The General Superintendent of Deeper Christian Life Ministry, Pastor William Kumuyi, has announced significant adjustments to some of the church’s long-standing marriage guidelines, stressing that they are administrative practices rather than divine commands.
Speaking at the 2025 Global Family and Marriage Conference, Kumuyi responded to concerns raised by a female member who noted that single ladies often did not know prospective husbands well enough because previous church policy discouraged visiting them.
Also, the six-month courtship rule is no longer compulsory as he explained that the widely observed six-month courtship rule was not biblically mandated but was originally introduced to help young people “keep away from sin.” However, after reconsidering the matter, he said marriage is a lifelong commitment that requires deeper knowledge of a partner’s background.
“You’re marrying the man, but he has a lot of these people with him. His own mother, his own father, his own relatives, and all the people. And when you get to their houses, you’ll be able to see how they relate to you, respond to you, react to you. You’ll see how his environment is. And the man, if he’s a good, well-controlled man, can be stingy with information. While the woman is generous with information. And in the man might just smile and say, you know, everything is all right. And you ask any question, everything is okay. You can never get anything positive or negative. Everything is okay. Everything is neutral. And this man is playing a game. That’s what our sister is saying. And I’m asking myself, why not? If not, follow them home,” Pastor Kumuyi affirmed.
The Deeper Life leader emphasized that the adjustment was not a license for misconduct but a measure to promote informed decision-making. He expressed confidence that members would act responsibly by avoiding inappropriate behavior or untimely visits.
