; and to devote the period of your existence to the service of this conspicuous Light; so that in the end ye may be freed from loss and failure and attain to the inexhaustible treasury of the Kingdom. For the life on man is wholly subject to danger and impermanency. A person cannot put his assurance even in one moment’s continuity. Notwithstanding this, the nations of the world, deceived by the mirage of superstition, imagine themselves secure in the heavenly way.

Alas! Alas! Former communities in bygone ages entertained the same perishing thoughts; but by one of those periodical fluctuations they were all hidden under the ground and afflicted with deprivation and loss, except those souls who had become pure evanescence and had arisen with great self-abnegation in the path of God. Such souls shine forth as brilliant stars from the Horizon of the Ancient Glory, and the results which emanated from their lives in succeeding ages and cycles are the proofs of this statement. Therefore, do ye not rest, neither day nor night; seek ye not for composure; talk ye of the mystery of servitude, and seek ye the path of thralldom; so that through the promised confirmations ye may become assisted from the Kingdom of Oneness.

- ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Tablets of Abdul-Baha Abbas, 566-7

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(Article reprinted from “The Australian Bahá’í, March 2008”) (Image reproduced with permission of the Bahá’í International Community, view it in the gallery here)

Catching FIRE at Reflection meeting through beauty, symmetry, arts

(US – CO, 1 April)

This community has evidently found the key to creating enthusiasm for and ownership of the processes of growth which the Reflection meeting was meant to foster!

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“Something truly great is happening here”

There’s a certain point in a cluster’s history where a threshold is crossed. The hearts of the friends are touched in a new way, and they arise with love to serve the Cause with new levels of dedication. It is a point where the friends’ hearts, filled with both courage and love, arise to share the Message as part of an organized, collective, direct teaching effort. Here is a description of that joyful evening where this milestone was reached in Arapahoe-Douglas Counties, CO (B-stage), shared by a member of that cluster’s area teaching committee.

Dear S,

I want to recount our second Cluster Reflection Meeting since we became a “B” Cluster. It was wonderful.

The clubhouse is full in Arapahoe County. 35 Adults, 7 children and 6 Junior Youth. We had 48 red and white roses next to a large photo of the Shrine of Bahá’u’lláh. There was a slide on the screen of the Sea Gate in Akka. One believer told us about Bahá’u’lláh’s experience on that dark day entering the prison city while crowds threw things and called Him names. But what was happening in the spiritual realms was a different story. He heard the angels sing and was greeted by banners of light. She then sang “Soon will all that dwell on earth be enlisted under these banners.” It was beautiful. We had a prayer for the 7 friends imprisoned in Iran. . . .

Then a junior youth gave an amazing and well presented account of his teaching team experiences. He began with a prayer and guitar music. It was so wonderful. And sitting in a ring around him, very quiet and respectfully, were all the children. They really looked up to him! Next, a new believer gave a talk about her teaching team’s experience and how they now have 6 kids in their neighborhood children’s class. And how one little girl memorized a prayer of Bahá’u’lláh’s perfectly!

D was a perfect emcee. G and J gave a wonderful presentation about forming teaching teams and we broke up into discussion groups, came back together and reported our learning.

Then something wonderful happened: We formed 6 teaching teams for the cluster. Six groups of enthusiastic, excited and creative people decided their own individual paths of service and formed teaching teams! We have 6 teams and already 6 contact people. 6 different goals and focuses. And they all had children, youth or junior youth on them!

It was magic. It was wonderful and I think I actually heard the angels singing, “Soon will all that dwell on Earth be enlisted under these banners!” I am very, very happy tonight!

Something great is happening here. Something truly great. I think even when we don’t we see it, when we feel like nothing is happening, there are things occurring in the spiritual realms that are so amazing. There really are banners of light. The angels really do sing.

In His Service,

M

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The final place of exile of Baha’u'llah: the Mansion at Bahji, Acre, Israel

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It is natural for the heart and spirit to take pleasure and enjoyment in all things that show forth symmetry, harmony, and perfection. For instance: a beautiful house, a well designed garden, a symmetrical line, a graceful motion, a well written book, pleasing garments–in fact, all things that have in themselves grace or beauty are pleasing to the heart and spirit–therefore, it is most certain that a true voice causes deep pleasure. What is music? It is a combination of harmonious sounds. What is poetry? It is a symmetrical collection of words.

