July 25, 2018

The broad scope of the teaching work

The teaching work is broad in scope, encompassing personal efforts as well as collective projects, selected neighborhoods as well as sundry localities, chosen populations as well as chance acquaintances, firesides as well as core activities. 
- The Universal House of Justice  (From a letter dated 5 January 2015, written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to NSA of the United States)

July 23, 2018

The station of ‘Abdu’l-Baha

Thou hast asked concerning the station of this servant. The station of this servant is servitude to the Holy Threshold (Baha’u’llah) and I glory and honor in this. Abdu’l-Baha is the standard of the divine love, the sign of the gift of God, the servant of the assemblage of the merciful ones, the light of the meeting of the spiritual ones. He is the orb of peace and reconciliation and the light of love in the world of humanity. He is the herald of the Kingdom of the Merciful One and the promulgator of the religion of rectitude and security. This is the station of this servant! This is the Truth!

I hope through the divine grace that the brilliancy of the love of God will pervade all regions, and that he will remove warfare and strife from the world of existence. Then the human world will become expressive of the unity of the merciful world, the inferior world will become a clear and purified mirror reflecting the Supreme Concourse, the East and West will embrace each other like unto two longing ones and the North and South will shake hands and clasp each other in the arms like unto two beloved ones. This is the station of ‘Abdu’l-Baha.
- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (‘Tablets of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, vol. 1)

July 20, 2018

Political figures – not to “either side with them or denounce them”

The Guardian wishes me to draw the attention of the friends through you that they should be very careful in their public utterance not to mention any political figures -- either side with them or denounce them. This is the first thing to bear in mind. Otherwise they will involve the friends in political matters, which is infinitely dangerous for the Cause. 
- Shoghi Effendi  (From a letter dated 12 January 1933 written on behalf of Shogh Effendi; Baha’i News, no. 72, April 1933)

July 16, 2018

How to teach oneself not to be concerned with the faults of others – ‘Abdu’l-Baha explains

As to backbiting, the House of Justice points out that learning not to concern oneself with the faults of others seems to be one of the most difficult lessons for people to master, and that failing in this is a fertile cause of disputes among Baha'is as it is among men and women in general. In Star of the West. Volume 8, No. 10, on page 138, there is a record of a reply given by 'Abdu'l-Baha in a private interview in Paris in 1913. He was asked “How shall I overcome seeing the faults of others - recognizing the wrong in others?” and He replied: “I will tell you. Whenever you recognize the fault of another, think of yourself: What are my imperfections? - and try to remove them. Thus you will grow, become more perfect. You will overcome self, you will not even have time to think of the faults of others…" 
- The Universal House of Justice  (From a message written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to an individual believer, 13 August 1980; compilation: ‘Lights of Guidance’)

July 15, 2018

Area Teaching Committee & Cluster Agencies – some chronological references from the Universal House of Justice & the International Teaching Centre

Need for “close collaboration of the institute, the Auxiliary Board members and their assistants, and an Area Teaching Committee”
Programmes initiated in such areas should aim at fostering sustainable growth by building the necessary capacity at the levels of the individual, the institution, and the community. Far from requiring grandiose and elaborate plans, these programmes should focus on a few measures that have proven over the years to be indispensable to large-scale expansion and consolidation. Success will depend on the manner in which lines of action are integrated and on the attitude of learning that is adopted. The implementation of such a programme will require the close collaboration of the institute, the Auxiliary Board members and their assistants, and an Area Teaching Committee. (UHJ, 9 Jan. 2001)

Plans of ATC should also include “an analysis of approaches to be adopted and lines of action to be followed” – “visions, strategies, goals and methods have to be re-examined time and again”
The plans of action that Regional Councils, Area Teaching Committees and Local Spiritual Assemblies devise in the ensuing process need to go beyond the mere enumeration of goals to include an analysis of approaches to be adopted and lines of action to be followed. Indeed, at this level, planning and implementation must go hand in hand. If learning is to be the primary mode of operation in a community, then visions, strategies, goals and methods have to be re-examined time and again. As tasks are accomplished, obstacles removed, resources multiplied and lessons learned, modifications have to be made in goals and approaches, but in a way that continuity of action is maintained. (UHJ, 9 Jan. 2001)

