13. (a) What arrangement had been in effect for 40 years? (b) What did the Governing Body do in 1972?

¹³ The next adjustment affected each congregation. In what way? From 1932 to 1972, congregation oversight had been carried out mainly by one brother. Until 1936, such an appointed brother was called the service director. Thereafter, the name was changed to company servant, then to congregation servant, and finally to congregation overseer. Those appointed brothers cared zealously for the spiritual welfare of the flock. The congregation overseer usually made decisions for the congregation without consulting other servants in the congregation. However, during the year 1972, the Governing Body prepared the way for a historic change. What did that change involve?

14. (a) What new arrangement went into effect on October 1, 1972? (b) How does the coordinator of a body of elders apply the counsel found at Philippians 2:3?

¹⁴ Instead of having one brother serve as the congregation overseer in each congregation, other brothers who were Scripturally qualified would now also be theocratically appointed to serve as Christian elders. Together they would form a body of elders that would oversee the local congregation. That new elder arrangement went into effect on October 1, 1972.