Emerging insights from the field: Teaching & Enrolment (Part 1)
This article forms part of a short series titled “Emerging insights from the field: Teaching & Enrolment.”
In its message to the Conference of the Continental Boards of Counsellors dated 30 December 2021, the Universal House of Justice offered the following guidance:
“We ask you and your auxiliaries to help the believers, wherever they reside, reflect periodically on effective ways of teaching the Faith in their surroundings, and to fan within their hearts a passion for teaching that will attract the confirmations of the Divine Kingdom. Souls who have been given the blessing of faith have a natural wish to share this gift through conversations with relatives, friends, classmates, co-workers, and those previously unmet, seeking in every place and at every moment a hearing ear. Different settings and circumstances lend themselves to different approaches, and the friends should be occupied in an ongoing process of learning about what is most effective in the place where they are.”
In response to the above guidance, members of the Auxiliary Board have compiled a learning document that gathers experiences and emerging patterns observed across various clusters and communities.
The narratives and examples taken from this learning document and shared in this series reflect a process of learning unfolding at the grassroots in Aotearoa, one that recognises that different settings lend themselves to different approaches. These insights offer glimpses into how friends and institutions are navigating the realities of teaching, while contributing to a growing culture of learning within the Bahá’í community. Shared below is the first in this series of articles highlighting experiences and insights emerging from youth and junior youth initiatives in the localities of Kaitī, Pinehill and Waitaki.
Kaitī
There have been several enrolments by youth and young adults over the past couple years. The institute process and their engagement in service, along with meaningful conversations about Bahá’u’lláh as a Messenger of God seem to be the main factors. These friends increasingly see these activities as expressions of Bahá’í life, and their sense of ownership over them often leads to a natural alignment with the Faith. The experience of Bahá’í youth participating in institute courses fosters a recognition of the Teachings’ truth, often leading them to affirm their belief. Discussions in spaces like institute camps and study sessions have proven effective in strengthening their Bahá’í identity. The main area of teaching remains to be the element of devotional meetings in the neighbourhood.
Role models among older Bahá’í youth also play a significant role, encouraging younger participants to embrace the Faith.
Declaring and enrolling as a Bahá’í, however, remains a conscious decision, with enrolment marking a deeper commitment to the Teachings and their Bahá’í identity. The journey to enrolment often includes gaining a greater understanding of the Faith, aligning one’s life with the Teachings, and reaching a stage where becoming a Bahá’í represents a solid, personal commitment. This gradual pathway allows time for learning and developing a Bahá’í identity, with enrolment occurring at some point along the journey. Unique experiences also shape individual journeys, with some coming to the Faith through community-building involvement and witnessing transformation in themselves and others.
Pinehill
An animator is consciously having ongoing conversations now with all 8 members of a junior youth group from families from the wider community, who have the intention to enrol in the Bahá'í community together when they turn 15. This group all completed Ruhi Book 1 “Reflections on the Life of the Spirit” in October 2024, through which they strengthened their firm belief in the station of Bahá’u’lláh and their certitude in the existence of the soul and the need for observance of the laws of God, and so on. Their love for prayer and worship has strengthened greatly. Two of the members chose to enrol in the Bahá'í community following the study of Book 1 and when they turned 15 in late 2024. Others in the group want to wait until others in their peer group have all turned 15, when they wish to be enrolled together. Involvement of the parents is something to consider.
Waitaki
A group of eight junior youth from Bahá'í families reaffirmed their faith together after completing around 12 texts of the junior youth programme, including the Bahá'í texts. The Bahá'í parents have been very supportive of the programme and have been eager to support the animator in ensuring the junior youth all complete all the available texts. There was a conscious effort to approach the study of the Bahá’í texts in a way that ensured the youth seamlessly reaffirmed their Faith in Bahá’u’lláh in the course of the learning and ongoing conversation guided by the study of the texts. One youth expressed that they thought they wouldn’t be able to play video games if they became a Bahá'í. Efforts are being made to remove barriers to enrolment for example by setting high standards early in an individual’s path of service, in environments such as camps through policies like no smoking or vaping, and by encouraging positive language and habits.
