₦airaland Forum

"We discourage watching television" - Man drops old Pastor Kumuyi video after ₦1m challenge

A Nigerian man has released an old video of Pastor William Kumuyi after a ₦1 million challenge was issued to anyone who could prove that the Deeper Christian Life Ministry founder had discouraged his members from watching television.

The video was shared by an X user identified as @jayhemz following a challenge directed at @MathiasIgonor over Kumuyi’s alleged position on television.

The man who issued the challenge offered ₦1 million to anyone who could produce an audio or video recording showing Kumuyi telling members of Deeper Life not to watch television.

“I’ll give you or anyone ₦1m if you/they can provide a video clip or Audio clip where Pastor Kumuyi told his members not to watch TV,” he wrote.

He, however, stated that any video submitted would be subjected to verification.

“Video clip will be authenticated and checked for originality, Date of the Sermon (Preaching) will also be confirmed,” he added.

‘We Discouraged Watching Television’

In the video released by @jayhemz, Kumuyi recalled the position adopted by Deeper Life during the early years of the ministry.

The cleric said the church discouraged television viewing because of concerns over content he believed could negatively affect Christians.

“At the beginning of this ministry, many, many years ago, we emphasised, and we re-emphasised, and we preached it every time, and we made it everybody knew about it.

“We said, there are dirty things, there were dirty things on the television. And that those things pollute the heart. They make the heart impure.

“And because of that, we discouraged watching television. We wanted to prepare people for heaven,” Kumuyi said.

Pastor Kumuyi Explains Deeper Life’s Position

Kumuyi said the teaching was not based solely on the identity of Deeper Life as a church, claiming that other Christians also expressed concerns about the effect of television content at the time.

“We emphasised to the people, not just because it’s deeper life, every serious-minded believer at that time, from America to UK, even the whites, not members of deeper life, they knew that the pollutions on the television will pollute the minds of people, make them impure,” he said.

He went on to note that technology has evolved, making it possible for people to access a wider range of content through phones, tablets and other internet-enabled devices.

“But now, the age of television is almost year-rounding up. Because now, everything you can see on television, much, much more, you can see on television, you can have it on your handset, you can have it on your telephone, you can have it on your tablet, you can have it on your iPad,” he stated.

‘The Lord Keep Us Holy’

Kumuyi also warned about inappropriate content available online, particularly pornography and other material he said could affect a person’s thoughts and emotions.

“Once you are connected to the internet, and there are people, they may not be watching television, but they’re looking at pornographic pictures,” he said.

He urged Christians to guard their hearts against content that could lead to what he described as impure thoughts or actions.

“If you are having anything that secretly makes me impure, makes your thoughts impure, even can make your emotion, your feeling impure, and can make you to be committing immorality, even with images and pictures and whatever they call them, I don’t want to mention it in my message, whatever they call them, they are impure,” Kumuyi said.

“The Lord deliver us. The Lord keep us holy. The Lord keep us righteous,” he added.

The resurfaced video has since drawn attention online, particularly because Kumuyi is heard saying that Deeper Life “discouraged watching television” during the early years of the ministry.

See below

I'll do a giveaway of ₦500,000 from the money after payment is confirmed.

This is Pastor Kumuyi publicly admitting discouraging his members from watching TV. Direct from the horse's mouth

Tag him guys, let's share this money. https://t.co/mMbWMZlOVn pic.twitter.com/rv9etE3Pm2

— JM (@jayhemz) August 30, 2026

I hope he gets his pay out. Everyone in Nigeria at that time knew that Deeper Lifers were people who also didn't watch TV. 🤣🤣🤣

A very sound doctrine this is, I must confess.

LordIsaac:
A very sound doctrine this is, I must confess.

Stop lying! He did not foresee that the same box he called the devil's box would become the primary means of disseminating his very own words years later. 😒😒

Kobojunkie:
Stop lying! He did not foresee that the same box he called the devil's box would become the primary means of disseminating his very own words years later. 😒😒

Pray for grace to listen and learn basic comprehension!

LordIsaac:
➜Pray for grace to listen and learn basic comprehension!

Grace to become a proficient liar, like many of you religious folks notoriously are? No, thanks! 😒😒

Kobojunkie:
Grace to become a proficient liar, like many of you religious folks notoriously are? No, thanks! 😒😒

As it stands, you are apparently bereft of the capacity to understand the core message of an 8-minute video; we have nothing to discuss. Don't mention me again, as I shall dignify you with no further response going forward.

LordIsaac:
➜As it stands, you are apparently bereft of the capacity to understand the core message of an 8-minute video; we have nothing to discuss. Don't mention me again.

Stop lying! 😒😒

LordIsaac:
Pray for grace to listen and learn basic comprehension!

You guys just love deceiving yourselves!

Someone publicly declared he committed a blunder and you are here claiming comprehension.

For your information Kumuyi always read our AWAKE magazines back then and that year an issue was released that warned Jehovah's Witnesses globally to be careful of what we watch on television. Kumuyi dìd not filter the message he just gave his followers the message so that by time JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES start acting on that message it will be as if he is ahead in the spirit but we understood the message that it's not the TV that's evil rather it's some programs we need to avoid.