Therefore, they are pleasing through harmony and rhythm. Poetry is much more effective and complete than prose. It stirs more deeply, for it is of a finer composition.

A fine voice when joined to beautiful music causes a great effect, for both are desirable and pleasing. All these have in themselves an organization, and are constructed on natural law. Therefore, they correspond to the order of existence like something which would fit into a mold. A true voice fits into the mold of nature. When it is so, this affects the nerves, and they affect the heart and spirit.

In the world of existence physical things have a connection with spiritual realities. One of these things is the voice, which connects itself with the spirit; and the spirit can be uplifted by this means –for though it is a physical thing, it is one of the material, natural organizations– therefore, it is effective.

All forms when understood aright gladden the spirit. Melodies are like water. The voice is like a goblet. The pure water in a pure glass is pleasing. Therefore, it is acceptable…

– ‘Abdu’l-Baha’s words to Mrs. Mary L. Lucas, as quoted in “A Brief Account of My Visit to Acca” pp. 11-14 (quoted here)

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(Excerpted from the teaching blog, http://teaching.bahai.us/2009/04/something-truly-great-is-happening-here.html ) (Image reproduced with permission of the Bahá’í International Community, view it here)

House Message 28 Dec.: Nature of direct teaching methods

(Haifa, 28 December)

Following is a clarifying letter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to a National Assembly, which contains reflects on the recent global learning about direct teaching methods and how this approach to teaching is being successfully integrated into a healthy pattern of growth in clusters throughout the world.

Its contents can be broken down into the following points (letter in full below; emphasis added):

• As a community we should apply a range of approaches and methods in sharing Bahá’u’lláh’s message, in keeping with the receptivity of our respective listeners
• In order for the listener’s heart to be touched when being presented the Faith directly using “Anna’s presentation”, it is essential that the teacher should not reduce it merely to a series of points of information enumerated for the listener, but rather should understand the logic underlying the presentation and be prepared to offer it in its fullness
• The hard-earned habit of engaging friends and acquaintances in conversations on matters of spiritual import should now be extended to interactions with strangers
• A visit to a home should not be seen as an isolated act, but as one element of a coherent pattern of action
• Individual actions should take place in this context
• At the heart of the matter is how a campaign of teaching the Faith by visiting homes relates to the other activities being undertaken in a neighbourhood that enable people to advance on equal footing and explore the application of teachings to their individual and collective lives
• In this context, we should visit homes and explain the nature of the core activities, and invite them or their children to take part
• In this context, visiting a resident to see whether they are interested in learning about the Faith is often highly fruitful
• We should remain ever conscious of the nature of the worldwide learning mode that the Bahá’ís are presently engaged in
• We should be careful that we do not prevent our fellow believers from engaging in activities through which they can learn how to approach people directly and offer them the message
• We should do all we can to foster strong bonds which unite the friends

____________________________

The Universal House of Justice

28 December 2008

The National Spiritual Assembly
of the Bahá’ís of . . .

Dear Bahá’í Friends,

The Universal House of Justice was pleased to receive your letter dated 6 August 2008 in which you report on the success of initial attempts in your community to undertake a collective teaching campaign. That the receptivity found in . . . society has prompted you to reflect on the nature of direct teaching methods has brought the House of Justice joy indeed. We have been requested to reply to you as follows.

You have inquired about experience elsewhere of teaching the Faith directly, particularly in societies like . . ., which are perceived to be secular in nature. You are especially interested in knowing whether the approach to teaching the Faith in neighbourhoods from door to door could be applicable to your situation. As mentioned in the Ridván message this year, the friends everywhere are learning how best to apply a range of approaches and methods in sharing Bahá’u’lláh’s message, in keeping with the receptivity of their listeners. In this context the House of Justice has been pleased to see that there are two developments occurring in all parts of the globe, irrespective of the nature of the society in question.

