Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses

The Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses is a body of elders that oversees all the activities of the denomination. This group is sometimes incorrectly referred to as the "Watchtower Society"; however, that term actually refers to one or more of the legal instruments of Jehovah's Witnesses supervised by these elders.

Scope and membership

The members are a group of men serving at the international headquarters of Jehovah's Witnesses in Brooklyn, New York, known as "Bethel". They are all elders that profess to be of the heavenly, or "anointed", class of Jehovah's Witnesses. The number of elders sitting on the Governing Body has varied over time. The Governing Body does not have a permanent head; the position of chairman is passed on each year to the next member, alphabetically. Before the 1970s, the responsibilities of the Governing Body were filled by the board of directors of the Watchtower Society.

The Governing Body is administrative and executive in its powers. It elucidates and promulgates the 'present understanding' of the Bible for its membership and interested persons, and clarifies its teachings by means of its publications in many languages and conventions in many countries, as it sees the need. It also appoints members to important positions of oversight. The Governing Body may be contacted by local congregations or servants to obtain advice. Members of the Governing Body also confirm everything that is written in the literature before publishing.

The Governing Body acts as a representative of the 'faithful and discreet slave class' which has the responsibility for giving direction and impetus to the work of proclaiming the "good news of God's kingdom" (Matt. 24:45). While it delegates certain details or responsibilities to committees made up of its own members, or committees made up of other dedicated servants, or to instruments such as corporations and legal agencies, it always takes the lead for the smooth functioning of the organization and the unity of Jehovah's Witnesses. As the Governing Body, it has the prerogative to use its discretion and look into any matters it deems necessary to examine with regard to the preaching work. The Governing Body gives direction to the congregations throughout the world by means of such publications as The Watchtower and Awake! magazines, Our Kingdom Ministry, publications outlining organizational arrangements, as well as various responding letters to all branches and to individual branches. In addition, the booklet Dwelling Together In Unity has been provided, which gives basic guidelines for Bethel family arrangements, and the booklet, Missionary Counsel Booklet, which outlines the basic arrangements for missionaries serving throughout the world under the direction of the Governing Body.

Background

Prior to 1971, the Governing Body was comprised of the Board of Directors of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania, a body of seven men, and the agenda of the Governing Body was set by the President of the Watch Tower Society, who was also a member. The Governing Body was enlarged by Nathan H. Knorr to include other members of the Society in 1971, and its membership rose to eleven men. In that year, the chairmanship of the group began to rotate annually.

Since January 1, 1976, all the activities of the Watchtower Society and of the congregations of Jehovah's Witnesses worldwide have been brought under the supervision of the Governing Body , which formed six committees to oversee the various administrative requirements of the organization's worldwide activities. Prior to that, nearly all administrative reaponsibilities had been vested in the office of the president.

The members of the Governing Body still included the directors of the Watch Tower Society. This system continued for about twenty years. Since the year 2000, the Governing Body has delegated the responsibility of directors of the various corporations that are used by Jehovah's Witnesses to members outside the board. The current president of the Watch Tower Society, Don A. Adams, is not a member of the Governing Body.

The number of elders sitting on the Governing Body varies over time but its size hovers in the lower teens. The number have altered from only seven in the very beginning, to eighteen in the later 70s (its highest-ever number), to around twelve more recently.

Committees

The work of the Governing Body is undertaken by six standing committees. Each committee oversees a corresponding administrative department that implements the committee's or Body's decision . Today, these Governing Body Committees are comprised of Governing Body members who recommend policies, appointments and other organizational changes to the full Body . The commitees will in many cases interact with the Branch Commitees in the Branch Offices over the world .

Personnel Committee - arranges for volunteers to serve in the organization's headquarters and branch offices. This committee takes oversight of the arrangements made for the personal and spiritual assistance of members of the Bethel families. The Personnel Committee oversees the selection and invitation of new members of the Bethel and Farm families around the world, and handles questions concerning their staying in Bethel service. It should be practical to handle most personal problems locally in the branch, but major questions and problems can be taken up with the Personnel Committee. Copies of Bethel volunteer lists should be sent in with the annual reports for review by the Personnel Committee .

Publishing Committee - handles publishing the literature of Jehovah's Witnesses and other legal matters involved in printing, such as obtaining property for printing facilities. This committee supervises the printing, publishing and shipping of literature throughout the world. The committee takes responsibility for the oversight of the factories and properties owned and operated by various corporations used by Jehovah’s Witnesses throughout the world, as well as the financial operations of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania and other legal agencies used by Jehovah’s Witnesses at the present time. The various legal agencies holding the funds may use this money for payment of invoices, reimbursements, as well as other necessary expenditures. Should conditions in a country change and legal agencies are no longer available to be used, other appropriate arrangements will be made according to the conditions at that time for handling financial operations. Requisitions for normal printing equipment, vehicles, typewriters and other equipment for publishing factories and branches worldwide are approved by members of the Publishing Committee or their helpers after checking. Proposals for major acquisitions of machinery and other expensive equipment are to be submitted to the Governing Body with this committee’s recommendations for approving the purchases. Direction for the operations of all publishing factories and maintenance of properties is given by the Publishing Committee with routine matters being handled by the helpers who should keep the committee informed. The Publishing Committee also approves requests for quantities of literature or videos and where they will be produced for the branches throughout the world, taking into consideration production and shipping costs. This committee also supervises the approval of Branch Orders for literature. Branch inventories may be reviewed by this committee. Questions from branch offices relative to publishing, shipping, financial, tax and property matters are given to the Publishing Committee for handling .

