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Jehovah's Witnesses are organized hierarchically, and are led by the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses from the Watch Tower Society's headquarters in Brooklyn, New York. The Governing Body, along with other "helpers", are 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 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 ''judicial 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.〔 ==Governing Body== (詳細はGoverning Body—an all-male group that varies in size, but since March 2014 has comprised seven members,〔Twelve members as of September 2005 (''The Watchtower'', March 15, 2006, page 26) Schroeder died March 8, 2006 (''The Watchtower'', September 15, 2006, page 31) Sydlik died April 18, 2006 (''The Watchtower'', January 1, 2007, page 8) Barber died April 8, 2007 (''The Watchtower'', October 15, 2007, page 31) Jaracz died June 9, 2010 (''The Watchtower'', November 15, 2010, page 23) Barr died December 4, 2010 (''The Watchtower'', May 15, 2011, page 6) Pierce died March 18, 2014 (("Guy H. Pierce, Member of the Governing Body, Dies at 79" ))〕—based in the Watchtower Society's Brooklyn, 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). 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〔"Seek God's guidance in all things", ''The Watchtower'', April 15, 2008, page 11.〕 and "spokesman"〔"How the Governing Body Is Organized", ''The Watchtower'', May 15, 2008, page 29.〕 of God's "faithful and discreet slave class" (approximately 10,000 Jehovah's Witnesses who profess to be "anointed"),〔''2011 Yearbook of Jehovah's Witnesses'' Worldwide Report 2010 Grand Totals, page 31〕 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.〔"The faithful steward and its governing body", ''The Watchtower'', June 15, 2009, page 24.〕 At the 2012 Annual Meeting of the Watch Tower Society, the "faithful and discreet slave" was re-defined as referring to the Governing Body only. From 1944, Watch Tower publications had made occasional references to a ''governing body'',〔''The Watchtower'', November 1, 1944, as cited by Raymond Franz, ''Crisis of Conscience'', p.74 footnote.〕 identifying it with the board of directors of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania.〔''1970 Yearbook of Jehovah's Witnesses'', Watchtower Society, page 65〕 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,〔 Article discusses formal definition of Governing Body, and makes first use of capitalized term.〕 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 comprising its members along with its "helpers"; the six committees are responsible for various administrative functions including personnel, publishing, evangelizing activity, school and assembly programs, writing, and coordination.〔 The Governing Body directly appoints all headquarters representatives, circuit overseers, collectively referred to as "traveling overseers", and also appoints branch office committee members.〔''The Watchtower'', January 15, 2001, pages 14-15〕 Only branch committee members 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.〔"Jehovah’s Glory Shines on His People", ''The Watchtower'', July 1, 2002, page 17〕〔"New Corporations Formed", ''Our Kingdom Ministry'', January 2002, page 7〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Organizational structure of Jehovah's Witnesses」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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