On the Involvement of Non-Baha'is in Baha'i Core Activities: A focus of action-oriented committees in Baha'i clusters

• Quite unlike how most "committees" function, an area teaching committee is essentially meant to serve as an "action team". To truly understand the Five Year Plan requires that one engage in Plan processes and experience its components, not just read about them.

The Area Teaching Committee for our cluster meets tonight. So does the Tacoma Baha'i Spiritual Assembly. The institution of the assemby was developed and lovingly honed by Shoghi Effendi, especially during first 13 years of his ministry. It was only after administrative institutions were in place that he turned to call on the friends to carry out the teaching campaigns called for by Abdu'l-Baha.

The Area Teaching Committee is a new entity. It differs greatly from the District Teaching Committees of decades past. As I look over a document describing the duties of the ATC, I am struck by the fact that this body is focusing on the development of the planet, and not just the expansion of the Baha'i religion.

The Baha'i Faith is not another minority religion among a bevy of minority religions in the world each of which is striving to increase its "market share" through increasing its membership enrollments. Rather Baha'is are transforming the planet through putting in place core activities that incorporate the teachings of Baha'u'llah and invite people of all Faiths, or no Faith, to join us in the process. It is what Baha'is do, but, as we are discovering, many souls are willing to step up to become tutors or children's teaching or junior youth animators, whether they have declared their Faith in Baha'u'llah of not.



As I look over the ATC document, these words and phrases stand out for me, reflecting the language of what has been termed the institute process.

• operating at the grassroots level
• action-oriented
• learning-based
• organized
• collaborative
• working to enlarge resources
• mobilizing for service
• assessing
• analyzing
• reflecting
• an organic process

Below are official documents that describe the Baha'i view of global development, to which the Baha'i core activites contribute in a fundmental way. -gw

Rethinking Prosperity: Forging Alternatives to a Culture of Consumerism (www.bic.org)

http://www.bic.org/statements-and-reports/bic-statements/10-0503.htm

Eradicating Poverty: Moving Forward as One (bic.org)

http://bic.org/statements-and-reports/bic-statements/08-0214.htm

The Prosperity of Humankind (bic.org)

http://bic.org/statements-and-reports/bic-statements/95-0303.htm

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