Oyedepo to Critics: Winners Chapel Governed by ‘Divine Mandate,’ Not Sentiment

The Presiding Bishop of the Living Faith Church Worldwide (Winners Chapel), David Oyedepo, has cautioned critics against interfering in matters concerning the church, stressing that its operations are strictly guided by “The Mandate” and not influenced by personal opinions or sentiment.

Speaking on Sunday at the church’s headquarters in Ota, Ogun State, shortly after the third service, Oyedepo reaffirmed that the vision and structure of Winners Chapel are rooted in divine instructions.

His remarks appeared to address speculations surrounding the recent exit of his former first vice president, Bishop David Abioye, but he maintained that the church’s leadership principles remain unchanged.

“The Mandate, which is the church’s manual, was written in 2012. Some of you need to go and read it to understand what we are doing here. I also have a Board that I answer to. So what we are doing cannot be altered. Nothing in the book came to us as a group. It came to me alone,” Oyedepo said.

He explained that every major directive guiding the ministry—from the location of church buildings to the acquisition of aircraft—was received as divine instruction.

“This is the place where the church would be built; it came to me alone. It’s time to get the aircraft; it came to me alone,” he added.

Dismissing insinuations of disorder, the cleric noted that structure, discipline, and accountability remain central to the church’s global growth.

“I am not a loose person. Order brought us to where we are. My only wife even had to apply to work in this ministry. Nobody ever worked here by saying, ‘God sent me.’ You write an application, you do an interview, you get an employment letter, and you respond,” he explained.

Oyedepo stressed that Winners Chapel operates like a well-organised institution, unlike organisations where, according to him, “people just come to work without order.”

He urged members and the general public to study The Mandate to better understand the church’s guiding principles rather than rely on speculation or hearsay.

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