Stage 4 - NEWLY DECLARED BAHÁ'Í

DEFINITION of a Newly Declared Bahá'í:

Someone who experiences the spark of faith and who declares his or her belief in Bahá'u'lláh.

GOAL of this stage:

"... endeavor to nurse him, patiently, tactfully, and yet determinedly, into full maturity, and aid him to proclaim his unqualified acceptance of whatever has been ordained by Bahá'u'lláh." [EP9]

"Deepening the knowledge of the new believer in the verities of the Faith is the most vital part of teaching..." [EP13]

TIP: The teacher must feel a direct spiritual responsibility for deepening the faith of those whom he has taught. He cannot expect that others will fulfill this role or that the seeker will achieve it on his own.

-- Shahin Vafai, Raising the Call: The Individual and Effective Teaching, pp. 169-170

CHECKLIST:

• Provide literature of interest to the newly declared Bahá'í
• Introduce the newly declared Bahá'í to the Bahá'í community [EP9] Perhaps host a declaration party or a devotional gathering in their honor.
• Ensure the newly declared Bahá'í is connected to the rest of the community through newsletters, the activity calendar, e-mail notices.
• Have the newly declared Bahá'í attend an institute course or participate in a study circle.
• Ensure the newly declared Bahá'í knows about and is educated in Bahá'í laws and practices.

Note: Keep in mind that everyone has different methods of learning!

SIGNS OF SUCCESS:

The newly declared Bahá'í

• Has a sense of spirituality.
• Teaches the Faith.
• Participates in community life. (i.e., attends Feasts)

BENCHMARK:

Stage 4 is complete when: the Newly Declared Bahá'í "contribute[s] his share to the enrichment of its [the community's] life, the furtherance of its tasks, the consolidations of its interests, and the coordination of its activities with those of its sister communities." [EP9] He or she becomes an INDEPENDENT TEACHER.

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