Organization of the Jehovah's Witnesses

September 4, 2004 · updated February 15, 2022

The Official Web Site of the Jehovah's Witnesses summarizes the society's organization and system of leadership as follows:

Following the model of first-century Christianity, Jehovah's Witnesses have no clergy-laity division. All baptized members are ordained ministers and share in the preaching and teaching work. Witnesses are organized into congregations of up to 200 members. Spiritually mature men in each congregation serve as elders. A body of elders supervises each congregation. About 20 congregations form a circuit, and about 10 circuits are grouped into a district. Congregations receive periodic visits from traveling elders. Guidance and instructions are provided by a multinational governing body made up of longtime Witnesses who currently serve at the international offices of Jehovah's Witnesses in Brooklyn, New York.[#1]

[#1]: "Beliefs - Membership and Organization" - Jehovah's Witnesses Office of Public Information.