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Tag: Oyedepo

  • I’ve chosen to be a player not a spectator -Bishop Oyedepo reminisces at 60

    I’ve chosen to be a player not a spectator -Bishop Oyedepo reminisces at 60

    A global outreach, bestselling books, multi-national television network, world class universities, largest single church auditorium in the world, private jets and millions of changed lives. The Oyedepo Ministries have seen quite spectacular accomplishments. But Dr. David Oyedepo, the presiding Bishop of Living Faith Church Worldwide, Ota, Ogun State, popularly known as Winners Chapel, who attributes all to the grace of God, says the journey has just started, as he turns 60 today. The Bishop fielded questions from reporters penultimate Friday. SEUN AKIOYE was there.

    Dr. David Oyedepo, presiding Bishop and President of Living Faith Church Worldwide, aka Winners Chapel,Ota, Ogun State, walked into the auditorium of the African Leadership Development Center inside the expansive compound of Covenant University at about quarter after noon. He was dressed in a deep blue suit, a white shirt, red tie and black shoes. Following closely was his wife of 32 years, Pastor Faith Oyedepo. His entry had been noiseless and was hardly noticed above the din of loud chatters from journalists and other officials of the university who had been idling away.

    His assistants sprang into action, passing papers around and jostling with the microphone. Oyedepo found himself a seat at the middle of the high table, his wife sitting to his left. For the woman thousands of church members call Mama, she looked quite humble and had a look about her that indicated that she knew the meeting was not about her but her man whom millions of church members also called Papa and who is generally known outside his church as “Bishop.”

    The Bishop looked around him and felt something was amiss. He motioned to one of the officials and asked that the Vice-Chancellor of Covenant University, Prof. Charles Korede, be asked to join him at the high table. When he arrived, he sat to the right of the Bishop.

    It was the press conference to herald the anniversary of the 60th birthday of the Bishop. As expected, he was inundated with requests for interviews so he decided to hold a press conference. “I don’t want to be doing interviews every time, so we thought it is better to do it this way,” he said.

    Strict instructions were passed round that all mobile phones be switched off. “ We don’t want any distractions,” Korede said. Still a phone rang. The Bishop ignored it and began to tell the journalists, the reason for the gathering. “We are here acknowledging and appreciating God for the gift of life; the adventure of life is a privilege, let’s return the glory to God. Life expectancy in this nation is 45 years and when you get to 60, you should recognise this is God not man.”

    The gathering agreed with him with many confirming with a shake of their heads.

     

    In the beginning

    Oyedepo’s life seemed to have been written in the stars by the hand of God Himself. Contrary to many reports, he said he was born into a Christian family. “I was born into the church and raised by my grandmother who was a devout Christian. In fact, my first school was the Anglican primary school, I can say that I even started school in the church, he said.

    Though brought up under a strict Christian ethics, it is not clear if he wanted to be a preacher from the beginning but by one of those divine ironies, he began his ministry in the rural and rustic town of Ilorin, Kwara State, in 1981 at the age of 27 years.

    Since that time, the Bishop has garnered an impressive profile which has seen him become a preacher of international repute. Some others would call him a businessman because of the model he adopted in the structure and running of his ministry.

    At the age of 31, he had published his first two books, which have since grown to over 90 titles, selling close to 10 million copies globally, the Bible school the ministry founded a year after Word of Faith Bible Institute (WOFBI)- has trained over 700,000 pastors other Christians across 60 nations.

    The Bishop was not done yet; at 33, he began the church planting mission in Nigeria, and some 27 years after, the project has planted over 5,000 branches of the church. When the Lagos church was planted, it grew within 10 years to about 200,000 worshippers.

    The church auditorium in Ota, Ogun State, which is popularly called Faith Tabanacle, has been adjudged by the Guinness Books of Records as the largest single church auditorium in the world. Oyedepo seemed to be particularly touched by that singular testimony. “I just simply can’t stop marvelling at a number of things,” Oyedepo began. There was a tinge of excitement in his voice. “ One day, we woke up to see the sanctuary listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the largest church auditorium; what they called the largest church auditorium was built in one year and debt free, unbelievable!.”

    The auditorium was not the only “unbelievable” thing that really stretches Oyedepo’s gratitude. In 2002, his ministry founded the Covenant University, which has continued to rank as the best private university and the second best university in Nigeria.

    “It’s all about the celebration of the Grace of God. You are sitting down in Covenant University today, it was all done in seven months, between March and October 2002 and it is rated to be the best maintained campus, all at the cost of Grace and interestingly, we do not owe a dime to any bank. No one in our church is under any form of pressure to contribute; we are just having fun serving the Lord. What we are saying is, it is possible in our country and continent; there has been no power outage here since 1999 and this is part of Nigeria. It can be done and to God be all the glory,” he said.

     

    Richest pastor in the world? I feel good about it

    In global Christian circles, the Bishop is known as a man of quantum faith. He has written many books on the subject and taught thousands of enthusiastic pastors about how faith can move the hand of God. He has also found a scriptural justification in his absolute belief in God in 1 John: 5:4, which has become his favourite Bible passage: “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world; and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.”

    It was this faith that led him to become one of the greatest teachers of the prosperity gospel. Pioneered by the late Archbishop Benson Idahosa-whom Oyedepo met for the first time in 1986- the prosperity gospel is premised on the truth that God is the owner of all material wealth. “ All the beast of the forests  are mine and the cattle upon a thousand hills,” Psalm 50:10.

    The prosperity gospel dispelled all the formerly held notions that to be pious means to be poor and lowly.  Oyedepo took this doctrine seriously and preached it globally, winning many pastors to his side, including some of the most prominent ones like Sam Adeyemi of Daystar Christian Center  and his brother Victor, of Global Harvest Church and lifting millions of Africans out of the poverty mindset.