Service Committee - supervises traveling overseers, pioneers, and the activities of congregation publishers and other matters specific to the evangelical activity of Jehovah's Witnesses. The commitee is not to be confused with the service committees formed by elders at each congregation. This committee also oversees communication to and from the international headquarters, the branch offices, and congregations of the organization. This committee supervises all areas of the evangelizing work, including service matters affecting congregation organization, shepherding activity of elders and traveling representatives who are caring for the spiritual welfare of God’s people around the earth, also all pioneer activity. Annual reports from the branches dealing with the field activity worldwide are examined and acknowledged by this committee. The Service Committee supervises preparation of copy for Our Kingdom Ministry and cooperates with the Writing Committee in getting final copy approved. The Service Committee is responsible for calling in Gilead School students and students for the Ministerial Training and Traveling Overseers’ Schools. This committee is also responsible for making assignments of students to their places of postgraduate service in the field. All correspondence with missionaries regarding their service is handled by this committee. Zone visits by members of the Governing Body, or by others who are qualified, are arranged by the Service Committee .

Teaching Committee - arranges congregation meetings, special assembly days, circuit assemblies, and district and international conventions as well as various schools for elders, ministerial servants, pioneers, missionaries, such as Gilead school. This committee’s responsibility is to supervise schools, assemblies and Bethel family instruction for the spiritual education of Jehovah’s people. The Committee supervises outlining the material to be used in teaching and takes oversight of the various departments that are now responsible for this education. It handles oversight of the Audio/Video Services Department and development of all new audio and video programs. The committee is responsible to see that there is a proper arrangement and time allotment for each of the congregational meetings. This committee works in close cooperation with the Service and Writing Committees. The Teaching Committee endeavors always to provide the necessary instruction and arrangements for building up spiritually the elders, publishers, Bethel families, newly interested persons and others, encouraging all to ‘pay constant attention to themselves and to their teaching.’—1 Tim. 4:16. Branch Committees should make their own local organizational arrangements for their circuit assemblies, special assembly days and district conventions. Fields of instruction handled by this committee include the following:

1. Watchtower Bible School of Gilead;
2. Kingdom Ministry School;
3. Theocratic Ministry School;
4. Bethel Entrants’ School;
5. Program at Bethel table;
6. Bethel Family meetings;
7. International Conventions;
8. District Conventions;
9. Circuit Assemblies;
10. Special Assembly Days;
11. Radio and TV programs;
12. Pioneer Service Schools;
13. Literacy classes;
14. News Service;
15. Ministerial Training School;
16. Traveling Overseers’ School;
17. Branch School;
18. All audio and video programs.

Writing Committee - supervises the writing and translation of all works published by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society. This committee supervises putting the spiritual food into written form for publication and distribution to our brothers and the public in general. The publications that this committee supervises include the Watchtower and Awake! magazines, all bound books, booklets, pamphlets, tracts, final copy for Our Kingdom Ministry, handbills, Bibles, or any revisions of these. It responds to questions about the meaning of certain scriptures and points presented in the publications, also questions about doctrines or morals that do not deal with or related to specific problems in the congregations, or the standing of persons in the congregations. It approves the scripts for dramas, and talk outlines and manuscripts. This includes unique branch materials such as tour brochures, public relations brochures and tracts, and dedication brochures. The Writing Committee supervises the translation work done throughout the earth. This includes giving approval for the translation of audio and video programs into additional languages.

Chairman's Committee - cares for emergencies, disaster relief and other urgent matters, such as investigations. This committee is made up of the coordinator or a representative from each of the five Governing Body committees. It serves to enhance coordination between the Governing Body committees and helps to expedite the flow of work. The members of the Chairman’s Committee will serve as chairmen of the entire Governing Body on a rotational basis. The Chairman’s Committee of the Governing Body should be alert to see that the Governing Body operates smoothly and efficiently and that there is no unnecessary overlapping of work of the various committees. Reports on major emergencies, disasters or persecutions and any other urgent matters affecting Jehovah’s Witnesses will come immediately to this committee and will be taken up with the Governing Body.

A number of non-members of the Governing Body, serve on some of these committees as assistants, such as in secretarial positions. They can be from the 'great crowd' (meaning they are not of those with a heavenly hope), and their work is sometimes compared with that of the Nethinim in ancient Israel.

Members

Current (years of assignment)

As of April 2006, the current members of the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses, in alphabetical order, are:

• Carey W. Barber (since 1977)
• John E. Barr (since 1977)
• Samuel Herd (since 1999)
• Geoffrey Jackson (since 2005)
• Theodore Jaracz (since 1974)
• Stephen Lett (since 1999)
• Gerrit Lösch (since 1994)
• Anthony Morris (since 2005)
• Guy Pierce (since 1999)
• David Splane (since 1999)

Former (deceased)

• W. Lloyd Barry (1974-1999)
• John C. Booth (1974-1996)
• Charles J. Fekel(1974-1977)
• Frederick W. Franz (1972-1992) — 4th president of Watchtower society
• George D. Gangas (1971-1994)
• John O. Groh (1972-1975)
• Milton G. Henschel (1972-2003) — 5th president of Watchtower society
• William K. Jackson (1972-1981)
• Karl F. Klein (1974-2001)
• Nathan H. Knorr (1972-1977) — 3th president of Watchtower society
• Martin Pötzinger (1977-1988)
• Albert D. Schroeder (1974-2006)
• Grant Suiter (1972-1983)
• Thomas J. Sullivan (1972-1974)
• Lyman A. Swingle (1972-2001)
• Daniel Sydlik (1974-2006)

Resigned / Removed

• Ewart Chitty (1978)
• Raymond Franz (1972-1980)
• Leo K. Greenlees (1972-1984)

External link

• Picture of Governing Body Members

See also

• Organizational Structure of Jehovah's Witnesses