Bishop David Oyedepo, the founder of Living Faith Church, also known as Winners Chapel, has responded to mounting criticisms over the recent retirement of two senior pastors within the church.
The criticism followed the announcement of the retirement of Bishops Thomas Aremu and David Abioye, who have each served the ministry for over 30 years.
This decision sparked widespread social media debate, but during a service held in honor of Bishop Aremu on Tuesday at the Winners Chapel branch in Orita Bashorun, Oyedepo urged critics to stay out of the church’s internal matters.
Explaining the rationale behind the retirements, Oyedepo emphasized that the decision aligned with the church’s operational guidelines, known as ‘The Mandate,’ which serves as the church’s foundational constitution. He revealed that the church’s ‘Administrative Policy,’ first established in 1998 and updated in 2001, had undergone a significant revision in 2012, with another update in 2024.
One key revision in the updated ‘Mandate’ was the reduction of the retirement age for pastors from 60 to 55 years. Oyedepo reaffirmed that the church operates under divine guidance, and external opinions are irrelevant to how it runs.
Additionally, the revised Mandate sets a limit on the tenure of future church leaders, permitting them to serve for only one or two terms of seven years, with approval from the Board of Trustees.
Oyedepo, however, retains the right to serve for life as the church’s Founder.
Addressing potential critics, Oyedepo advised them to focus on their own business and refrain from questioning the church’s decisions. “My advice to commentators is to study to be quiet and mind your business,” he said. “It is wisdom to understand what works and why it works. Everything here works.”
Oyedepo also encouraged Bishop Aremu to remain spiritually grounded and to resist taking any breaks from his calling.
He cited Genesis 49:26 to stress that spiritual inheritance is not derived from human sources, urging Aremu to stay focused on God despite external distractions.
In his remarks, Bishop Aremu made it clear that he had no plans to establish his own church after his retirement. He expressed unwavering loyalty to Winners Chapel, saying, “I don’t have a church, and I cannot have a church because God has not given me the capacity to do so. This is my church.”
Aremu, who began his career as an accountant before transitioning to full-time ministry, is the last remaining bishop from the group of seven bishops consecrated by Oyedepo at the Garden of Faith in Kaduna in November 1999.
Bishop David Abioye, who is also set to retire, will be honored in a farewell ceremony at the Winners Chapel branch in Durumi, Abuja, on Friday, October 18, 2024. Both Aremu and Abioye are regarded as significant pillars of the church, having contributed immensely to its growth over the years.