    Oyedepo has a lot to show for his faith in God’s provisions, private jets; over 10 million books sold globally, international outreach that spans 63 countries of the world. In 2008, Faith Tabernacle was voted as the largest single auditorium that sits 50,000 worshippers where he holds four full services every Sunday. The ministry has two multi-billion naira universities rated as the first and second best private universities in Nigeria and he is Africa’s richest pastor, according to Forbes report.

    Someone asked Bishop Oyedepo to situate all these within the context of the impression being created in some quarters that “righteousness and wealth appear not to be the best of friends and considering that he was named the richest pastor in Africa.” A pin drop silence enveloped the room, almost. The journalists shuffled in their seats while the officials fidgeted. One assistant appeared to look pained it was obvious the talk about how rich the Bishop is, though not totally unexpected, was going to be a painful subject.

    All eyes turned to the Bishop.  It seemed the “ambush” had worked. Oyedepo lowered his gaze and when he spoke, he took everyone by surprise.  “God owns the silver and the gold and He is the most Holy God. If wealth and righteousness are not the best of friends, there is no way God will be the wealthiest of all. If God is truly a Father. He will not wish His children to be poor. You have four children and will you say two should be rich and one will be a beggar? I believe wealth and righteousness are the best of friends,” Oyedepo said.

    He was not done. “ The wealth of every parent is reflective on their children. Abraham, the friend of God, was the wealthiest in his time. Job was a friend of God and he was wealthy; so it is not an issue.” Then, he turned to Korede (CU’s V-C), held his shoulder and said: “If you get a first class in school, how would you feel? You will feel good; you are not the greatest thief but the wealthiest pastor. So, I feel good about it. It is good to be a giver than a beggar.” The relief was followed by a prolong applause from grateful members.

     

    Quest for leadership

    One thing that is close to the heart of Oyedepo is the dearth of leadership in Africa and it shows in the way he had used every opportunity to force a change in that direction. For many years, he has targeted his teachings towards raising a new crop of leaders in Nigeria. “We need to solve the leadership problem in Nigeria where people who know next to nothing about leadership are now in leadership positions; so they mess it up, but if they are equipped, it becomes easy,” Oyedepo believed.

    This is one of the reasons for the founding of Covenant University, “to restore the dignity of the black man.” He has also found a model that talks to the vision he intended to achieve with the university. “We have found a model that works,” he announced. “We target the character of the student; we are going back to the old university tradition. You have been found worthy in learning and character; it is not worth a dime today.”

    Oyedepo knew what he wanted with Covenant University and set out early to achieve it. “ The packaging that our students go through here prepares them for excellence. We also package them for life after school through our developmental training. Here, Diploma in Leadership Development is a compulsory course. They get a diploma with whatever course they have studied.”

    To achieve the set standards, many have accused the Bishop of high handedness and treating the students like secondary school kids.  Over the years, most of his policies regarding character shaping and development were seen as draconian and unrealistic but he refused to back down.

    “Our products have been a model for others; I receive letters from people congratulating me on raising a new set of Nigerians because of the packaging our students went through while at Covenant. Our students are in every Ivey League university all over the world. Here, if you engage in exam malpractices, you will be dismissed.”

    The ministry also had the Landmark University in Omu-Aran, Kwara State; that was three years ago. The University is currently ranked second best private university in Nigeria, second only to Covenant. Oyedepo said the two universities are the same differentiated only by location. But perish the thought if you think the Bishop is about to slow down on discipline in his schools. Hear him: “All these institutions are prophetic agenda delivering quality graduates and this is the minimum we can go.”

    The institutions are the better for it. Covenant University has become one of the most decorated institutions in Nigeria in such a short span. Since 2005, when it first won the National Universities Commission (NUC) overall best in a nationwide accreditation programme, it has gone on to win more than 20 national and international awards on academics, infrastructure and developmental awards, including being listed in the first 100 universities in Africa. Landmark is not far behind, in just three years, it has climbed to Number Eight in the 2014 Webometrics ranking for Nigerian universities.

    But this is not to say that the schools have not been without controversy. For instance, Covenant University is said to be one of the most expensive institutions in Nigeria. “Why is your school so expensive that many members of your church cannot even afford to send their children there?” someone asked. The fellow received an approving smile and grunts from other journalists and waited to see how the Bishop would extricate himself from this second “ambush.”

    The Bishop smiled. He recognises a ‘trap’ when he sees one and surprisingly he loved it. “Nothing of value is free,” he said, adding that though the fees may seem to be high, the ‘packaging’ justifies it. Moreover, the ministry has been a bursary awarding mission spending a whopping N174million on scholarship last year alone. Landmark University also spent millions in scholarship.

    The Bishop believes the product justifies the cost.” There is uniqueness about our products because of the packaging they went through; they have not only gone through school but training.” But he noted that the problem is priority. “ An average Nigerian can spend N1million on a burial and when you put together all the unfactored fees being paid in other universities and the challenges students face before graduation, the cost is more than what we charge here.

    “ There are private secondary schools in Lagos that pay more; how much do Nigerians pay to go to school in Ghana and England? You are paying something here under proper packaging. We are doing a good job; the proprietors have not benefitted one naira in Covenant since inception.”

    The Bishop was not done yet. CU’s vice-chancellor had been pragmatic; he searched for some information on his IPAD and moved it in front of the Bishop, who read: “Nigerians spent N1.5trillion on overseas education, N463 billion a month on recharge cards! So, it is a matter of priority. There is no apartheid in knowledge, if you can find it anywhere, go for it.”

    That, however, did not deter the ministry from formulating Vision 2031, which was flagged off in November 2006. This includes the construction of four universities in Nigeria and three in Africa. There is also a plan for the building of 240 primary and secondary schools in Nigeria.

