The World Evangelical Alliance has inaugurated a new Evangelical Center in Dover, NY, to host international conference, meetings and training programs.

The property that will host international conferences, meetings, and training programs is located in the vicinity of New York City, where WEA has its General Office.

"As one of the three world church bodies, we serve more than 600 million evangelicals in 129 countries," said Bishop Efraim Tendero, Secretary General of the WEA.

"The Evangelical Center is God's gracious provision that enables us to be more effective in fulfilling WEA's vision of establishing and strengthening Evangelical Alliances around the world."

He said, "This center will be used by God not only for leadership meetings and events, but also for training national leaders and emerging leaders, so that they can be more effective in their mandate of serving the Church in their respective countries.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by WEA representatives from various regions, national and local church leaders, and several county and municipal government officials.

They testified that they see the Evangelical Center as a new beginning for their community and a place where visionary Christ-like leaders will be raised that will bring light locally and worldwide.

First inaugurated in December 2010 in Binghamton, NY, the Evangelical Center now moved to Dover where it offers significantly more space.

The property is in partnership with the Olivet Center, a 2500 acre (ca. 10 square kilometers) campus owned by Olivet University, which has been a WEA Global Partner for more than 10 years.

Plans include a large library of physical and digital resources, a center dedicated to Biblical resources, and IT and data centers to serve the online and data needs of ministries around the world.

"We envisioned this place as a place of synergy. Our global partnership means that we are collaborating on issues that we both feel are very important for advancing our mission of the Great Commission through education for Olivet University and through partners of collaboration" with WEA leaders, said Dr. Tracy Davis, President of Olivet University.

"We just think that this is a place that can be a home for that. We want it to be a stronghold where this synergy can expand and have a global impact."

The WEA will launch two new onsite training programs this year. In June, the FELlowship program will kick off a first three-months internship program for emerging leaders with a focus on raising the next generation of national Evangelical Alliance leaders.

WEA's regional and national member bodies will be able to send younger leaders from within their organizations to the Evangelical Center where they will receive hands-on experience and training by WEA leaders.