₦airaland Forum

This is an extract from the Book "Who Succeeds The Fathers". Written By A Church Researcher and Historian, Leke Beecroft. In this chapter Leke unveils many unspoken things about the Nigerian church and enlightens readers about the inner workings of the Nigerian church.




WHO SUCCEEDS THE FATHERS?
Part 5

By Leke Beecroft

LIVING FAITH CHURCH WORLDWIDE (aka WINNERS' CHAPEL INTERNATIONAL)

"When Jesus returns, He will meet this Church a Vibrant Altar of Fire!! Even if it is 2000 years from now, it doesn't matter.
Those after us will be hotter than us!
Those taking over from those after us will be hotter than they are!" - Bishop David Oyedepo

The GLOBAL COMMISSION

With about 8,000 church auditoriums in over 60 countries-many of which are easily the largest in their various towns, cities and nations, online presence in over 170 nations, the 2nd largest church estate in Nigeria and in the world (over 170 times the size of the Vatican City in acreage) , the largest printing and publishing house in West Africa, the second largest builder of infrastructure in Nigeria after the Roman Catholic Church, 2 established universities-Covenant and Landmark (best 2 Nigerian Christian universities)- with 5 more undergoing various processes of establishment all over Africa, 22 secondary schools with 120 more projected and 158 nursery, primary schools across Africa and UK with over 4,800 more in the works, all over the next 15 years, this Church has shown with Vision 2031 that she isn't just the church of the now, she is the church of the future. If there is any pentecostal ministry which has unashamedly learnt or imbibed from the wisdom, longevity, continuity and succession of the Catholic Church, it is the Living Faith Church which has 'Wisdom' as one of her 12 Cardinal Plllars or Pillars of the Commission.

Like the Catholic Church, Living Faith is a very wealthy Church; like the Catholic Church, the Living Faith invests heavily in building academic institutions (the Roman Catholic Church has sa total of over 200,000 schools covering all levels), like the Catholic Church, Living Faith Church builds 'Cathedrals' everywhere, like the Catholic Church's Vatican City, Living Faith is developing the ultramodern 'City of Refuge' Canaanland/Canaan City, like the Catholic Church, Living Faith does keep to time and does not stay long hours in her worship services endearing large volumes of worshippers, like the Catholic Church''s 'morning Mass', Living Faith holds services 'everyday' known as 'Covenant Hour of Prayer' (CHOP) derived from Acts 3:1. Most importantly, like the Catholic Church, though untested, the Living Faith Church has a Succession Plan. It is detailed in a Red Book known as "The Mandate".

LANDMARKS

David Olaniyi Oyedepo received the 'mandate' for this commission on May 1st and 2nd , 1981 in an 18 hour vision. He called his associates and they set up a 70 man 'Power House' going through a 28 month prayer and fasting period. According to Oyedepo, during that period, he got several instructions. On 4th October 1991, the Lord gave him the name 'Winners' Chapel' and Living Faith thus -"The LIVING FAITH is the acting faith and the acting faith is the WINNING FAITH.........." March 1982, he established a covenant with God for a life of prosperity and wealth. The following month, during a powerhouse prayer meeting in a secondary school at Erinle In April 1982, some prophetic pillars that defined the ministry came forth:

1. At the Base of the ministry, a 'tent' was to be built to sit 50,000 (Faith Tabernacle, Faith Theatre-100,000).
2. A printing press by the ministry will operate at industrial scale (Dominion Publishing House).
3. God showed wings in the air and said "These wings represent an airplane with you inside carrying the everlasting gospel to the heathen lands (the church owns airplanes today).
4. The business of this church is not to debate doctrines but to prove the power of the Holy Ghost (a power based church with divers miracles and testimonies)
5. A technology will be used to put the Gospel on screen across the nations of the earth (Internet technology and live services online).
6. The work of this Church is not limited to this country but to other nations of the world (Africa Gospel Invasion Program-AGIP:Africa, Mission to the World -MTW:Europe, Asia, Americas.)
7. Very soon we shall see millions gathering (Annual Shiloh Event, headquarters Church alone now gathers about 400,000 on sundays) .

