Service to humanity, an element of Bahá’í life.

Baha’i Houses of Worship

As service to humanity is an element of Bahá’í life in communities everywhere, no matter what their size or means, in communities where a Mashriqu’l-Adhkár emerges, the purpose of its dependencies is to systematize the facilitation of service to the common good by providing centres of education and scientific learning as well as cultural and humanitarian endeavour and by promoting the application of knowledge to serve social and spiritual progress.
Crucially, these two aspects of worship and service cannot be isolated from each other. Until translated and transfused into dynamic and disinterested service to the cause of humanity, the results of worship are limited; the dependencies of the Mashriqu’l-Adhkár both promote this change and provide channels for it.

The Emergence of Bahá’í Houses of Worship. 
By Ann Boyles.