The World Evangelical Alliance says it has inaugurated its new secretary general, Filipino Bishop Efraim Tendero at its International Leadership Forum in Tegucigalpa, Honduras.

Evangelical leaders from over 40 different countries from every region prayed for Tendero and welcomed him as the new leader of the WEA, which says it represents 600 million evangelicals worldwide.

WEA said in a Feb. 19 statement that its leadership group met from Feb. 9-13, with more than 70 leaders from the grouping.

It was the first time that for the leadership group to hosted in Latin America, due to the support of the Confraternidad Evangélica de Honduras and the Alianza Evangélica Latina.

Bishop Ef Tendero was installed as the new Secretary General of the World Evangelical Alliance. (Photo: WEA)

"As we commissioned our brother Efraim, I was reminded of the words of the apostle Paul to the Ephesian leaders," said Rev. Ndaba Mazabane, an ordained Baptist minister from South Africa and chair of the WEA International Council and acting secretary general.

"Not knowing what was ahead of him when he lands in Jerusalem, his commitment to the ministry of the gospel was unswerving, 'to finish the race and complete the task the Lord has given me', that is what informed my prayer for him," said Mazabane.

Bishop Tendero's tenure will officially start at the beginning of March.

"When I was asked to become the next Secretary General, a main reason that I accepted the task was the clear purpose of the WEA.

"It is very difficult, even impossible, to guide an organization that doesn't know the reason of its existence.

"But when there is an organism with its foundations in the purposes of God: furthering the witness of Christ, strengthening the Church and pursuing holiness, justice, and renewal at every level of society; then the difficult again becomes possible," Bishop Tendero said.