 In 1937 , Shoghi Effendi launched a seven @-@ year plan for the Bahá 'ís of North America , followed by another in 1946 . In 1953 , he launched the first international plan , the Ten Year World Crusade . This plan included extremely ambitious goals for the expansion of Bahá 'í communities and institutions , the translation of Bahá 'í texts into several new languages , and the sending of Bahá 'í pioneers into previously unreached nations . He announced in letters during the Ten Year Crusade that it would be followed by other plans under the direction of the Universal House of Justice , which was elected in 1963 at the culmination of the Crusade . The House of Justice then launched a nine @-@ year plan in 1964 , and a series of subsequent multi @-@ year plans of varying length and goals followed , guiding the direction of the international Bahá 'í community . 
