Anger From The Alter: Why Deeper Life Church Elders Are Not Happy With Founder, Pastor William Kumuyi

Anger From the Altar: Why Deeper Life Church Elders Are Not Happy With Founder, Pastor William Kumuyi

The Deeper Life Bible Church, long revered for its doctrinal rigidity and spiritual discipline, has recently found itself in the throes of an internal leadership crisis that has stirred emotions from the pulpit to the pews.

At the heart of this unrest is the revered founder and General Superintendent, Pastor William Folorunso Kumuyi, whose decades of stewardship are now being quietly questioned by some of the church’s senior elders.

The tension began to surface during Pastor Kumuyi’s extended absence from Nigeria, as he traveled abroad for conferences and crusades. His prolonged stay in England sparked speculation among church members and leaders alike, with some suggesting that the church had been left without clear leadership. A youth pastor, speaking anonymously, described the situation as one where “everyone was doing as they pleased,” highlighting the vacuum created by Kumuyi’s absence and the church’s top-down structure.

This perceived leadership void ignited conversations among senior pastors who have long served alongside Kumuyi. Many of them, having contributed significantly to the church’s growth, began to feel sidelined. They expressed a desire for more recognition and authority, and some even advocated for a leadership transition. Concerns about Kumuyi’s age and the future direction of the church added fuel to the fire, with suggestions that a younger successor might be better suited to lead the ministry into its next chapter.

Pastor Kumuyi, now 83, did not take these murmurs lightly. During a recent Bible study session, he addressed the issue head-on, visibly emotional and deeply affected. He recounted how a member had repeatedly preached about the need for a successor, prompting him to ask the congregation, “Are you tired of me?” The response was a resounding “Nooo,” but the question itself revealed the depth of his hurt.

In a firm and impassioned rebuttal, Kumuyi made it clear that succession is not a matter for human decision but one that rests solely in God’s hands. He criticized what he termed “subtle agitations” and warned against rebellion within the church. “You are not going to fight your shepherd or your pilot,” he declared, adding that he would not tolerate any attempt to control him, not even from his wife. “I stand where I stand and nobody will put me under pressure,” he said.

Kumuyi’s words were not just a defense of his leadership but a reaffirmation of his spiritual conviction. He reminded the congregation that if God has given them a pastor who remains active and committed at his age, they should not be clamoring for change. “Don’t make me feel I’m imposing myself on you,” he cautioned, before concluding with a resolute statement: “When the time comes, God will choose a man after His own heart. Don’t try to drive me away—even though I know you cannot”.

This episode marks a rare moment of public discord within the Deeper Life Bible Church, a ministry known for its unity and conservative ethos. While the future remains uncertain, one thing is clear: Pastor Kumuyi is not ready to relinquish the pulpit, and any transition, if it comes, will be on divine terms, not human ones.