World Evangelical Alliance Celebrates 180 Years of Divine Faithfulness and Global Unity

The World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) is celebrating its 180th anniversary this year. To mark this landmark milestone, leaders and believers from around the world will gather this Wednesday, 23rd September, to celebrate WEA’s 180th birthday and again on Sunday, the 27th September, marking WEA Day. The faithful around the world will be holding thanksgiving events, reaffirming their commitment to connecting the global Church and proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

In 1846, evangelical representatives from more than 50 denominations and various countries gathered at Freemasons’ Hall in London to form the Evangelical Alliance. The goal was to foster visible unity among Christians, defend religious freedom, and combat social evils of the era, such as child labor and slavery.

From a small gathering in London, this evangelical movement has grown steadily over the years into a truly global fellowship. Today, the World Evangelical Alliance represents more than 650 million evangelicals worldwide, across nine regional alliances and more than 164 countries.

“As you have seen, we have alliances, commissions in different areas, teams that work on advocacy… and thousands of people who work around the world as volunteers. All of us collaborating in order to glorify the name of Jesus Christ”, said Rev. Botrus Mansour, Secretary General of WEA.

Godfrey Yogarajah, Chair of the WEA International Council, during a Thanksgiving service in May in London, reflected on the organization’s early days and highlighted the central message of unity that drove the founders. “In 1846, when our founders gathered in London, the world was a very different place. Empires were rising and falling,” Yogarajah stated. “And yet, in the middle of all that turmoil, a group of evangelical Christians from various denominations and nations dared to believe something radical: that the Gospel is bigger than any one church, any one tradition, or any one nation. They didn’t come together to compete, but to connect. Not to divide, but to declare together that Jesus Christ is Lord.”

Rev. Dr. Jack Sara (General Secretary of the Middle East North Africa Evangelical Alliance) affirms the importance of WEA to the persecuted church and for Christians in crisis contexts. “Being connected to the WEA brings the voice of the Church in the Middle East and North Africa region to the global stage, allowing the Church worldwide to pray and act together with us.”

Pastor Jan Wessels and Pastor Connie Duarte (Co-General Secretaries of the European Evangelical Alliance) emphasize that the WEA’s value lies in the sense of belonging it provides. “The World Evangelical Alliance is important to us because we were not made to walk alone. We need each other. Through the work of the WEA, we serve and learn from each other, inspiring and equipping national alliances for Gospel transformation in their nations”, they said.

After the impact of two world wars, evangelical leaders met in Woudschoten, the Netherlands, in 1951 to reorganize the global network and establish the World Evangelical Fellowship (WEF). The movement sought to promote reconciliation and support local churches in spiritual and social post-war reconstruction.

In 2001, the organization officially adopted the name World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) to clearly reflect its identity as a truly global family of faith present across all continents, cultures, and languages. 

Now in September 2026 the WEA celebrates its 180th anniversary. This is a historic milestone for any institution, but especially for one that, over the years, has united evangelicals from around the world despite their differences. Marking 180 years of continuous ministry, the WEA continues to serve as a bridge for cooperation and legal / humanitarian advocacy, representing over 650 million Christians before the United Nations (UN), governments, and international bodies. 

Join WEA’s 180th Anniversary Events by signing up to attend here.

Read the anniversary message by Godfrey Yogarajah, Chair of the International Council 

Watch the video here by Secretary General Botrus Mansour