Congregations for Building Up in Love and Unity
You may have attended some congregation meetings of Jehovah’s Witnesses near where you live. People from all walks of life—family groups, single people, old and young—were there. They were all united in their worship and were interested in helping others.
In any arrangement where a large number of people desire to work at unity, there needs to be some supervision. God is a God of order; hence, that order should be reflected in the congregation of his people. As in the first century, so today, qualified, mature, and experienced Christian men are designated as elders, or overseers. These supervise the congregation and look after its spiritual needs. They are assisted by other faithful men known as ministerial servants. These men receive no salary or other financial benefit but serve voluntarily, meeting their own expenses, usually from secular employment.—1 Corinthians 14:33, 40; Philippians 1:1; 1 Timothy 3:8, 9.
How are these selected? They need to be faithful servants of God who display certain Scriptural qualifications. Some of these are: being ‘moderate in habits, sound in mind, orderly, hospitable, qualified to teach, and reasonable; not being a lover of money; presiding over his household in a fine manner; not being a newly converted man; having a fine testimony from those on the outside’; ‘holding firmly to the faithful word as respects the art of teaching.’—1 Timothy 3:1-15; Titus 1:7-9.
These men are not voted into office by the congregation, where the majority might often be newer Christians. Rather, they are recommended by mature and experienced men who are elders and who have discernment as to the degree to which those considered are meeting the Scriptural requirements. Then appointments of elders and ministerial servants are made under the supervision of the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses, this following the pattern set by the Christian congregation in the first century.
These elders, or overseers, do not constitute a clergy class; they are not masters over others. As Jesus said, any who take the lead must be the slaves of all. In the congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses, the elders are truly fellow workers for the Kingdom of God.—Matthew 20:26, 27; 23:8-11; Romans 12:8; 1 Corinthians 3:5; 4:1, 2; Colossians 4:11; 1 Thessalonians 5:12-14.
As overseers, they supervise the instruction provided at meetings and take the lead in the preaching activity. Preaching the good news of the Kingdom throughout its assigned territory is a primary objective of the congregation. Overseers also serve as shepherds, visiting members of the congregation to encourage them as needed.—Matthew 24:14; Acts 1:8; 1 Thessalonians 2:11, 12; 5:14, 15; 2 Timothy 2:24-26; Hebrews 13:17; James 5:13-16; 1 Peter 5:1-4.
The elders also have the responsibility to reprove and administer discipline to any who may be following a wrongful course and who may present a danger to the spiritual and moral cleanness and the unity of the congregation.—1 Corinthians 5:4, 5, 7, 11-13; Titus 1:9; 2:15; 3:10, 11.
Regular association with the congregation will give you fine fellowship and many spiritual benefits.—Psalm 35:18; 84:10.
• Who supervise the affairs of individual congregations?
• Upon what basis are overseers selected?
• What are their responsibilities?
[Pictures on page 13]
Overseers instruct the congregation, take the lead in preaching from house to house, encourage by shepherding visits, give counsel and reproof when needed