implementation of Baháʼí law in greater degrees among non-Iranian Baháʼís, and the maturation of the Spiritual Assemblies. Through a series of plans, the Universal House of Justice refocused the Baháʼí community on community development, and systematization of best-practices, hoping to reduce the "boom and bust" cycles of community growth encountered in the previous century. The Baháʼí community began to incorporate more active service, socio-economic development efforts ballooned in number, and local and national communities became more focused on examining the needs of their wider non-Baháʼí communities, to see how the faith could aid them. The earliest days of the 21st century saw the Baháʼís begin to pare down their administrative structures, appoint fewer committees, and focus on very specific goals outlined by the Universal House of Justice – namely the creation of small grass-roots study groups, the creation of more neighbourhood-centric children's classes, and the increase in the spiritual character of the community through small devotional gatherings. The Baháʼís were encouraged not to see these "core activities" as simply Baháʼí activities. Rather, these were to be seen as activities which were open to the wider community, but would be characteristic of a Baháʼí's community life. This period also saw the establishment of regional councils, who form a level of administrative action more specific than a National Spiritual Assembly, but broader than the civic locality, a boundary which almost always defines the jurisdictions of Local Spiritual Assembly. These seem to be evolving and assuming many growth and consolidation and educational functions of Local Spiritual Assemblies, allowing these local bodies to meet the more personal needs of their community members. The present-day Baháʼí local, national and international communities experiment with community development methods, and seem to be attempting to harness the administrative structure to canalize grass-roots initiatives, rather than have higher institutions dictate highly specific plans and practices. See also New world order (Baháʼí) Theodemocracy Notes References Bahá'í institutions