Pastor Kumuyi Reforms Deeper Life Marriage Rules, Abolishes Six-Month Mandatory Courtship

A historic shift has taken place in the Deeper Christian Life Ministry as its General Superintendent, Pastor William Kumuyi, announced sweeping reforms to the church’s long-standing marriage traditions.

Speaking at the 2025 Global Family and Marriage Conference, Pastor Kumuyi clarified that many of the church’s previous regulations on marriage were never divine commandments but mere administrative guidelines meant to provide order.

One of the most notable changes is the abolition of the mandatory six-month courtship period. Kumuyi explained that while the rule was originally introduced to give intending couples time to know each other, it was never biblical.

“We just felt you need some time to know one another. And then we said one month will be too short, two months too short. So, why not six months? But it is not from the Bible,” he stated. “Six months is fine, but it’s not inflexible. If we change it to three months, we’re not changing the Bible.”

“Another major adjustment is the lifting of restrictions that previously barred women from visiting the homes of their fiancés. Going forward, couples can now visit one another during courtship, provided they are accompanied by an elder.

“Kumuyi also addressed the role of marriage committees, emphasizing that they exist only for guidance and not as a divine authority.

“There’s no marriage committee in the New Testament. We created it to help you, not because we can give you a chapter and a verse. It is church administration. Marriage committees should not exercise an authority that God has not given them,” he said.

“The reforms represent a dramatic departure from decades of rigid marriage practices in Deeper Life, highlighting Kumuyi’s push for scriptural clarity and his call for believers to distinguish between God’s eternal laws and church-made traditions.