The General Superintendent of Deeper Christian Life Ministry, Pastor William Kumuyi, has stated that some of the church’s rules regarding marriage are administrative guidelines, not biblical commands. His remarks came during the 2025 Global Family and Marriage Conference, where he urged Christians to distinguish between God’s laws and church traditions.
Differentiating Church Traditions from Divine Commands
Kumuyi’s comments directly addressed long-standing practices within the church, including the ban on a woman visiting her fiancé’s home before marriage and the previously mandatory six-month courtship period. He clarified that these were administrative measures designed to provide guidance, not inflexible rules. “We just felt you need some time to know one another,†he said of the six-month courtship. “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.â€
The pastor emphasized that changing these rules would not be a violation of scripture because they are not biblically mandated. He added that the church’s marriage committees were also created as a means of guidance, not as a replacement for biblical authority. “There’s no marriage committee in the New Testament,†he explained. “We created it to help you, not because we can give you a chapter and a verse. It is church administration.â€
A Call for Spiritual Maturity
Kumuyi stressed the importance of spiritual maturity for Christians, enabling them to understand the distinction between human regulations and God’s unchanging commandments. He warned against treating church traditions as divine law, a practice he believes can lead to rigidity and misunderstanding.
By making these clarifications, Pastor Kumuyi appears to be encouraging a more flexible and biblically-centered approach to marriage within his ministry, prioritizing understanding and personal conviction over strict adherence to administrative policies.
