The General Assembly of the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) elected a new International Council and Sri Lankan leader Godfrey Yogarajah as Chair during its business sessions held Oct. 29–30 in Seoul, Korea.
Yogarajah, who has served within the WEA family for nearly 30 years, succeeds outgoing Executive Chair Rev. Dr. Goodwill Shana of Zimbabwe, who completed two full terms on the board and more recently combined the roles of Chair and Secretary General from April 2024 until the Seoul Assembly.
Experienced leader elected to lead International Council
A veteran evangelical leader, Yogarajah has held multiple roles 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 address to the Assembly, Yogarajah expressed gratitude and emphasized unity, faithfulness, and a renewed global mission. “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,” he said. “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 highlighted the urgency of the gospel amid global challenges and opportunities. “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,” he said. “Our strength lies not in numbers or influence, but in the faithfulness of God and the unity of the Spirit.”
Yogarajah affirmed his commitment to work closely with newly appointed Secretary General and CEO Rev. Botrus Mansour of Israel. “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,” he said. “May this be a new chapter of unity, effectiveness and hope for the World Evangelical Alliance.”
Two-phase election under WEA bylaws
The election of the International Council followed a two-phase process as outlined in the WEA bylaws. During the first business session on Oct. 29, delegates from national and regional alliances — who constitute the WEA’s voting members — affirmed the nominees submitted by each of the nine regional Evangelical Alliances.
Immediately after the session, the newly elected International Council convened to select its officers: Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary, and Treasurer. It also elected two additional members to fulfill the bylaw requirement that the Council consist of at least eleven members, ensuring diversity in gender, age, and ministry background.
Outgoing Chair Goodwill Shana explained that each regional alliance had also submitted nominations for additional candidates to enhance diversity and representation.
“We have requested the regional alliances to send three representative nominees — a young person or woman or someone with expertise,” he said. “The International Council will sit and consider those nominees plus any others in order to ensure that there’s a balance and representation.”
From these nominations, the Council re-elected Snehal Pinto of India and Marta Hotton of Argentina, both of whom had served previously, to continue for a second term.
Composition of the new International Council
The new International Council includes both re-elected and newly appointed members:
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
- Dr. David Guretzki (Canada) – Vice Chair; President of the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada
- Dr. 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. Dr. 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 yet to appoint a Treasurer.
Outgoing members who have completed their terms include Rev. Dr. Goodwill Shana (Zimbabwe), Rev. Dr. Frank Hinkelmann (Austria), Rev. Connie Main Duarte (Portugal), Palmira Santos (Angola), Rev. Ezekiel Tan (Singapore), Dr. Mario Li-Hing (Mauritius), Rev. Desmond Austin (Caribbean), and John Langlois (Guernsey).
Clarification on ‘emeritus’ status
During the business meeting, delegates also addressed a question regarding the legitimacy of a “member emeritus” status that had been granted to a former International Council member in 2008. Shana clarified that the WEA’s constitution and bylaws contain no provision for such a role.
“There is no constitutional position or place for member emeritus,” Shana said. “What we do have is a record of a minute that said the particular member would be a member emeritus until the next General Assembly.”
That status would therefore have expired after the 2019 General Assembly in Jakarta. Since no discussion or resolution on the matter was recorded in 2019 or the following years, the role now ceases to exist. Any future conferral of an emeritus position, Shana added, would require a formal amendment to the bylaws defining the terms and authority of such a role.
“A new day” for the WEA
The newly appointed Secretary General Rev. Botrus Mansour was officially introduced during the session. Delegates joined in prayer for Yogarajah, Mansour, and the newly elected International Council.
“This is a new day,” Shana said. “It is a great day for the WEA with a new International Council and a new Secretary General.”
