Bishops David Abioye and Thomas Aremu, the two vice presidents of the Living Faith Church Worldwide will officially bow out of service this month after decades of service to the Church founded by Bishop David Oyedepo.
Bishop Aremu’s valedictory service will be held at the Living Faith Church, Basorun, Ibadan, Oyo State on Tuesday, 15 October, while Bishop Abioye’s farewell ceremony will take place in Durumi, Abuja on Friday, 18 October.
Their retirement is in line with the operational guidelines of the Liberation Commission, also known as the mandate, which serves as the church’s constitution.
According to the revised mandate, the retirement age, previously set at 60, has now been adjusted to 58.
While the church’s founder and president, Bishop Oyedepo, retains the privilege of lifelong service, future leaders of the church will be limited to one or two seven-year terms, subject to approval by the board of trustees.
Oyedepo recently celebrated his 70th birthday.
Abioye, 63, who first met Oyedepo in 1979, has been an integral part of the ministry since its early days.
He was among the pioneering pastors of the ministry, taking charge of one of the first five branches established in 1987.
Abioye’s consecration in 1993 at the Garden of Faith, Barnawa, Kaduna, made him the youngest bishop in the history of a full-fledged church at the age of 32.
On the other hand, Aremu, 67, transitioned from a career in accounting to full-time Christian ministry.
He has also played an important role in the church’s development.
Among the seven bishops consecrated in November 1999 at the Garden of Faith, Aremu is the only one who remains in service.
This occasion is the first time that Living Faith Church will publicly celebrate the retirement of its pastors.