     

    No attack, no defence

    If there is an award for the most criticised clergy in Nigeria, Oyedepo would likely clinch it. From the private jets-the first of which the ministry acquired when the Bishop was 45 years- to his ever expanding ministry and his prosperity teachings, he has come under intense attacks from every corner. But the Bishop has an interesting disposition towards those who misunderstand him. “My understanding of opposition and persecution is someone’s opinion harshly expressed and people have a right to their opinion.”

    He has since adopted an attitude of “No attack, no defence.” This has made him grow a thick skin against his critics. “I naturally don’t feel it is necessary to react to all the talks about me. We have 18,500 employees and I can’t waste energy on everyone who says you are a fool. Your running around won’t change what he said, it would only confirm it,” he said.

    The Bishop also found another way to situate his many criticisms. “In a football match, you see 22 players on the field, there are two linesmen and one referee on the same pitch. Then, there are the spectators, some 80,000 of them cheering. But only the 22 men would play and receive the reward; the others were there to watch them play. In life, I choose to be a player and not a spectator. There are quite a number of things on social media which are not true like saying I was born into a Muslim family, but I chose to disregard social media, I’m a player not a spectator.

    “If someone is not speaking well of you that should not be a distraction, every strong position attracts opposition. If you have an exam tomorrow and somebody insulted you, will that stop you from studying to pass your exam? I naturally won’t react to opposition, I won’t dissipate energy on it,” he said.

    It was apparent; Oyedepo is a man who had chosen to focus on the positives in life. A man, who could not “remember his challenges” even though “we all have challenges.” He said: “Life is an adventure, it is normal to be challenged but unscriptural to be defeated and challenges are the stepping stones for the making of a champion, but we don’t focus on challenges, we overcome them through the grace of God.”

     

    Prayer for the prosperity of Nigeria

    One may have wondered why the Bishop did not join the bandwagon of those who relish in the criticism of the government and Nigeria. He is on a mission to change the negative disposition of Nigerians towards their own country.

    “Help us to be positive about the nation; there is no nation without challenges. Nigeria is the only country where our challenges are on the front page. Americans say they love America but they kill people every day in America, why is it not on the front page?” he asked and raised his hands towards the journalists in a plea.“You are doing a good job but you can make it better. You have to promote the prosperity of Nigeria,” he challenged the journalists.

    Then he began to prophesy for Nigeria and went on for a minute and half, with the audience screaming ‘amen’! Though the Bishop frowns on corruption, he believes that so long Nigerians say nothing is changing in the country, the situation will keep deteriorating.

    “People say ‘it is fight to the finish, this is war’, because they have the means to leave the country when there is problem but they forget others who have nowhere to go. We must change that attitude, we don’t have another nation.” Then he began to pray again. “We will not become refugees in another nation; there will be peace in Nigeria, no matter who is in power and who will be in power.” Thunderous amen!

    Oyedepo reasoned this is why Christians should be in politics. “We are not the light and salt of the church but of the world and we are supposed to impact the world positively. Believers have scriptural rights to be involved in how their Local Government and country is being run. Joseph was in politics so was Daniel. So we need to get involved.”

    Oyedepo’s wife, Faith, looked on, her face devoid of expression, making it difficult to read her mind. Nobody asked her any question and she did not volunteer to make her voice heard. She has spent 32 years beside her husband. They met when she was 22 and courted for six years before getting married. And those years? Oyedepo said: “They were heaven on earth and her advice has been numerous and profitable.”

    At the end, Oyedepo prayed for the journalists, many of whom raised their hands towards heaven to receive a blessing from the one they call Papa. Then, he went round shaking hands with the journalists and spreading goodwill. Mama stayed behind. This time, she had a smile and a warm handshake for anyone who came her way. Suddenly, it dawned on many that this is perhaps the silent oil propelling the wheel and she chose to play this role silently, almost in the shadows.

  • 2015: Oyedepo urges Christians to vote en masse

    2015: Oyedepo urges Christians to vote en masse

    Bishop David Oyedepo  of the Living  Faith Church Worldwide, popularly known as ‘Winners Chapel,’ has tasked Nigerian Christians to participate fully in next year’s forthcoming elections, by voting en masse to choose worthy leaders for the country.

    The Bishop, who spoke during a press conference yesterday at the Covenant University, over his forthcoming 60th birthday, urged Christians to decide their leaders through the good use of the ballot box in 2015.

    ‘’I believe that the church should impact on the society. We Christians should impact on the world. Joseph in the Bible participated in politics. And so did several other biblical figures. The church and its members have a right to participate in politics! Christians have a right to be involved in voting. We as Christians have the scriptural right to choose our leaders and get involved in politics. So, I call upon all Christians to take part in voting come 2015 elections.”

    Oyedepo used the opportunity to thank God for a robust life that he has enjoyed so far, counting the several blessings that he has enjoyed from God.  Particularly is the recognition of his Christian ministry and the               popular acknowledgement of the  church auditorium in the Guinness Book of World Records.

     “We do not owe any bank or individual. We are not under any financial pressure. Our accomplishment with Covenant University and Landmark University has been all of grace, all of work, and to God we owe it all. Covenant University has been acknowledged as the best private university in Nigeria, and Landmark University is closely behind it. “

    For those who criticise the expensive fees considered to be paid at CU and Landmark, Oyedepo had a message for them: “I can tell you that the owners of the universities have not been benefiting in any way from the universities in terms of profit. We cannot even depend on the fees. We are more concerned about the core values and the quality of education that is being impacted here. We are concerned about the wellbeing of the church members.

    “Education is expensive everywhere. I can tell you of four other institutions here in Nigeria that receive fees more that our universities. And all that goes back into re-development. Last year alone, we spent N174 million on bursary to students. The church has also been involved in scholarship programmes. The problem with some Nigerians is that they do not prioritise. Some Nigerians actually spend millions to host parties. And when it is time to pay school fees of N200, 000, they shout.

