Pastor W F Kumuyi
The World Book of Records, London, has recognised the General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry, Dr William Kumuyi, for his contributions to Christian leadership, education, global evangelism and humanitarian outreach.
The recognition was presented to the 85-year-old Nigerian cleric at a recent award presentation event in India, with media from the event posted on Kumuyi’s official page on Sunday.
Presenting the recognition, respected Indian Pastor Sudarshan Babu said the World Book of Records had conducted an assessment of Kumuyi’s life and achievements before conferring the honour on him.
Babu described Kumuyi as “a father of millions” and an inspiration to emerging Christian leaders as well as people in secular and educational fields.
According to him, the recognition followed the organisation’s assessment of Kumuyi’s “educational advancement, international social empowerment programmes, visionary leadership and global outreach initiatives, humanitarian services and community development activities impacting millions of lives across the continents.”
He said the World Book of Records recognised Kumuyi as “one among the great leaders of the nations” following its assessment of his decades of service and influence.
The Joint Secretary of the World Book of Records, London, Dr Ullaji Eliyazar, was subsequently invited to present the certificate to Kumuyi.
Congratulations, Pastor W.F. Kumuyi, for this excellent certificate. Today we are announcing that he has entered into the World Book of Records,” Eliyazar said while presenting the recognition.
Kumuyi, in his acceptance speech, attributed the honour to God, saying he received it not only on behalf of himself and his wife but “for the glory of God.”
He said, “Christ is the one who has made the ultimate sacrifice for the salvation of the world.”
The cleric said his journey into Christian ministry began with his conversion on April 5, 1964, after hearing a Christian gospel message that led him to surrender his life to Jesus Christ.
Kumuyi said he had previously been religious but did not know Christ as his Saviour and Redeemer, adding that his educational background had exposed him to atheistic teachings.
“But that day I knew that there is a God in heaven, a redeeming God that brings me to faith by the Lord Jesus Christ,” he said.
He said his subsequent study of the Bible introduced him to the Christian concept of the Great Commission and inspired him to study the lives and ministries of influential evangelists, including Charles G. Finney and Billy Graham.
Kumuyi said he began a Bible study in his university apartment in 1973 while lecturing mathematics, initially attracting 15 students.
The fellowship grew from a small group into hundreds and later thousands of members, eventually developing into the Deeper Christian Life Ministry and the Deeper Life Bible Church.
Reflecting on the growth of the ministry, Kumuyi said he came to understand that the strength of a church should not be measured by the number of people it can accommodate but by its capacity to send people out to serve.
“We began to know and to learn that the worth of a church and the strength of a church is not in its sitting capacity but in its sending capacity,” he said.
He said the ministry subsequently began sending missionaries across Africa and other parts of the world, adding that Deeper Life missionaries are now present in more than 50 African countries, as well as parts of Europe and the Americas.
Kumuyi also highlighted the ministry’s global crusades and healing outreaches, saying they had enabled the church to reach and transform lives across different communities.
He said recent opportunities had opened a new direction for the ministry’s work in Asia, which he described as a significant next stage of its global outreach.
“It’s a great privilege for me to be with you and to network together. Iron sharpens iron.
“We can work together, cooperate, in reaching out to the continent of Asia for the Lord,” Kumuyi said.
The cleric said he hoped the recognition would serve as a platform for further service to humanity and the expansion of Christian evangelism.
“I pray that this next stage will be the platform to reach the Asian continent,” he said.
Also present at the ceremony was Pastor Jacob Dele, a pastor with Deeper Life Bible Church in Boston, United States, who joined Kumuyi and his wife on stage during the presentation.
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