A series of whistleblower documents raising significant concerns about the leadership and governance of the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) has revealed.
According to Christian Daily International, the three documents were published in both English and Korean on April 29 by the Christian Council of Korea (CCK), previously a national member body of the WEA.
These documents offer in-depth criticism of several senior WEA leaders and board members from an insider perspective, pointing out theological and moral issues along with concerns related to governance, accountability, and financial management. The identity of the whistleblower remains unknown.
The whistleblower’s foremost concern revolves around the WEA’s increasing engagement with Roman Catholic institutions and broader ecumenical bodies, such as the World Council of Churches (WCC). The whistleblower alleges that these collaborations compromise core Evangelical beliefs and raises questions about the WEA’s theological boundaries.
The report mentions that the WEA maintains a liaison office at the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva, where the WCC is headquartered, and participates in multilateral global forums such as the Global Christian Forum and Religions for Peace.
While some of these engagements have a long history, the whistleblower points out a recent shift toward interfaith prayers and joint evangelistic efforts with non-Evangelicals. Additionally, they draw attention to various evangelism and revival initiatives aligned with the year 2033 (the 2,000th anniversary of the Resurrection), which include collaboration among Evangelical, ecumenical, and Catholic groups.
Another issue highlighted by the whistleblower is the WEA’s visit to China last year, where the delegation met exclusively with representatives from government-sanctioned churches affiliated with the Three-Self Patriotic Movement and the China Christian Council (TSPM/CCC). Notably, the TSPM/CCC is affiliated with the WCC, not the WEA.
The whistleblower expresses additional concerns about the WEA’s uncritical engagement with Muslim leaders. An example cited is the plan to open a WEA office in Qatar, a country listed on Open Doors’ World Watch List of nations where believers face severe persecution.
A second claim in the whistleblower’s report questions the theological stance of several key WEA leaders. It raises concerns about Executive Chair the Rev. Goodwill Shana’s alleged ties to the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) and the preaching of prosperity theology, as well as Vice-Chair the Rev. Frank Hinkelmann’s ordination by and service in a progressive LGBT-affirming denomination in Austria.
In 2015, Hinkelmann was ordained as a pastor at the Evangelischen Erlöserkirche Melk, which is affiliated with the Protestant Church in Austria. He is currently listed as the pastor of the Evangelische Pfarrgemeinde A.u.H.B. Melk-Scheibbs. The denomination officially endorses same-sex unions and blesses homosexual couples, a position that contradicts the WEA’s own statement on human sexuality and the biblical view of marriage upheld by Evangelicals worldwide.
Within the context of financial concerns, the whistleblower also highlights the lack of accountability stemming from the prolonged interim arrangement wherein the chair of the board also serves as the organization’s chief executive.
Following the resignation of then-Secretary General Thomas Schirrmacher at the end of March 2024, the Rev. Goodwill Shana, chair of the WEA’s International Council, assumed executive leadership as “Executive Chair.” In February, eleven months after Schirrmacher’s resignation, the WEA announced a search process for the next secretary general, with applications still being received until the end of this month.