    “Nigerians spend N1.5 trillion on overseas education, and N463 billion on telephone recharge cards, with some un-employed among us having as many as three phones. That is why Nigeria remains the largest market for telephone in the world. Nigerians should prioritise.”

    Nonetheless, Oyedepo urged Christians to aspire to riches, that it is God who owns the silver and the gold. He cited biblical figures such as Abraham and Lot who were custodians of wealth. According to him, “God as our Father does not wish we His children to be poor. He doesn’t even want some to be rich and others not to have. God wants all His children to do well.” Bishop Oyedepo added that, “gold, wealth and righteousness go together;” and that Christians should aspire to be rich as well as be righteous.

    Oyedepo, who is Africa’s richest pastor, as rated by Forbes, said he is happy, and feels good to turn 60. That though, he has passed through several challenges in life, he has always believed that challenges are meant to be conquered.

    He enjoined Nigerians to be positive about Nigeria. “There are so many negative things that happen in the United States, of which we do not see leading the headlines of newspapers! We should start being like the Americans, who are positive about America. Nigerians should be positive about Nigeria. Let us not dwell on the negative. Let us rise up to the positive and conquer the challenges.”

    Bishop David Oyedepo will turn 60 next Saturday.

  • Books add values to our lives, says Oyedepo

    Books add values to our lives, says Oyedepo

    When potentials in books are fully explored and applied, they bring value to the lives and work of the reader, the Chancellor, Covenant University (CU) Bishop David Oyedepo has said.

    He spoke at the opening of a three-day conference on “Leadership and innovation: Cutting edge practices for the 21st Century librarian”, organised by the CU’s Africa Leadership Development Centre (ALDC) in collaboration with Ifegrace Ventures Ltd.

    Dr Oyedepo said information is powerful and people must realise they need it for development.

    He said: “We cannot get transformation without information and any country that has not prepared for knowledge is going down the drain.”

    Library, the cleric said, is very important to help any country get to where she aims, adding that knowledge and information are equally vital element for national development.

    “This assertion therefore places huge responsibilities on this professional base of librarianship,” he further noted.

    The cleric said libraries are the repositories of books and other information-bearing materials which in turn make them repositories of knowledge and information, therefore making crucial the quality of leadership of such platform.

    “This is made even more vital in our environment with the concerns expressed in various quarters in our nation, with respect to the grind down in reading culture in our schools and among our youths. It appears that we may in some contexts have earned a reputation for our poor disposition and unwillingness to explore the content of books,” he said.

    According to him, the theme of the conference is at the centre of university’s visionary mandate, both as a university and a centre where new generation of leaders are being raised with the primary aim of driving transformation on various platforms.

    Director of the Centre, Prof Aize Obayan said the occasion was designed to inspire stakeholders to search for more effective learning and personal development approaches for growth with a clear objective of enhancing the capacity and knowledge base of key players in the professional context of libraries.

    “Our expectation is that with the pedigree of men and women represented here, the outcome of this conference will provide unparalleled opportunities for delegates to rub minds together to determine directions for change as existing paradigms are reassessed for relevance while consolidating on best practices as we jointly identify new frontiers that we must traverse,” she added.

    Topics that were discussed included: Leadership and vision building, by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Tomrald Consulting Ltd. Lagos, Mrs Gloria Ita Kpeme; Building and Sustaining High Performance Teams in libraries, by the President West Africa Library Association, Dr James Daniel; and Leadership, Information and Change Management by the founder, Leadership Academy, Abeokuta, Biodun Fijabi.

    Other were:  Leadership Imperatives and the Challenges of the Digital Divide, by the President Nigerian Library Association, Dr Rilwanu Abdulsalam; Managing ICT-driven Libraries: Critical Leadership Issues by the CU Director, Centre for Learning Resources, Dr Chris Nikiko; and Leadership Imperatives in Creating and Sustaining Digital Institutional Repositories, by the Head of Department, Computers and Information Science, CU, Dr Nicholas Omeregbe.

  • Oyedepo is an asset to the world, says don

    Oyedepo is an asset to the world, says don

    With the successful completion of the ninth convocation of Covenant University(CU), Ota, Ogun State,  last Friday, the Vice-Chancellor(VC), Littoral University (Institute Littoral Des Etudes Professionnelles Superieures (ILEPS), Porto-Novo, Republic of Benin, Prof. Reuben Oyebode Ayeni,  has described the Chancellor and Chairman, Board of Regents (CU) Bishop David Oyedepo as an asset to mankind.

    “Bishop Oyedepo is a gift to the world and everyone needs to tap into it. I visit the university often to see what God is doing and everyday miracle in the university gives me joy and inspiration. It simply shows God is really working in Covenant University. I also try to learn, so that I can replicate what I see there in Littoral University. On behalf of my family and ILEPS, I want to congratulate Bishop Oyedepo for the success. This is also why I am here today with some of our students to celebrate this great achiever,” he said.

    Ayeni urged other institutions to take a cue from CU’s giant strides. “No wonder products from this great university are never stranded in the labour market or found looking for placements. This is a pointer that these new graduands, like their mates in the past, will surely make it in life. ILEPS will get there too,” he said.

    Speaking to The Nation shortly after delivering ILEPS’ goodwill message to CU, Ayeni, who came in company of some the university’s students and top management, expressed his happiness on the planned signing of an MoU between the two universities scheduled for July 9 at the CU premises.

    “It’s (MoU) a rare privilege given to us. Papa (Oyedepo) has been like a father to us, and has always encouraged us. We are happy about the collaboration. When a young university like ours has the privilege of standing on the shoulder of a world- class university like Covenant University,  it gives us a wider window to see further into academic horizons, while opening us up to wider opportunities beyond Africa.

