The World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) has ushered in a new era of leadership, appointing Godfrey Yogarajah from Sri Lanka as the chair of its International Council during its recent General Assembly in Seoul, South Korea. Known for his extensive three-decade-long service within the WEA, Yogarajah is poised to lead the organization towards a future of unity and faith-driven global initiatives.
Veteran Leadership Takes the Helm
Godfrey Yogarajah’s leadership credentials are well-established, having previously served in numerous significant roles such as CEO of the National Christian Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka and chair of the Asia Evangelical Alliance. He also held the position of executive director of the WEA Religious Liberty Commission and served as the deputy secretary general of the WEA.
In his inaugural speech, Yogarajah expressed deep gratitude for his new role, emphasizing, “I thank our Lord Jesus Christ, who has called us to this task and entrusted us with the mission to make disciples of all nations.” He also highlighted the critical global challenges and opportunities faced by the evangelical community today, noting, “Our strength lies not in numbers or influence, but in the faithfulness of God and the unity of the Spirit.”
Two-Phase Election Process
The selection of the International Council followed a structured two-phase process detailed by the WEA bylaws. Initial confirmations of nominees from the nine regional Evangelical Alliances took place on October 29. This was followed by an internal meeting where the council members chose their officers, including the chair, vice chair, secretary, and treasurer, to complete the council composition, which now includes at least 11 members to ensure diversity.
Outgoing Chair Goodwill Shana mentioned the importance of diversity, stating, “We have requested the regional alliances to send three representative nominees — a young person or woman or someone with expertise.” This approach aimed to foster balanced representation within the council.
New Council Composition
The newly formed International Council features a blend of re-elected and newly appointed members from across the globe:
Re-elected members:
- Godfrey Yogarajah (Sri Lanka) – Chair
- David Guretzki (Canada) – Vice Chair
- Jorge Gómez (Costa Rica) – Secretary
- Bassem Fekry (Egypt)
- Marta Hotton (Argentina)
- Snehal Pinto (India)
- Rev. Ahaman Egizbaev (Kyrgyzstan)
Newly elected members:
- Rev. Jean Libom Li Likeng (Cameroon)
- Devon Rachae (Grenada)
- Reinhardt Schink (Germany)
- Jude Simion (Australia)
The role of treasurer remains to be filled. The terms of outgoing members, including the Rev. Goodwill Shana, have concluded following this assembly.
Clarification on Emeritus Status
During the assembly, clarification was provided regarding the status of “member emeritus,” previously granted to a past council member in 2008. Shana clarified that the WEA’s bylaws do not currently support such a designation, and any future establishment would require a formal amendment.
A New Era for the WEA
The introduction of the new Secretary General, Rev. Botrus Mansour, marks another significant milestone. In what Shana described as “a new day” for the WEA, delegates united in prayer for the newly appointed leaders and council members.
This article was originally published at Christian Daily International
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