Deeper Life Church: Kumuyi Relaxes Marriage Rules and Six-Month Courtship Policy

In a move that has generated widespread discussion among its members and the general public, the General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry, Pastor W.F. Kumuyi, has announced the relaxation of several of the church’s long-standing marriage rules. The announcement was made during the 2025 Global Family and Marriage Conference, where the respected cleric clarified that certain practices were administrative and not rooted in divine commands.

At the core of the new policy is the mandatory six-month courtship period. Kumuyi stated that while the duration was initially established to give intending couples ample time to get to know each other, it was a “human arrangement” and not a “biblical command.” He emphasized that the church’s marriage committee can be flexible with the timeframe, noting that a three-month period would not be “changing the Bible, because six months is not in the Bible.”

Furthermore, the ban that previously prevented a lady from visiting her fiancé during courtship has been lifted. Under the new guidelines, intending couples can now visit each other, provided they are accompanied by a church elder. This adjustment, along with the review of the courtship period, aims to provide greater flexibility and guidance to young members navigating the marriage process.

Kumuyi’s comments also included a caution to the church’s marriage committees, which he said were created to provide guidance and support, not to replace biblical 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,” he stated. He urged church leaders not to overstep their limits and to ensure that administrative rules are not treated as scriptural commands.

The reforms are part of a broader shift by Pastor Kumuyi to modernize certain aspects of the church while remaining steadfast in its core biblical teachings. The move has been met with both support and scrutiny, but it signals a clear message: the church is adapting to a changing world by re-evaluating its traditions against the direct word of God.