The World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) General Assembly in Seoul concluded successfully yesterday (October 30), marking a new chapter for the WEA with the appointments of new Secretary General Botrus Mansour and new Chair Godfrey Yogaraja.

The assembly also elected 11 new members to the International Council, who will serve for the next six years and play a crucial role in decision-making for the WEA.

New Secretary General Dr. Mansour: Only the Gospel can answer the world's deepest longings

Dr. Mansour expressed gratitude for the immense responsibility entrusted to him and accepted the blessings and prayers from members. A printed greeting letter to the delegates by Dr Mansour was distributed to participants promptly after the commissioning.

He wrote, "As I stand before you in my new role as Secretary General of the WEA, I do so fully aware of both the immense responsibility and the great privilege this calling represents. "

He emphasized that this assembly comes at a crucial moment as the global church faces cultural divisions and social unrest, calling participants to shoulder the mission of proclaiming the Gospel to everyone. He wrote, “Our gathering in Seoul comes at a time when the global church must press forward with renewed unity and vision. The challenges before us cultural divisions, social unrest, disregard for human dignity and the ongoing search for peace and justice remind us that only the Good News of Jesus Christ provides the answer for the world's deepest needs. "

He reiterated the WEA's commitment, “The Gospel for Everyone by 2033”. He wrote, “I am honored to join you in this sacred task, and I look forward to walking alongside you as together we seek the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Godfrey Yogaraja Elected as New Chair of the International Council

Current Chair of the Asia Evangelical Alliance (AEA), Godfrey Yogaraja, was elected as the new Chair of the International Council, recognized by the board for his decades of work in the evangelical movement.

Yogaraja is dedicated to upholding the authority of the "inerrant Bible" and protecting churches in Sri Lanka facing religious persecution. His contributions to global religious freedom earned him the Good Samaritan’ award by Advocates International in 2004, the ‘Pro Fide’ Award by the Friends of Martyrs Finland in 2005, and the "Deshamanya" honor from the Sri Lankan government in 2015.

In his inaugural speech, he said, "Serving the global evangelical family is both a great privilege and a solemn responsibility." He added, "Together with Reverend Botrus,  the International Council, and our global family, we will seek fresh ways to equip churches, strengthen leaders, and engage communities with the transforming message of Christ…May this be a new chapter of unity, effectiveness, and hope for the World Evangelical Alliance."

Building Long-Term Strategic Partnerships with the Korean Church

The World Evangelical Alliance views the leadership transition as reflecting a shift in the gospel's center from the West to the global South, Asia, and the Middle East, ushering in an era where the gospel spreads from South to North.

The alliance plans to establish long-term strategic partnerships with the Korean church, integrating the Korean church's vibrant missionary zeal and rich discipleship training resources more closely into the global mission movement. To realize this vision, the WEA has confirmed several specific future cooperation projects, including officially accepting the Korea-based Disciple Making Institute (DMI) as a member, jointly promoting global discipleship training with DMI, and promoting Korean church success stories in discipleship training worldwide.

Evangelical leaders from member countries worldwide raised their hands in prayer at the event, blessing Dr. Mansour, Godfrey Yogaraja, and new council members, asking God to grant them grace and strength to lead global evangelical churches and to bring a new chapter to the organization.