I can just imagine the pressure mounted on John and Love Kumuyi from these stuck-in-the-mud church leaders to get to this point. I won't be surprised if the Lagos church fabricated the apology themselves so their cherished tradition can be upheld in the eyes of those they lead around by the nose. God help us all.
During a programme last weekend at one of the Deeper Life Churches in Lagos, the host pastor read out a letter of apology from John and Love Kumuyi addressed to the overall Church Secretary and directed to the church leadership and members, stating that they took full responsibility for any controversy arising out of their wedding. Read the full text of the letter and see the video (from 3.00) below.
June 22nd, 2013,
The Church Secretary,
Deeper Christain Life Ministry
LETTER OF APOLOGY
John and Love Kumuyi, write to express our deepest and most sincere apology for the turn of events, that have resulted on our traditional and wedding ceremonies, that took place in Jamaica on 13th June and 15th June, 2013 respectively.
We unreservedly and wholeheartedly state, that we did not intend that our acts or omissions will in any way undermine the great works that God has done through the Deeper Christian Life Ministry Worldwide and more specifically , through our Father in the Lord, the General Superintendent (GS).
We also use this medium to profusely and sincerely apologies to the general superintendent for the embarrassment and heartaches our actions have caused him, more so that he had earlier declined to be at the events.
We acknowledge that we may have been distracted by cultural differences, as both of us have been outside the country for the past two decades. This notwithstanding, we fully accept that having being nurtured, taught and brought up with the sound teaching of the word of God, we should have been able to draw the line, which we failed to do.
We have now realized the effects of our actions and omission and do plead with the church for forgiveness and also appealing that any action that should be taken be directed at John and Love, as we take this time to prayerfully reflect on our actions.
We take full responsibility for what happened, and this action should in no way be blamed on the GS, or the leaders of the church in Nigeria, United States, Jamaica or United Kingdom and beyond.
Yours Sincerely,
John and Love Kumuyi
Personally, I am of the opinion that Love Odih was very modestly dressed for a wedding occasion, and wish her and her husband only the very best of married life. I wrote the series of posts I did to help the conversation along online, hoping it would spark a similar conversation within the Deeper Life church about their heavily patriarchal stand on women's dressing, and how it could be affecting the morale of women and relationships in the church. When I listened to Pastor Kumuyi's video here on what is essential Christian principles and how traditions of men can be changed, I was heartened. But it seems even him can do nothing at this stage. The so-called church leaders have just made it clear by this 'apology' that they won't entertain any conversation.
i'm confused...wasn't his father at his wedding?? If he had issues with the way she was dressed or anything else wouldn't they have dealt with that? Better yet, if Kumuyi himself was concerned about the DL image won't he have made sure everything was run by him before the day? na wa.
ReplyDeleteI think this apology is a slap in their overseers face.
don't judge as you know yourself his dad can never be there to dress the bride so watch what you say...devil has been out to shame on this issue
DeleteI am sooo very confused about this whole situation. Should we expect Pastor Kumuyi to apologize for his OWN wedding too? After all, it is a SIN in deeper life for a woman to wear HAT - yes, Deeper LIfe Bible church (in Nigeria) considers that worldliness. Believe me I know, because I used to be a former member. However, Pastor Kumuyi's wife wore a hat for their wedding, now that is a FACT. If it is really true that he didnt want to attend his son's wedding, what about his own wedding? Why didn't he turn his wife away, or walk away from his OWN wedding if he TRULY believes that what his wife wore was a sin? Dem no born you well to try wear hat for deeper, infact marriage committee (wedding police) will NOT let you wear it, and your wedding could be cancelled on your wedding day if you insist.
ReplyDeleteThe sheer hypocrisy IS astounding. This is the same church that preached vehemently against owning TV n the early 80s and 90s. As a child I remember they used to call it "Apoti Esu" meaning "devil's Box". Fast forward to a new millenium, and it is no longer a sin. I remember vividly like yesterday when they started preaching that wearing Ofi, our traditional yoruba fabric, is worldliness and a sin. I remember that this didn't make any sense to me. Would you preach to an oyinbo man and tell him his suit, shirt and tie is a sin?
Women tend to take the brunt of this craziness the most. I don't even think men's outfits are subjected to the same level of scrutiny, it's crazy. It is so sad that the church operates like a religious cult now. And please before yabbing me for characterizing as a cult, please go and read about Religious Cults, where they value codes of conduct like dressing rules wayyyyy above substance.