THE THREE DAVIDS

One fact is clear in the Living Faith Church, whoever succeeds Bishop David Oyedepo is presently known as 'David'. It could be David Alpha (David A) or David Omega (David O).

How will this be?

By 31st August 1982, David Oyedepo married Florence (later Faith) Oyedepo (nee Akano). Exactly 9 months from the day, on 1st June, 1983, he had his first child and son. The young boy was named "David Oluwamakinde Oyedepo (David Junior). According to Bishop David Oyedepo, on the birth of the child, God told him "Another Warrior has come" thus the name 'Oluwamakinde' (God has brought victory). In essence, before the church had started full fledged, God had brought a Joshua.

The church resumed on Sept 17, 1983 with her commissioning service conducted by Pastor Enoch Adeboye of the RCCG. By December 11 of that year, the Church kicked off services in Kaduna with 4 members. A few incidents occurred. Emmanuel Osset, a lecturer in Ilorin was deputy to Oyedepo. He was however not ready for the move to Kaduna. Oyedepo however insisted on running a full time pastorate ministry. Osset backed out of the young ministry. Today, he pastors the Champions Chapel, Ilorin. Kwara State in fulltime capacity. Secondly, according to Oyedepo's instruction, pastors were to be trained in 'Arabia' like Paul. Hence, they were to be sent to Kenneth Hagin's Rhema Bible School in USA. Eventually Oyedepo cancelled this trip based as he said on God's instruction to the chagrin of the disappointed pastors who left the ministry in their little droves. A former head of the Fellowship of Christian Students and also Youth Corper in the church, David Abioye, remained. He became second in the ranking. Eventually the pastors made a comeback but Oyedepo was unwilling to lower Abioye's status. David Abioye was eventually ordained Bishop in June 1993 and officially became the Vice President of the Living Faith Church. With the promulgation of the Church's constitution on September 7, 2012, he became the First/Executive Vice President (VP Missions), with headquarters at the 740 acre Goshen, Abuja. According to the Mandate, the Executive Vice President steps in immediately, if for ANY reason, the President/Presiding Bishop is unable to complete his 'lifetime' tenure.

On 11th December 2013, exactly 30 years after Living Faith Church began, David Oyedepo Jnr mounted the pulpit to preach at Shiloh 2013 for the first time. He was well received. David has continued growing in wisdom and power, from his position as Pastor of the UK Church, one of the largest in Europe, to his role as Regional Pastor of Europe and his recent appointment as Resident Pastor, Faith Tabernacle, a move which appears coincidentally ahead of time but now in very good order. David Oyedepo Jnr has become a regular face at Canaanland and Faith Tabernacle and is now the face of the future of the ever growing Living Faith Church, a Church his Father prophesies will secure a 'nation' status in the near future.....like the Vatican.

PRIESTHOOD/LEVITICAL TENURE
According to the Mandate, like the Pope, the Head of the Living Faith operates for a lifetime. He will be head until he dies, becomes incapacitated or resigns by his choice. Other priests or pastors serve the purpose of propping him up. Their tenures are periodical. There are 5 Vice-Presidents in the Living Faith Church. Bishop David Abioye (Missions/Executive/1st VP), Pastor Faith Oyedepo (VP Education), Pastor Kunle Ajibade (VP Foreign Missions), Pastor David Oyedepo Jnr. A VP must have served 20 years before being appointed after due screening. However after ordination in 2007 and with less than 10 years in the pastorate, David Jnr got a waiver with a membership of over 30 years and other considerations. Vice Presidents serve a period of 7 years renewable tenure. Bishop Abioye and Faith Oyedepo are on the 4th year of the 1st tenure effective 2012. 10 years will expire in 2026.

