Warm beginning of WEA general assembly
WEA Assembly. Photo Canva.com, Vlady Raichinov
European Union
Not that long ago, Europe was the continent where the missionaries came from. The current picture is different, as we can see that the assembly of the World Evangelical Alliance. Our Bulgarian columnist Vlady Raichinov comes with an impression.
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“To our esteemed fellow servant in Christ, Your faithful presence is truly a gift of grace. May the Seoul General Assembly become a sacred moment where we stand together as one in response to the call of the Gospel. God bless you.”
A handwritten note is a gesture of care and a symbol of Korean hospitality. It is a personal touch intended to warm your heart as you arrive at a large global event.
This is how the regular General Assembly of the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) started for me. After spending a whole day and a whole night on the road, after travelling more than 10,000 kilometres from Sofia (Bulgaria) to Seoul (South Korea), the exhausting trip ended with a dusky hotel in South Korea’s capital, a name tag, a room key, a public transport card—and a postcard with one large word: Welcome.
Global Family
Nearly a thousand evangelical leaders from 125 nations have gathered in Seoul for the 14th General Assembly of the World Evangelical Alliance, under the theme The Gospel for Everyone by 2033. The event marks 179 years of WEA history and happens once every six years, serving as both a time of reflection and renewal.
During the opening ceremony at SaRang Church, voices from every continent joined in prayer and worship. Dr. Seblewengel Daniel from Ethiopia spoke from Ephesians 2, reminding delegates that identity in Christ transcends all human divisions: “Remember who you were, remember what God has done, and realign your relationships.”
Rev. Dr. Goodwill Shana, WEA’s Executive Chair, welcomed the participants and called the meeting historic—for the election of a new International Council, the installation of a new Secretary General, and for being the first WEA Assembly ever held in South Korea. The new leader, Dr. Botrus Mansour from Nazareth, becomes the first Middle Eastern Christian to serve as WEA Secretary General. In his greeting, he urged the global Church to live out the unity of John 17: “The wall of separation has been demolished. We are one in Christ.”
Changing Church
The first panel of the Assembly, Living the Gospel in Global Growth, offered a striking picture of what Christianity looks like today.
Mission researcher Jason Mandryk of Operation World reminded participants that evangelicalism is no longer centred in the West. Of the world’s roughly 650 million evangelicals, around 70 per cent live in Africa, Asia and Latin America. The tipping point came in the 1980s, when the movement became primarily a “majority-world” phenomenon.
Since 1960, the share of evangelicals within global Christianity has grown from 8 to 25 per cent, driven by both evangelism and renewal within existing churches. Africa alone has contributed nearly 70 per cent of the growth in world Christianity during the past half-century.
But Mandryk also offered a sober reminder: “We have failed to live up to the Gospel we preach. Our reputation in some places has shifted from being well-regarded to being a word of derision.” He urged evangelicals to define clearly what they mean by the term and to live in a way that makes the Good News visible.
Other speakers, including Wanjiru Githo from Kenya and representatives of the Association of Evangelicals in Africa, discussed the youthfulness of the African continent—where more than half the population is under twenty—and the urgent need for theological training for pastors.
Servant-Hearted Hosts
The choice of Seoul as the host city carries symbolic weight. South Korea’s journey from mission field to missionary powerhouse has inspired many. With nearly 22,000 missionaries sent worldwide, it ranks second globally.
Rev. Dr. Oh of SaRang Church, whose motto is “Sincere heart for God, sincere heart for people,” welcomed delegates on behalf of the Korean churches. Around 10,000 volunteers have joined to serve the event. “The reason we devote ourselves,” he said, “is that the grace we received from the Lord is so great that we want to share it with the world.”
During the afternoon and evening of the opening day, several thousand Korean believers joined the international guests for a moving time of worship and celebration. The vast auditorium of SaRang Church was filled to the brim as a bilingual service blended Korean warmth with global fellowship. Solo performances alternated with collective praise, and a procession of national flags turned the hall into a living mosaic of nations united in Christ.
The worship featured a 400-voice choir and a 100-instrument orchestra from the host church, whose heartfelt songs and humble prayers lifted the atmosphere beyond cultural boundaries. Together, guests and hosts sang of the King of Kings, their voices rising in harmony that mirrored the event’s theme of unity in diversity.
The evening concluded with a message by Dr. Rick Warren, who shared five principles of following Jesus: preaching the Good News, teaching disciples, healing the suffering, praying continually, and building His Church. Quoting passages such as Luke 2:49, John 5:36, John 6:38, John 4:34, John 13:15 and John 17:4, he encouraged believers to keep their lives focused on the mission and example of Christ.
The programme reflects that same servant spirit: prayer sessions at dawn, panels on mental wellness, AI ethics, Scripture engagement, and evening worship led by Integrity Music. Speakers such as Brian Alarid will later address themes of finishing the task and praying for workplace ministry.
European Viewpoint
For European evangelicals, gatherings like this are both humbling and challenging. Once the sending continent, Europe now represents only a fraction of the global movement’s energy and growth. Yet it remains a vital bridge between the faith’s historic roots and the rapidly changing realities of the Global South.
Across the continent, small evangelical communities continue to serve faithfully in secularised societies—often far from public attention. Seeing 900 leaders from Africa, Asia and Latin America speak of mission, discipleship and unity offers a fresh reminder that the future of world Christianity is colourful, multilingual and collaborative.
As Rev. Shana put it, “Unity requires more than formal membership; it demands authentic partnership centred on the Gospel.” That challenge applies equally to Europe, where the call to authenticity and cooperation may be the key to renewed witness.
Gospel for Everyone
The Assembly’s motto points toward 2033, the symbolic 2000th anniversary of Christ’s resurrection. WEA leaders describe it as a shared horizon for evangelism, discipleship, and collaboration across cultures and generations.
Each morning in Seoul begins with prayer for a different region of the world. Each discussion circles back to the same conviction: that the Gospel still transforms lives and still unites believers who might otherwise remain strangers.
Perhaps that spirit is best expressed in the small, handwritten note that awaited each weary traveller at the hotel desk—a reminder that grace often comes wrapped in simplicity.
New Secretary General
Beyond the worship and fellowship, the Assembly also carried a strong working dimension. Over the following days, delegates participated in the constitutional meetings of the World Evangelical Alliance, voting to elect a new International Council that will guide the movement through the next term. The gathering also marked the formal installation of Dr. Botrus Mansour as the new Secretary General — an event described by many as historic, as he becomes the first Middle Eastern Christian to hold the post in WEA’s 179-year history. Both transitions symbolise a generational and geographical shift within global evangelicalism: leadership now increasingly reflects the vitality of the Global South, where most evangelicals live and serve today.
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