En julio de 2013 La Atalaya sustituyó la enseñanza mantenida durante mucho tiempo de que el 'esclavo fiel y discreto' son todos los cristianos ungidos desde el año 33 E.C. por la enseñanza de que se trata de 'un grupo reducido de hermanos ungidos' nombrado en 1919 —el Cuerpo Gobernante— y lo llamó el 'canal' del que dependen la 'salud espiritual y … relación con Dios' de los miembros.

“that slave is made up of a small group of anointed brothers who are directly involved in preparing and dispensing spiritual food during Christ's presence. … In 1919, a time of spiritual revival, Jesus selected capable anointed brothers from among them to be the faithful and discreet slave and appointed them over his domestics.”

“Indeed, this “slave,” or spirit-anointed congregation, is the one approved channel representing God’s kingdom on earth in the “time of the end.” … Witnesses of Jehovah understand that the “slave” is comprised of all anointed Christians as a group on earth at any given time”