175 years ago today, some 800 evangelical leaders from eleven countries representing fifty-two Christian denominations resolved to establish the WEA. They described as “ a new thing in Church history – a definite organization for the expression of unity amongst Christian individuals belonging to different churches.” Building on the momentum of the Great Awakenings and with a desire to respond to some of the grave social issues in society, they came together from all backgrounds of evangelicalism at that time.