Bishop David Oyedepo, the founder of the Living Faith Church (Winners Chapel), has called on critics to stop questioning the church’s decisions regarding the retirement of its pastors.
The cleric received backlash on social media following reports last week that his two vice presidents, Bishops Thomas Aremu and David Abioye, would be stepping down after three and four decades in service, respectively.
It has been reported that their retirement aligns with the church’s operational guidelines, also referred to as The Mandate, which functions as the church’s constitution.
During his sermon at the farewell service for Bishop Aremu at Winners Chapel, Orita Bashorun, on Tuesday, Oyedepo emphasized the importance of concentrating on one’s own matters.
He disclosed that the church’s Administrative Policy from 1998 underwent a review in 2001, and The Mandate established in 2012 was updated in 2024, emphasizing that the ministry functions under divine authority.
ICYMI: Living Faith Church: Bishop Oyedepo’s deputies, Aremu, Abioye step down
The updated Mandate has altered the retirement age from 60 to 55. Although the Founder, Oyedepo, is entitled to serve indefinitely, subsequent church leaders will be limited to one or two terms of seven years, subject to the Board of Trustees’ approval.
The Bishop, however, warned those wishing for the ministry’s downfall that they were wasting their “lives.”
He said, “My advice to commentators is to study to be quiet and mind your business. It is wisdom to learn what is working and find out what makes it work. Everything works here.”
He encouraged Bishop Aremu to place God at the core of his life, emphasizing that taking a spiritual hiatus can be dangerous.
Citing Genesis 49:26 from the Bible, Bishop Oyedepo remarked that individuals do not possess an inheritance from a teacher or pastor.
He encouraged him to maintain a mindset focused on growth, saying, “There’s no such thing as the best today or tomorrow; what matters is your pursuit of God.”
He encouraged him to maintain a mindset focused on growth, saying, “There’s no such thing as the best today or tomorrow; what matters is your pursuit of God.
Oyedepo encouraged Aremu to stay engaged to ensure a consistent outpouring of grace, warning him against being sidetracked by unfounded criticism.
In his earlier remarks, Aremu expressed that he did not plan to leave Winners Chapel to start his own church once he retired.
“I don’t have a church, and I cannot have a church because God has not infused me with the capacity to do so. This is my church,” he said.
Aremu, who previously worked as an accountant, moved into full-time ministry after having a prosperous career in that profession.
He is recognized as the sole surviving bishop from the seven ordained at the Garden of Faith in Kaduna in November 1999.
In addition, Bishop Abioye’s farewell event is scheduled for Friday, October 18, 2024, in Durumi, Abuja.
