ONE of the sons of the leader of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry, John Kumuyi and his wife, Love have been
suspended by the leadership of the church and banned from participating in any activities in the church.
The suspension was over the recent ‘extravagant’ wedding of the couple in Jamaica, which church members frowned upon, prompting church leadership to take action
The couple got married in Jamaica on 15 June, 2013 and many members of the church condemned the bride’s wedding gown.
Love’s attires turned out to differ from the conventional ones set for Deeper Life members. Lots of people noticed her hair wasn’t “natural” and that she applied lipstick as part of the make-up.
A limousine hired to deliver the couple to their destination after the wedding, a huge cake that was served at the ceremony were contrary to the church’s tradition.
The Deeper Life Bible Church was founded by its current leader on the tenets of pious simplicity that often struggles to exist within a flamboyant culture.
The church leaders decided to place the couple on suspension to give them time to pray and seek forgiveness from God for their action, following countless comments on social media and by the members of Deeper Life.
John and Love’s suspension from church activities was announced last Saturday, at Deeper Life’s monthly Miracle and Revival Programme, held at the Deeper Life Conference Centre, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
The news was delivered by Pastor Philip Oluwi, a key leader in the church, who obviously was following the instructions from the General Superintendent of the church, Pastor William Kumuyi. Oluwi stressed that the standard of Deeper Life regarding wedding and moderacy had not changed.
“The church, Deeper Life, remains committed to the biblical practice and standard of almost 40 years Christian dressing and still remains and does not compromise on biblical Christian dressing.
“Hence, deviation warrants the displeasure and frown of God and the leadership of the church. John and Love are now under discipline,” Oluwi announced to the entire congregation.
The couple has already apologized to the church for the inappropriate way the wedding was conducted. The letter was read by Oluwi and re-read several times to church members by the Church’s Secretary, Pastor Jerry Asemota.
The letter, addressed to the Church Secretary and titled ‘Letter of Apology,’ expressed the deepest regret of the couple for bringing the church into disrepute.
Moreover, further investigation has revealed that John and Love’s wedding was not conducted in a Deeper Life Bible Church. It was also not conducted by pastors from the church, as Deeper Life Bible Church in Jamaica has not been licensed by the country’s government to join couples in wedlock, according to the laws of Jamaica.
The wedding was taken to another church where the ministers in the unnamed church conducted the wedding and joined them in holy matrimony.
Deeper Life leaders that came from Nigeria were said to have disapproved of the earlier gown Love was to wear for the wedding, while another was hurriedly sewed the night before the wedding.
Church leaders were said not to have seen the new dress until the couple was marching into the church and by then, it was too late to take any action as the wedding was not conducted in a Deeper Life church