{"id":4230,"date":"2026-04-23T09:18:37","date_gmt":"2026-04-23T09:18:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/christianbenefitsmagazine.com.ng\/?p=4230"},"modified":"2026-04-23T10:43:55","modified_gmt":"2026-04-23T10:43:55","slug":"husband-and-wife-must-continually-cultivate-friendship-in-their-relationship","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/christianbenefitsmagazine.com.ng\/index.php\/2026\/04\/23\/husband-and-wife-must-continually-cultivate-friendship-in-their-relationship\/","title":{"rendered":"Couple must continually cultivate friendship in their marriage"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Rev. Dr. Mary Bosede Oluwatunbi has enjoined husband and wife to intentionally build and invest quality time, prayers, attention, resources into their marriage. She emphasizes that every wise woman builds her own house according Proverbs 14:1. Having been happily married to Rev. Samuel O. Oluwatunbi the Founder and President of Christ Peoples Assembly Inc for 43 years next July 2026 Rev. Dr. Mary Oluwatunbi shares some tips on successful marriage and home n the below interview with Christian Benefits on Ideal Christian Home. Excerpts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Briefly share with us about your background and upbringing<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I came from a humble background. My parents were Elder Timothy and Mrs. Theresa OYAWOYE, both of blessed memory. My dad was a civil servant and did hand crafting on men\u2019s agbada. My mom was a trader. They were fervent, righteous, leaders in Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) in Kano. They brought us in the way of the Lord. My mother took us to gospel crusades even from our primary school days. They ensured we were all educated despite being all female five girls. We lost the only son at age three still missing him till date. I am a registered Quantity Surveyor. I got my degree B.Sc. Hons from Ahmadu Bello University Zaria. My husband and I had our practice Tunji Fatunbi Associates a firm of Architects, Quantity Surveyors and Engineers where we were both partners. We are now fully involved in the work of the ministry. We are both involved in writing books. He writes yearly devotionals while I write on marriage and relationships.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tell us about your salvation and your growth in the Christian faith till date<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I gave my life to Christ in 1975 during the long-term holiday at the gospel crusade of Apostle T.A. Iyanda of blessed memory of \u2018Go ye Evangelical group in Kano. There and then they did water baptism for us. I became the President of Fellowship of Christian Students in my form five in secondary school 1976\/77 set. I have been in leadership position till date. I had tremendous experiences with God-baptism of the Holy Spirit even in secondary school. The growth in faith continued to my university days and beyond. We were hungry for God and wanted to serve him and the foundation for Christian service was laid. I was not carried away by the issues of doctrines that began to come in the midst of revival that came in the late nineties to early eighties in the universities. The various leadership trainings I have undergone within and outside the country have helped me in the journey of my Christian faith. It was total commitment to the cause of Christ with focus on the kingdom of God as we were raised up then by our mentors who made us firmly grounded in the Lord. Though we were called \u2018S.U.\u2019 then it paid us till now. We were taught the importance of daily quiet time, Bible reading, prayers, purity of life, fellowship with the brethren, sharing our faith with others, integrity and righteousness. Those things are still relevant till today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Tell us how your path crossed with your husband Rev. Samuel O. Oluwatunbi<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I am married to my heartthrob and 24-hour partner Rev. Arc. Samuel O. Oluwatunbi the Founder and Mission President of Christ Peoples Assembly Inc. the church with the world as her parish. God\u2019s ways are past finding out. We met at the chapel of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in 1979. He told me later of his encounter while we were at the lobby of the chapel. He said he was looking at the notice board; then he turned and saw me. The Holy Spirit said to him, \u2018that lady sitting there is your wife\u2019. The rest is history now. That was forty-seven years ago. It took us time of prayers, seeking God\u2019s face for clearance and direction, also with counselling from senior friends, talking to our parents both sides and seeing the Pastors for counselling and requirements of the church for wedding. It took four years for the relationship to be consummated into marriage. Our marriage will be forty-three years this July by God\u2019s grace. We got married on 16th July 1983 at Christ Apostolic Church, Kano with parents on both sides in attendance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How will you describe your marital journey together thus far since 1983?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It has been an amazing journey of faith; very eventful and fulfilling. God is still taking us to greater heights. We have had our high and low moments, turns and bends, celebrations and triumphs, harsh times etc. but God has been and will continue to be our refuge. It has been a wonderful time together as husband and wife, parents and grandparents and now in our empty nest. We started as two people together and now back to the two of us alone. That is why friendship must be continually cultivated in husband-and-wife relationship. God was central in our home. A Christ-centered home made the difference following biblical principles for the home. Except the Lord builds the house they labour in vain that builds it. Psalm 127:1. We were committed and intentional in building our home under God and it has yielded positive results to the glory of God. Good home, good children is not by luck or wishful thinking. You must intentionally build and invest quality time, prayers, attention, resources into your relationships (with God, your spouse, your children and your home). Every wise woman builds her own house. Proverbs 14:1. Of course there had some challenges on the journey, yet with solutions. