Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry, Pastor William Folorunso Kumuyi, has dismissed widespread speculation that he may eventually hand over the leadership of the church to any of his biological sons, insisting that the ministry belongs solely to Jesus Christ and cannot be transferred as a family inheritance. The 85-year-old cleric made the declaration during a recent church programme, addressing rumours about succession that have circulated in Christian circles for years.
Speaking in a video message that has since gone viral across social media platforms, Kumuyi acknowledged that many people had been speculating about a potential family transfer of leadership. "Many people were speculating, is he going to hand over the church unto his son? Some were searching for his first son and searching for his second son, asking where they are and where they live," he said. The renowned clergyman stressed that the church is not a personal possession that can be inherited by family members.
"You see, he's not going to hand over the church. Well, it's not his church. Jesus said, 'Upon this rock, I will build my church.' Jesus said it is His church. It's not Peter's church. It's nobody's church," Kumuyi declared. According to him, no church leader has the right to transfer ownership or leadership of Christ's church to a biological child simply because of family ties. "It's the church of the Lord Jesus Christ, and nobody has the right to hand it over to his son," he added.
Drawing examples from biblical figures, Kumuyi noted that key leaders of the early Christian church did not pass on spiritual leadership to their descendants. "Peter did not hand over the church to his son. Paul did not have any son or wife, but Paul did not hand over the church to his son. And John did not hand over the church to his son," he said. The Deeper Life founder further emphasised that the focus of believers should remain on advancing God's kingdom rather than on personalities or family succession.
Kumuyi concluded by expressing his commitment to God's will regarding the future leadership of the church. "I was not about to hand that over to any son. The will of the Lord be done in Jesus' name," he said. His remarks come amid recurring discussions in some Christian circles about succession planning and the transfer of leadership in large religious organisations, particularly as many founders of Pentecostal churches in Nigeria advance in age.
Kumuyi, who turned 85 on June 6, 2026, founded the Deeper Christian Life Ministry in 1973 as a small campus fellowship at the University of Lagos, where he was a mathematics lecturer. The ministry has since grown into one of the largest Pentecostal denominations in Africa, with congregations in more than 150 countries. He has two sons, Jeremiah and John, who are both active leaders in the church, but the cleric has consistently maintained that leadership would not be passed to them by birthright.
Reactions to Kumuyi's statement have been mixed across social media platforms, with many applauding his stance against hereditary succession while others expressed curiosity about the eventual leadership transition plan. Some users noted that his position challenges a growing trend in Nigerian Christianity where church founders have increasingly installed family members as successors. The cleric's unambiguous declaration has drawn a line in the sand. For the millions of Deeper Life members across the globe, the identity of the next General Superintendent remains an open question. But for the founder, one thing is certain: the church belongs to Christ, not to his children. The will of the Lord, he insists, will be done.
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