15. Teachers of Seekers
Every Community or Group should have at least one Teacher of Seekers; a Bahá'í especially chosen and trained to teach the Faith to Seekers. This not only means those trained in the Verities of the Faith, but also in the Dialogues (right answers to the hundreds of questions that Seekers may ask). From personal experience I can assure you that most of the Friends are not capable of this endeavor at present.
A Teacher of Seekers needs to know the right response to questions concerning the Afterlife, the Resurrection of Christ, the Rapture, the End-Times Anti-Christ, Pre-Existence, Joseph Smith, The Book of Mormon, the Bible, Faith vs. Works, Pre-Destination, UFOs, dinosaurs, Evolution, Creationism, Ghosts, etc. Hundreds of questions. And the ToS must have answers to them all.
Or, all of these Questions and Answers can be in one book called The Book for Seekers; which can be mass-produced and simply "given" to all Seekers who attend a Public Meeting.
Even with The Book for Seekers there still needs to be a "guide" for Seekers; a Teacher of Seekers. A friend. A guide. A director of Seekers until they "declare". The Teacher of Seekers should be those most deepened in the Faith and most familiar with the contents of the Book for Seekers.
The "key" is that the Teacher of Seekers be trained in the "Prospect Dialogues"; a set of standard question and "right answer" dialogues that the ToS need not memorize, but should be very familiar with. The Seekers will be going to the ToS for answers to their questions, and there are potentially hundreds.
Seekers' Meeting
There must be, one day per month, a "SEEKERS' MEETING"; a informational meeting for all Seekers to go to where a ToS is always present. A DVD about the Faith should be shown, and a Question and Answer period as well as the serving of refreshments. One day per month, or, if there is a greater demand, 2 days per month.
The Seeker's Meeting can be held at the home or the ToS if there are only 1 or 2 Seekers, or at the Baha'i Center or Place of Congregation, or Worship Center, or even a public library.
During the Seeker's Meeting, the ToS will go over a chapter in The Book for Seekers and ask the Seekers if they have questions about that Section.
Transporation
Transportation is extremely important! Seekers should NOT be expected to brake out their Thomas Guides or go on Mapquest to find the Seeker's Meeting; at least not the first time. Each Teacher of Seekers should have a cadre of volunteer "Transporters" to pick up and take a Seeker to a Seeker's meeting, and take them home afterwards! Each Transporter can pick up 1 or 2 Seekers (no more than this) and take them home; unless the meeting can be very, very easily found.
Another "key" is that the Teacher of Seekers must be a "friend" to the Seekers, and offer to take them to Baha'i "Seeker Meetings". The bonding is much more inportant that any information that the Teacher of Seeker has.
