Organizational Structure of Jehovah's Witnesses - Governing Body

Governing Body

The organization is directed by the Governing Body, based in the Watchtower Society's Brooklyn, New York headquarters—an all-male group that varies in size, but since December 2010 has comprised seven members, each of whom claims to be of the "anointed" class with a hope of heavenly life (whereas most Jehovah's Witnesses hope to be resurrected in an earthly paradise). There are no elections for membership; new members are selected by the existing body. Each of its members serves as chairman, with the position rotating among members alphabetically each year. Until late 2012, the Governing Body described itself as the representative and "spokesman" of God's "faithful and discreet slave class" (approximately 10,000 Jehovah's Witnesses who profess to be "anointed"), providing "spiritual food" for Witnesses worldwide on behalf of the "faithful and discreet slave class". In practice it sought neither advice nor approval from other "anointed" Witnesses when formulating policies and doctrines, or when producing material for publications and conventions. At the 2012 Annual Meeting of the Watch Tower Society, the "faithful and discreet slave" was defined as referring to the Governing Body only.

From 1944, Watch Tower publications had made occasional references to a governing body, identifying it with the board of directors of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania. In October 1971, four additional men joined the seven members of the Society's board of directors on what became known as a separate, expanded Governing Body. The Governing Body was then for the first time formally defined, indicating that it provided the religion with direction, guidance and regulation, although all doctrinal and publishing decisions continued to be made by, or were subject to, the approval of the Society's president. Organizational changes at the highest levels of the Watchtower Society in 1976 significantly increased the powers and authority of the Governing Body and reduced those of the Watch Tower Society president.

The Governing Body directs six committees made up of its full members and its "helpers"; the six committees are responsible for various administrative functions within the Witness community, including personnel, publishing, evangelizing activity, school and assembly programs, writing, and coordination. The full Body directly appoints all zone, district and circuit overseers, collectively referred to as "traveling overseers", and also appoints branch office committee members. Only branch committeemen and traveling overseers are referred to as "representatives of the Governing Body".

In the last decade, the Governing Body has reiterated its overall oversight role but has delegated other Witnesses, typically branch committee members, to serve as corporate executives and directors of Watch Tower and other incorporated entities.