SUCCESSION CLAUSE
At 61 years of age, Bishop Oyedepo has talked about seeing himself on the altar at the 'good old age' of 85 years. However, at 75, he MUST choose a successor to be ratified by the Board of Trustees. The BOT members must not be members of the Supreme Executive Council. The Founder alone will ever retain membership of the 2 separate bodies and that must end on his 'departure'.


There is a final defining clause in the succession according to the 'Mandate'. The successor to the Presidency of the Living Faith Church must not be more than 60 years of age at his ordination. Presently, all the Vice Presidents are 50 and above with the exception of 33 year old David Oyedepo Junior. With some mathematics, once Bishop Oyedepo attains 75, all other VPS will be above 60 except David Jnr who will be 47. This makes 55 year old Bishop David Abioye the next in line for the next few years and David Oyedepo Jnr most likely the successor-time permitting -of the Global Commission that the Living Faith Church has become.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=868056606671545&id=444807728996437

Lalasticlala

asuustrike1:
CU has the highest Jamb applicant yet their intake are lesser than Babcock how come?

CU doesn't want so much students... Babcock wants many...

Talk about the violent taking it by force. Just shine your shoe and resume anywhere... The violent taketh it by force.

Lalasticlala

Lalasticlala

Better. Big comps should be encouraged to list.

Babcock university is also the private university with the largest student body in Nigeria(3,000/year). Followed closely by Afe babalola university (2000/year)
and then Covenant University(1,500/year)

Babcock is also the 2nd private University after Covenant with the highest Jamb applications in Nigeria.


Together the three universities(BU,ABUAD,CU) form 30% of all enrollment in private universities.


Codetemplar asuustrike1

NB: Babcock University was funded and built by the Adventist Church through a 20 year loan repayment plan, way back in 1999.

This is the reason why the university is quite expensive than her peers. Babcock has had to request high fees to keep up her standards. However the Adventist Church still supports the university by providing at least 2% of the total university budget. The University appears to use loan financing as her major method of financing her projects. This would include Babcock Business School which was some years commissioned.

Officially inaugurated on April 20, 1999, Babcock University is the pioneer private University in Nigeria.
--
Babcock is amomg the best privately owned universities in Nigeria and is Highly rated in Africa when it comes to Education and research. its environment is one of the most beautiful in Nigeria.
-
�AWARDS
• First Accredited Private University in Nigeria
• Among Universities in Nigeria to produce first class graduates at the Bar exams from the Nigeria Law School.
• Ranked among the top 20 universities with the most employable graduates in Nigeria (STUTERN)
• 1st University to clinch the World Branding Forum’s Best Brand Award (Education category, Nigeria) four times consecutively.
• First University in Nigeria to get all courses accredited within the first four years of establishing its medical school
--
Notable Alumni
• @davidoofficial - Nigerian Music Superstar
• @shollsman - CEO Paystack
• Olumide Oworu - Nigerian actor
• Alex Usifo - Veteran Nigerian actor

He must be yoruba

..

OmoEpe:
The amount paid for every kilowatt of electricity consumed is double or more what you pay to Disco. How many Nigerians can afford this?

It's not rocket science until we pay appropriately for power we can't reasonably expect to have it. Moreover the whole of that land isn't up to 1/1000 of the smallest local government in Nigeria

canaancity is twice of Ikeja size though not all of it ha been developed.

krattoss:
And what's there for the poor youngins

You people keep shouting poor everywhere. Is he supposed to open a lab for the 'poor' again..

iamgenius:
Shut up, you're very ignorant or you're just being an hypocrite. What's in the history books, even those written by fellow Christian historians was that The Crusade war was meant for the interest of the church. Not political or defensive. Why do you guys shun the truth?

The church of course held the political leadership of Most western nations at the time. And had the responsibility to defend them.
If the Church wanted to wipe out Islam as a religion it would have done so many years before the crusade.

It was until Muslims started invading Spain, Turkey and the likes that the pope then permitted Christians to go to war while forgiving the soldiers who had to kill in defense of Europe.
You might read up on the crusades before commuting ignorance here.

