It's far more challenging than most debates in the boardrooms or political arenas. There's much more resting on the shoulders of a member of a Baha'i spiritual assembly. Using instructions set forth by Abdu'l-Baha, Baha'u'llah's eldest son and an interpreter of his father's writings, the group is instructed to conduct meetings in love and harmony, elect a chairman and set bylaws and ensure that a majority of voices prevail. In addition to the local committees, Baha'is have national and international assemblies. Members of the Universal House of Justice, the faith's international governing body, are elected every five years at the World Centre of the Baha'i Faith in Haifa, Israel.
Local assemblies meet about once a week.
But meetings can be held more often if there are several issues at stake. The Dallas Baha'is met 70 times last year. A three-inch notebook from the Universal House of Justice provides guidelines. All members start each meeting by reading from a book of Baha'i prayers, originally written in Persian or Arabic, or say a simple blessing. The group discussed the upcoming 19-day feast, planned other activities and took stock of finances.