    “Above all, it will open a new chapter in the history of both universities particularly, ILEPS in her quest to attaining excellence. That makes our journey to the top a lot easier,” he said.

    He said the university has been going through some trying times, contending with some elements, who want to throw spanners in the university’s good works.

    “Yes! There are challenges, but they are meant to make one become champions. We have lots of sycophants who are not sensitive to real issues.  Some parents are not patient enough and are getting swayed by hearsay. There are some bad eggs who want to reap where they did not sow.

    “Littoral University is not a warehouse where you just come and dump your child.  We are building future leaders here. The Republic of Benin education system has its modus operandi, which we must follow. We are appealing to parents and students to exercise patience because we are on course,” Prof. Ayeni said.

    ILEPS, he said, is speeding up plans at the permanent site located in Banigbe Idi-Iroko, so that the university can move there soonest.

  • Are you financially faithful?

    Dear Reader, It is a clearly established fact in God’s Word, that His will for your family is financial prosperity. The Word of God says: Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth (3 John 2-3). God’s will is clear, but it leaves you with responsibilities which you must fulfill, in order to enjoy the benefits thereof. These articles, therefore, are an exploration of what God has provided and what you must do to take hold and benefit from it. Christianity without proof is futility. Your family can experience a financial breakthrough, if you imbibe and follow God’s instructions, especially in this year of Exceeding Grace.

    God has covenanted and He is committed to your financial prosperity this year, but, do you have a financial plan for the year? A family that desires to prosper financially, should have a laid down rule for spending and earning money. Many families do not see the need for a budget. If you take time to undertake a survey, you will discover that only two, out of every 10 families, have financial budgets for their families. It is a fact that those who fail in life failed because they failed to plan. A man of wisdom said, failing to plan is planning to fail! Planning is a vital requirement, if you desire a financial miracle.

    Therefore, it is important to plan your family’s weekly and monthly expenditures. The Word of God says: For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish. Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? (Luke 14:28-31). ‘Sitteth down first’ means to map out a plan. Plan your expenditure pattern. If you don’t, impulsive spending can rob you of a bright financial future. One man of God said, “Any army general that wants to go to war, must win the battle on paper first, before he takes his men to the battlefield or else they will be slaughtered”. He must first sit down and draw a strategy of attack on paper. He should also have alternatives, in case of a surprise attack. The same thing applies, if your desire to have a financial future. You need to plan how you are going to spend your money on paper first.

    What is planning? Someone said, “Planning is thinking plus writing”. Think about the things you need to spend money on during the week, for the month; list them out and calculate, so when the money comes, you know where to put it. This also involves projecting into the future, because as you think, “What do I need money for this month?”, you are thinking ahead. For the believer in Christ Jesus, this is the essence of “the gift of a sound mind.” God promised all His children in Christ Jesus the gift of mental prowess (2 Timothy 1:7).

    The Bible says: we have the mind of Christ (I Corinthians 2:16). Thus, as a Christian, you no longer have a dull mind. The gift of a sound mind is given you, so you can have a sense of direction (wisdom). It offers wisdom (Proverbs 8:12) so that you know what to do with what you have. If you think well, what you have is enough. It is good to have a sound financial plan for your family, so that you can live happily within your income. I see a financial revolution taking place in your family, in the precious name of Jesus Christ!

    I want you to know that labour minus wisdom (sound mind, planning) is frustration, weariness and poverty. The Word of God says: The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city (Ecclesiastes 10:15). As long as you don’t plan ahead, you will weary your family members by begging for money, before the month ends. You will not be a liability to your family in Jesus’ name. The wisdom you are receiving today, will set you free from financial misfortune in Jesus’ name

    Planning and budgeting are necessary for proper financial management. How will you know how much you need per month, if you have not sat down to write out what your expenditures for the month are? You need to budget for domestic needs and essential commodities. Also, if you find out that what you earn is not enough, sitting down to plan will help you tailor your expenditure. As a child of God, you ought to cut your coat according to your cloth and not size.

    To waste what you have, is an offence to the Lord. The Lord Jesus gave this example when He said in John 6:12: Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost. In Isaiah 54:16 He said: I created the waster to destroy. This means a waster is also a destroyer. He destroys good things without knowing.

    If you lack the wisdom required to plan and budget, why not hand over your life to Christ Jesus first, to help you. Except a man be born again he cannot see… (John 3:3). You need to be born again first, to be able to see the way of escape God has provided for you. In case you are already born again, know that wisdom is yours by covenant. Next, you need to ask your heavenly Father for wisdom. God’s Word says: If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him (James 1:5).

    Lastly, stir up your mind and be imparted with grace. You stir up your mind, by sitting down to think: “What do I need?,” writing down your needs and calculating the cost. Also, by reading God’s Word, you will gain easy access to the wisdom you need to plan efficiently.

    You need His grace to plan and budget appropriately, so ask for His grace now. You have a bright financial future. Do not be a prodigal son, plan wisely today.

    Are you born again? If you are not, you don’t have genuine access to operate the mind of Christ (I Corinthians 2:16) If you are set for it, please say this prayer: “Lord Jesus Christ, I come to You today. I am sinner. I cannot help myself. Forgive me of my sins and cleanse me with Your blood. Deliver me form sin and Satan to serve the living God. I believe You died for me and on the third day, You rose that I might be justified. I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Make me a child of God today. Thank You for accepting me into Your kingdom.Congratulations, you are now born again! I believe that you will begin to experience the reality of the price that Jesus paid for your sins at Calvary. All-round rest and peace are guaranteed you, in Jesus’ Name!
    Call or write, and share your testimonies with me through: E-mail: faithdavid@yahoo.com.  Tel.  No: 08141320204; 07026385437; 07094254102
    For more insight, these books authored by me are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian bookstores: Making Marriage Work, Marriage Covenant, Building A Successful Home and Success in Marriage (Co-Authored).

