By Amofokhai Williams
The Living Faith Church Worldwide, is set to bid farewell to two of its longest-serving and most influential leaders, Bishops David Olatunji Abioye and Thomas Aremu, who will retire from active service in October 2024.
The Alarmee reports that their retirement marks the end of over four decades of dedicated ministry by Bishop Abioye and more than three decades by Bishop Aremu, in accordance with the church’s revised operational guidelines, known as the Mandate.
In a historic move, Church Gist reports that the church will publicly honour these revered figures with valedictory services—a first in the church’s history.
Bishop Aremu’s service will be held at the Living Faith Church in Basorun, Ibadan, on Tuesday, October 15, 2024, while Bishop David Abioye will be celebrated in Durumi, Abuja, on Friday, October 18, 2024.
Bishop Abioye, a close ally of Living Faith Church founder Bishop David Oyedepo, has been a pivotal figure in the church’s growth since the early days of the ministry.
After meeting Oyedepo in 1979, he was entrusted with leading one of the church’s first five branches in 1987. Abioye’s consecration in 1993 at the age of 32 made him the youngest bishop of a full-fledged church in recorded history. His unwavering service and leadership have left a lasting legacy in the church’s development over the years.
Bishop Aremu, who transitioned from a career as an accountant to full-time ministry, has also played a critical role in the church’s expansion. He is the only remaining bishop among the seven who were consecrated in November 1999 at Garden of Faith in Kaduna, a testament to his enduring commitment to the church’s mission.
The church’s new retirement guidelines, as set by the revised Mandate, have lowered the retirement age from 60 to 58.
Bishop Abioye, now 63, and Bishop Aremu, 67, will be stepping down as part of these updated policies. Under the new rules, all future leaders, except the founder, will serve one or two seven-year terms, subject to approval by the Board of Trustees.
These retirement celebrations represent a new chapter for Living Faith Church, which is under five decades old. The public recognition of these bishops’ service is expected to set a precedent for future retirements within the church, while also celebrating the legacy they have built in the Liberation Commission.
