What Is A Bahá’í House Of Worship?

Then ‘Abdu’l-Bahá walked under the large tent where three hundred people sat on chairs in concentric circles, between nine equally spaced aisles. He strode to the center and began to talk about this unique house of worship.
 “Thousands,” he said, “will be built in the East and in the West.” But they were more than just places to pray. They would become the central edifices in a complex of institutions devoted to social, humanitarian, educational, and scientific pursuits. Together, they would offer a new model of faith dedicated to the service of humankind.
They would become “one of the most vital institutions in the world.”... ‘Abdu’l-Bahá swung the axe high, then brought it down with purpose, piercing the earth with a thud... ‘Abdu’l-Bahá reached down, scooped up handfuls of earth, and presented them to members of the crowd. Then he pushed the limestone block into the waiting hole, packed soil around it, and pounded the dirt down hard.
 “The temple is already built,” he said.

http://239days.com/2012/05/01/dont-call-it-a-church/