  • ‘Oyedepo opens Shiloh’

    The first Vice-President and Senior Pastor of Living Faith Church, aka Winners Chapel, Bishop David Abioye, has said the annual Shiloh is not a church programme but a divine mandate and guidance God gave his son.

    The cleric said this was why it kept flourishing and attracting people since its inception in 1999.

    According to him, the attendance to Shiloh has not dropped because it is a clear direction God gave his servant.

    Bishop Abioye spoke last night during the opening session of Shiloh.

    The General Overseer of Living Faith Church Pastor David Oyedepo declared it open.

    This year’s Shiloh has the theme: Exceeding Grace.

    Bishop Abioye said the church was flourishing because it listened to God.

    “It is in doing what God commands that makes a man a commander and in being led by Him that makes a man a leader,” he said.

    The cleric said the theme for this year was about all-round sufficiency, adding that nothing else in the scriptures could be as sufficient as God’s grace.

    Bishop Abioye said: “There is nothing else any man has that he does not want more. Not money, houses, cars, position and other worldly things can a man have that he would not want more, but the grace of God.

    “Grace means perfect strength made in weakness.”

    Quoting 2Corinthians 12:19, the cleric explained that human beings know it is grace when it is unexplainable and undeniable from the Creator.

    He urged all to articulate their expectation of dominion during the event.

    The auditorium was filled to capacity with delegates from across the world.

    There were 44 nations represented. Amongst countries were Belgium, France, Germany, Mexico, Philipiness, Spain, United Kingdom and the United States.

    Also present were the European head of Living Faith Churches Pastor David Oyedepo (jnr) and Pastor Isaac Oyedepo from Johannesburg in South Africa.

  • Nigeria won’t break up, says Oyedepo

    The Chancellor of Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State, Bishop David Oyedepo, has said Nigeria will not break up, despite the hiccups in governance.

    The cleric advised Nigerians to unite and building a strong country.

    Rev. Oyedepo spoke in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, on Monday, when he visited Governor Godswill Akpabio at his office.

    He said: “I think Nigeria is advanced enough to put things together, help the masses get educated, enlightenment, see hope in the future and see opportunities in this nation.

    “Once again, we are all Nigerians; this is our nation. We have no other nation. Let’s help to build and not be part of those who want to break it. We will build this nation and it shall not break.

    “A lot of us have the opportunity to live outside this country forever but because of our parents and other relations, we can’t go anywhere. God forbid there is any war in Nigeria.

    “There are some people who don’t know anywhere. They don’t have the understanding of how to get to anywhere. Yet, they are citizens of our nation.”

    Rev. Oyedepo, who is also the General Overseer of Living Faith Church (Winners Chapel), urged the media to foster unity in the country.

    He said: “I believe the media have a lot to do in helping to show the way forward. A lot of our young men are lost in Europe, America and China, just because there is not enough information going out there to show them they can make things happen here. I want to admonish that you help people to see their future.”

    Akpabio hailed the cleric for his humility and God’s favours in his life.

    He said: “We thank you for your humility. We will like to have a strong relationship with you.

    “There is something that could interest you; that is the fact that we start the year with God in Akwa Ibom by doing a major inter-denominational service every year in January. We have done that consistently for over six years and when we do so I know that the blessings of God are always upon the state.”

    The governor invited the Bishop to this year’s Akwa Ibom Christmas Carol Night.

    He said: “In between, we also have a lot of thanksgiving services and we have the State Creation Day in September, where we also present the state to God in a solemn assembly.

    “We also end the year with God. In December, we chose a day and we have a major choral festival for God.

    “We had the privilege of having Pastor Williams Kumuyi, who presided over the assembly in 2011 and Pastor Enoch Adeboye in 2012. There is no way a state like ours, which is named after God, will not like to identify with a man of God of your status.”

     

  • Understanding the family (3)

    Dear Reader,

    Today is another great opportunity to bring God’s Word your way, which will turn your life into a wonder. I have been able to explain to you the family unit, marriage relationship and marriage versus family.

    This week, I shall be sharing with you what it takes to live as a family and family structure.

    Living as a Family

    After marriage comes the marital life or the life experience of a couple. They no more live like single individuals. Changes have occurred and are still occurring. Each party has to now consider his/her partner and not only him/herself.

    After marriage, children are added (either by birth or adoption) and additional parties (related either by blood or association) come into the home. A family is then established. Families are products of marriages. One leads to the other.

    Family

    A family is a group of people affiliated by blood and /or marriage. It is the central unit of the Church and a nation. It is a fundamental social group in society, typically consisting of a man and woman (known as husband and wife) and their offspring.

    Whereas, a family consists of a group of persons sharing common ancestry, marriage consists of a man and a woman, known as husband and wife, who share common goals and values, have a long-term commitment to one another and live together.

    Family Life

    Family life is the manner of living of a group of people, who share common ancestry. It is the manner of living in a household, the manner of living of a group of people affiliated by blood and marriage. It is the way in which parents, children, and close relations live.

    Incidentally, no individual on earth, whether married or single, dropped from heaven. Everyone on earth, young or old, rich or poor, male or female, black or white, came from one family or another, from one lineage or another, are connected to one person or the other genetically or by association. Issues on family and family life, therefore, affect everyone on earth.

    The Family Structure

    The Bible says: For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God (Hebrews 3:4).

    The word “house” in the above passages is not referring to a physical structure, but to a family structure – the individuals who make up the home. It is man’s responsibility to build his/her house. You build by organizing and administering the individuals under your roof.

    In 1Timothy 3:12, the Bible says: Let the deacons be the husband of one wife, ruling (administering) their children and their own houses well.