Back to my original point. Until someone shows me what nakedness sister Love displayed on her wedding day, I maintain that she did nothing wrong in the sight of God. Yes, she may have violated man made rules, the same ones pastor Kumuyi's wife violated. If the pastor does NOT condemn his OWN wedding as unbiblical, then it becomes ironic that his very own son now is a victim of hypocrisy he preaches against. One rule for leaders, separate for others.
Former member you have nothinh to say in this matter, you are just like DEMAS who forsake PAUL and went to the WORLD and later become a Jugde, so whosoever you may be Keep your mouth shot and retrace your foot step back to calvary
DeleteBrother Anonymous, i guess you should be a member, whatever. The Question is Both the former member who is now a messager of only God knows and brother Anonymous Look Unto Jesus alone and search is words for he truth and his mind.
Deletethe ultimate thing is not about what we are today but where we will be tommorrow. Heaven or Hell.
You must need know the Standard, the requirement and what you must be here on earth before you go up their to Stand before God. Please let us take heed of our life if you are a true christian or whatever denomination you worship you will never partake in this sort of arguement. so Look Unto Jesus alone and make him your standard.
pls do not try to sound real with ur lies. I am a member of DLBC in the southern part of Africa. We do wear hats in church. Remember, Pastor Kumuyi is a respected man of God, watch what ur saying or else you attract God's judgment. It seems u left the church cox u cd not not swallow the teaching. Remember where u hv fallen,repent
Deletehttp://www.allaboutcults.org/characteristics-of-religious-cults-faq.htm
ReplyDeleteThese men worship me with their lips but their hearts are far from me. Their worship is based on rules taught by men - from the Bible
ReplyDeleteClearly they have left the true word of God and are pursuing other things. Holiness is from the heart and not the outside. Even a goat should understand that.
Let us all get ourselves prepared to get to Heaven at last . No Church in heaven , for without Holiness no Man shall see the Lord . Brothers and Sisters beware. You will be surprised you will see pple u don't expect in Heaven and miss pple u intend to see. Take good care of ur christain life
ReplyDeleteHumph! I see this as medicine after death. The deed has been done. Whatever we say or not, she looks good on her wedding day unlike other members I have seen. Didn't the wedding police, see her gown as they did others and asked for adjustments? Why crying after split milk?
ReplyDeleteThey did not personally write this letter, but the church did, to save face and prevent a rebellion that might arise from young members planning their marriages.
All the same, we should let the matter rest and wish the couple a happy married life.
NITTY.
Lol, I've been bemused by this whole DL 'scandal'. I think there is a huge problem with the church in general. What is good for DL is not good for Redeemed or BLW or Winners or Catholics or Anglicans. It baffles me!
ReplyDeleteWhatever happened to "Love God and Love your neighbor as yourself"? I thought those where the key commandments Jesus gave to the world. I don't understand how someone's wedding gown will ignite such a storm. If the bride wants to wear a bikini on her wedding day, by all means, she can do so! It is her wedding! She doesnt need her pastor to 'sanction' it. After the wedding, if she wants to go back to DL, that's her business. If she doesn't, she can go to any church she wants.
As for DL ideology/doctrine, I reserve my comments. I don't agree with their dress policy at all, just as I don't agree with all the policies/ideologies of other churches. What the world needs is for people to love each other. If only we could just see that the whole 'theme' of Christianity is love, life would be a lot better.
I'm a Christian, not a church member. I wonder what Jesus would say on this issue!
I thank God for John & wife 4 accepting their fualt. God will have mercy on them. Ask for those that insult the man of God & the church of God. Remember, every idle word that man give, he shall give account of them all.
ReplyDeleteDear Anonymous,
DeleteYou need to drink cold water or stick your head under the tap for a few seconds! Are you God? Jeez! Aint nobody got time for your sermon.
Repent and be converted that sins may be bloted out.
ReplyDeleteHun un un.... Christianity is more than all these things that you people are saying.... Firstly I want you people to understand that God respect decision of men or oath especially when it comes to fellowship with him.1samuel 14 vs 24-46 despite Jonathan perfomed miraclous victory over philistines but an oath was made which God respects. If any one that is reading this know God, you will understand better. Men should acknowledge their principle to be in line with word of God, building on rock (master builder) Every congregation is important to God. They must be serious with their relationship with God and what ever they agreed on is important for the group to observe and keep. Nevertheless, there is room for mistake by men and there is what we called mercy.
