Pastor William Kumuyi, founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry, has announced significant changes to the church’s long-standing marriage rules, stressing that many of them were administrative traditions rather than biblical mandates.
Speaking at the 2025 Global Family and Marriage Conference on August 31, Kumuyi explained that some of the old rules—once considered sacrosanct—were not rooted in scripture and therefore should not be treated as divine instructions.
One of the most notable changes is the cancellation of the rule that prohibited women from visiting men they intended to marry. Going forward, intending couples are permitted to visit each other during courtship, as long as an elder is present to provide accountability. This marks a significant shift in a church widely known for its strict standards on relationships and conduct.
Kumuyi also scrapped the six-month compulsory courtship period, clarifying that it was only introduced to give couples time to know each other, but was never a biblical requirement. He admitted that the six-month rule was simply a practical guideline, not a spiritual law, and therefore should not be treated as inflexible. “If we change it to three months, we’re not changing the Bible,” he said.
Throughout his address, Kumuyi urged Christians to distinguish between God’s commandments and human traditions. He warned that treating administrative rules as divine law could mislead believers and place unnecessary burdens on them.
Furthermore, he explained the role of the church’s marriage committees, noting that they were formed purely to offer support and guidance to couples, not to wield scriptural authority. “There’s no marriage committee in the New Testament,” he said. “We created it to help you, not because we can give you a chapter and a verse.” He cautioned leaders not to overstep their limits, insisting that marriage committees must not impose authority beyond what is written in scripture.
This review represents a major shift for Deeper Life, a denomination that has long been known for its conservative approach to Christian living, particularly in matters of courtship and marriage. By openly acknowledging that some of its traditions were not biblical, Pastor Kumuyi has re-emphasised the need for balance between church administration and scriptural truth.