    The family structure requires effective administration. When this is lacking, families in turn produce individuals who tear down and destroy the society. The essence of the family, therefore, is to create an atmosphere or environment for effective administration and preparation of individuals, so they can grow and properly pursue the plan of God for their lives.

    “Charity”, they say, “begins at home.” It doesn’t end there though; it only begins from there. This means the home is where the character and destiny of an individual should begin and take proper shape. A typical biblical example of this is the case of Abraham. In Genesis 18:19, God speaking about Abraham said: For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment; that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.

    Abraham had a grasp of God’s purpose for the family. By that understanding, he was able to order his household aright. The result of that was that God was pleased with him and ensured that Abraham and his household were successful in all they did. Till today, Christians the world over still identify with Abraham. If God were to comment on your marriage or family today, would He say something positive about it?

    The family is the foundational block for the society, while marriage is the foundational block for the family. Satan always targets marriages to destroy them. This is because to destroy marriages would mean to destroy families, and to destroy families would mean to destroy the Church, the society, and the nation. But we must not allow this to happen.

    God established the family as the first and most fundamental element of the human society. Marriage is a foundational institution that existed before all other institutions. It is the oldest institution in the world. God is a God of priorities. He established the institution of marriage before the Church. He first set up marriage, before He came down to fellowship with man in the cool of the day (Genesis 2:18-25; 3:8).

    Although every house and family is built by some man or woman, but for any house or family to stand the test of time, an understanding of what the family stands for must be grasped. Also, each family must be founded and built on the principles and master plan of God, the Originator.

    For you to have a good and a stable family structure, you must first of all surrender your life to Christ, because He is the Originator of the family and marriage. Are you willing to give Him a chance in your life? Are you ready to let Him have His way over you? If you do, please say this prayer of faith with me: “Lord Jesus Christ, I come to You today. I am a sinner. I cannot help myself. Forgive me of my sins and cleanse me with Your blood. Deliver me from sin and satan to serve the living God. I believe You died for me and on the third day, You rose that I might be justified. I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Make me a child of God today. Thank You for accepting me into Your Kingdom”.

    Congratulations, you are now born again! I believe that you will begin to experience the reality of the price that Jesus paid for your sins at Calvary. All-round rest and peace are guaranteed you, in Jesus’ Name!

    Call or write, and share your testimonies with me through:

    E-mail: faithdavid@yahoo.com Tel. No: 08141320204; 07026385437; 07094254102

    For more insight, these books authored by me are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian bookstores: Making Marriage Work, Marriage Covenant, Building A Successful Home and Success in Marriage (Co-Authored)

  • Understanding the family (2)

    Dear Reader,

    Last week, I started a teaching on Understanding The Family, and we examined the family unit and marriage relationship. This week, we will be examining, Marriage Versus Family.

    Marriage Versus Family

    Fredrick K. C. Price said, “Marriage is a divine ordinance. Without marriage as a divine ordinance, you cannot have a family. You may have a group of people living in the same house, but you cannot have a family. You will have a living arrangement, but not godly relationships.”

    In other words, if there is no marriage, there can be no family, because there is a decent order and process to follow in establishing a family. The Bible admonishes us: Let all things be done decently and in order (1 Corinthians 14:40).

    The marriage relationship, though essential to the family unit, differs from family relationship. Let’s see how:

    Firstly, marriage is between two parties, man and woman, husband and wife. It is between two people of the opposite sex only. It is important to make this point very clear here, especially in these “modern” days of “same sex marriages”. Even though same sex marriages may be acceptable to the society, it is not acceptable to God. For: … Male and female created he them (Genesis 1:27). Therefore shall a man …cleave unto his wife… (Genesis 2:24).

    Notice the words “male”, “female”, “man”, and “wife” in the above scriptures. These all point to two people of the opposite sex, not same sex. God is a God of details. To have God’s kind of marriage, things must be done His own way. Following the crowd and doing what everybody else is doing can never make for success in marriage. Caution! Caution!! Caution!!! God warns in His Word: …Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate (homosexuals), nor abusers of themselves with mankind … shall inherit the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9-10).

    To go against the Word of God, makes life to be against you! The scriptures cannot be broken. To attempt to break scriptures, is to be broken in life. Those who make light of God’s Word are naturally victims in life.

    Secondly, marriage is a covenant, resulting in a fusion, a blending, and a lifelong relationship between one man and one woman. The husband and wife relationship is established by covenant.

    Marriage is not just a good idea, it is God’s idea. God instituted it; it is divine. It is not a cultural thing, but a scriptural thing. It is not a product of man’s arrangement, but God’s arrangement.

    A family tie, however, is a common ancestral or associational bond resulting in a connecting cord between the individuals within that same family. Its existence is not necessarily by their own volition. That is, you really have no say in deciding which family to belong to. And Judah said unto his brethren … he is our brother and our flesh… (Genesis 37:26-27).

    Thirdly, marriage is by choice; each party chooses to become bonded. In a family, however, each member is bonded as a result of their common ancestry, whether or not they choose to. In Genesis 28:2, Isaac told Jacob his son: Arise, go to Padan-aram, to the house of Bethuel thy mother’s father; and take thee a wife from thence of the daughters of Laban thy mother’s brother.

    The marriage relationship in which you find yourself, is a product of your choice, and choices are so important. To a great extent, they determine the flavour of our lives.

    On the other hand, the family into which you are born, is not a product of your choice. The relationship between children and parents is established by birth. You do not choose who your father or mother would be, before you are born. Or did you? You cannot change your father, neither can you change your mother. Nonetheless, the good news is that God never makes mistakes. Whatever family you are born into is not accidental, God did it on purpose, and it is for your good. Don’t ever wish you were born into another family. The family into which you are born is the best, for you to fulfil your reason for existence. Get excited! You are born in due season.

