Plans being devised for this phase invariably involve the implementation of carefully designed
teaching projects and campaigns of home visits and firesides, often through the mobilization of
teaching teams. The pattern of expansion that unfolds, however, varies from cluster to cluster.
Where the population has traditionally shown a high degree of receptivity to the Faith, a rapid
influx of new believers is to be expected. In one cluster of this kind, for example, the goal of
enrolling fifty souls over a three-week period in a locality was surpassed by the second day, and
the team wisely decided to end the expansion phase in anticipation of activities related to
consolidation. One of the primary objectives of this next phase is to bring a percentage of the new
believers into the institute process so that an adequate pool of human resources will be available
in future cycles to sustain growth. Those not participating in study circles are nurtured through a
series of home visits, and all are invited to devotional meetings, to the celebration of the Nineteen
Day Feast and to Holy Day observances and are gradually introduced to the patterns of
community life. Not infrequently, the consolidation phase gives rise to further enrollments as the
family members and friends of new declarants accept the Faith.
In other clusters, enrollments during the expansion phase may not be high, especially in the
first few cycles, and the goal is to augment the number of those willing to participate in core
activities. This, then, defines the nature of the consolidation phase, which largely involves
nurturing the interest of seekers and accompanying them in their spiritual search until they are
confirmed in their faith. To the extent that these measures are vigorously followed, this phase can
generate a considerable number of enrollments. It should be noted, however, that as learning
advances and experience is gained, the ability not only to teach responsive souls, but also to
identify segments of the general population with heightened receptivity, develops, and the totality
of new believers increases from cycle to cycle.