Legal Corporations of Jehovah's Witnesses

A number of corporations are in use by Jehovah's Witnesses. They deal with legal issues and represent the interests of the religious organization. "Watchtower Society" is often used as the collective name for those legal instruments.

The term "Watchtower Society" has also been used synonymously with the organization of Jehovah's Witnesses, even in their own literature, such as in the book "Worldwide Security Under the Prince of Peace" (1986) (OCLC|15485620). Particularly since 2001, Jehovah's Witnesses want to be clear about making a difference between the Watchtower Society and the organization. The legal instruments are not identical with the organization; rather, they are corporations used by the organization.

The Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania, a not-for-profit corporation, was as of 2001 one of the 40 largest revenue-generating companies in New York City, reporting an annual revenue of about US$951 million. [ [http://www.watchtowernews.org/Top40NYCcorps.htm Newsday.com article] ] The corporation is now legally headquartered in Patterson, New York. [ [http://appsext8.dos.state.ny.us/corp_public/CORPSEARCH.ENTITY_INFORMATION?p_nameid=37228&p_corpid=30360&p_entity_name=%77%61%74%63%68%74%6F%77%65%72&p_name_type=%41&p_search_type=%42%45%47%49%4E%53&p_srch_results_page=0NYS Department of State Division of Corporations Entity Information] ] Their yearly report is different from a Wall Street company as the company's employees are volunteers who live and work in the Brooklyn complex.

Other corporations

In addition to the Pennsylvania and New York corporations, other corporations sanctioned by the Governing Body exist some with specific tasks and others to further the Witnesses' interests outside the United States. ["Our Kingdom Ministry" brochure, distributed by Watchtower only to active Jehovah's Witnesses, January 2002, page 7.]

* Christian Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses, New York. Incorporated in 2000 to specialize in matters dealing with the appointment of elders and ministerial servants, and other congregational matters.

* Religious Order of Jehovah's Witnesses, New York. Incorporated in 2000 to give particular attention to those in special full-time service: Bethel volunteers, missionaries, traveling overseers, special pioneers; and assembly halls.

* Kingdom Support Services, Incorporated, New York. Incorporated in 2000 to deal with construction of Kingdom Halls and Assembly Halls, other engineering needs, and vehicles.

Corporations outside the USA

Since the formation of the International Bible Students Association in 1914 some 20 other corporations have been created throughout the world.

Aside from all of these, many other legal entities are used throughout the world to further the interests of Jehovah's Witnesses. For example, " [http://www.wachtturm.de Wachtturm-Gesellschaft, Selters/Taunus] " to produce literature using the German branch office or "Jehovas vittnen - Bibelsällskapet Vakttornet" to promote the activities of Jehovah's Witnesses in Sweden. There are currently branch offices in over 100 countries and territories through out the world.

Revenue

Watchtower magazines, and all Jehovah's Witnesses' literature, were sold at cost around the world until the early 1990s. The Watchtower is now distributed for free, though donations can be given by those who are willing. The Watchtower Bible & Tract Society of NY, Inc., not-for-profit publisher of The Watchtower, was as of 2001 one of the 40 largest revenue-generating companies in New York City, reporting an annual revenue of about $951 million US dollars. These funds are used in the printing of the Watchtower and Awake! magazines (which number around 60,000,000 per month), in the publication of bibles and other literature, funding missionary and traveling overseers travel expenses and/or vehicles, the construction and maintenance of Kingdom Halls worldwide, and for the hire of stadiums or assembly halls in which they conduct annual conventions. [ [http://www.watchtowernews.org/Top40NYCcorps.htm Newsday.com article] ] The corporation is now legally headquartered in Patterson, New York. [ [http://appsext8.dos.state.ny.us/corp_public/CORPSEARCH.ENTITY_INFORMATION?p_nameid=37228&p_corpid=30360&p_entity_name=%77%61%74%63%68%74%6F%77%65%72&p_name_type=%41&p_search_type=%42%45%47%49%4E%53&p_srch_results_page=0 NY State document library] ] Its yearly report is different from a Wall Street company as the company's employees are volunteers who live and work in the Brooklyn complex. A small portion of the funds contribute towards the living expenses of these full time volunteers.

References

See also

* Organizational Structure of Jehovah's Witnesses
* Beliefs and practices of Jehovah's Witnesses
* List of Watchtower publications

External links

* [http://www.watchtower.org/ Jehovah's Witnesses: Watchtower Society Official Web Site]
* [http://www.jw-media.org/ Jehovah's Witnesses: Authorized Site of the Office of Public Information]