HAKYN1:
You are correct, but then what is the religion of the people that perpetrated slave trade, the greatest inhuman treatment of all times?

As though muslim Arab traders were not brokering the sales of black Africans during slave trade.

HeyCorleone:
You ever heard of the crusades and Inquisition? The many wars that ravaged Europe in the middle ages were all Christian-motivated. People have fought wars in "if bread be body or if body be bread".

I'm a Christian too. But the history of Christianity became peaceful only a couple centuries ago.

The crusade was a defensive and political war meant to roll back the growing influence and invasions by Muslims. It is no different to a West Vs Soviet fight for dominance.

And if you have to look for incidences that happened hundreds of years away to justify parity between the horrendous horrors that Muslims and Atheists are causing this world then you are mentally weak.

Both Christianity and Islam are thousands of years old. While Christians have evolved and become better over the ages. Muslims are still very much stuck in millennial old confrontation.
So if you are looking for anyone to hold accountable for the Inquisition pls go to the grave because everyone responsible for such Is there.

Try Unilag. Its just one year as I heard and the fees are not too much.

sarrki:
Stop pretending to be am half clever

Both religion are epidemic to global peace

Europe, North America, Australia are all products of Christian homogeneity prior to the 21st century. They wers never perfect but we see what Christianity produced in those nations... Now looking at the products of secularism/atheism in China and North Korea, the blood trail of islam we can boldy say the world has proved Christianity to be the most forward thinking, progressive religion/ideology.

My religion, Christianity ended the killing of twins and human sacrifice in Nigeria, gave the world awesome universities like Yale, Harvard and the likes. My religion, Christianity runs the highest number of Orphanages, home for the elderlies in the world. My religion Christianity laid the foundation for Gender equality by the propagation of monogamy.


Islam on the other hand has left a trail of blood every where with nothing tangible to show for it existence. Islamic nations that have thrived economically did so DESPITE Islam and not because of it. The religion has murdered innocent people and have turned young men into monsters while turning young women into psychological and physical slaves.

This is crazy. Brandon Tarrant, the attacker of the Mosque in New Zealand was a Pagan/Atheist who went as far as bashing religion in his manifesto. His motivation for the attack was white supremacy and specific hatred for Islam. Though he expressed sympathy for the sufferings of Christians at the hands of Muslims in the middle east but he was NOT a Christian.

When Dylan Roof another Atheist/Pagan/Supremacist opened fire on a black church in Charlotsville, USA. Christians didn't go looking for Atheists to kill. When Jews were killed in Pittsburgh USA by an Anti semite, they didn't go looking for other people to kill.

Yet this dumb islamist went to attack a church in far away sri lanka as retaliation... Same thing happened in Calais, France. An Atheist funded magazine which mocks Jesus Christ for a living chose to mock Muhammed one day. And apart from attacking the company. These morons where threatening Christians in Asia.

Atheists drew a mocking picture of Mohammed in Denmark and these idiots started attacking Christians in Bauchi and Kaduna.

Well CNN especially, is culpable in the death of all those people in Sri Lanka. They keep passing this propaganda of Islamophobia. Well news flash, Islam definitely gives more violence to others than it actually receives. And every body who has a working brain would fear Islam.

COLOMBO (Reuters) - Devastating Easter bombings in Sri Lanka were retaliation for recent deadly attacks on mosques in New Zealand, a Sri Lankan official said on Tuesday, adding that two domestic Islamist groups were believed to have been behind Sunday’s blasts.

No group has claimed responsibility for the coordinated attacks, which officials said were carried out by at least seven suicide bombers, on three churches and four hotels. The toll rose to 321 dead with about 500 people wounded.

“The initial investigation has revealed that this was in retaliation for the New Zealand mosque attack,” junior minister for defence Ruwan Wijewardene told parliament.

He did not elaborate on why authorities believed there was a link to the killing of 50 people at two mosques in the New Zealand city of Christchurch during Friday prayers on March 15. A lone gunman carried out those attacks.

