About Us

Our Beliefs

Jehovah's Witnesses are members of a worldwide Christian religion who actively share with others information about God, whose name is Jehovah, and about his Son, Jesus Christ. We base our beliefs solely on the principles found in the Holy Bible and view first-century Christianity as our model.

We believe that in addition to drawing one closer to God, living by Bible principles gives purpose to life, promotes strong family ties, and develops productive and honest citizens.

Our Families

The family, the oldest institution on earth, plays a vital role in human society. Strong families are the foundation of strong societies. For Jehovah's Witnesses, the application of principles found in God's Word, the Holy Bible, is the basis for building successful and happy families.

How are we organised?

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.—Acts 15:23-29; Timothy 3:1-7.

This international brotherhood of people of all races is made up of about 7.3 million practicing members organized into more than 105,000 congregations in more than 230 lands.

How are we funded?

Primarily by voluntary donations from Jehovah’s Witnesses. No collections are taken at our meetings, and members are not required to tithe. Clearly marked contribution boxes are provided in all meeting places for voluntary donations, which remain anonymous. Expenses are manageable, as there are no paid clergy and the meeting places are modest. Donations forwarded to the nearest branch office are used for disaster relief, support for missionaries and traveling ministers, construction of houses of worship, and the printing and shipping of Bibles and Christian publications. It is a personal decision to donate, whether toward local expenses, worldwide expenses, or both. Financial reports are regularly given for the information of the entire congregation.