First, the practice of discussing the principles and precepts of the Faith in a general way, which has resulted in a great many admirers of the Cause but few enrolments, is being complemented by an increasingly direct approach to sharing Bahá’u’lláh’s message. More often than not, the friends have found the presentation of the Faith outlined in Book 6 of the Ruhi Institute most useful in this respect. It is clear, however, that those making such a presentation need to avoid the trap of reducing it merely to a series of points of information that are enumerated for the listener. Results worldwide leave little doubt that the heart of the listener is touched when the teacher understands the logic underlying the presentation and is prepared to offer it in its fullness. That so many believers who have been taught the Faith in this way have, through study of the courses of the institute, become active supporters of the Cause in their communities stands as ample testimony to the validity of the method. This development represents an important milestone, indeed, in the progress of the Faith.

Second, the habit of conversing with friends and acquaintances on matters of spiritual import, now engrained in the community, is being brought to bear increasingly on interactions with people who could otherwise be regarded as strangers. This tendency is manifesting itself in a number of ways, depending on the circumstances. Not infrequently, outreach to the wider community takes the form of a visit to a home, sometimes after prior arrangements have been made with the residents, although not always. What should be understood in this respect is that such visits are not isolated acts. A visit to a home should be seen as one element of a coherent pattern of action that seeks to enable specific populations to contribute to the construction of the society envisioned by Bahá’u’lláh. At the heart of the matter, then, is how a campaign of teaching the Faith by visiting homes relates to the other activities being undertaken in a neighbourhood—how it relates to the efforts to hold meetings that strengthen the devotional character of the wider community, to offer classes that foster the spiritual development of children, to form groups that channel the energies of junior youth, to establish circles of study, open to all, that enable people of varied backgrounds to advance on equal footing and explore the application of teachings to their individual and collective lives.

Within the above context, it would be quite appropriate, as the House of Justice has noted on earlier occasions, for Bahá’ís to visit the homes of people in a neighbourhood or village to explain the nature of the core activities of the Five Year Plan and invite them or their children to take part. In many cases, a visit to the home of someone to see whether he or she is interested in learning about the Faith would also be highly fruitful.

As you continue to reflect on this subject, you should remain ever conscious of the nature of the mode of learning that characterizes the worldwide enterprise in which the believers and their institutions are engaged. Methods of teaching cannot be governed by hard and fast rules. Clearly those who do not feel comfortable employing any specific direct teaching method should not be obliged to do so. Yet it is equally important that the inhibitions of individual believers, though rooted in the prevalent culture, and undoubtedly the result of a sincere desire to safeguard the interests of the Faith, do not prevent others from learning how to approach people directly and offer them the message for which their hearts so desperately yearn. So strong should be the bonds which unite the friends that the diversity of their temperaments and backgrounds serves to open before them new vistas for the growth of the Faith, while at the same time protecting it from extremes.

With loving Bahá’í greetings,

Department of the Secretariat

cc: International Teaching Centre

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Bahá’u’lláh’s room in the house of ‘Údí Khammár, where He revealed the Kitáb-i-Aqdas

* * * * * *

The friends in every continent are engaged in study of the Writings for the explicit purpose of learning to apply the teachings to the growth of the Faith… As they have persevered in the field of service to the Cause, maintaining a humble posture of learning, their courage and wisdom, zeal and acuity, fervour and circumspection, determination and trust in God have combined all the more to reinforce one another.  In their presentation of the message of Bahá’u’lláh and the exposition of its verities, they have taken to heart the words of Shoghi Effendi that they must neither “hesitate” nor “falter”, neither “overstress” nor “whittle down” the truth which they champion.  Neither are they “fanatical” nor “excessively liberal”.  Through their constancy in teaching, they have increased their ability to determine whether the receptivity of their listener requires them to be “wary” or “bold”, to “act swiftly” or to “mark time”, to be “direct” or “indirect” in the methods they employ.

– The Universal House of Justice, Ridván 2008

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(Image reproduced with permission of the Bahá’í International Community)

Discerning receptivity in our ‘community of interest’, inviting to declare

(US, SC, 31 July)

This astonishing report shows how a believer used Anna’s presentation in a simple way to confirm those people he had nurtured friendly contact with over a period and whom he felt to be receptive, in the Faith.

