The World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) was established in the UK in 1846 and has grown to be the largest evangelical organization in the world today, spanning 129 countries and representing 600 million evangelicals globally.
In a wideranging inaugural address, Dr Schirrmacher addressed the key priority areas for the WEA's work, among them the need to uphold the authority of Scripture and spread the Gospel.
"Mission is not always the being of our local churches. We often have to be reminded as evangelical churches that we have to put the witness of the Gospel into the center," he said.
Dr Schirrmacher will also work to unite the diverse global evangelical community during his term over the next five years.
