Five Year Plan 2001-2006/Text

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[Page 1]Five Year Plan

2001-2006

Vision

With humble hearts and heads bowed in gratitude to Baha’u’llah, the

Glory of God, we offer this Plan as a testament of our commitment to

advance His Sacred Cause of universal love and salvation.

The Baha’i Teachings proclaim that God has given the United

States a spiritual destiny to help reshape the world. The American

nation will evolve, we are told, through purifying tests and trials to

become a land of spiritual distinction and leadership, a champion

of justice and unity among all peoples and nations, and a power-

ful servant of the Cause of everlasting peace.

MISSION OF THE AMERICAN BAHA‘IS

American Baha’is have a “parallel mission” to assist the comple- tion of the successive stages of the Divine Plan, which is ‘Abdu’l- Baha’s grand design for the spiritual conquest of the planet. Our mission calls for us to transform our souls and our ways of life and to spread the Divine Fragrance of Baha’u’llah’s Teachings among all people, thus inspiring a closer relationship to God. We are asked to build institutions that will nurture the emergence of a new kind of community life, a life that requires unity, love and service. Our aims are to banish the darkness of ignorant preju- dice, to help souls overcome misery and pain and to invite all

people to a universal fellowship of service and love. Day by day [Page 2]we must strive to carry out in our lives the noble ideals of our Faith and in so doing to advance the spiritual missions of our

nation and our community.

Over the past five years, our research has shown that tens of millions of Americans are searching for spiritual truth. Hundreds of thousands are investigating the Baha’i Faith and many more will follow. They want what we want, a sense of spiritual purpose and encouragement, a happy and joyful com- munity life, support for our families, spiritual education for our children, and freedom from prejudice, inequality and injustice. As Shoghi Effendi explained, “people crave love, not an imita- tion but the embodiment of a bright and shining ideal.”

The purpose of the Five Year Plan is to build a system to meet these needs and in so doing to expand our capacity as individ- ual believers, communities and institutions to love, serve, teach

and embrace all souls who are searching for spiritual truth.

The Baha’i Writings promise that if we are “truly united” and promote the “essential purpose” of our Faith with an “all-uni- fying love” that “so great a light will shine forth from your faces as to reach the highest heavens, . . . your aims and pur- poses will exert their influence upon the great and mighty nations . . . and ye will discover yourselves to be. . . mar- Shals of the army of peace, and princes of the forces of light, and stars shining from the horizon of perfection, and brilliant

lamps shedding their radiance upon men.”

RECEPTIVITY TO THE FAITH

PURPOSE OF THE PLAN

UNITY KEY TO SUCCESS [Page 3]BAHA’U’LLAH’S Some may feel this task is too great. But our Teachings confirm Sea that we are not alone. Baha’u’llah has pledged the assistance of divine forces, if we but call upon them. Foremost among

these are the spiritual powers of unity and love, without which

we are paralyzed. To assure our success, every believer must

foster “a greater realization of the power of Baha’u’llah to rein-

force the efforts of those who serve Him, of His promise to do

so, and of the impotence of all our deeds without this divine

assistance.” Any assessment of our prospects is “entirely mis-

leading if it does not take this supreme power into considera-

tion.” Constant reliance upon Baha’u’llah will enable us to for-

mulate audacious plans and carry them out with confidence no

matter how great the obstacles.

Our Spiritual Mission in The Five Year Plan

The January 9, 2001 letter of the Universal House of Justice gives us the vision and framework of the Five Year Plan. Advancing the process of entry by troops through the systematic efforts of individual believers, Baha’i communities, and Baha’i institutions is the Plan’s central aim. Racial unity and gender

equality remain essential themes of our work.

In preparing the Plan, the National Spiritual Assembly enjoyed the benefit of a series of meetings with the Continental Counselors,

including one with their Auxiliary Boards. We are deeply grateful for

4 their wise advice and loving encouragement. We are also indebted

to the Regional Baha’i Councils whose tireless efforts to carry out

[Page 4]the National Plan in the regions were indispensable to our progress and learning. Their analyses of regional conditions and their rec- ommendations for the Five Year Plan offered new and invaluable insights. We salute the National Teaching Committee for their tire- less labors, their expert study and strategic advice on the patterns and process of religious growth throughout the United States and within the Baha’i community and for their innovative thinking about

advancing the process of systematic growth.

We are profoundly grateful for the priceless opportunity to meet in plenum with all of these distinguished institutions and agencies, to listen and learn from each other, strengthen our unity and increase our capacity to bring Baha’u’llah’s Healing Message to millions who

are searching for spiritual truth.

