“Sharing, Caring, & Acting”Golden Keys to unlocking hearts

By Shoaleh Young and Vahid Hedayati

Challenges ?

Who faces challenges in: Teaching the Baha’i Faith Inviting Starting a Core Activity Sustaining a Core Activity Involving others

Purpose of our presentation

Review the practical aspects for reaching and teaching the masses

Share examples and methods for reaching and teaching, inviting, and initiating and sustaining core activities

Share stories and ideas for action Share tools and resources for our assistance

Building Relationships and Caring enough to Share Cary and Melanie’s Stories

Ways to meet and share with the masses and get them involved: Pray Generate a Conversation Share an intro story or description of the

Faith Share materials and follow-up Invite and follow-up Initiate core activities Sustain core activities

How do we begin?

PRAY daily Long Obligatory Prayer Tablet of Visitation Tablet of Ahmad Other

Read the Writings daily Live our lives expecting to teach

How do you generate a conversation?

“Be worthy of the trust of thy neighbor, and look upon him with a bright and friendly face.”

(Baha'u'llah)

When they ask

BE READY!!!BE READY!!!

SOME OPENING LINES What are some opening lines you’ve used?

“The Baha’i Faith teaches that there is only one God, that we are children of that same God….”

  “To be a Baha’i simply means to love all the

world, to love humanity and try to serve, to work for universal peace and universal brotherhood.”

Your Story- How to share why you are a Baha’i

Share Your Heartfelt Feelings

What attracted me to the Baha’i Faith? Why I am a Baha’i Why I love Baha’u’llah What Baha’u’llah has brought humanity

Don’t talk too much when you give an Don’t talk too much when you give an introduction or share your story. Maybe introduction or share your story. Maybe 30-60 seconds.30-60 seconds.

If there is an interest, they’ll ask If there is an interest, they’ll ask questions.questions.

So after you’ve shared the introduction, So after you’ve shared the introduction, STOP TALKING AND LISTEN!!!STOP TALKING AND LISTEN!!!

LISTEN to their needs and interestsLISTEN to their needs and interests

THEN…THEN…

Let them respond – Have a conversation

Offer to share materials

Would you like some more information?

Would you prefer to watch a DVD, go to the website, read a pamphlet or a book?

GREAT!

I have short DVD that I think you’d love….it’s about 20 minutes….

Keeps them acting (makes it a priority) Gets them to make an appointment with Gets them to make an appointment with

themselves to review the information and themselves to review the information and for you to follow-upfor you to follow-up

Gives them a time-limit to return your materials

“I want to call you after you’ve watched it (or Visited the website) and it’s fresh in your mind to see what you think …when do you think that might be?”   

Set up a time for them to review the information

How to Follow-up

Call them on the appointed day/time Ask if it is a good time to talk and if so, if they

had a chance to review the information If not, set a time in the next 2 days to call

again. Get their feedback Invite to activity or to share more information Ask if they are ready to return the material or if

they want to share with someone else

Ways to Keep Track of your Sharing (Idea 1)

Have a notebook to keep a list of people whom you have shared information– What information they have received

– There contact information

– Their religious background and interests

– Their personal information

– Follow-up calls notes

– Invitation notes

– Home Visit notes

– Core activity notes

Ways to Keep Track of your Sharing (Idea 2)

Have an overall summary sheet

Some Materials to share

Books:• Baha’u’llah and the New

Era• Hidden Words• Christian subject books• Christ’s New Name• Baha’i Publishing books• Prayer books

Pamphlets• Pattern of Community

Life

Audio CDs:• We are Baha’is

DVD:• The Light of Unity

Cards:• Healing Cards• Open Door• Invitations• Gift Cards

Christian Subject Books

Intro Books

CDs and DVDs

Sharing materials with friends your already know Who do you want to share this great new

book you read with? Who do you want to invite over to watch

‘The Light of Unity’ DVD? (or send) Call them up Ask if they would like to read it Let them know you’ll check back with them

to see how they liked it

How to invite to fireside Know what interests them Remember: a fireside can be just you and

them Have a Baha’i buddy do a joint fireside

with their seekers and yours – (Keeps it casual)

If you have a meeting-type fireside:– Make a list of seekers/friends to invite– Call – Send – Call to remind

But Most important – JUST ASK

At the fireside Keep presentation simple and passionate

(let your spirit and love shine) Sharing education Invite to future fireside or gathering Invite to core activity Share more materials Build relationships

Fireside Follow-up Send an e-mail thanking them for coming and any

information they requested or quote Call them the next day to thank them for coming and share

how you were glad they came Do they have any questions or comments? Do they want to tap into the core activities?

Guests who didn’t come – Call and tell them they were missed Offer to get-together and share a summary of what you

learned Plant the seed for the next time to put it on their calendar

How to initiate a core activity

Get a Buddy Set a schedule

– Regular time based on participants schedule – Beginning and end date for Study Circles

Invite Follow-up (critical)

How to sustain a core activity

Have a positive attitude Have a buddy Finish in a timely manner Add new participants Be flexible to change schedule to fit the needs of

the majority, if needed Do the activity and service components in groups Make it fun and interesting

Ideas on how to invite your neighbor?

