HOW TO MAKE NEW DEVOTEES?
Dvaipayana Dasa
Paramgati Swami, Smita Krišna Swami, Anakadundubi das, Parabhakti das,
Mayapur Candra das, Mahalaxmi devi dasi
Only Deity worship without preaching and care for the devotees is
"useless".
People are desperately searching for genuine attention and care.
People are hungry for love, but they can't find it the outside world.
If they find this in the association of devotees they will become
attracted.
Example is the best preaching
If they see that temple devotees have genuine loving relationships,
they will become convinced.
Start to talk about it.
Usually this topic is not on temple meetings schedule. So start to talk
about it.
Group Meditation.
All devotees must meditate on getting new devotees, pray to the Deities
and Šrila Prabhupada.
Leaders most inspired and active.
New devotees must see that the most senior devotees are really desiring
them in the temple and are willing to take their precious time for
them.
Different bhakta programs:
Offer to new devotees different programs for living in the temple
(weekend, week, months, year..). So they know what to expect.
Be merciful, tolerant and patient.
New devotees will undoubtedly make many mistakes but be merciful,
tolerant and patient while "correcting" them. Correct without
anger.
Junior always learns under some senior.
In every field new devotees should learn under the care of a senior
devotee before becoming active themselves.
All devotees live together.
No special devotees with separate rooms. If seniors are taking care of
juniors then there won't be any danger of disrespect or
over-familiarity due to close association.
Adopting devotees
If there is no facility in the temple, a family can take a new devotee
to their home and give him training there.