Politics not my calling – Bishop Oyedepo

Bishop David Oyedepo (File photo)

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The Presiding Bishop of the Living Faith Church Worldwide, also known as Winners Chapel, David Oyedepo, has said politics is not part of his calling, declaring that even if offered $1bn, he would never enter politics.

The cleric made this statement on Saturday while delivering a sermon titled “The Last Days Are Ordained the Groundbreaking Days of the Church of Christ” during the impartation service of the church’s annual convention, Shiloh 2025.

The six-day event, held at Canaanland, Ota, Ogun State, is themed “Breaking New Grounds.”

Addressing thousands of congregants, Oyedepo said that although the Church had a mandate to rule, such authority should not be misconstrued as a pursuit of political power or elective office.

“The idea of ‘ruling’ ascribed to the Church should not be mistaken for holding political office,” he stressed, noting that influence and leadership extend across business, enterprise, and other spheres of human endeavour.

He explained that many church members were already “ruling” by employing thousands of people and leading successful organisations, emphasising that authority and impact were not limited to positions such as local government chairmen or elected officials.

The cleric further argued that economic empowerment is key to societal influence, adding that God is enriching believers to enable them to take leading roles in their professions and fields.

“Jesus will not come until the church is ruling in the midst of its enemies. I don’t want politicians to be jittery—we are not talking about political leadership; that is inclusive, but ruling. At my small level, I have the privilege of a president welcoming me to his nation at the port. If you give me a billion dollars, I won’t move near politics. It is off my calling.

“I’m not in politics, and I have never been in politics, but I’m ruling now, am I not? Are there no businessmen in this church who are ruling with thousands of labourers or workforce working for them? That is ruling. It is not that you are a local government chairman then you are ruling—that is not what we are talking about.

“The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender, so God is enriching the church for enthronement in their various areas of engagement,” he said.

Oyedepo acknowledged that while some individuals are genuinely called into politics and will thrive there, others who venture into it without such a calling risk losing their dignity and public respect.

“There are those who are called in there, He will decorate them there. There are those who are not called there—they will lose their dignity and respect because they dabbled in there,” he added.

The cleric also dismissed criticisms and reports about him, explaining that he deliberately avoids responding to such narratives to conserve his energy for productive pursuits.

“The energy I need to reply to you is the same energy I need to make progress,” Oyedepo said, adding that he prefers to channel his strength into positive growth rather than public engagements.

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