July 11, 2018

Cycles of Intensive Program of Growth: some excerpts from messages of the Universal House of Justice

Intensive Program of Growth & its “series of cycles”
A valuable body of knowledge about the nature of intensive programmes of growth is accumulating, and certain features of these endeavours are now well understood. Such programmes tend to consist of a series of cycles, each of several months' duration, devoted to planning, expansion, and consolidation. Human resource development proceeds uninterrupted from one cycle to the next, ensuring that the process of expansion not only is sustained but progressively gathers momentum. (UHJ, Ridvan 2005)

Intensive Program of Growth & its “successive cycles of activity”
You have, likewise, observed how the conditions thus created in such clusters have made it possible to launch intensive programs of growth, in which large numbers of friends eagerly participate in the learning that takes place through successive cycles of activity seeking to integrate well-coordinated collective action with effective individual initiative. And you are equally aware of how interaction among three entities—the institute, the Auxiliary Boards, and the Area Teaching Committee—in close collaboration with responsive Local Spiritual Assemblies, can help carry the friends from one cycle to another and accelerate the learning process. (UHJ 19 October 2005)

Intensive Program of Growth: “it employs a few measures that have proven to be indispensable to large-scale expansion”.
As currently conceived, an intensive programme of growth is straightforward, simple and effective, but implies a level of exertion that tests the resolve of the friends. Conforming well to the vision we presented five years ago, it employs a few measures that have proven to be indispensable to large-scale expansion and consolidation. It consists of cycles of activity, in general of three months' duration each, which proceed according to distinct phases of expansion, consolidation, reflection and planning. (UHJ 27 Dec. 2005)

July 6, 2018

July 2, 2018

‘Abdu’l-Baha calls on us to “defend the rights of Bahá'u'lláh”

The time for my departure [from America] is near and I am making arrangements for the voyage. Therefore I shall not be able to attend every meeting, so I shall bid you farewell. I am pleased with you and grateful for your services. Truly, you have shown great kindness and extended to me the utmost hospitality.

I supplicate to the Kingdom of Bahá'u'lláh to shower upon you His assistance and confirmations so that day by day you may be more assisted to defend the rights of Bahá'u'lláh, that your hearts may become more enlightened, your morals heavenly, your souls transported with joy and your conduct proof of your faith and certitude. May you be in the utmost sanctity, be completely attracted and turned to the Abhá Kingdom and become like brilliant lights. May you become evident signs of the Blessed Beauty and proofs of the reality of Bahá'u'lláh so that you may illuminate the world. And when people look at your deeds and conduct they will see the traces of holiness and severance and will behold heavenly brightness in you and all will testify that `these people are truly proofs of the reality of Bahá'u'lláh', and that `Bahá'u'lláh is undoubtedly the Sun of Truth who has educated these people through His power'. May they see divine lights in your behavior, find the signs of the love of God, observe praiseworthy conduct in you and seek the virtues of the world of man within you. You must each become the proclaimer of truth and shine from the horizon of the world of humanity like brilliant stars. This is what is meant by defending the rights of Bahá'u'lláh; this is the purpose of the Blessed Beauty in suffering afflictions and accepting confinement in the Most Great Prison. He bore all afflictions and difficulties and ascended to the Kingdom of God a prisoner so that we would act according to His teachings and arise and carry out that which is consistent with faithfulness; that we may act upon His exhortation and raise the call of the Abhá Kingdom and proclaim the light of the bounties of truth, so that the waves of the Most Great Ocean may surge high, this world may become the mirror of the world above, this bed of thorns may turn into a flower garden and this region of dust may reflect the All-Glorious Paradise. 
- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (Words of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, December 2, New York, recorded by Mahmud Zarqani; ‘Mahmud’s Diary’)