Pastor Faith Oyedepo has urged young people to approach marriage with greater attention to character, spiritual compatibility, emotional maturity and financial responsibility, warning that physical attraction, social pressure and glamorous weddings are not enough to sustain a successful home.
Speaking during the 2026 Annual Youth Alive Convention, AYAC, she delivered a message on “Accessing Next-Level Marital Testimony,” addressing singles, people in courtship and married couples on practical and biblical principles for building lasting relationships.
The convention, organised by the Youth Alive Fellowship of Living Faith Church Worldwide, is being held under the theme Next Levels.
Pastor Oyedepo used the session to challenge some of the ideas about marriage increasingly promoted through popular culture and social media, while also addressing domestic violence, infidelity, financial secrecy and the importance of emotional healing before marriage.
One of the major points of the sermon was Pastor Faith Oyedepo’s call for Christians to understand marriage according to biblical principles.
Drawing from Genesis 2:18 and other passages of Scripture, she described marriage as an institution established by God rather than simply a cultural or social arrangement.
She said young people should be careful about allowing entertainment, social media trends, and popular opinion to become their primary sources of information about marriage.
According to her, marriage should be viewed as a covenant rather than merely a contract, with commitment forming one of its strongest foundations.
The implication of that teaching is particularly relevant for young adults preparing for marriage. Pastor Oyedepo’s message places greater emphasis on preparation for the responsibilities of marriage rather than concentrating only on the excitement surrounding weddings.
For Christian couples, she argued, understanding marriage as a covenant also requires a willingness to remain committed during difficult seasons rather than viewing the relationship solely through changing emotions or circumstances.
Pastor Mrs Oyedepo also addressed the responsibilities of husbands and wives, urging couples to build relationships based on love, respect and cooperation.
Referencing Ephesians 5, she encouraged husbands to demonstrate sacrificial love towards their wives while urging wives to treat their husbands with respect and honour.
She warned against turning marriage into a contest for superiority.
According to her, husbands and wives are meant to complement one another rather than constantly compete over income, influence, education or authority.
The message reflects an issue increasingly relevant to modern families as more couples manage careers, businesses and independent financial responsibilities.
While individual households may organise responsibilities differently, communication and mutual respect remain important in preventing professional or financial differences from becoming sources of resentment within the home.
Pastor Mrs Oyedepo devoted considerable attention to young people choosing future spouses, warning them not to make lifelong decisions primarily on physical appearance.
She acknowledged that attraction has a place in relationships but said it cannot sustain a marriage on its own.
One of the strongest statements from the sermon was her declaration that “a beautiful wedding can never compensate for an ugly character.”
The message was aimed at shifting attention away from outward appearances towards qualities such as honesty, discipline, responsibility and integrity.
Pastor Mrs Oyedepo also drew a distinction between love and lust, explaining that lust is often concerned with what a person can receive while genuine love considers what a person can contribute to the wellbeing of another person.
For young Nigerians in an era of highly publicised weddings, celebrity relationships and carefully curated social media content, the message raises an important question about how much attention is given to preparing for marriage compared with preparing for the wedding itself.
Another major announcement from the session was Pastor Oyedepo’s warning that marriage should not be treated as a cure for loneliness, emotional pain or personal insecurity.
She encouraged singles to confront unresolved issues before entering marriage.
According to her, individuals carrying emotional wounds, bitterness, rejection or disappointment into a relationship may find that marriage exposes those difficulties rather than automatically resolving them.
Her advice was for young people to develop themselves spiritually, mentally and emotionally while preparing for marriage.
The wider implication is that choosing a suitable partner is only one part of building a healthy relationship. Personal development also matters.
A person preparing for marriage must be willing to examine his or her own behaviour, communication style, emotional stability and ability to accept responsibility.
Pastor Mrs Oyedepo therefore encouraged singles not only to search for the right person but to work towards becoming the right kind of partner themselves.
One of the most significant parts of the sermon was Pastor Mrs Oyedepo’s strong condemnation of domestic violence.
She criticised men who physically assault their wives and warned young women not to ignore violent behaviour during courtship.
She recalled the case of a woman who was reportedly beaten severely by her husband, describing such behaviour as unacceptable.
Pastor Mrs Oyedepo also told the audience that throughout her own marriage to Bishop David Oyedepo, her husband had never physically assaulted her.
Her message was clear: violence before marriage should not be dismissed as a temporary problem that will disappear after the wedding.
The warning is particularly important because abusive behaviour can escalate over time.
For society generally, the message highlights the importance of recognising warning signs early and rejecting attempts to normalise violence within intimate relationships.
Religious counselling may provide support for some families, but situations involving physical abuse can also require professional, medical or legal intervention.
Pastor Mrs Oyedepo also warned couples against adultery and sexual infidelity.
She described trust as something that takes time to build but can be destroyed quickly.