Wijewardene said two Sri Lankan Islamist groups - the National Thawheed Jama’ut and Jammiyathul Millathu Ibrahim - were responsible for the blasts early on Sunday during Easter services and as high-end hotels served breakfast.

U.S. intelligence sources said the attacks carried some of the hallmarks of the Islamic State militant group, although they were cautious because it had not claimed responsibility.


Islamic State is usually quick to claim responsibility for, or links to, attacks against foreign targets or religious groups, whether it was involved or not, they said.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe told parliament investigators were looking into foreign links.

Earlier on Tuesday, Sri Lankan government and military sources said a Syrian had been detained among 40 people being questioned over the bombs.

“He was arrested after the interrogation of local suspects,” one of the sources said, referring to the unidentified Syrian.

FUNERALS
Tuesday was declared a national day of mourning and the funerals of some of the victims were held, as pressure mounted on the government over why effective action had not been taken in response to a warning this month about a possible attack on churches by the little-known National Thawheed Jama’ut group.

The first six attacks - on three churches and three luxury hotels - came within 20 minutes on Sunday morning.

Two more explosions - at a downmarket hotel and a house in a suburb of the capital, Colombo - came in the early afternoon.


https://www.reuters.com/article/us-sri-lanka-blasts/sri-lanka-bomb-attacks-were-revenge-for-new-zealand-mosque-killings-minister-idUSKCN1RZ06M

Degis:
Which Church in Nigeria meets these stringent conditions?.

What you have inferred in your comments is purely an aberration and the ink won’t dry before it is consigned to the trash can.

Private Jet is just a means of travel and nothing more and if a church decides to acquire one, no one can legislate on the rights to own property. It is an inalienable right.

If you advocate regulations for the church in Nigeria via CAN, I hope you remember that it is Impossible to enforce regulations when not everyone is a member of CAN

I agree with you completely that private jets are mere vehicles of transportation. And I don't think anyone on this NL has ever advocated for jet setting ministries as I have. However there has to be regulations guiding against abuse. I see abuse already setting in!

And it would do us a lot of good if the church regulates itself before govt attempts to do so. As it is, Kumuyi has already sold everybody out. Kumuyi said he doesn't need a private jet to run a successful mission. And that is a killer reference. Kumuyi is one of the big 5 exporters of Christianity beyond the shores of Nigeria. If he claims he is not in need of a private jet to be mission relevant. It then becomes hard to defend the rest who are buying it.

We must also recognise that a jet is a means to accomplish a more productive mission. It should never be the first thing you buy the moment a couple of billions enter your account.

Also if you claim the church has inalienable rights to expend cash anyhow then government would state her right to collect taxes. And that struggling church in Ogbomoso which is struggling to pay rent would be hit by tax liabilities which was incurred by the irresponsible behaviour of wealthier churches.



Lastly CAN should be transformed into a National Supreme Council For Christian Affairs. It should have three branches consisting of Orthodox, Catholic, Pentecostals. Each branch should have its own rule guiding the definition its membership. Any intending christian ministry must register under any of the three branches and must follow membership codes. The reformed CAN should have powers to license, unlicense and disband erring ministries.

Who investigates/sanctions a General Overseer sleeping with a chorister? Reformed CAN
Who closes down a church whose 'pastor' makes members to eat grass? Reformed CAN



Let me tell you, for every negative news about Christianity, people lose faith in the church and extension Jesus. And until we make the church accountable within Christianedom we are heading for troubled times.

Not every pastor needs a jet... There are only 5 indigenous churches in Nigeria that can be accepted as Jet setting ministries by the virtue of the vastness of their congregations. If you don't have at least 1000 churches outside the shores of Nigeria then you do not need a jet. The ownership of a PJ by a church must be driven by needs rather than availability of funds. A jet is a very expensive vehicle to run, if you can't keep its maintenance cost below 0.1% of church income then you don't need it either.

