The Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses

Early in December 1975, the entire Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses met in Brooklyn, New York, for the purpose of considering recommendations relative to organization and procedure. Two different committees had for many months given consideration to organizational adjustments. And so, on December 4, 1975, the Governing Body unanimously accepted the recommendations, and on Friday, December 12, 1975, the chairman of the Governing Body read a letter to the Bethel family explaining the adjustments.

Letters were also sent to all branches throughout the world explaining the procedures and in the Watchtower magazine of February 1, 1976, there, was an article headed “Governing Body Adjustments,” which explained that, to facilitate its work, six committees of the Governing Body had been formed and that these six committees began functioning on January 1, 1976. Each committee has its chairman, who serves for a period of one year.

CHAIRMAN’S COMMITTEE: This committee is composed of the current chairman of the Governing Body, the previous chairman and the one next in line to be chairman. The current chairman serves as coordinator and expedites matters for the Governing Body. Reports on major emergencies, disasters or campaigns of persecution or any other urgent matters affecting Jehovah’s Witnesses come immediately to the Chairman’s Committee so that they can be taken up with the Governing Body.

WRITING COMMITTEE: This committee supervises the putting of spiritual food into written and recorded form for publication and distribution to Jehovah’s Witnesses and the public in general. Since it deals with the publications, it also supervises translation work done throughout the earth.

TEACHING COMMITTEE: This committee’s responsibility is to supervise schools and assemblies for the spiritual education of Jehovah’s people, also Bethel family instruction. Additionally, it supervises outlining the material to be used in teaching and takes oversight of radio and television programs and assembly programs.

SERVICE COMMITTEE: This committee supervises all areas of the evangelizing work, and has the responsibility of taking the lead in further developing these.  The committee is interested in the activities of the congregations, circuit and district overseers, missionaries, Branch Committees and the periodic visits of the zone overseers.

PUBLISHING COMMITTEE: This committee supervises the printing, publishing and shipping of literature throughout the world. Therefore, it has responsibility for oversight of factories and properties owned and operated by the various corporations used by Jehovah’s Witnesses, as well as financial operations, legal and business matters connected with publishing the good news of the Kingdom in all the earth.

PERSONNEL COMMITTEE: This committee has oversight of the arrangements made for personal and spiritual assistance to members of the Bethel families, and it is responsible for inviting new members to serve in the Bethel and Farm families around the world.

BRANCH COMMITTEES: In addition to the arrangement of supervising the work of the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses through the six committees, it was arranged that each branch, effective February 1, 1976, have a committee responsible to work with the Governing Body to administer the organizational arrangements, and to keep the Governing Body informed of the progress of Kingdom work in the territory assigned to the branch. Such committee has a chairman who serves for one year. Depending on the size of the branch, the committee may have three members or as many as seven. Rotation of chairmanship of branch committees takes place each year on January 1.

All the committees took up their responsibilities as scheduled and have been functioning very well. It has proved beneficial to have a number of brothers taking counsel together to consider the interests of the Kingdom work.​—Prov. 11:14; 15:22; 24:6.

We are confident that Jehovah’s guidance has been manifest in the formulation of these adjustments, and we continue to look to Jehovah God for direction through his spirit and his Word. This is a time to keep moving ahead with the expansion of the Kingdom-preaching and disciple-making work, looking to Jehovah for his continued blessing. We thoroughly appreciate the blessings of Jehovah God during the past service year and acknowledge with gratitude the wholehearted cooperation of the publishers of the Kingdom throughout the world. All of us are looking forward to more blessings of Jehovah in the new service year.

Your brothers,

GOVERNING BODY OF JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES