2017 Grand Totals
Branches of Jehovah’s Witnesses: 90
Number of Lands Reporting: 240
Total Congregations: 120,053
Worldwide Memorial Attendance: 20,175,477
Memorial Partakers Worldwide: 18,564
Peak of Publishersa: 8,457,107
Average Publishers Preaching Each Month: 8,248,982
Percentage of Increase Over 2016: 1.4
Total Number Baptizedb: 284,212
Average Pioneerc Publishers Each Month: 1,249,946
Average Auxiliary Pioneer Publishers Each Month: 439,571
Total Hours Spent in Field: 2,046,000,202
Average Bible Studiesd Each Month: 10,071,524
During the 2017 service year,e Jehovah’s Witnesses spent over $202 million in caring for special pioneers, missionaries, and circuit overseers in their field service assignments. Worldwide, a total of 19,730 ordained ministers staff the branch facilities. All are members of the Worldwide Order of Special Full-Time Servants of Jehovah’s Witnesses.
a A publisher refers to one who actively publishes, or preaches, the good news of God’s Kingdom. (Matthew 24:14) For a complete explanation of how this figure is determined, see the jw.org article “How Many of Jehovah’s Witnesses Are There Worldwide?”
b For more information on the steps leading to baptism as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, see the jw.org article “How Do I Become One of Jehovah’s Witnesses?”
c A pioneer is an exemplary baptized Witness who volunteers to spend a specified number of hours each month in preaching the good news.
d For more information, see the jw.org article “What Is a Bible Study?”
e The 2017 service year ran from September 1, 2016, through August 31, 2017.