RCCG
Winners Chapel
Christ Embassy
Mountain Of Fire Ministries
Deeper Life Church

This is why I'm advising govt to turn CAN into a self regulatory organization backed by Law, so as to check these excesses.
My recommendations for CAN's guideline for PJ ownership would include the following.

[b]
1)Any Church intending to register a private jet must have at least 100 orphanages. Of which a minimum of 10% must be located in Nigeria.
2) Any Nigerian Church willing to register a PJ must have at least 1000 branches outside of Nigeria.(which justifies a church leadership's need to be on constant move)
3) Any Nigerian Church willing to run a PJ must have a minimum of any 100 of schools or health centers or drug rehabs or home for elderlies which are either completely free or charge not more than 5% of service cost.
4) Total cost of acquiring a private jet must not

a) exceed 2% of a church's total income for any year.
b) While its maintenance must not exceed 0.1% expenditure of total income for that year.
Section a) requirement can be nullified if the church directly ask for contribution for the PJ as opposed to using already collected charitable donations. Or if the Jet was a gift.
5) Any Church willing to run a PJ must pay all of its payable staff government approved minimum wage.
[/b]

Churches are tax exempt and it must remain that way. Flagrant display of extravagance would only be an invitation to taxation which would affect Orthodox and catholic churches immeasurably. We can't have a system where churches that don't have institutionalised help ministries run private jets. We can't have churches that don't pay staff well run private jets. We can't explain it to God and we can't explain it to Man.

Next time put 'pastor' in quotation. E.g 'Pastor' sucks out demons.........

100% of true Christians would agree that the so called pastor's behaviour isn't reflective of Christianity.

obagoriola:
There is rush now. I can't confirm that now.

Ok I have confirmed the new price. Thank you. BTW was the Governor you saw Abia state governor?
I know Oyedepo political friends are mostly south south and south east.

Congratulations! obagoriola
Is the cost of the duplex still 35M?

Christians have really suffered in Africa and Asia

misterjosh:
Real nice of the school, but I beg to differ that there is a season of surplus when it comes to rice. We ain't even producing near enough

Hmm you are right.

GavelSlam:
Thank you President Buhari for opening the eyes of Nigerians to the possibilities in Rice production.

You ain't serious. Landmark university's agricultural investments are dictated by its strategic plans. Much of which has been designed many years ago...

Landmark's overaching vision is to feed Africa and Buhari or no Buhari there's no way a university/company like landmark would ignore Africa's second largest staple product.
And rice production was never rocket science to even begin with...

HYDROPONICS FOR VEGETABLES
After a successful test phase the University has chosen to massively invest in Hypronocics technology for vegetables - this is also known as soiless agriculture.
It would also open up an Hydroponics department in the University so that interested candidates can learn about hydroponics technology.

Commenting on the development Debo Onofowora an Associate pastor of winners chapel and CEO Bic farms concept had this to say "Growing plants in water or some substance other than soil is called hydroponics. The plants are pesticide free, high quality in all seasons and have relatively long shelf lives."

Lalasticlala

Landmark university, Africa's first agrarian private university has stated her desire to expand investment Portfolio in agriculture by increasing its production of rice, investment in Hydroponics(soilless agriculture )etc. The university recently constructed inert atmospheric silos as the need arises to store its grains.

A visitor who accessed the facility had this to say "I visited a silos Landmark University; the silos has capacity to store 500 tons of grains and the interesting thing is that, the silos is fully constructed and installed by Nigerians. Storage is a major barrier faced by farmers in Nigeria; there is usually surplus in season, but they can't preserve the surplus for the time of scarcity because of lack of storage. Nigeria needs more of this storage facility innovations to ensure food security in the country."

sarrki:
He’s also a political leader

He supported and campaigned for atiku

So supporting a candidate means that a person is a political leader?
Which Kain talk be this. And you know, he never mentioned Buhari. So stop feeling unnecessarily guilty.

sarrki:
Sire with due respect

You are part of them sir

I'm sure he meant African political leaders.