Married couples, she said, should protect their relationships through faithfulness, transparency and respect for the commitments they have made.
She also cautioned unmarried young people against becoming involved with married partners, including situations where money, gifts or material benefits become incentives for inappropriate relationships.
The wider implication is that trust remains one of the most important foundations of a lasting relationship.
When repeatedly damaged through dishonesty or infidelity, rebuilding it can become extremely difficult.
Pastor Mrs Oyedepo encouraged couples to work legitimately, budget, save, give, and avoid unnecessary financial secrecy.
She criticised both men and women who refuse to contribute responsibly to household needs despite having the ability to do so.
Young people preparing for marriage were also advised to develop financial discipline before entering a home of their own.
According to her, laziness and irresponsible spending can create unnecessary tension between couples.
Her message comes at a time when many Nigerian households are dealing with rising living costs and increasing economic pressure.
For couples, financial stress can easily become a source of disagreement, particularly where there is secrecy, uncontrolled borrowing or unrealistic expectations.
Pastor Mrs Oyedepo therefore encouraged openness and planning, reminding couples that marriage involves practical responsibilities including accommodation, food, healthcare, children’s needs and emergencies.
For unmarried participants, Pastor Mrs Oyedepo listed character as one of the most important qualities to examine when choosing a spouse.
She specifically mentioned dishonesty, pride, laziness, and refusal to accept responsibility as warning signs.
According to her, charisma may make someone impressive, but character determines how that person behaves when difficult situations arise.
She also advised Christians to consider spiritual compatibility and to avoid abandoning their religious convictions because of pressure to marry.
From her Christian perspective, believers should choose partners who share their faith and values.
Beyond religious considerations, the wider principle of compatibility remains important. Couples who have major differences over family expectations, finances, children, lifestyle or personal values may eventually face serious disagreements if those issues are not discussed before marriage.
Pastor Mrs Oyedepo also addressed the influence of social media on relationships.
She warned young people against comparing their private lives with carefully selected images posted online.
Luxury holidays, expensive gifts, elaborate proposals and glamorous weddings may create an impression of perfect relationships, but social media rarely shows the full reality behind those images.
Her message was that online platforms often display highlights rather than complete lives.
That warning is significant for younger audiences who spend considerable time consuming relationship content online.
Constant exposure to idealised images can create pressure to measure personal relationships against unrealistic standards.
Pastor Oyedepo also cautioned against what she described as the illusion of unlimited choices, where people begin to believe that a supposedly better partner is always available with another click.
Her advice was to focus on real character, compatibility, and values rather than digital appearances.
Also drew from her personal experience during the sermon. She recalled meeting Bishop David Oyedepo in 1976, describing character and shared values as major factors that influenced her decision to accept his marriage proposal.
The couple married six years later. Their marriage has lasted about 44 years as of 2026.
She also recalled that they signed a document titled “Sailing Under Sealed Orders,” reflecting their decision to place their future and marriage under their Christian convictions.
Bishop David Oyedepo later founded Living Faith Church Worldwide, also known as Winners’ Chapel International, which has grown into a major Pentecostal denomination with congregations in Nigeria and other countries.
Pastor Faith Oyedepo has over the years become known for teachings on marriage, family life and Christian living.
Her reference to her own marriage provided historical context to the sermon and reinforced her argument that character and shared values can have greater long-term importance than the material circumstances surrounding the beginning of a relationship.
Pastor Mrs Oyedepo’s AYAC 2026 message is particularly significant because of the age group attending the convention.
Many participants are single young adults, dating, preparing for marriage, or beginning their own families.
Decisions made during these years can shape relationships for decades.
By focusing on character, emotional preparation, financial responsibility and the rejection of domestic violence, the sermon moved beyond traditional discussions about simply finding a spouse.
It addressed what happens after the wedding.
The message also comes at a time when young people are navigating relationships within a digital culture that often places greater attention on appearances, luxury and public validation.
The challenge was to look beyond those images and consider the qualities required to maintain a stable home.
Her religious teachings on salvation, sexual purity and choosing a Christian spouse are rooted in her faith tradition and may not be shared by everyone.
However, several of the practical issues raised — honesty, respect, financial responsibility, emotional maturity, friendship, and opposition to domestic violence — are relevant beyond any particular denomination.
The central message from Pastor Faith Oyedepo’s AYAC 2026 sermon was that a strong marriage cannot be built on attraction or public appearance alone.
For singles, she called for preparation, careful choices and attention to character.
For married couples, she emphasised trust, friendship, faithfulness, communication and responsible financial management.
And for young people influenced by social media, she offered a reminder that photographs, wedding ceremonies or online popularity cannot measure the success of a marriage.
Ultimately, her message placed the focus where she believes it belongs: on the values and daily decisions that determine what happens inside the home long after the wedding celebration has ended.
