Faith Tabernacle

{{About|the 50,000 capacity headquarters auditorium|further information on Winners Chapel|Living Faith Church Worldwide|the church community|Canaanland}}

{{Infobox church
| color            =
| name             = Faith Tabernacle
| fullname         =
| img              =
| img size         = 
| img capt         = Faith Tabernacle worship in 2005
| landscape        = 
| location         = [[Lagos]]
| denomination     = [[Neo-charismatic movement]]
| attendance       = over 100,000
| founded date     = December 11, 1983
| founder          = [[David Oyedepo]]
| capacity         = 50,400
| seniorpastor     = [[David Oyedepo]]
| country          = [[Nigeria]]
| website          = {{URL|http://faithtabernacle.org.ng/}}
| logo             = 
| logosize         = 
}}

'''Faith Tabernacle''' is an [[evangelicalism|evangelical]] [[megachurch]] and the headquarters church of [[Living Faith Church Worldwide]]. It is at [[Canaanland]], [[Ota, Nigeria|Ota]], [[Lagos]], [[Nigeria]], current [[neo-charismatic movement]]. The senior pastor of this community is [[David Oyedepo]]<ref>{{Cite web|title=Living Faith Church Worldwide - Official Website|url=https://faithtabernacle.org.ng/about|access-date=2021-01-03|website=faithtabernacle.org.ng}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=The Chancellor / About Us / Home - Covenant University|url=http://m.covenantuniversity.edu.ng/About-Us/The-Chancellor#.|access-date=2021-01-03|website=m.covenantuniversity.edu.ng|archive-date=2020-12-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201202083523/http://m.covenantuniversity.edu.ng/About-Us/The-Chancellor#.|url-status=dead}}</ref> since its founding in 1983. In 2023, the attendance is 100,000+ people.

==Background==
In 1981, [[David Oyedepo]] at age 26, had a vision for his ministry.<ref>Pieter Coertzen, M Christiaan Green, Len Hansen, ''Law and Religion in Africa: The quest for the common good in pluralistic societies'', African Sun Media, South Africa, 2015, page 310</ref> The Church was founded on December 11, 1983.<ref>Martin Lindhardt, ''Pentecostalism in Africa: Presence and Impact of Pneumatic Christianity in Postcolonial Societies'', BRILL, Netherlands, 2014, page  115</ref> In 2014, Living Faith Church Worldwide is in 65 countries. In 2020, Faith Tabernacle has an attendance of 50,000 people.<ref name="Leadership Network">{{cite web|first1=Warren|last1=Bird|url=http://leadnet.org/world/|title=World megachurches|work=Leadership Network, USA|access-date=2020-02-16|archive-date=2014-11-02|archive-url=https://archive.today/20141102044447/http://leadnet.org/world/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Building==
[[Canaanland]] was procured in 1998 and was initially {{convert|560|acre|km2}}, it is in [[Ota, Ogun]], [[Nigeria]]. The church's international headquarters, Faith Tabernacle, was built in Cannanland between 1998 and 1999, taking twelve months to complete.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.africanpastors.net/Pastors%20Webpages/David%20Oyedepo.html |access-date=June 7, 2012 |title=Pastor David Oyedepo Profile|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120428040226/http://www.africanpastors.net/Pastors%20Webpages/David%20Oyedepo.html |archive-date=April 28, 2012 }}</ref> The foundation laying took place on August 29, 1998.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.churchgrowthmovement.org/large-church-auditoriums/|title=LARGE CHURCH AUDITORIUMS|website=Best Resources on Church Growth|language=en-US|access-date=2020-02-06}}</ref>

In 1999, the Faith Tabernacle was inaugurated with 50,400 seats.<ref name="BBC">{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/542154.stm |title=Church of the 50,000 faithful |last=Barnaby |first= Phillips  |date=November 30, 1999 |website=BBC |access-date=2018-12-15}}</ref> Faith Tabernacle was reputed to be the world's largest church in terms of capacity.<ref>Candy Gunther Brown, ''Global Pentecostal and Charismatic Healing'', Oxford University Press, UK, 2011, page 253</ref><ref name="BBC"/><ref>Israel O. Olofinjana, ''20 Pentecostal Pioneers in Nigeria: Their Lives, Their Legacies'', Xlibris Corporation, USA, 2011, page  127</ref> It covers about 70 hectares and is built inside the complex called Canaanland, with a size of more than 10,500 hectares (42km2) in Ota, a suburb of [[Lagos (Nigeria)|Lagos]]. The church building was constructed under 12 months and dedicated in September 1999.<ref>Vinson Synan, [[J. Kwabena Asamoah-Gyadu]], [[Amos Yong]], ''Global Renewal Christianity: Spirit-Empowered Movements: Past, Present and Future'', Charisma Media, USA, 2016, page 28</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Evangelical Christianity|}}
*[[List of the largest evangelical church auditoriums]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}
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==External links==
*[http://faithtabernacle.org.ng/ faithtabernacle.org.ng] Official Site

[[Category:Evangelical megachurches in Nigeria]]
[[Category:Churches in Lagos]]

{{Megachurches}}
{{Nigeria-church-stub}}