During business sessions this week, the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) General Assembly elected a new International Council and selected Sri Lankan leader Godfrey Yogarajah as chair.
Yogarajah, a nearly 30-year servant within the WEA family, succeeds outgoing Executive Chair the Rev. Goodwill Shana of Zimbabwe, who completed two full board terms and most recently combined the roles of chair and secretary general from April 2024 until the Seoul Assembly.
A veteran Evangelical statesman, Yogarajah has led at national, regional, and global levels as CEO of the National Christian Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka, chair of the Asia Evangelical Alliance, executive director of the WEA Religious Liberty Commission, ambassador for religious freedom, and deputy secretary general of the WEA.
In his acceptance remarks, Yogarajah expressed gratitude and stressed unity, faithfulness, and a renewed global mission, saying, “It is with much gratitude and joy that I stand before you today as the newly elected chairperson of the International Council of the World Evangelical Alliance,” and adding, “First and foremost, 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 underscored the urgency of the Gospel amid global challenges and opportunities, noting, “We gather at a time when the world is facing significant challenges — the suffering, the marginalized, the rise of persecution, the urgency of the Gospel in changing cultures, as well as the opportunities created by technology and global connections,” and affirming, “Our strength lies not in numbers or influence, but in the faithfulness of God and the unity of the Spirit.”
Yogarajah affirmed his intent to collaborate closely with the newly appointed Secretary General and CEO, the Rev. Botrus Mansour of Israel.
In accordance with WEA bylaws, the International Council election followed a two-phase process in which, during the first business session on Oct. 29, voting delegates from national and regional alliances affirmed nominees submitted by each of the nine regional Evangelical Alliances.
Immediately afterward, the newly seated International Council selected its officers—chair, vice chair, secretary, and treasurer—and elected two additional members to meet the bylaw requirement for at least 11 members and ensure diversity of gender, age, and ministry background.
Re-elected members: Godfrey Yogarajah (Sri Lanka) – Chair; also Chair of the Asia Evangelical Alliance and CEO of the National Christian Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka; David Guretzki (Canada) – Vice Chair; President of the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada; Jorge Gómez (Costa Rica) – Secretary; leader with the Alianza Evangélica Latina; Bassem Fekry (Egypt) – Evangelical Fellowship of Egypt; Marta Hotton (Argentina) – Alianza Evangélica Latina; Snehal Pinto (India) – Director of the Ryan International Group of Institutions; Rev. Ahaman Egizbaev (Kyrgyzstan) – Evangelical Alliance of Kazakhstan.
Newly elected members: Rev. Jean Libom Li Likeng (Cameroon) – President, Association of Evangelicals in Africa; Devon Rachae (Grenada) – President, Evangelical Association of the Caribbean; Reinhardt Schink (Germany) – General Secretary, Evangelical Alliance in Germany; Jude Simion (Australia) – Head of the Australian Evangelical Alliance.
The Council has not yet appointed a treasurer.
Outgoing members who completed their terms include the Rev. Goodwill Shana (Zimbabwe), the Rev. Frank Hinkelmann (Austria), the Rev. Connie Main Duarte (Portugal), Palmira Santos (Angola), the Rev. Ezekiel Tan (Singapore), Mario Li-Hing (Mauritius), the Rev. Desmond Austin (Caribbean), and John Langlois (Guernsey).
