Fifteen students in a lecturer’s flat in 1973: how William Kumuyi’s Bible study became Deeper Life

In 1973, a young mathematics lecturer at the University of Lagos invited a few students to his flat to study the Bible. There were about fifteen of them. Decades later, the movement he started counts its members in millions.

William Folorunso Kumuyi founded what became the Deeper Life Bible Church. It is one of the largest churches in Nigeria, with branches across Africa and the world.

The founder and the Bible study

Kumuyi was born in 1941 in south-western Nigeria. He studied mathematics and became a lecturer at the University of Lagos. He had been involved in the Apostolic Faith Church, but his emphasis on personal Bible study and holiness led him to start his own fellowship. The weekly Bible study in his flat grew quickly, drawing students and young professionals. Kumuyi’s teaching was systematic and detailed, working through scripture verse by verse. The group became known as the Deeper Christian Life Ministry.

For years, the ministry held Bible studies rather than Sunday services, and members attended other churches. In 1982, it became a church in its own right, the Deeper Life Bible Church. Its headquarters in Gbagada, Lagos, became one of the largest worship centres in the city.

Holiness and growth

Deeper Life is known for its emphasis on holiness: living a life separated from sin. For many years, members followed strict rules on dress and behaviour. Women were expected to dress modestly, often without jewellery or make-up, and members avoided many forms of worldly entertainment. Some of these rules have been relaxed over time, but holiness remains central to the church’s teaching.

The church spread across Nigeria, including rural areas, and into other African countries. It runs schools, including the Deeper Life High School network, and holds large crusades and retreats.

Crusades and the world

Kumuyi is known for a plain, teaching-focused preaching style, very different from the flamboyance of some Nigerian pastors. He has long spoken against the prosperity gospel’s focus on wealth, emphasising character and faithfulness. In later years, Kumuyi has held large crusades across Nigeria and in other countries, reaching audiences through satellite and online broadcasts. The Deeper Life story began with a Bible, a table and a group of students. Its members still describe their weekly Bible study as the heart of the church, just as it was in that university flat in 1973.