♣ ♣ ♣

Recently a forum was held for individuals who lead chapters of the Bahá’í-inspired Black Men’s Gathering. One of the activities at this event was an in-depth study of and consultation on the use of Anna’s presentation, which helped the participants gain confidence in using the presentation in their teaching activities. Here is a brief report from one individual at the Black Men’s Gathering Leadership Forum about what happened with Anna’s presentation after returning to his home in Greenville, SC (B-stage cluster). This experience also shows the power of directly and lovingly inviting someone to embrace the Faith.

Dearest ___,

I just wanted to share our results with Anna’s presentation here in Greenville since returning from the gathering. Dad and I have shared it with three seekers and we have three new Bahá’ís! We picked who we thought was the most receptive in our community of interest and invited two of them to the [Bahá'í] center on Saturday evening and told them we wanted to share something with them. We got through the section on the Báb and then had some refreshments and then invited them to become Bahá’ís!!! They immediately and excitedly almost jumped off the couch with Yes! Yes! Yes! and shared with us how special they felt to be invited to become Bahá’ís in such a way. On Sunday evening we met with a third person we had thought of and shared Anna’s presentation again breaking at the same spot for refreshments, inviting them to become a Bahá’í and with the same results!

These new Bahá’ís were seekers in our Saturday morning African drum class and have recently been attending our Sunday Devotionals and adult class. We have another Anna’s presentation scheduled for tomorrow at 7:30 pm

I really felt the workshop on Anna’s presentation at the Leadership Forum was Great! I feel so much more comfortable using it now.

Will keep you posted on our progress,

Much Love to you,

j

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Inside the main entrance of the House of ‘Abbúd in ‘Akká (Acre), Israel

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O thou who art turning thy face towards God! Close thine eyes to all things else, and open them to the realm of the All-Glorious. Ask whatsoever thou wishest of Him alone; seek whatsoever thou seekest from Him alone. With a look He granteth a hundred thousand hopes, with a glance He healeth a hundred thousand incurable ills, with a nod He layeth balm on every wound, with a glimpse He freeth the hearts from the shackles of grief. He doeth as He doeth, and what recourse have we? He carrieth out His Will, He ordaineth what He pleaseth. Then better for thee to bow down thy head in submission, and put thy trust in the All-Merciful Lord..

- ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, SWA 51, no. 22

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(Excerpted from the teaching blog: http://teaching.bahai.us/2008/07/black-mens-gathering-is-organization-of.html) (Image reproduced with permission of the Bahá’í International Community)

What is Anna’s presentation?

“Anna’s presentation” is found in Ruhi Book 6, Teaching the Cause, and consists of a comprehensive hypothetical narrative of how a Bahá’í named Anna explains the fundamental verities of the Faith to her friend Emilia.

How people are applying it:

People are using Anna’s presentation as a good option to support direct person-to-person teaching of the Bahá’í Faith in many settings: for example, firesides, individual encounters or “coffee shop” meetings, collective teaching campaigns, home visits or Holy Day events.

Many have memorized the presentation. Others use an outline and make the presentation conversationally. Still others use flip books with pictures to help give the presentation structure.

If presented in one session it can last 30-45 minutes. Depending on the responsiveness of the listener and time available, though, people also present one or two sections at a time over several sessions.

Concepts conveyed:

* God, our relationship with Him and His Manifestations; Bahá’u'lláh as the Promised One of all ages

* Unity as the primary aim of Bahá’u'lláh’s teachings; the essential oneness of humanity and need to eliminate prejudice

* Story of Bahá’u'lláh; His suffering and endurance in the face of persecution; His Revelation and its influence on people’s hearts and minds

* Story of the Báb; His station as the “Gate” leading to the Promised Day of God; establishment of the spiritual and administrative World Center

* Covenant of Bahá’u'lláh; life and station of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá; station of the Guardian; establishment of the Universal House of Justice

* Laws and commandments as a sign of God’s love; a few examples of spiritual and social laws (emphasis in Ruhi Book 6 is on obligatory prayer, prohibitions against backbiting and intoxicants, and importance of education)

* Religion building a World Order: roles and benefits for the individual believer; roles and benefits for the community; roles of the institutions and benefits for society

Practices and attitudes:

