New York, NY – August 21,2012
There has been public conversation on the nature and role of Olivet University and its founding president Dr. David Jang and their relationship to the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA).
The WEA, from its founding more than a century ago, continues to serve its worldwide community with its roots in the life of Jesus Christ, its theology solidly Evangelical and its heart to serve people in the name of the Lord Jesus, believing that it is only in the risen Christ that people will find life and eternity.
Vital to this conversation is an understanding of the WEA and its wide and comprehensive linkage and accountability to Evangelicals from 129 nations.
The WEA was founded in 1846 and is the largest global Evangelical body, with a network of churches in 129 national alliances and 100 international organizations, representing some 600 million Christians worldwide.
WEA is governed by the International Council, which consists of fourteen people from its regions, elected every six years by the 129 national alliance members. The WEA also has a North American Council that provides board governance for the US 501(c)(3) organization. The International Council oversees the work of the WEA and appoints its Secretary General/CEO every five years.
All members of both the WEA International Council and North American Council are reviewed to determine their compatibility and support of the vision and theology of the WEA, and all members sign the WEA statement of faith.
Dr. David Jang has been a member of the North American Council since 2007, appointed by due process. WEA leaders were aware of accusations against Dr. Jang. However these issues had been resolved by our South Korean national alliance member, The Christian Council of Korea (CCK). The CCK is composed of 71 denominations representing over 80 percent of protestant Christians.
WEA has several membership categories, and all members apply through a membership application. The International Council membership committee reviews all applications and it is the International Council who decides who will be accepted into membership.
Olivet University, also founded by Dr. Jang, is a member of WEA, as are over 100 other institutions and organizations. The WEA International Leadership Institute uses the technical platform of Olivet University as a delivery mechanism in its online delivery of education. The Leadership Institute’s curriculum is developed by many leaders and teaching practioners around the world, designed to provide leadership training to leaders of its 129 national alliances along with other WEA members.
WEA is funded and supported through membership fees, donations, and conferences, as well as secondment of staff. As a result, funds received through the US 501(c)(3) represent only one source of WEA’s overall support. The WEA 501(c)(3) provides the Form 990 that is publicly available. WEA respects the privacy of our donors and supporters and abides by government privacy regulations, particular in Europe. In the United States funds come from memberships, individuals, foundations, trusts and churches.
WEA is broadly based in its organizational structure, which consists of many in leadership, a comprehensive and carefully outlined voting structure and an accountability that ensures it reflects the hundreds of millions of Evangelicals the WEA represents.
WEA is wide in its scope of commissions and organizations and finds its funding in a vast array of regions, countries and communities. The growth of WEA in past years is due in part to the generous support of members around the world and partnering with agencies, missions and organizations.
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The WEA is the largest global evangelical body with a network of churches in 129 nations and an alliance of 100 international organizations representing over 600 million Christians worldwide. It representatively speaks as a trusted voice on behalf of global evangelicalism, connects diverse Evangelical church networks and ministries for effective collaborative action, and actively equips their needs with valuable resources to optimize their impact. For more info e-mail at [email protected] or go to Worldea.org.
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