    Don’t ever despise the family into which you were born. No matter the challenges there, God might have sent you there for such a time as this. As you handle those challenges effectively, you will emerge a champion.

    Fourthly, marriage is the foundation for the family. A marriage is entered into by choice, and then grows into a family unit. The principles that keep the marriage standing, must flow into the lifestyle of family members. This is because in a marriage, an individual makes a choice for him/herself. But in establishing a family, the individual is bringing loved ones and more individuals together, to partake of the either healthy environment created or painful experiences being endured (Genesis 47:9). Marriage and family are meant to be enjoyed, not endured. God is still in the business of making successful your marriage. He will restore and help you to make things right again, when you accept Him through His Son Jesus Christ and become born again. If you will like to be born again and begin to enjoy God’s help and peace in your home, please say this prayer: “Lord Jesus Christ, I come to You today. I am a sinner. I cannot help myself. Forgive me of my sins and cleanse me with Your blood. Deliver me from sin and satan, to serve the living God. I believe You died for me and on the third day, You rose that I might be justified. I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Make me a child of God today. Thank You for accepting me into your Kingdom”.

    Congratulations, you are now born again! I believe that you will begin to experience the reality of the price that Jesus paid for your sins at Calvary. All-round rest and peace are guaranteed you, in Jesus’ Name!

    Call or write, and share your testimonies with me through:

    E-mail: faithdavid@yahoo.com Tel. No: 08141320204; 07026385437; 07094254102

    For more insight, these books authored by me are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian bookstores: Making Marriage Work, Marriage Covenant, Building A Successful Home and Success in Marriage (Co-Authored).

  • Family government (4)

    Dear Reader,

    One truth you need to know is that your children, in actual sense, do not belong to you, but to God. He has simply put them in your charge and made you their caretaker. That is why we will be examining the aspect of CHILD TRAINING.

    Children constitute immediate members of the family government after the woman. Both the man and the woman have a joint responsibility to perform, in training their children.

    They both have different roles to play in the family government, in order to ensure lasting success and excitement in the family. Just as it took both the man and the woman to bring about the birth of the child, so also, are they expected to rear him or her together.

    God’s Word in Psalm 127:3-5 says: Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate. Children, as members of the family government, are additional blessings from God Himself, sent to spice up your family. Children are sent to add colour and meaning to your family government.

    Can you imagine a nation having a president, governors, ministers and commissioners but no people? There will not be much governing to do. This case can be likened to the blessings of having children in the family. They are rewards and “arrows”. An arrow is a lethal fighting weapon that is used for various purposes. Children in the hands of God, can be likened to such lethal weapon that can be used to destroy the works of the devil. Verse 5 says: they shall speak with the enemies in the gate. They are blessings from God that are invaluable.

    Therefore, you have a responsibility to prepare them the way skilled craftsmen fashion arrows, at the blacksmith’s workshop. You have to carefully and patiently groom them to become arrows as faithful and responsible adults in the area of business, education, legislature and gospel promotion.

    For instance, Daniel was not a preacher, but a politician, yet he was righteous and upheld the name of Jehovah in Daniel 5:11-12. Joseph was a prime minister, who also upheld integrity in Genesis 39:8-9 and Genesis 41:38-41. Other examples include Samuel in I Samuel 3:19 and Timothy as a Bishop in I Timothy 4:14. These are some examples of men who were brought up in homes where God’s laws were taught, thereby fashioning them to become arrows in God’s hands.

    Two major tools for training your child are: LOVE and CONTROL. These two are of equal importance. You cannot control a child you do not love, and you cannot effectively love a child you do not control. You need 100% of both in training your child. God’s Word in Luke 18:16 says: But Jesus called them to Him and said, let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God and Mark 10:16 says: And he took them up in His arms, laid His hands on them, and blessed them. These are practical examples of how to demonstrate love to your children. It summarily involves you developing a mutual and trustworthy relationship with them. Let them know that you love them in your actions and words, when you are teaching, training or disciplining them.

    Children are very sensitive, so if your actions and words do not portray that you love them, they will doubt, you even if you say so. Treat them respectfully as little people and not as inferiors. Remember, they are very important members of the family government too! Never be too proud to say, “I’m sorry” to your child, when you’ve made a mistake. Be a sure example to your children always. Don’t tell them to do what you won’t do yourself. Also, allow them to learn by examples. Children learn faster this way. Remember, children need love, especially when they don’t deserve it.

    Control, on the other hand, means to have authority and power in order to direct, manage or rule. Love without control will lead to destruction (I Samuel 2:22, 29). Children should be taught early in life, how to submit to higher authorities. Exercising control in training your child should be done with patience, using yourself as an example for the child to follow.

    Having read this teaching, it is important for you to accept the Author of every family government, by confessing Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour. God wants the best for your family and He can turn your home around for the better, if you let Him. Accepting Him, will open you up to His help. If you will like to confess Jesus Christ as your Lord now and become born again, please say this prayer: “Lord Jesus Christ, I come to You today. I am a sinner. I cannot help myself. Forgive me of my sins and cleanse me with Your blood. Deliver me from sin and satan, to serve the living God. I believe You died for me and on the third day, You rose that I might be justified. I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Make me a child of God today. Thank You for accepting me into Your Kingdom”.

    Congratulations, you are now born again! I believe that you will begin to experience the reality of the price that Jesus paid for your sins at Calvary. All-round rest and peace are guaranteed you, in Jesus’ Name!

    Call or write, and share your testimonies with me through:

    E-mail: faithdavid@yahoo.com Tel. No: 07026385437; 07094254102

    For more insight, these books authored by Pastor Faith Oyedepo are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian bookstores: Making Marriage Work, Marriage Covenant, Building A Successful Home and Success in Marriage (Co-Authored)