* Frequent quotation from writings of Bahá’u'lláh and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá

* Respect for the hearer’s faith background

* Logical progression of the above concepts with few details conveyed immediately, to avoid overwhelming the seeker or inviting argument on specific points before the seeker understands the “big picture”; the underlying expectation is that the hearer will follow up afterward if interested

* Asking the hearer what he or she feels at certain intervals, and asking permission to continue

* Listening and being sensitive to the hearer’s state of receptivity

* Expressing the hope that the hearer will join the Bahá’í community

* Inviting the hearer at appropriate points to participate in core activities

* Finishing the presentation with a shared prayer and a gift of a small prayer book

Anna’s presentation in various formats:

Microsoft PowerPoint: ̀(with text and photos)
http://teachingandprojects.com/meansandmaterials1/navigation_bars/BahaiFaithAPENGLISH.ppt

Microsoft Word: (text-only, no photos)
http://bahai.org.uk/england/tife/wp-content/uploads/2007/08/annas-presentation.doc

PDF-format (text and photos):

Anna’s presentation flipbook double (divide sheets in half, makes two copies)

Anna’s presentation flipbook single

Other versions:
http://www.slideshare.net/mrmeek/slideshows

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‘Abdu’l-Bahá turned to the Blessed Beauty and prayed: ‘O Blessed Beauty, confirm me!’

“…in the city of Baghdad, I talked with a learned man, Mulla Hassan, some of whose relatives were believers. No matter how hard they tried to give him the Message, he would not accept it. Once, they brought him to my house when I was just getting up from my sleep and combing my hair. They said, ‘We have brought so-and-so here and we beg you to come and speak with him; perhaps, he will become a believer.’ I said, ‘Very well,’ and then I turned to the Blessed Beauty and prayed: ‘O Blessed Beauty, confirm me!’ Afterwards, I talked to him, and in the same hour he became a believer. He became exceedingly good and was so enkindled that, although he was of high rank, he used to go into the kitchen and cook things with his own hand to entertain the friends.”

(Talk by Abdu’l-Bahá in the Holy Land, translated by Dr. Zia Baghdadi: Star of the West, Vol. IX, No. 3, p. 36) (Found in Lights of Guidance, second part, ch. 4, no. 1981)

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(Excerpted and adapted from an article in The American Bahá’í online, 20 April 2008 ) (Image reproduced with permission of the Bahá’í International Community)

Study circles: What are they?

Isn’t this a good introduction and/or invitation to a study circle!

Faith & Action: Study Circles

It was a rather striking introductory statement: This series of courses provides a means for promoting the well-being of humanity. How’s that for a grand purpose? Intriguing. When was the last time you took a course which trained you for such a lofty and noble goal?

But, here it was. A unique curriculum, the Ruhi Institute, initially developed in Columbia and currently being offered in cities, towns and villages world-wide. From pasturelands in Mongolia to penthouses in Montreal, across the velds of South Africa to the mountains of Europe, and in every province of Canada and every state of America, small groups of people are joining together in Ruhi study circles, learning about themselves in a manner that connects their hearts to every other beating human heart on the planet.

Okay, so what exactly would promote the well-being of humanity and how could one person’s participation make any sort of meaningful mark? The answer is clearly indicated in the title of the first course, “Reflections on the Life of the Spirit.” Examining the very essence of our humanness, we are compelled to explore the spiritual aspect of our beings and discover the existence of our true selves, our souls. That thoughtful investigation allows each participant to understand their common bonds with all people. It also reveals our intimate relationship with our Creator…

But, here it was. A unique curriculum, the Ruhi Institute, initially developed in Columbia and currently being offered in cities, towns and villages world-wide. From pasturelands in Mongolia to penthouses in Montreal, across the velds of South Africa to the mountains of Europe, and in every province of Canada and every state of America, small groups of people are joining together in Ruhi study circles, learning about themselves in a manner that connects their hearts to every other beating human heart on the planet.