For instance you can't go out in a day without seeing indecent dressing does that mean you won't go out again?

NO!

Does that mean you must go blind so as not to see?

NO!

So Kumuyi goofed big time that is what he is now trying to correct today mind you he now welcome female preachers to mount his pulpit with earrings and makeup so open your eyes baba done dey confess!

If you were banned from watching TV, I don't think you will be inclined to record a speech during that time.

Change is constant.

Do give away come my own side o bros.

Betting on Nigerian pastors? Lol.

Kobojunkie:
I hope he gets his pay out. Everyone in Nigeria at that time knew that Deeper Lifers were people who also didn't watch TV. 🤣🤣🤣

Had a DL neighbour like that growing up as a child in Festac. Probably the grumpiest man you would find in any neighbourhood of the 90s.

Never passed up an opportunity to seize our ball.

Hated his guts dieee

But no be new thing na, like 50percent of Nigerians knows this about deeper Life.


Me wey go watchman, we know about deeper Life na

Same way Chris Oyakhilome was saying rubbish about 5G or

TB Joshua was seeing a female US President in Hillary Clinton

chiiraq802:
Change is constant.

I pray we all make heaven.... Or come back to life with some of our memories so we won't be decieve again.


Since pastor have admitted his mistakes no wahala.....Go and no tell us tomorrow not to vote ooo

Nigerian clergymen should just teach the word, and STOP trying to force their personal convictions on their flock.

Indoctrination should have moral and sensible limits!

I remember that time, we were using hunchback television Sony, and one day, I came back from school, behold the television was removed from the parlour and was used as kitchen Stoll, I asked why and they said is forbidden in the church, Deeper life. I became mad and went on hunger strike after 2 days of strike, they restore the television back

I used to watch 2pac rap, notorious BIG, then came Nigeria music, mohits, Kenny ogumgbe and co, but las las, na my papa dey control the remote.

Rayjay45:
➜Had a DL neighbour like that growing up as a child in Festac. Probably the grumpiest man you would in any neighbourhood of the 90s. Never passed up an opportunity to seize our ball. Hated his guts dieee

No be only that man oo! Many of the ones I knew were like that, too.😒😒

What kind of challenge is this? Is like the challenger wasn't born when Pastor Kumuyi made this announcement for him to throw this type of challenge.

Mobile phones are bigger sins and all Depper Life members are using them!

Olodo uprising that cant comprehend basic English... he lost the bet ...cos he never said anything like that...this video did not prove that he said such

Kobojunkie:
I hope he gets his pay out. Everyone in Nigeria at that time knew that Deeper Lifers were people who also didn't watch TV. 🤣🤣🤣

He never said such... he said the church worldwide at that time discouraged watching of television...deeper life dint start in Nigeria...its founders are in America... and they had their beliefs then... kumuyi never directly discouraged watching of television according to yhe video i just watched

Now they have a large screen in the same church... you see this life ehh. Everything is time

Holiness isn't mechanical 🤖, it's really not about watching tv or not....we can't force holiness because our bodies are inherently sinful.

Holiness comes naturally as we spend more time in God's presence.

Pastor Kumuyi had a TV program which used to show on Sundays at 3.30pm on one of the NTA stations in 1983/1984. I actually watched them as a kid.

cr7lomo:
He never said such... he said the church worldwide at that time discouraged watching of television...deeper life dint start in Nigeria...its founders are in America... and they had their beliefs then... kumuyi never directly discouraged watching of television according to yhe video i just watched

Deeper life was founded in NIgeria, not in America

Also Kumuyi discouraged watching of television back then.

It is not something that I hold against him, even though I disagree with his beliefs back then. Christians back then worldwide, some had a positive view of television, and even saw the ministry potential of television, others had a bad view of television back then

The problem was that in Kumuyi's younger days, television was a different 'beast' back then. All sorts of programmes, including programmes that were not edifying to christians were shown on the box...and there was nothing like christian channels, or christian tv or cable tv or the DSTV parental control button...plus there was a lot of influx of programmes that were from a nigerian set up immoral

BY the time Kumuyi changed his stance on television, TV had changed. Now there were several channels, one could use parental controls to prevent immoral channels from showing, and christian television was now a thing.

Man changed his views with the time. It is not an insult to say that about him. People change their views. He came to appreciate the usefulness of television, and how it was good for ministry purposes.

Those who believe him and still think he's right should not own a smart phone in today's world.

Because a phone is much more evil than television, at least television sensor some of the things you watch.
Unlike smart phone

These guys are human too

Kobojunkie:
I hope he gets his pay out. Everyone in Nigeria at that time knew that Deeper Lifers were people who also didn't watch TV. 🤣🤣🤣

The fact that people still listen to these pastoprenuers still baffle me. Even intelligent people. Truly Religion is the Opium of the masses. Most if the ultra wealthy don't even believe in God. I believe but in my own way. No so called man iof God can tell me how to serve God. I can't see God or do anything for him. I believe in morality and humanism by choice. Peace

Now u can watch wholesome content if u choose to unlike before that u didnt have a say as to what you were watching. Things change