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| Bishop David Olaniyi Oyedepo |
As Bishop David Oyedepo marks his 6oth birthday today, Awele Okwudarue and Femi Akinpelu, compiles 40 things you should know about the man of God.
1. He was born to a Muslim father and Cherubim and Seraphim mother.
2. He is a PhD holder in Human Development from the University of Honolulu in the United States of America.
3. He has set up three universities without government assistance; Covenant University, Ota, Landmark University at Omu Aran and Crown University at Calabar.
4. Betty Lasher a missionary teacher facilitated his becoming a born-again Christian in 1969.
5. Living Faith Tabernacle, Ota, which he heads, seats 50,000. It is reported to be the largest church auditorium in the world, benchmarked in the Guinness Book of Records in 2008 and 2009.
6. He met his wife when he was 22.
7. He was born on September 27, 1954.
8. He was named in 2011 by Forbes Magazine as the richest pastor in Nigeria, worth over $150 million.
9. His middle name is Olaniyi.
10. He is a native of Omu Aran, Kwara state, but was born in Oshogbo, Osun state.
11. Five years after his ordination as a pastor, he was ordained a bishop in 1988.
12. His mentors include; Enoch Adeboye, Late Benson Idahosa, Kenneth and Gloria Copeland and Late Kenneth Hagin
13. He has four children, two boys; David Jnr and Isaac and two girls; Love and Joyce.
14. He got married in 1982.
15. His sons were ordained as pastors by Kenneth Copeland in May 2007.
16. His grandmother was a devout Anglican.
17. His clan, Odo-oro (place of wealth) and family lineage believes in hardwork.
18. Having rejected a charm his father gave him, he developed whitlow on a finger on his right hand. He wrote three exams the next day and came out with a second class division in secondary school.
19. He once challenged God to heal him of tuberculosis as a secondary school student, after his fellow mates shifted their beds away from him, and he was healed.
20. He studied Architecture at Kwara State Polytechnic, and worked briefly with the Federal Ministry of Housing in Ilorin.
21. He has written over 70 Christian, inspirational and motivational books.
22. He received a mandate from God through an 18 hour vision in May 1981.
23. Oyedepo Ministries International include; four private jets, estates, restaurants, shopping stores, bakery, processing plants, commercial properties and educational institutions etc.
24. Dominion Publishing House was established on December 5, 1992, and has over 4 million prints in circulation to date.
25. He built Faith Tabernacle within 12 months, debt free.
26. Faith Tabernacle was dedicated on September 18, 1999, under Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration.
27. He is a strong critic of corruption in Africa as a whole and poor leadership in government.
28. He is the president of World Mission Agency Incorporated (WMA), a Christian Ministry Organisation with mission stations in over 40 African nations, also in Europe, Jamaica and America.
29. His hobbies include; reading, reasoning, planning and writing.
30. His awards include; International Who is Who of Intellectuals, 13th Edition of International Biographical Centre, Cambridge, England and Inscribed in the Jerusalem 3000 Scroll #102268 among others.
31. He married Florence Abiola Akano, now Faith Abiola Oyedepo.
32. He is affectionately called ‘Papa’ by members of his congregation.
33. Bishop Oyedepo and his wife were ordained by Pastor Enoch Adeboye, the G.O of RCCG on 17th September 1983.
34. Some of his Best Selling books include; Pillars of Faith, Born to Win, Possessing your Possession amongst others.
35. His son, David Jnr pastors the London branch of the church, with his wife, Kemi.
Isaac Oyedepo is the present resident pastor of Winners’ Chapel International, South Africa.
36. His association with Pastor Enoch Adeboye dates back to the 80s.
37. He organises a yearly programme called Shiloh at Canaanland, Ota, Ogun state.
38. He first shared the gospel in March 1970.
39. He met his wife at a motor park.
40. He has empowered over 2,000 of church members.
41. He as Embarked on The Construction of a Billion Dollar fully air-conditioned 100,000 seater church capacity.
42. His 1st Born Pastor David Oyedepo Jnr is the residence pastor of Living FAITH Church in United States.
43. Next to him in hierarchy of the church is Bishop David Abioye and Bishop Thomas Aremu.
44. Shiloh convention held by his church now connect ore than 500 Million people around the world every year (December).
45. Some of his Fathers and Mentors includes; Kenneth E Hagin, T.L Osborn, Pastor E.A Adeboye, Archbishop Benson Idahosa.
46. His Wife had a miscarriage of her 1st pregnancy; and bishop declared that “it can’t happen”; since he just came back from a crusade tired and hungry, he requested for his food, without any extra prayers; lo and behold, the miscarriage is what became their 1st born today.
47. He’s practically one of the greatest faith preacher on earth today; not just preaching his faith alone but also living his faith.
48. He was in the U.S For a ministration and right there in the hotel room;; God told him, ‘get down to Nigeria and make my people rich’, this gave birth to the prosperity preaching and teaching which as obviously engender proofs beyond measures in his life and ministry today.
49. His ministry had a serious attack from the media for 7,000 years but it could not affect the growth and advancement, the ministry continues to flourish till today with no downtime recorded.
50. Faith Tabernacle the HQ of Winners chapel worldwide at Canaanland Otta currently hold 5 Services Per Day.
51. Bishop OYEDEPO as produce so many sons in the lord which includes, his own biological son, Pastor David Oyedepo Jnr, Pastor sam Adeyemi, Pastor Paul Enenche and lots more.
52. He’s currently the chancellor at Landmark and Convenant University respectively.
53. Out of his passion for education and science and technological research; the ministry as built a 1 Billion Dollar research center at Convenant which is considered to be the 1st of it kind in Africa when lauched.
54. Landmark and Convenant University were built absolutely Debt Free!
55. Bishop David Oyedepo; as Spiritually, financially; intellectually, materially, physically been a blessing to humanity in this generation, thousands of people are blessed by his sermons that are found on youtube and at the church media office.
56. Bishop Oyedepo as held so many Crusades in various parts of the world, drawing multitudes to christ and and liberating man kind from all operation of the devil.
57. When askedw, why his ministry is not having their own T.V, Bishop practically made it clear that the lord as not instructed him in that direction, however the church is still the largest in the world.
58. in 2015, God told Bishop Oyedepo “I, God of wonder double shall visit you” and it turned out that God wants to double the entire attendee of the church, it happen like magic, over 43,000 new comers were added to the church in one sunday.
59. Faith Tabernacle Otta, as a commission as never experience a black out for one day, even though it is locatd in Nigeria where the light status is not stable; it generate its own light through biogas processing unit in the city.
60. Bishop Bought his Private Jet while he was 40years, after God told him, it is time to get the JET.
Bishop David O Oyedepo is an example of God fearing and selfless leaders that the world needs today, and he as strike a landmark that both in his life and after his death, the world will live to remember and celebrate forever.
Praise the Lord!
Just as Jesus as promised, that “Greater works than this shall ye do;” its happening and we are yet sure that in this generation we haven’t seen anything yet, but the question here is , are you the next Savior and blessing that your generation as been waiting for?