Pastor William Kumuyi, founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry, has clarified that several longstanding marriage practices within the church are not biblical mandates but administrative guidelines designed to support members.
Speaking at the 2025 Global Family and Marriage Conference, held ahead of a five-day crusade in Enugu State, Kumuyi addressed misconceptions surrounding the church’s relationship rules.
He explained that certain restrictions such as the ban on women visiting their fiancés before marriage are internal policies and not scriptural commands.
“The ban was simply an administrative decision,” Kumuyi stated.
“It’s not a biblical commandment. We introduced it to maintain order and discipline within the church, but people must understand it’s not from the Bible.”
One of the most notable policies under review is the previously required six-month courtship period.
Kumuyi confirmed that this too was an internal measure created to give couples time to get to know each other, but it was never meant to be seen as a divine instruction.
“We just thought couples needed time. One month felt too short, two months too short, so we chose six. But it was never from the Bible,” he said.
“If we change it to three months, we’re not changing the Bible because six months isn’t in the Bible to begin with.”
Kumuyi urged believers to be spiritually mature and able to discern the difference between God’s commandments and church traditions, warning that confusing the two could lead to legalism.
“As Christians, we need to be clear: God’s law is one thing, and church policies are another. They’re helpful, but not absolute,” he emphasized.
He also clarified the role of the church’s marriage committees, stating that these were created to offer guidance, not to assume spiritual authority.
“There’s no mention of a marriage committee in the New Testament. We formed it to help, not to control. It’s an administrative tool, not a biblical doctrine,” he said.
