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.

 

 

 

 

 

yb77 pp. 258-259