By Emmanuel Adeleke
Two prominent pastors of Living Faith Church, aka Winners Chapel, are set to retire from the church after serving for over four and three decades.
The move, iit was learnt, aligns with recent changes in the church’s operational manual, ‘The Mandate,’ which revises the retirement age to 55, marking a new era in the leadership of the renowned ministry.
Bishop David Abioye, who had served as Oyedepo’s deputy for over 40 years, and Bishop Thomas Aremu, who had served the church for over 30 years, will both step down this month.
At 63 and 67 years old respectively, the new age policy will apply to all church leaders except for the founder himself, Bishop David Oyedepo, who is permitted to serve indefinitely.
According to a church official, the changes reflect the church’s commitment to structured leadership transition, adding that the revised policy is designed to ensure that the ministry continues to grow under fresh leadership.
Under the new structure, future leaders will be eligible to serve for one or two seven-year terms, contingent on approval from the church’s Board of Trustees.
Bishop Abioye’s farewell service will hold on Friday, October 18, 2024, in Durumi, Abuja, while Bishop Aremu’s service will take place at Winners Chapel, Basorun, Ibadan, Oyo State, on Tuesday, October 15, 2024.
Bishop Abioye, currently the Senior Pastor at Living Faith Church, Goshen City, Abuja, first met Bishop Oyedepo in 1979.
He led one of the church’s five pioneer branches in 1987 and was consecrated in 1993 at the age of 32.
Bishop Aremu, who transitioned to full-time ministry after a successful accounting career, was one of the seven bishops consecrated in November 1999 at Garden of Faith, Kaduna.