Deeper Life Pastor Resigns Over Pastor Kumuyi’s Remarks On Tinubu

…As The Cheer News Publisher sets the record straight

Ogueze Venitius Chinyerugo, a pastor at Deeper Life Bible Church, 84 Nnobi Road, Nnewi, Anambra State, has resigned from his position as the church’s district pastor due to recent comments made by William Kumuyi, the church’s general superintendent, that appear to show his support for President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

In a letter dated August 23, 2023, Chinyerugo announced his resignation as pastor of the church in response to a widely circulated video showing the church’s superintendent getting involved in politics by endorsing the Tinubu administration, which he claimed had caused suffering for Nigerians.

In a letter to the Deeper Life Bible Church’s regional overseer, Chinyerugo reportedly wrote: “I write this email with considerable burden, taking in mind its far-reaching spiritual ramifications.

“I feel that our father in the Lord and our general superintendent, Dr. WF Kumuyi, has made a costly mistake, and there is no way for me to effectively convey my mind to him than by resigning as the pastor of the above district, effective from today, the 23rd of August, 2023.

“My decision was taken after watching the video, which I forwarded to you, where he advised Nigerians to support the government and the ministers, because, according to him, they will perform, especially going by their antecedents.

“Honestly, I was devastated and felt terrible, humiliated and disappointed after watching the clip. For the records, I became born-again on April 10, 1984, as an undergraduate under the Christian Union, and later in that year I joined Deeper Life, after months of searching for a church that reflects the Bible. Why not? I could not have left the world only to fool myself and surrender myself again to be deceived. I have not been disappointed since I joined the church.

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“God has so graciously used the pastor to mould my Christian life and, of course, the life of many others. He has also, by words and conduct, taught us to mind the kingdom business and to refrain from dabbling into political matters. He had exemplified this teaching for several decades by steering clear of political controversies, until lately.

“Most debilitating was his visit in 2019 to the President of Nigeria then, Muhammadu Buhari, at a time when Nigerians, Christians, pagans, Muslims and atheists, were wishing and praying for him to exit. While Nigerians with their short memories are trying to forget that visit blunder to such an insensitive leader, a tribal and religious bigot, our pastor has committed another terrible blunder.

“He has recommended this present administration, in which every detail about the administration is antithetical to the pastors’s preaching. And this is while the presidency is still subject to national and international judicial contests. As a mathematician, I wonder what mathematical principle he used to arrive at that conclusion because my elementary arithmetic taught me that zero multiplied by one trillion amounts to zero. So, on what moral principle would this administration fight corruption? On the past performances and quality of the ministers, I wonder if our pastor knows about Isa Bagudu and many of the former governors.

“Sir, if I do not remove the speck in my very own eyes, then I will be one of the hordes of hypocrites marauding everywhere in Nigeria. I am one of those who vehemently criticise members of Catholic, Anglican and some other Pentecostal churches for not drawing the attention of their own leaders when they go wrong, hence my decision to resign. I am particularly let down by the demeaning comments in the social media space, and, unlike usual, I am silenced to defend him because the comments are correct! He has given the enemies of the Lord the opportunity they are looking for to talk down on him and, by extension, the church.

“All through the election campaigns, he maintained a glorious and dignified silence, and we members of the church earned respect for that. I wonder about the need for this comment at this point in time.

“I wish this message reaches him, but considering that the office bureaucracy will likely make it impossible for it to get to him, I may have to pass it to him through social media in the next one or two weeks, unless he speaks to Nigerians.

“Thanks a lot for indulging my several irritations. I pray for heaven at last for all of us.

“Supporting our leaders presupposes that such leaders meet up with 2 Samuel 23:3, that is, ‘They that want to rule among men must be righteous and fearing God,’ which obviously means that they should not rig, kill and corner power by force, they should have a popular mandate to rule.

”Any other prayer reserved for such leaders without the above qualifications is that God should give us the courage to stand up against them like the people of Sri Lanka. Since an Ethiopian cannot change his colour, praying for such people to change and, maybe, become born-again at this point in time is unrealistic.

“However, since faith without works is dead, when we have done all that we are supposed to do and there’s nothing else left, then we should resort to prayer, since, with God, nothing shall be impossible.”

Reacting to the above resignation letter by Pastor Ogueze Venitius Chinyerugo, the Publisher of The Cheer News Nigeria, Dayo Adesulu who is also a pastor, said Pastor Chinyerugo resigned ignorantly for lack of proper understanding of what the Bible says about constituted authorities.

Adesulu said: “If Chinyerugo knew what the scriptures say about the role of Christians toward the authorities of the land, he would have understood that Pastor Kumuyi was on points in his response.

“In the old testament, some of the prophets of God that confronted constituted authorities did so because of the role they play in the kingdom. They acted as a check to erring kings because they are perceived as God’s representative. But in the new testament it was not so. When John the Baptist tried it with King Herod, he was arrested and imprisoned. Of course that does not mean Christians should not speak the truth to powers.

Romans 13: 1- 5 speaks on the Christian role to constituted authorities. It reads; “Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. 

“Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.

“For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: 

“For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.

“Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.”

Also Proverbs 8:15 reads, ”By me Kings reign, and princes decree justice.” Titus 3:1 says, ”Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work. Read also: 1 Peter 2:13 ”Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man: whether it be to the king, as supreme.”

Recall that Pastor Kumuyi never made any political statement to support any political candidates during the electioneering period. Neither did he tell his followers who to vote for. He is apolitical. He made the above remarks when President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had been declared winner by INEC and subsequently sworn in as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

At this point Pastor W.F Kumuyi sees President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the head of constituted authorities in Nigeria. A Christian leader who wants to obey the Bible must not speak evil of such national leader but support him. That was why Pastor Kumuyi is absolutely right to support President Tinubu and his ministers both in words and in prayers.