Founder of Living Faith Church Worldwide, also known as Winners Chapel, Bishop David Oyedepo, has revealed that he made a personal vow to build 1,000 churches before leaving the earth.
Speaking during a sermon, Oyedepo said the commitment was made before he even owned a bank account.
“Before I had the first bank account, I said, ‘Jesus, if you ever bless me, I want to be part of building new churches,’” he told the congregation.
“How many have heard that before? You have always heard everything,” he added with a laugh.
He explained that the vow was rooted in his desire to leave a lasting legacy of service to God.
“I told Jesus, I don’t want to come to heaven without a thousand churches built in your name,” he said.
The cleric also used the opportunity to challenge members of the church to reflect on their own dedication and willingness to serve, pointing out that some people have resources they are not using for God’s work.
“Some may even have buses that are doing nothing on Sunday, but they won’t bring them out. Because, ah, N2,000 per half litre. If it’s in your heart, go put it in your heart,” he said.
He ended the sermon by urging members to wake up spiritually and live out their faith.
“Over to you, you better wake up. Can I tell you something? Everybody’s a reflection of where he belongs. It’s time you start reflecting what happens in here,” he said.
Living Faith Church Worldwide was founded by Oyedepo in 1981.
The ministry now has over 20,000 branches in Nigeria and thousands more across several continents. Its international presence spans over 100 countries, with millions of worshippers.
The church’s headquarters, Faith Tabernacle in Ota, Ogun State, is one of the largest church auditoriums in the world, with a seating capacity of 50,000.
In 2021, the foundation for a new 100,000-seat auditorium known as The Ark was laid, a project Oyedepo described as part of the next phase of the ministry’s expansion.
