It was a day bathed in quiet grace and deep thanksgiving when the family of Da Evangelist Joel Wandara Gushi (JP) gathered beneath the familiar roof of COCIN Church, Narayi, in Kaduna, in early April 2026. The air itself seemed to carry a sense of sacred celebration—of time well spent, of vows faithfully kept, and of a life poured out in service.
When Professor Ibrahim Bulus, a devoted member of the Board of Trustees of Christian Couples Fellowship (CCF), went to be with the Lord in 2010, many might have quietly expected that his passing would mark a gentle withdrawal for his wife from the life of the fellowship they had both served so faithfully. Grief, after all, has a way of drawing the curtains inward. But Mrs. Martha Bulus was not one to retreat into the shadows.
As the year 2025 loosened its grip and gave way to the promise of another, the Christian Couples Fellowship (CCF), Kano Zone, gathered not merely to close a chapter but to listen—carefully and prayerfully—to what the season had revealed. Declining attendance over the months had raised concern, but it also offered a chance to pause at the threshold of renewal, to consider what the fellowship had been, and what it could yet become.
December 13, 2025, will remain indelibly engraved in the hearts of family and friends as a day of rare and radiant joy. On this memorable Saturday, the twin sons of Professor Patrick Dakum, National Coordinator of the Christian Couples Fellowship (CCF), were united in holy matrimony, marking a milestone of love, faith, and family. The celebration shimmered with even greater meaning as it coincided with the birthday of the grooms’ mother, Mrs. Sarah Dakum—transforming the moment into a triumphant triple celebration, alive with warmth, laughter, and profound spiritual significance.
The Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN) Headquarters Cathedral in Jos, Plateau State, was alive with excitement as Retji and Plangji exchanged vows with their beloved partners, Kangyang Pwajok and Pamela Pam. Friends, family, and distinguished guests gathered to witness the unions, setting the stage for a day brimming with elegance, emotion, and divine blessing.
At the heart of the ceremony was a deeply reflective sermon titled “Let your yes be yes and your no be no,” delivered by Rev. Agwom Azi Magaji, the guest preacher. With clarity and conviction, he called on all couples present to anchor their marriages in truth and integrity, reminding the congregation that the Kingdom of God is firmly established on honesty.
He urged the newlyweds to see marriage not as a contractual arrangement, but as a sacred covenant—one sustained by honesty, prayer, endurance, and forgiveness. “Be faithful in your words,” he charged, “so that your ‘yes’ remains true and your ‘no’ sincere.” Drawing from John 8:44, he described marriage as the greatest opportunity to live with integrity, cultivate deep intimacy, and honor God in daily life. Rev. Magaji further encouraged the couples to live as citizens of heaven, whose promises to one another require no oath, for true commitment flows from the heart and cannot rely on human strength alone, but grace.
He highlighted the essential pillars of a lasting marriage: prayer, endurance, and forgiveness. He reminded the couples never to take the family altar for granted;
emphasizing that prayer sustains and strengthens every union. He also spoke of the promise of endurance, encouraging them to remain steadfast through both celebrations and trials. And, he said, forgiveness is the lifeblood of love, enabling couples to grow, trust, and nurture each other. “A vow is more than words,” he remarked. Vows, he said are sacred promises of faithfulness through life’s joys and challenges. “It is a declaration of purpose, a commitment to remain faithful through life’s joys and challenges,” he reiterated.
The weddings drew an impressive gathering of guests from within Nigeria and across the globe, including dignitaries from the University of Maryland, Baltimore, USA, as well as representatives from South Sudan, Gambia, Rwanda, and the United Kingdom. The presence of prominent Nigerian leaders—among them the Governor of Plateau State, Barrister Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang, former Governor Senator Joshua Chibi Dariye, and Rt. Honorable Yusuf Adamu Gagdi, a member of the National Assembly—lent notable grandeur to the celebration.
More than 100 couples attending the 2025 annual Christian Couples Fellowship Retreat in Miango were reminded that their marriages are in a spiritual battle for their very souls.
Christian marriage is for life, says Rev. Dr. David Pofi who was giving a charge on purpose-driven Christian homes, emphasizing that it is disturbing when Christians even consider divorce. He attributes this to a lack of understanding about God’s purpose for marriage.
Rev. Pofi emphasizes that God’s purpose for marriage includes procreation, mutual companionship, sexual fulfillment, and raising godly children. He stresses that divorce has no place in Christian marriage, attributing it to hardness of hearts rather than God’s original design. Citing Matthew 19:7-9, he notes that the concession for divorce was given by Moses due to the Israelites’ hard-heartedness, underscoring that divorce is a departure from God’s ideal for marriage.
Rev. Pofi stresses that God hates divorce, which is not part of His will. He laments that divorce has become prevalent even in the church. According to him, divorce often stems from primary causes like stubbornness and hard-heartedness, and secondary causes which are often symptoms of deeper issues such as selfishness, disagreements and poor communication, which can manifest in couples who claim to follow God but don’t truly submit to Him. In contrast, when Jesus is at the center of a marriage, it can flourish and last a lifetime, as supported by Hebrews 3:12-14.
Rev. Pofi warns couples that when they cite reasons for divorce, they’re often just identifying symptoms. He notes that wherever there’s a ‘because,’ there’s usually a deeper underlying cause. Fault-finding and selfishness, for instance, can be signs of a dying marriage, rather than the root causes themselves.
Rev. Dr. Pofi reiterates that understanding their peculiarities and making adjustments in marriage are crucial to fulfilling God’s purpose. He urged couples to prioritize their relationships and make necessary adjustments from the start to build strong, lasting marriages.
Christian couples were told that no normal Christian will embark on divorce – that divorce is never an option. While divorce is defined as a legal dissolution of a marriage by a court, when couples become isolated and disconnected, they’ve essentially divorced each other in practice, even if not formally.
When couples meet Jesus they never remain the same. Divorce is stepping out of God’s will into Moses contemplation of stubbornness. Marriage is for life. Catch the little foxes in your relationship and your marriage will flourish. Be ready to obey the living word of God.