Two prominent Vice Presidents of the Living Faith Church Worldwide, Bishops David Olatunji Abioye and Thomas Aremu, are set to retire from active service this October 2024.
Their retirement follows the guidelines of the church’s constitution, known as the Liberation Commission or the Mandate.
According to Church Times, farewell services will be held for both bishops at their respective churches.
Bishop Thomas Aremu’s valedictory service is scheduled for Tuesday, October 15, 2024, at the Living Faith Church in Basorun, Ibadan, Oyo State.
Meanwhile, Bishop David Abioye’s send-off will take place on Friday, October 18, 2024, in Durumi, Abuja.
A member of the church’s headquarters in Ota, Ogun State, told Punch, “We have heard that Bishop Abioye and the other Bishop Aremu in Ibadan will leave during the Bishop Oyedepo birthday celebration.
“That is the new law in the church; only Bishop Oyedepo can remain in his position for life. One of the two bishops has even been considering leaving for a while, so this is not news to some of us in the church.”
Attempts to confirm this with church officials were unsuccessful, as they did not respond to calls or messages.
Bishop Abioye, now 63, has been with the ministry since 1979 when he first met Bishop David Oyedepo.
He was one of the early pastors of the church, overseeing one of the first five branches established in 1987.
In 1993, at just 32, Abioye became the youngest bishop in the church’s history during his consecration at the Garden of Faith, Kaduna.
Bishop Thomas Aremu, 67, transitioned from a career in accounting to full-time ministry and has been a vital part of the church’s growth.
Among the seven bishops consecrated in 1999, Aremu is the last remaining in service, earning deep respect for his dedication.
This will be the first public retirement celebration for pastors in the church’s history.
The Mandate’s revised guidelines now set the retirement age at 58, down from 60.
While the church’s founder, Bishop David Oyedepo enjoys lifelong service, future church leaders will be limited to one or two seven-year terms, depending on approval from the Board of Trustees.
KanyiDaily recalls that Bishop David Oyedepo recently received two luxurious Rolls Royce Cullinan cars as gifts during his 70th birthday celebration