Jehovah's Witnesses

International headquarters in Brooklyn, New York

Classification

Nontrinitarian,Restorationist

Organizational structure

Hierarchical

Region

Worldwide

Founder

Charles Taze Russell

Origin

1870s: Bible Student movement 1931: Jehovah's witnesses Pennsylvania and New York, US

Branched from

Bible Student movement

Congregations

113,823

Members

7.9 million

Official website

www.jw.org

Statistics from 2014 Yearbook of Jehovah's Witnesses[1]

Hierarchy

Congregations
Congregations are usually based on geographical area or language spoken, and may have as few as ten or as many as two hundred members

Elders
Each congregation has a body of elders, who are responsible for teaching the congregation.

Ministerial servants
Ministerial servants, equivalent to deacons, are appointed to assist the elders with routine work, including the supply of literature to the congregation, accounts, maintaining the Kingdom Hall, and operating audio equipment. They also present various parts at the meetings. Ministerial servants are appointed in a similar manner to elders.

Baptized publishers
Baptized publishers are members who have been publicly baptized following conversion to the faith. Jehovah's Witnesses do not practice infant baptism,and previous baptisms performed by other denominations are not considered valid. Prior to baptism, they are required to respond to a series of questions to assess their suitability, and to make a personal dedication to serve God. Baptisms are typically performed at assemblies and conventions. From the moment of baptism, the organization officially considers the person to be one of Jehovah's Witnesses, and an ordained minister.

Children
When accompanied by adults, children of baptized Witnesses may participate in organized preaching without formally qualifying

Unbaptized publishers
Unbaptized publishers are persons who are not yet baptized, but who have requested and been granted approval to join in the congregation's formal ministry

Students
The term Bible student, sometimes informally referred to as a "Bible study", is generally used by Witnesses to refer to an individual who takes part in their religious study program (though all Witnesses consider themselves to be students of the Bible).

Associates
Individuals who attend meetings of Jehovah's Witnesses but are not involved in preaching are occasionally referred to in Watch Tower Society publications as "associates" or as being "associated with the congregation"

History Doctrine LaWS Similarities 10 questions

Jehovah's Witnesses is a millenarian restorationist Christian denomination with nontrinitarian beliefs distinct from mainstream Christianity. According to the 2014 Yearbook of Jehovah's Witnesses, as of August 2013, the organization reports worldwide membership of over 7.9 million adherents involved in evangelism, convention attendance of over 14 million, and annual Memorial attendance of over 19.2 million. They are directed by the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses, a group of elders in Brooklyn, New York, that establishes all doctrines. Jehovah's Witnesses' beliefs are based on their interpretations of the Bible and they prefer to use their own translation, the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures. They believe that the destruction of the present world system at Armageddon is imminent, and that the establishment of God's kingdom on earth is the only solution for all problems faced by humanity. The group emerged from the Bible Student movementfounded in the late 1870s by Charles Taze Russell with the formation of Zion's Watch Tower Tract Societywith significant organizational and doctrinal changes under the leadership of Joseph Franklin Rutherford. The name Jehovah's witnesses, based on Isaiah 43:1012, was adopted in 1931 to distinguish themselves from other Bible Student groups and symbolize a break with the legacy of Russell's traditions. Jehovah's Witnesses are best known for their door-to-door preaching, distributing literature such as The Watchtower and Awake!, and refusing military service and blood transfusions. They consider use of the name Jehovah vital for proper worship. They rejectTrinitarianism, inherent immortality of the soul, and hellfire, which they consider to be unscriptural doctrines. They do not observeChristmas, Easter, birthdays, or other holidays and customs they consider to have pagan origins incompatible with Christianity. Adherents commonly refer to their body of beliefs as "the truth" and consider themselves to be "in the truth". They consider secular society to be morally corrupt and under the influence of Satan, and most limit their social interaction with non-Witnesses. Congregational disciplinary actions include disfellowshipping, their term for formal expulsion and shunning. Baptized individuals who formally leave are considered disassociated and are also shunned. Disfellowshipped and disassociated individuals may eventually be reinstated if deemed repentant. The religion's position regarding conscientious objection to military service and refusal to salute national flags has brought it into conflict with some governments. Consequently, some Jehovah's Witnesses have been persecuted and their activities are banned or restricted in some countries. Persistent legal challenges by Jehovah's Witnesses have influenced legislation related to civil rights in several countries.

The Watch tower- The stated purpose of The Watchtower, as suggested by its subtitle, Announcing Jehovah's
Kingdom, is to draw attention to the kingdom of God, which Jehovah's Witnesses believe is a real government that will soon replace all earthly governments. According to the magazine's mission statement, [9] THIS MAGAZINE, The Watchtower, honors Jehovah God, the Ruler of the universe. It comforts people with the good news that Gods heavenly Kingdom will soon end all wi ckedness and transform the earth into a paradise. It promotes faith in Jesus Christ, who died so that we might gain everlasting life and who is now ruling as King of Gods Kingdom. This magazine has been published continuously since 1879 and is nonpolitical. It adheres to the Bible as its authority.