Build relationship first (could take a couple months)– Movie night– Game night– Dinner– Walking around the block

Offer idea to get a devotional or neighborhood virtues class started

Set a good time to meet and together – You have a team

Then invite more neighbors and let them know what is happening and the purpose

Devotions – thoughts to say “I’m having prayers at my house, would you like

to come?” “We are having monthly devotions at my home,

this months’ prayer focus is on (Our Children). I’d love for you to come pray with us. Can you?”

“Would you like to come over and say some prayers for healing (or peace) together?”

“Can I come over and share some prayers with you?” (A home visit and prayers)

“______” Share invitation (if more formal invite) Follow-up (call to remind)

Study circles – thoughts to say “Would like to come participate in a study class

reflecting on the life of the spirit?” “The class is interactive. We’ll read from the Baha’i

Writings and discuss morality, purpose of life, prayer, and life after death.”

“This curriculum is offered all over the world.” “I felt I understood my life’s purpose more fully!” “The perspective given by the Baha’i Writings made

sense to me. It answered many questions.” “You may enjoy and learn from it like I did.” “The group benefits with diversity. Your sharing…” Do you want to come and participate?

Resource for Study Circles

www.ruhiresources.org

Virtues classes - thoughts to say

“Would you like your children come to a neighborhood virtues class?”

“We teach children the importance and meaning of virtues using games, activities, and stories.”

Pause – see response “What virtues would be helpful to cover

with your child?”

Sample invitations

See notebook

Resources for Virtues Classes

There are so many –keep it simple www.virtueoftheweek.org (free curricula) www.virtuesproject.com www.changing-times.net (coloring book) www.bahaibookstore.com

(CDs, books, support materials) Hidden Gems – from Magdalene Carney Baha’i

Institute – mcbi@mcbiinstitute.org Ruhi Book 3 – Children’s Classes

Jr. Youth Classes - thoughts to say

PRACTICE – “P” Pray daily Plan Personal Touch Remember this is a Process POTENTIAL of what is POSSIBLE Develop a POSITIVE attitude and PASSION for

your PURPOSE Patience Persistence Partner Power of attraction

PRACTICE – “R”

Respect your fellow Baha’is, yourself, and where people are at spiritually!

Read the Writings everyday! Resolve!

PRACTICE – “A”

Assist people! Assure people! Be Assertive! Be an Angel! Attend! Advance! Act – systematically!

PRACTICE – “C”

Care! Commit!

PRACTICE – “T”

Trust in God! Train! TRY!!!!

PRACTICE – “I”

Invite and keep inviting until they come or ask you to stop!

Become Involved!

PRACTICE – “C”

Have Courage! Have Confidence! Be Consistent! Believe that Confirmations will Come!

PRACTICE – “E”

Have Energy and Enthusiasm! Engage yourself in service and action! Be an Example! Each one, teach one!

Personal Teaching Plan

What is my purpose in starting _______ core activity?

What would I like to have happen? Who will I focus on? What am I willing to do to make that

happen? – In terms of time– In terms of resources

What obstacles will I need to overcome?

“Visualize Your Success”‘See the end of things in the beginning’

Your plans become your Focus…and What You Focus on

Magnifies!

These souls become your Focus to start the process to introduce the Baha’i Faith :

They become your Focus Group To Invite to actitivies. They become your Focus for sharing your story, and planting

the seeds They become your Focus to introduce more information

(books, CDs, pamphlets, invitations These potential contacts will become Baha’is or will know and

respect the Faith. So lets start the process to make friends and share the

message

FOCUS

“So long as the thoughts of an individual are scattered he will achieve no results, but if his thinking be concentrated on a single point wonderful will be the fruits thereof.

One cannot obtain the full force of the sunlight when it is cast on a flat mirror, but once the sun shineth upon a concave mirror, or on a lens that is convex, all its heat will be concentrated on a single point, and that one point will burn the hottest. Thus it is necessary to focus one's thinking on a single point so that it will become an effective force.”

-Selection from the Writings of `Abdu-l-Bahá

Our Life’s Passion

“Having grasped the significance of these words, having obtained a clear understanding of the true character of our missions, the methods to adopt, the course to pursue, and having attained sufficiently the individual regeneration – the essential requisite of teaching – let us arise to teach His Cause with righteousness, conviction, understanding, and vigor. Let this be the paramount and most urgent duty of every Baha’i. Let us make it the dominating passion of our life.”

“Confidence is patiently built as the friends engage in progressively more complex and demanding acts of service. Yet, above all, it is reliance on God that sustains them in their endeavors. How abundant the accounts of believers who enter the teaching field with trepidation only to find themselves bolstered by confirmations on all sides. Seeing the possibilities and opportunities before them with new eyes, they witness first hand the power of Divine assistance, as they strive to put into practice what they are learning and achieve results far exceeding their expectations.”

(UHJ, Dec. 27, 2005)

“A journey of 1,000 miles must begin with one step.”

Ancient Chinese Proverb

“To try, to persevere is to ensure complete and

ultimate victory.”Baha’i Faith

Nothing Happens until Nothing Happens until YOUYOU take Action take Action

““As ye have faith, so shall your powers As ye have faith, so shall your powers and blessings be.” and blessings be.” Abdu’l-BahaAbdu’l-Baha

Act and have faith in the Holy Act and have faith in the Holy Spirit to guide youSpirit to guide you

For For

You You

to Make a Difference!to Make a Difference!