|PIC1|The appointment comes after the WEA leadership made peace-building a priority for the alliance in 2007.
Part of that commitment includes mobilising at least 40 per cent of the WEA's 128 national evangelical alliances, member organisations, partners and commissions in helping to cultivate and sustain peace in places impacted by violence. A particular focus will be placed on supporting children in poor countries embroiled in armed conflict.
Tollestrup is a member of the Global Reconciliation Network initiated at Lausanne in 2004, and currently serves on the Executive Council of the Integral Alliance and the New Zealand Micah Challenge.
He said reconciliation was "a unique Christian ministry that cannot be separated out from either proclamation or works".
"To be Christian is to be a peace-maker. I cannot think of poverty anywhere in the world where I cannot trace back to some conflict either directly or as exacerbating," he said.
"For this reason Evangelicals must become conflict literate and be able to contribute to reconciliation and peacemaking. As Jesus emphatically stated, 'Blessed are the peace-makers.'"
A small group of three part-time staff will join Mr Tollestrup in the work, to be financially supported by TEAR Fund New Zealand.
The group will spend the coming months raising awareness of the initiative among WEA members and building cooperative relations with other Christian peace and reconciliation networks throughout the world as they look to prepare for Cape Town 2010, the third Lausanne Congress on World Evangelisation.
"I am approaching this with a real sense that we are late-comers on the scene of Christian peace-making," said Mr Tollestrup.
"Many Christians and their networks have for years, even centuries been concerned for peace-building. One only has to consider the Mennonites for instance.
"So with a sense of humility I want to work with others as a learner and a listener as build WEAPRI over the coming months and years."
Mr Tollestrup has previous experience in field based reconciliation programmes throughout the world and was awarded a New Zealand Government Scholarship for work in impact assessment among poor communities in the developing world at the PRIA Institute in New Delhi. In the past, he has served as the Chairperson of the New Zealand Council for International Development.
His appointment was welcomed by the International Director of the World Evangelical Alliance, Dr Geoff Tunnicliffe.
"I am delighted to appoint Steve Tollestrup as the Director of our Peace-building and Reconciliation Initiative," said Dr Tunnicliffe. "Steve brings experience, skill and passion to this very important role. As we look across the globe we recognise this initiative is more needed than ever. I want to see us to be on the frontline of promoting and reconciliation."
The World Evangelical Alliance is made up of 128 national evangelical alliances located in seven regions and 104 associate member organisations. The vision of WEA is to extend the Kingdom of God by making disciples of all nations and by Christ-centered transformation within society.