Okay, so what exactly would promote the well-being of humanity and how could one person’s participation make any sort of meaningful mark? The answer is clearly indicated in the title of the first course, “Reflections on the Life of the Spirit.” Examining the very essence of our humanness, we are compelled to explore the spiritual aspect of our beings and discover the existence of our true selves, our souls. That thoughtful investigation allows each participant to understand their common bonds with all people. It also reveals our intimate relationship with our Creator…

In a way, one just needs to experience a Ruhi course in order to understand what is meant by quotation-based study. It’s the kind of thing that fairly defies explanations. Don’t assume that this method precludes the free and vigorous expression of emotion nor stifles vibrant individuality. There’s plenty of room for enthusiasm, excitement and exploration…

Establishing the study circle, the group may choose to meet weekly over the stretch of several months, or conduct a more intensive pace, covering the materials in the timeframe of a single week-end. Groups are facilitated by experienced Ruhi tutors who guide the process, not as authority figures, but as collaborators with everyone else. Participants engage in a focused study, using a compilation of quotations in each book. Egos are checked at the door… Simply a respectful environment of encouragement and sharing.

Book One, “Reflections on the Life of the Spirit”, explores themes regarding the nature of the human soul, the purpose of our lives, our ability to commune with God through prayer, developing divine virtues, and life after death. The practices encouraged are cultivating the habit of reading the holy Writings daily and visiting others to share and study prayers together. What other kind of activity promotes, so directly and so meaningfully, the true well-being of humanity?…

This is not a simple project rooted in philanthropy, of short term, material solutions. It’s a grassroots, interactive process grounded in spiritual as well as practical activity.

By JOYCE FULLER KLEIKAMP, Baha’i Community of Pinal County

http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=19673495&BRD=1817&PAG=461&dept_id=222077&rfi=6

Becoming “channels of the Holy Spirit”

Some reflections on the teaching method used in an Intensive Program of Growth by an experienced teacher

I have also learned, and I think this is one of the main lessons being learned in IPG/direct teaching campaigns worldwide, that when receptive souls are invited into the Cause based on just having experienced a “spark” of the conflagration which Baha’u'llah has ignited, they come in–and they come from all backgrounds and temperaments. They matriculate into the worldwide university of the Faith, and then begin the learning process once they are in.

The presentations we are using are carefully designed to enable us to be the channels of the Holy Spirit which produce this “spark”, and always includes an invitation to join our faith community (or, if they indicate they are not quite ready to declare, they are invited to join our core activities as a seeker). The core activities are designed to help fan this spark into a flame. In effect, we have been given permission to go out and invite most everyone into the Faith in this manner. (The only proviso being that the Core agencies will turn on and off the number of new enrollments based on the ability of the community to absorb them).

Through Richard Hoff’s and others’ training I have realized that we can all be trained to be better and more effective channels of the Holy Spirit, in this regard, and that one result of that increased effectiveness is the ability to ask the “question” [of whether a person is willing to join] in a simple and loving manner addressed to the heart, which rarely, if ever, offends anyone. In fact, I have found, that my sometimes inability to invite receptive souls into the Faith has everything to do with my own hang-ups and little to do with the seeker’s readiness or lack thereof. Even though I am fairly experienced at doing this direct teaching and inviting I still often get “stage fright” (which means my ego gets in the way and the Holy Spirit goes away–at least temporarily).

Just last week, door to door teaching in a small Texas town, three times I judged or rationalized that seekers whom I was teaching were “not ready”, and I was about to leave them with an invitation to a future visit or activity, until each one of the seekers (really the Holy Spirit working through their souls) clobbered me with signs that they were indeed ready and needed to be asked–so I did, and they did (declared). Part of it is in the presentation of the question, and this is where training comes in.

(used with the author’s kind permission)

* * * * * * * *

Baha’u'llah and the Master have both urged us repeatedly to disregard
our own handicaps and lay our whole reliance upon God. He will come to
our help if we only arise and become an active channel for God’s
grace. Do you think it is the teachers who make converts and change
human hearts? No, surely not. They are only pure souls who take the
first step, and then let the spirit of Baha’u'llah move them and make
use of them…

Shoghi Effendi will surely pray for your success if you should arise
and start to teach. In fact the mere act of arising will win for you
God’s help and blessings.

(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer)

http://www.bahai-library.org/compilations/guidelines.teaching.html

(Image reproduced with permission of the Bahá’í International Community)