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The Untold Genesis of Winners Chapel
While Bishop David Oyedepo is globally recognized as the founder of Living Faith Church, a recent interview with a former insider suggests a more collaborative beginning. The guest, who claims to be one of the first students of the Word of Faith Bible Institute (WOFBI), states that the ministry was originally known as the "Hour of Faith Liberation Ministry". Crucially, he asserts that the iconic name "Winners Chapel" was actually coined by Pastor Simeon Afolabi, one of the pioneers who worked alongside Oyedepo in the early 90s.
The "Maggot" Altar and Occultic Pressures
One of the most startling segments of the interview involves the guest's account of the pressures faced by young ministers to achieve "success." He describes a meeting where he was encouraged to pay for a ritual involving burying a cow under his church altar. The theory presented to him was that as the cow decomposed and attracted maggots, his ministry would attract an equivalent number of people. This account highlights the speaker's claim that many "prophetic" successes in the region are rooted in diabolical rather than divine practices.
Biblical Departures: Oil, Blood, and Mantles
The guest reflects on his "defining moment" in 1995 when he began to search the scriptures for the basis of the doctrines he was being taught. He cites several practices he considers unbiblical:
- The Blood of Sprinkling: Weekly rituals of sprinkling "blood" (represented by liquid) on congregants.
- Drinking Olive Oil: The practice of congregants drinking olive oil for spiritual power.
- The Mantle: Using physical clothes as objects of prophetic power, modeled after Elijah's mantle. He claims that after questioning these practices in a WOFBI class, Bishop Oyedepo himself told him he was "trying to cause trouble".
A System Without Accountability
The overarching theme of the discussion is the danger of "one-man systems" in African Christendom. The guest contrasts his experience in Nigeria with his current ministry in the United States, where he notes that pastors are "terminable" and accountable to a board. He argues that when a single individual controls the finances, the doctrine, and the personnel, the church ceases to be a "Kingdom of God" and becomes a "Kingdom of Men," fostering pride and the exploitation of the gullible.
The Tithing Controversy
Finally, the speaker addresses recent statements regarding tithing, specifically referencing Pastor Adeboye's claim that non-tithers might not go to heaven. The guest flatly rejects this, stating that tithing is a practice of Judaism and the Old Testament, not the New Testament. He emphasizes that Jesus never collected tithes and that salvation is based on repentance, not financial contribution.
Conclusion
The interview serves as a call for believers to be "Berean Christians"—searching the scriptures for themselves rather than blindly following the dictates of powerful religious leaders. By exposing what he deems as "false doctrines" and "selfish rituals," the ex-pastor hopes to open the eyes of those he believes are being misled by the "business of religion".
Watch the full interview: Ex-Winners Chapel Pastor Exposes Bishop Oyedepo