The Five Year Plan calls for us to begin a process of goal setting, action, evaluation and learning. The goals set should be evaluat- ed at least once every six months in consultations of Local Spiritual Assemblies with the believers in their communities. Such practice will help us learn from our efforts and continuous- ly refine them. In areas without Local Assemblies, the friends should follow the same pattern in consultation with one another. In areas where clusters of inter-ccommunity partnerships are working on growth programs, arrangements should be made for evaluation no less than once every six months. Auxiliary Board members and their assistants are eager to assist Assemblies and groups in carrying out the requirements of the Plan. We encour-

age you to call upon them.

[Page 5]Central Features of The Five Year Plan

Advancing the process of entry by troops

a. Collaboration of the institutions in systematic programs of growth b. Carrying out the National Teaching Plan including: i. Maturation of training institutes ii. Formation of clusters by local communities iii. Initiation of area growth programs where conditions are favorable c. Enhancing seeker follow-up

d. Doubling the core of active believers

Integrate and nurture children in the life of the Cause

a. Advance education and training for Baha’i children, junior youth, and youth b. Engage children, junior youth, and youth in consultation with their Assemblies about their cares, hopes, and plans c. Enhance the range and quality of activities for children and youth

d. Register Baha’i children on the National Membership Rolls

Cultivate individual initiative

a. Promote home front and international pioneering and travel- ing teaching b. Include the arts in community activities c. Train institutions in nurturing individual initiative

d. Encourage universal participation in the Baha’i Funds [Page 6]e. Complete the goals of the Kingdom project

Promote the spiritual transformation of individual believers,

Baha’i communities, and Baha’ institutions a. Hold devotional gatherings b. Enhance the spiritual and social vitality of the Nineteen Day Feast c. Encourage daily prayer and daily study of the Baha’i Writings and regular service to the Cause d. Strive to achieve compliance with Baha’i standards of conduct

e. Refine the art of consultation

Influence the course of human affairs

a. Expand local community external affairs efforts b. Promote racial unity and gender equality c. Establish projects of social and economic development

d. Pursue promotion of social justice

Spiritual Mission for Individual Bahd’is

“Tf ye will follow earnestly the teachings of Baha'u'llah, ye shall indeed become the light of the world, the soul of the body of the world, the comfort and help

for humanity, and the sources of salvation for the whole universe.” —Abdu'l-Bahé

A marked increase in the activity and development of the Plan’s three participants—the individual believer, the Baha’i community, a

and its institutions—is needed for the Plan to succeed. [Page 7]Children You are the most precious treasures of our community. We want you to grow strong and be happy. We ask you to:

Pray every day

Learn about Baha’u’llah, the Bab, ‘Abdu’l-Baha and their

Teachings

Be a friend to all people and help them

« Share the Baha’i Teachings with others

Contribute to the Baha’i Funds and the Kingdom Project

Junior Youth You are preparing for the age of spiritual maturity (15). We ask you to study and practice the requirements of spiritual maturi- ty in your life, including to:

Pray daily and read at least one verse of the Baha’i Writings

every day

Study the Life and Teachings of Baha’u’llah, the Bab,

and ‘Abdu’l-Baha, and the Covenant

Learn the importance of the Baha’j Obligatory Prayers

and Fasting

Commit to memory at least one of the Obligatory

Prayers

Be of service to your families, your communities, your

peers and others

Help children see themselves as noble beings and

become strong and confident and happy

Share the Baha’i Teachings

Contribute to the Baha’i Funds and the Kingdom Project

[Page 8]Youth

You have reached the age of spiritual maturity and now must strive to become leaders and sources of strength to your families and your communities. Many of those now investigating the Faith are young people whom you must embrace and teach. Bearing these things in mind, we ask you to:

Develop a plan, in consultation with your family, for your

spiritual and social growth based on a careful assessment of your spirit and character and your aims in life and the needs of the Faith, including provisions for:

~ Strengthening the disciplines of daily prayer and study of the Sacred Writings, especially the Life and Station of Baha’u'llah and His Covenant

~ Cultivating the habit of service to all people

~ Learning how to share effectively the Baha’i Teachings with others

~ Planning for your education, career development and a year of service

~ Developing moral and spiritual discipline

« Join in a study circle and consider being trained as a study circle facilitator

Participate in teaching and service projects

Mentor children and junior youth and establish relationships

with older community members

Champion racial unity and the equality of women and men

Take a leading role in improving the spiritual and social quali-

ty of Baha’i community life

Contribute to the Baha’i Funds and the Kingdom Project

[Page 9]Adult Baha'is

You are the strength of the Baha’i community, its most able and experienced members. The development and growth of the community rests largely in your hands. At this turning point in the growth of our Faith, we ask each of you to con- sider prayerfully Shoghi Effendi’s admonition, “Without the spirit of real love for Baha’u’llah, for His Faith and _ its Institutions, and the believers for each other, the Cause can never really bring in large numbers of people. For it is not preaching and rules the world wants, but love and action.”

