Oyedepo’s two deputies to step down next week, have several roles open to them within the church's structure

The duo of Bishops David Abioye and Thomas Aremu, who occupies the positions of Vice Presidents of Bishop David Oyedepo’s Living Faith Church, also known as Winners Chapel, have several roles open to them within the church’s structure, upon their imminent retirement in October.

Valedictory services in honour of the two bishops are set for October 15 and 18, 2024, with Bishop Aremu getting honoured in Ibadan, Oyo State, and Bishop Abioye’s farewell taking place in Abuja.

Both Bishops have surpassed the church’s mandatory retirement age of 60, with Abioye at 63 and Aremu at 67.

However, beyond their retirement, findings from Church Times indicate that the church has five potential roles available for them, should they choose to accept any.

According to Church Gist, the roles as outlined in the church’s operational manual, The Mandate, which was published in 2012 indicates that they could be assigned to a local assembly, not beyond a zonal church as resident pastors, they could be assigned oversight responsibility over a given location within or outside Nigeria, ¹they could be appointed to serve in any of the church’s educational institutions or any department where they may choose to apply for such vacancies, ²they may also be appointed to serve in any of the departments in the headquarters where they have expertise. ³They may also be appointed revivalists, or as pastors in the Revival Mission Initiative Department.

These appointments however, are subjected renewal every year, as they are not permanent.

It is not certain whether the bishops will engage any of these opportunities, though both have held supervisory roles for mission work before their retirement.

Abioye, the present Senior Pastor of Living Faith Church, Goshen City, Abuja, met with Bishop David Oyedepo in 1979. He led one of the church’s five pioneer branches and was consecrated in 1993 at the age of 32.

Bishop Aremu on th other hand, transitioned to full-time ministry after a career in accounting, and was among the seven bishops consecrated at the Garden of Faith in Kaduna in November 1999.