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How Do Jehovah’s Witnesses Use Donations?

How Do Jehovah’s Witnesses Use Donations?

 We use donations to support the religious and humanitarian activities of our organization. We carry out these activities as part of our primary mission, which is to help people become disciples of Christ Jesus.—Matthew 28:19, 20.

 We never use donations to enrich any individual. We have no paid elders or clergy, and Jehovah’s Witnesses are not paid to go from door to door. Those who serve at our branch offices and at our world headquarters, including those making up the Governing Body, are unsalaried members of a religious order.

Examples of Our Activities

  •   Publishing: We translate, print, ship, and distribute millions of Bibles and other Christian publications each year, all without charge. Likewise, the jw.org website and the JW Library app make our digital publications available without charge or advertisements.

  •   Construction and Maintenance: We build and maintain modest places of worship around the world to enable our congregations to have suitable locations to meet together and praise God. We do the same for branch offices and translation offices. Much of this work is done by volunteers, which helps to lower costs.

  •   Administration: The activities at our world headquarters, branch offices, and translation offices, as well as the activities of those serving as traveling ministers, are supported by funds donated to our worldwide work.

  •   Preaching: Witnesses are not paid for preaching the good news or for teaching others “the word of God.” (2 Corinthians 2:17) However, similar to the activity of first-century Christians, selected and trained ministers who devote the majority of their time engaging in preaching activities are supported with modest housing and basic necessities of life.—Philippians 4:16, 17; 1 Timothy 5:17, 18.

  •   Teaching: Our assemblies and conventions are supported by donated funds. In addition, we produce Bible-based audio and video programs. We also conduct schools that train elders and full-time ministers to be more effective in their assignments.

  •   Disaster Relief: We provide food, water, and housing for those who have suffered from natural and man-made disasters. This humanitarian work benefits not only “those related to us in the faith” but also non-Witnesses.—Galatians 6:10.