The World Church Leadership Council is a leadership body of Community of Christ. It encompasses the First Presidency, the Council of Twelve Apostles, and the Presiding Bishopric.^[1] The group convenes at the church headquarters in the Independence Temple. With the adoption of a new set of church bylaws at the 2002 World Conference, this body replaced the predecessor council known as the Joint Council. Bylaw provisions allow for additional members to be added to the World Church Leadership Council.

Since its formation, the World Church Leadership Council has been the deliberative and consensus forming body for a number of important decisions, such as the 2002 "Statement on Homosexuality", formation of mission centers, and setting of dates for specially called World Conferences. The World Church Leadership Council assisted with the recommendation to the World Conference by the Council of Twelve that Stephen M. Veazey be ordained as Prophet-President of the church. In 2006, the World Church Leadership Council deliberated significant restructuring of the church's headquarters operations and reduction in the number of paid field ministers. It has contributed to development of a new format for the 2007 Community of Christ World Conference.

Before the adoption of the 2002 bylaws, the predecessor body known as the Joint Council served essentially the same role as the new World Church Leadership Council. During their deliberation of the vision and mission statements of the church at a 1994 Joint Council retreat, President Wallace B. Smith first suggested a new name for the church, Community of Christ.^[2] The Joint Council was often designated as the policy approval body in legislation passed at World Conferences over a period of many decades.

• Council on the Disposition of the Tithes

v t e Community of Christ
Major people	Joseph Smith Emma Smith David Whitmer Alpheus Cutler William Smith Lyman Wight Joseph Smith III Frederick M. Smith Israel A. Smith Charles D. Neff W. Wallace Smith Wallace B. Smith W. Grant McMurray Stephen M. Veazey Sidney Rigdon
History	First Vision Amboy Conference Lineal succession Supreme Directional Control
Major beliefs	All are Called Concept of Zion God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit Peace Priesthood Prophetic leadership Salvation Worth of all persons
Sacred texts	Bible King James Version Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible Book of Mormon Doctrine and covenants
Worship	Auditorium Community of Christ Sings Daily Prayer for Peace Sacraments Temples (Independence, Kirtland)
Organization	Children's Peace Pavilion Seminary World Conference Field organization
Leadership	Prophet-President List First Presidency Council of Twelve Apostles Presiding Bishop World Church Leadership Council Standing High Council Presiding Evangelist
Other	Comparison with Latter-day Saints Graceland University Harmony (organization) Herald Herald House Harvest Hills International Peace Award
Historic Sites	Joseph Smith Mansion House Liberty Hall Nauvoo House Plano Stone Church Red Brick Store Stone Church