—Written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi

Develop a spiritual transformation plan for yourself,

your marriage, your family

Foster patterns of loving encouragement to all people and

to the Baha’i Institutions

Study the Life and Teachings of Baha’u’llah and

His Covenant

+ Support the development of training institutes, study circles and extension courses

Make a personal teaching plan

Assist in seeker follow-up efforts

Consider homefront and/or international pioneering and

traveling teaching

Mentor and encourage children and youth

Increase awareness of issues facing the larger community

7 oe and champion racial unity, gender equality, and social justice + Contribute to the Baha’i Funds and the Kingdom Project [Page 10]Spiritual Mission for Bahd't Communities

Learning to act collectively is a distinguishing feature of Baha’i communities. “Most important of all is that love and unity should prevail in the Baha’i Community, as this is what people are most longing for in the present dark state of the world. Words without the living example will never be sufficient to breathe hope into the hearts of a disillusioned and often cyni-

cal generation.” —Written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi

Spare no effort to bring love, joy and happiness to your

community

Foster the spirit of loving encouragement and support to Baha’i families; celebrate the efforts of children,

youth, and adult Baha’is

Strive to create an atmosphere of wholehearted acceptance of all members to unify the diversity of

the community

Refine the practice of consultation in all matters

Strengthen the arts and music

Embrace seekers and new believers and lovingly

encourage disaffected Baha’is

Expand programs of service and partnership with the larger community

Increase awareness of issues facing the larger

community and champion racial unity, gender equality,

and social justice [Page 11]Spiritual Mission for Bahd’t Institutions

Spiritual Assemblies

You are the focal centers of Baha’i activity. More than any other institution you face the challenge of making real the promises of our Faith and regulating the affairs of your local communities. Your mission is to exercise spir- itual leadership, functioning as “instruments of the spir- it of the Faith” and “loving shepherds of the multitudes.”

We ask you to:

Assess the strengths and challenges of your commu-

nity in consultation with its children, youth, and

adult members

Set goals for community development and growth and evaluate them at least once every six months in consultation with community members

Seek the advice of Auxiliary Boards and

their assistants

°

Strengthen and define clusters (inter-community partnerships) in collaboration with the Regional

Baha’i Council and the Auxiliary Board members

Improve the spiritual and social vitality of the

Nineteen Day Feast

Establish study circles in consultation with Regional

Training Institutes

Promote service and social development efforts in

the larger community [Page 12]* Double the active core of the Baha’i community

Promote an intimate sense of responsibility to meet

the needs of the Funds and the Kingdom Project

Contribute regularly to the Baha’i Funds and the

Kingdom Project

- Increase awareness of issues facing the larger com- munity and champion racial unity, gender equality, and social justice

+ Strengthen unity and love among Assembly members

Enhance the sacredness of Baha’i elections

Regional Baha’i Councils

Your indispensable mission is to advance the process of systematic growth by assisting the friends in your region to carry out the National Plan and create strong Local Spiritual Assemblies. Your mode of operation is to work with and through Local Spiritual Assemblies. You are also responsible to oversee the operations of Regional Training Institutes. With the advice of the Continental Counselors and under the direction of the National Spiritual Assembly

you should:

Assess the strengths, potentialities, and challenges

of the region for programs of systematic growth, particularly through inter-community partnerships

Facilitate and support clusters (inter-community

partnerships) to advance the process of systematic

growth [Page 13]* Devise a regional plan for systematic growth

Facilitate Spiritual Assembly establishment and

development

+ Supervise Regional Training Institutes

Communicate and consult with the friends about the

progress of the Faith in the region

Promote full operation of Regional Training Institutes

Facilitate the integration of Persian American Baha’is

Promote regional youth activities

Promote teaching and consolidation of special

populations including those of African, American

Indian, Asian, Latin American and Persian descent

Kegional Training Institutes

Training institutes are the engines of systematic growth. They are central to the development of the human resources needed to accomplish the goals of the Plan. Your mission is to devise systematic sequences of training on the fundamental verities of the Baha’i Faith and the skills of teaching and administering the Faith with efficiency

and love.

Consult frequently with Spiritual Assemblies to

determine their needs and develop training responses

Employ a wide diversity of sequenced training curricula

Evaluate and improve the effects of your training

Improve outreach to increase participation in classes

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ear friends, bearing in mind the

dramatic advances of the process of systematic growth in the Baha’ community over the past five years, we feel that conditions are right for large-scale growth and development of the Baba’ community. The Universal House of Justice told our community that what is required now is “a thrust of action fit for champions.” With the wise advice and loving encouragement of the Continental Counselors and their auxiliaries, we are completely confident that the long-awaited breakthrough in the process of entry by troops can be achieved in the Five Year Plan.

Our love and prayers are with you always,

Your servants,

National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the United States �