ReplyDeleteNerver in your life talk carelessley about any man of God approved by God to the level of even signs and wonder to comfirm their messages. Doing so you are provocing wrought of God on yourself. I am not a depper life member but I love God and I love their teachings because holiness is important as a periquisite to get to even and to walk with God, I look into depper life system and I realized it is very good for simple to attain righteosness and holiness. If you dont have enough wisdom you may not overcome effect and cause of anything you do contrary to what depper life teaches, that is what I mean that its good for the simple and its not every one that is wise to handle situations in the world. So If you are wise we thank God for your life, so do not condem the simple that live a perticular way of life to avoid sin and polution of this world. Over the marriage issue....the concerned people wrote apology...bible says believe all things...dont use your own mind to recreate what they have said. If you are a member and you want to do your wedding in a similar way go ahead and if you want to join another good denomination go ahead but be careful that you keep doctrinal value of your new congregation God respect this and make sure that you are always lead by Holy Spirit Romans 8vs14
God confirmed many men of God to show that he is with then and together with what they teach as they all help men to know God in one way or the other. God will pass some men through many denominations to learn different things. You are responsible for yourself all denomination are just there to help you learn why some are ever learn but never understand..... When you get to heaven I think God will not ask for your leader or your denomination, God will judge you through his word Jesus confirm this also that the word that he speaks. So church leaders are to help you understand bible but you will face the examinatin by yourself, like a university trained person that want to write a professional examination your university name or lecturer is no more important, standard is set and your perfomance depends on your self building and ability you will solve some questions through knowledge your college teacher or lecturer impacted, you will solve some by what you read or learn from other people books or researches.....so likewise is this live and heaven issue. SO BE WISE..
Usually i don't do this but LAWL!!!
ReplyDeleteMyne these your commenters and commentators are on some next level ish.
I bless this marriage.I pray whatever the devil is throwing at them now all in the name church religion will turn to their supernatural benefit in Jesus Name Amen.
ReplyDeleteI bless this couple and pray that God Almighty will turn the demonic attack the devil is throwing at them through the religious spirit will turn to their favour in Jesus Name Amen.
ReplyDeleteWell so much has been said about this issue. I want people to know that there are several type of people that are commenting on this issue. there are people that are didn't know the Lord at all I mean they're not Christian for such their comment will be to use this opportunity to insult the Lord. There are people who are Christian by religion but they are not born again for such they lack spiritual understanding of what a real Christian life stands for. Let me quickly refer every Christian
ReplyDeletethat care to know to the church history about the differences in church principles rules and regulations
it has ever been like that and it will continue to be. But will shouldn't forget that there are essential things about the basic biblical doctrines on Christ and His teachings that any heaven mended believer must take seriously. It's now an essential sign of conversion to be deferent from the world that have a deferent master [satan]that dictates their ways of life.l think a church like Deeper Life still stand today as few of the churches that dear to take such a stand against worldliness for those that have spiritual understanding all that is happening now is a clear sign of the last day unfortunately the devil is fighting his last battle against the chuch and many denomination has been defied in the `battle field they started wel but today the world has entered them and they have entered the world no more different between harlot and a daughter of Zion. That can't be true of the church that Christ is coming for. However as human being is expected to grow and grow entail changes in ideology and way of doing things better than before so we should expect a dynamic church leaders to grow. On the issue of Tv b4 now deeper life preach agaist it but now the church see that Tv is now a common technology you can see it in the hand set and even internet is worse the church decided to turn it to a means of evangelism noting is wrong with that. About Hat a church member has told you that deeper life church in other countries where hat, all these are minor mater that has nothing to do with the Kingdom. How can somebody compare a church like deeper life to a cult that l think is a wrong judgment one of the major symbol of a cult is impunity [absence of righteousness and holiness]we kwon the major emphasis of deeper life is holiness. About Pastor Kumuyi his history tells us this is one of the men of God that stand on what he preaches the event of this wedding and the emendate reaction of the church is to confirms this. How can we expect Pastor Kumuyi to be punish when John was not a kid any more, the father of Love deserves that because he was the residence pastor where the wedding was conducted, it's obviously by his permission her daughter was allowed to flout the church rule God Himself recognized the rule of a community we belong to that is why He said we should be subject to the ordinance of man as long is not contrary to the law of Go d. My submission therefor is that we should rather commend the church and especially pastor Kumuyi for still standing as a good example for the Christian world today