CONTEMPORARY HISTORICAL NUANCES OF MISSIONARY ACTIVITIES OF THE DEEPER CHRISTIAN LIFE MINISTRY IN NIGERIA

Abstract

The Deeper Christian Life Ministry was founded in 1973 by Pastor William Folorunso Kumuyi, an indigene of Erin-Ijesa, a town in Oriade Local Government Area of Osun State. The Church celebrated her 50th anniversary in 2023. The Church is distinct and peculiar in its beliefs and teachings as a Pentecostal Church in Nigeria. The problem of the study was the survival of the ministry in contemporary Nigeria, where the pursuit of wealth, prosperity, teaching and provision of social facilities were given much attention. The methodology adopted in the research was historical. The findings of the Church indicated that there was much focus on: ?holiness, salvation and heaven?. Therefore, members of the Church were encouraged not to pursue ?the things of the world?. For a very long time, the ideological stand of the Church has been abstinence from partisan politics and minimal social interaction with other Christian denominations. However, in recent times, it is observed that after many years of its existence, the church is gradually becoming interested in the socio-economic development of the country and particularly interceding for Nigeria‘s political stability. The paper also examined the leadership style and teachings of Pastor Kumuyi and his disposition toward National Development. Our findings also indicated the recent interest in education with the establishment of Secondary schools in almost all the state capitals of Nigeria and the location of a Private University named Anchor University in Ayobo, Lagos. In conclusion, the Church, which started as a Fellowship of a few people at the University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria, has become a ?big church? within and outside Nigeria. Despite the challenges being witnessed and despite the age of the founder, the church is growing in leaps and bounds.