Tuesday, June 3, 2008

Training leads to teaching

In many places, the believers are participating in trainings to build their skills in direct teaching and prepare them to share the message of Bahá’u’lláh with their neighbors. Here is a report from the friends in Albuquerque, NM (A), where training raised up a cadre of confident and enthusiastic teachers. Also worthy of note is that the friends are beginning to see their efforts as one part of a worldwide process.

We learned in our training to realize that since we are created to know and love God, it should be no surprise to us when people are ready to accept Bahá’u’lláh’s message quickly and easily just as we are not surprised when a fish by instinct knows how to swim!

On Saturday we had a day-long training on the use of Anna’s presentation. We learned skills for talking to people and doing direct outreach and had a chance to discuss our cluster and what this might look like for us. Then we did direct teaching and had some wonderful results!

Teams of teachers who had participated in the training taught in the __ and ___ apartment complexes. These teams knocked on doors and offered Anna’s presentation. After giving the presentation, teachers asked two questions: “Do you see the light of God in these words, do you believe that Bahá’u’lláh is the Manifestation of God for today?” and “Do you want to join the Bahá’ís in working for unity and building a better community?” If people answered yes, they were immediately invited to declare! Using this simple presentation, in one weekend 8 people joined the Bahá’í community!

These adults and children are ready and eager to learn more about their new Faith and are eager to begin study circles, children’s classes and devotional gatherings for their families and communities. We will need the help of everyone to help consolidate these new believers. Please contact the area teaching committee if you would like to meet these new believers and help to welcome them.

Friends this is only the beginning. We are ready now to join dozens of clusters across the United States and the hundreds across the world that are loudly and clearly proclaiming the message of Bahá’u’lláh and are welcoming the entry of troops of new believers into the Faith.


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