ABOUT WCINJ
Winners Chapel International, Maplewood New Jersey (WCINJ) is a branch of the Living Faith Church Worldwide under the leadership of Presiding Bishop Oyedepo. WCINJ was established in January 2009 as the very first Winners Chapel location in the state. Since its inauguration, the church has experienced tremendous growth by God’s grace, fulfilling the liberation mandate entrusted to Bishop Oyedepo. WCINJ continues to carry out this life-changing mission as the New Jersey expansion of an internationally-impacting ministry.
Bishop David Oyedepo
David Oyedepo received a mandate from God in an 18 hour long vision in May 1981 to liberate the world from all oppression of the devil through the preaching of the word of faith. This is the inaugural vision that led to the founding of the Living Faith Church World Wide (LFCWW), first called Liberation Faith Hour Ministries, in 1981.
The Mandate
Our Mandate speaks of liberation in all facets of human existence, we focus mainly on destinies that have been afflicted, battered, beaten, tattered, deformed and subsequently in groaning and agonies, as a result of pains, pangs and crying. This is the mandate. The hour has come to liberate the world from all oppression of the devil through the preaching of the word of faith, and I am sending you to undertake this task.” Today, testimonies of liberation through our messages, books, tapes, magazines and other periodicals are most humbling. The word of faith is working like fire for the liberation of mankind across the nations.
“The hour has come to liberate the world from all oppressions of the devil through the preaching of the word of faith, and I am sending you to undertake this task”
How the Living Faith Church began.
Living Faith
When Bishop David Oyedepo founded Living Faith Church Worldwide in 1981, he initially saw his mandate as more of an outreach ministry rather than establishing new churches. At the time, church planting was not a priority. The focus was on seeking revival in existing churches. Also, the mandate he received did not specifically mention starting a new church. Bishop Oyedepo thought the calling was for outreach, reasoning that there were enough churches already.
However, one morning the Lord spoke to Bishop Oyedepo through Luke chapter one, verses 1-3, impressing upon him that while many churches existed, God was giving him a portion of the church ministry to fulfill. “I also…” became a marching order to launch church plants as his part in the wider body of Christ.
What began as outreach became a church ministry that has grown into a global phenomenon under Bishop Oyedepo’s leadership. Living Faith Church Worldwide serves as the fulfillment of the God-given mandate to plant Life-changing churches that minister to needs across the world. To God alone be the glory!
Faith Tabernacle
The international headquarters of Winners Chapel is called the Faith Tabernacle. It covers about 70 acres (280,000 m2) and is built inside an over 10,500-acre (42 km2) church complex called Canaanland, the international headquarters of the ministry in Ota, a suburb of Lagos. The building took 12 months to be completed. The foundation laying took place on August 29, 1998. The dedication of the building took place on September 19, 1999 with 97,800 people in attendance.
The structure was built without any debts and within a year of work beginning. Faith Tabernacle as from 1999-2008 was the largest church building in the world. It has a seating capacity of 50,400 people and an outside overflow capacity of over 250,000, with four services every Sunday. Cannanland was procured in 1998 and was initially 560 acres (2.3 km2). Presently it is over 10,500 acres (42 km2) and will take about 120 km to navigate around it.
Faith Tabernacle Statistics
Seating Capacity
50,000
Construction time
1 Year
Built In
1999
Acres of Land
10,500
