Dear Jehovah's Witnesses

When Did the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses Come Into Existence? A Historical Timeline

Most Jehovah's Witnesses assume that the modern Governing Body has existed continuously since the days of Charles Taze Russell, or even that it is a direct continuation of the apostles and elders in first-century Jerusalem. Current publications present that picture of continuity.

A careful reading of the organization's own literature, however, reveals a more gradual development. Over more than a century, Jehovah's Witnesses changed not only the structure of their leadership but also its identity and authority. The Governing Body familiar today is the product of several significant organizational and doctrinal developments.

This article traces those developments using Jehovah's Witnesses' own published history.

Watchtower Removed the Scaffolding — The Building Still Stands

For decades, Jehovah’s Witnesses were taught to see hidden prophetic patterns throughout the Bible. Nearly every major Old Testament account could become a “type” pointing to a larger “antitype” in modern times. These prophetic parallels were not treated as interesting possibilities — they were presented as evidence that Jehovah’s Witnesses occupied a central role in God’s purpose.

Everything You Need to Know About “Overlapping Generations”

In 2014, David Splane of the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses released a video attempting to explain why Jehovah’s Witnesses still claim we are living in “the last days.”