Pastor Kumuyi Speaks on Successor, Says He Won't Hand Over Deeper Life to His Son

The General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry, Pastor William Folorunso Kumuyi, has dismissed speculations that he intends to pass the leadership of the church to his biological son, declaring that the ministry belongs solely to Jesus Christ.

The founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry, Pastor W.F. Kumuyi, has put to rest growing speculations regarding his successor, stating categorically that he will not hand over the leadership of the church to any of his children.

The respected cleric made the clarification during a recent church service, addressing rumours that began trending on Wednesday suggesting he was making plans to transfer the mantle of leadership to one of his biological sons after his tenure.

According to Kumuyi, such speculations stem from a misunderstanding of the foundational principles of the church, maintaining that the ministry is not a personal enterprise or family inheritance to be passed down by biological succession.

"Many people were speculating, is he going to hand over the church unto his son? Won't he search for his first son, second son, where are they? Where do they live? Is he not going to hand over the church?" the cleric told his congregation.

Dismissing the notion, Kumuyi insisted that the church must be led according to divine direction rather than human or family arrangements.

"Well, it's not his church. And because it's not his church, Jesus said, 'upon this rock, I will build my church'… It's the church of the Lord Jesus Christ, and nobody has the right to hand it over to his son," he stated firmly.

To buttress his point, the General Superintendent referenced prominent figures from the Bible who led the early church, pointing out that none of them transferred their spiritual leadership to their offspring.

"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," Kumuyi explained.

The 85-year-old preacher’s statement has drawn widespread commendation from both his congregation and the wider Christian community, reinforcing his long-standing reputation for maintaining strict biblical standards and focusing on spiritual rather than administrative politics.

The Deeper Christian Life Ministry, which started as a small Bible study group in 1973 with just 15 members, has grown into one of the largest Pentecostal denominations in Nigeria and globally, with millions of members worldwide.