The Governing Body, along with other "helpers", is organized into six committees responsible for various administrative functions within the global Witness community, including publication, assembly programs, and evangelizing activity.
The Governing Body and its committees supervise the operations of nearly one hundred branch offices worldwide. Each branch office oversees the activities of Jehovah's Witnesses in a particular country or region and may include facilities for the publication and distribution of Watch Tower Society literature. Directly appointed by the Governing Body, branch committees supervise administrative functions for congregations in their jurisdiction. Congregations are further organized into circuits of about twenty congregations each.
The Governing Body directly appoints circuit overseers as its representatives to supervise activities within circuits. Headquarters representatives visit groups of branch offices to provide instruction and report the branch's activities to the Governing Body. Each congregation is served by a group of locally recommended male elders and ministerial servants , appointed by the circuit overseer.
Elders take responsibility for congregational governance, pastoral work, setting meeting times, selecting speakers, conducting meetings, directing the public preaching work, and forming committees to investigate and decide disciplinary action in cases where members are believed to have committed serious sins. Ministerial servants fulfill clerical and attendant duties, but may also teach and conduct meetings.
The organization is directed by the Governing Body βan all-male group that varies in size, but since October has had eleven members, [ 3 ] βbased in the Watchtower Society's Warwick, New York headquarters. Each of the Governing Body members 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. Until late , the Governing Body described itself as the representative [ 8 ] and "spokesman" [ 9 ] of God's " faithful and discreet slave class" approximately 11, Jehovah's Witnesses who in professed to be "anointed" , [ 10 ] [ 11 ] providing "spiritual food" for Witnesses worldwide on behalf of the "faithful and discreet slave class".
