—What are your thoughts on the second key area of focus, “Learning the teachings”?
First of all, what we base ourselves on and what we convey in the work of salvation are Oyasama’s teachings and Her Divine Model. We have the teachings of Oyasama and Her Divine Model, which are absolutely without error. It is because of them that we can stand firm and that we are able to help save those who are at their wits’ end or feeling lost in their lives. This is the strongest point of the path.
Because our foundation—which is based on the teachings and Oyasama’s Divine Model—is solid, there is no room for error. It goes without saying that it is necessary for church head ministers themselves to learn and internalize the teachings and make an effort to put them into practice on a daily basis.
I try to imagine what it would have been like if I had been there when Oyasama was physically present and working for us. Also, what would Oyasama say to me if She saw what I am doing now? I think about these things and consider what I need to do.
Since it is God the Parent who saves us, it is only through the workings of God the Parent that we can receive the blessings. Our salvation work cannot be accomplished without the workings of God the Parent, who accepts our true sincerity and works for us according to the state of mind, not according to our wishes.
Whether we can have God the Parent work for us depends entirely on how thoroughly we are performing our tasks. We must not make mistakes in this regard. I believe that it is only by receiving God’s blessings that our churches will shine more brightly.
For this reason, it is important for us to reevaluate how well we have learned the teachings. We must deepen our faith as we age, so it is not enough to remain in the mindset of our youth. However, there are times when we are overconfident that we know what we are doing, and we do not realize that we are conveying the teachings in the wrong way. I think there is nothing more frightening than that kind of unconscious confidence. I would like church head ministers to be strict with themselves about always having a humble mind and attitude in seeking the teachings of God the Parent.
We need to check from time to time to make sure that we have not developed our own self-interested understanding of the teachings, or that we have not stretched the interpretation of the teachings.
—I know it is not easy to convey the teachings to others, but what should a church head minister be careful about?
This is related to the next point, “Nurturing followers with care.” I think that church head ministers are conveying the teachings to others less frequently than in the past. It seems that they often do not convey the teachings even when administering the Sazuke to those suffering from illness.
There is another important consideration. When we deliver a sermon or a talk, do we find ourselves saying what we want to say without considering the listeners’ level of understanding or spiritual growth? It is an important role of church head ministers to convey the truth and the teachings, but it requires effort and ingenuity to communicate effectively. We need to make an effort and devise ways to communicate, using words and attitudes that will allow understanding to come to others. It is important to make a sustained effort to learn such things in our daily lives.