Two key figures in the Living Faith Church, Bishops David Abioye and Thomas Aremu, are set to retire next week after decades of service. The two, who have served under the church’s founder, Bishop David Oyedepo, will step down in line with the church’s revised policies on leadership succession.
Multiple sources within the church confirmed the planned retirement, which aligns with a recent update to the church’s operational manual, *The Mandate*. This revision lowers the retirement age for church leaders from 60 to 55. However, the rule allows Bishop Oyedepo, the church’s founder, to remain in his position for life.
“We have heard that Bishop Abioye and Bishop Aremu will step down during Bishop Oyedepo’s birthday celebrations. One of the two bishops has even considered retirement for a while, so this is not entirely surprising,” said a member of the headquarters church in Ota, Ogun State, who preferred to remain anonymous.
Bishop Abioye, 63, and Bishop Aremu, 67, have both played pivotal roles in the church’s growth. Bishop Abioye, the Senior Pastor of Living Faith Church in Goshen City, Abuja, has been a close associate of Bishop Oyedepo since 1979. He led one of the church’s pioneer branches in 1987 and was consecrated as a bishop at the age of 32 in 1993. Bishop Aremu, who transitioned into full-time ministry after a career in accounting, was one of seven bishops consecrated in 1999 at the Garden of Faith, Kaduna.
According to church insiders, the new age limit applies to all future leaders, who will be permitted to serve one or two terms of seven years each, with the approval of the Board of Trustees.
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Farewell services have already been scheduled for the retiring bishops. Bishop Aremu’s valedictory service will take place at the Living Faith Church in Basorun, Ibadan, on Tuesday, October 15, 2024, while Bishop Abioye’s farewell will be held on Friday, October 18, 2024, in Durumi, Abuja.
Efforts to obtain an official comment from the church’s media officials were unsuccessful, as they did not respond to calls or messages.
The leadership transition comes at a significant moment for the church, which continues to expand both in Nigeria and globally. However, the church’s strict adherence to its guiding principles means that the new retirement rule will only apply to future leaders, while Bishop Oyedepo continues in his lifelong leadership role.
The retirement of these long-serving bishops marks the end of an era for Winners Chapel, with members of the church preparing to celebrate their contributions to the ministry. As one member noted, “Their impact over the decades has been immense, and their departure is a reflection of the church’s commitment to orderly leadership transitions.”