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth; Luke 3:5<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Can we have a look at some of the challenges and the solutions preferred?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Among the challenges we have faced in our marriage was the sickness of one of my daughters who the devil fought tooth and nail to eliminate. It was a hard and trying time for the family. She was in the hospital for months. We intensified in prayers (the family, the church) to the God of heaven for mercy, healing and divine intervention. In a dramatic way God intervened and healed her completely. She is a living testimony today doing exploits for God. Another one was loss of investment. We invested in financial institutions in the early nineties. With the fall in money market, we lost most of our investments which resulted in debts and litigations. It was a trying time. We kept on praying that God would make a way out for us. As God would have it one of the finance house offered us two plots of land in a prime area in final and total liquidation of the debt owed us which we also took to the bank and the bank accepted the two plots of land in final and total liquidation of the debt we owed the bank and the case was struck out in court. What a mighty God we serve. It was a great relief. We then sold the remnants we had in the stock market and used it to build commercial property which is a veritable source of income for us now. It pays to trust God and seek his face for direction and intervention in all situations and circumstances of life. (Proverbs 3:5-6.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, share with us how you both run the ministry together successfully<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Christ for All Peoples Ministry has started before we even married. It was a Bible study group then doing open air crusades and crusades within churches. Later we started the church arm and registered Christ Peoples Assembly with the corporate affairs commission. When I joined them my husband and I were the only graduates. It was not easy adapting to the new setting though these people though not well read were very dedicated, fervent and committed to the cause of Christ. I had to work on myself, went for training within and outside the country, joined inter-ministerial groups. We also took the leaders for capacity training, organised in-house programs for the members. There were regular trainings, seminars for pastors, men, women, youth and the children. To the glory of God today we have graduates among us. Some of their children are graduates from the university and other tertiary institutions. I also upgraded myself. I studied at Haggai Institute for Advanced Leadership Training Singapore in 1994, which was a three-week intensive training for group of credentialed leaders from Africa, Asia, the Middle East and South America. That training had a profound impact on my life, home and ministry till date. My husband attended the 100th<\/sup> session of the training in 1986 I did pastoral course at United Bible University Lagos for ministerial ordination and licensing in 2003, later doctorate degree in Ministry (D.Min.) in 2023. All these are part of continuous education, capacity building for more effectiveness in life and ministry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are your specific roles in Christian People\u2019s Church?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By the grace of God, I am the General Secretary of the church involved in administration, organization and production along with him. I am also the General Women Coordinator; coordinating the women fellowship, organizing trainings seminars for women. We have our yearly mothers\u2019 summit and national women conference. It is usually a wonderful time in God\u2019s presence.  I am also the convener of Youth Leadership Summit a mentorship and developmental program for our teeming youths. The Marriage department where we interview and organize intending couples\u2019 class to prepare the intending couples for marriage, and also singles seminar for the singles to guide in the choice of marriage partner and the processes leading to wedding. I am the secretary of the marriage committee of the church and God has been helping us. In addition, I also run my personal ministry, The Gracious Mother Initiative. This is for mentorship and empowerment. God has helped me along the way and inspired me to write books on marriage and relationship. I go for ministrations outside the church and in relationship with other ministerial groups, Bible schools, leadership institutions, NGOs, television interviews on International Women\u2019s Day, etc. mostly on motherhood, the home, women empowerment, etc. I have written seven books with the eight on the way. Among the books are Mothers: Home Makers and Nation Builders, Relating Well With your In-laws, Maximizing Your Earning Years, Gleanings From 40 Years of Marriage-Practical Aspect About Marriage. On gifts for ministry, the Lord has endowed me with teaching ministry, counselling, mentorship and administration for which I am eternally grateful. All these are for building up and edifying the body of Christ.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Rev. Dr. Mary Bosede Oluwatunbi has enjoined husband and wife to intentionally build and invest quality time, prayers, attention, resources into their marriage. She emphasizes that every wise woman builds her own house according Proverbs 14:1. Having been happily married to Rev. Samuel O. Oluwatunbi the Founder and President of Christ Peoples Assembly Inc for […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4237,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[47],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-4230","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-ideal-christian-home"},"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/christianbenefitsmagazine.com.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4230","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/christianbenefitsmagazine.com.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/christianbenefitsmagazine.com.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christianbenefitsmagazine.com.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christianbenefitsmagazine.com.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4230"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/christianbenefitsmagazine.com.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4230\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4247,"href":"https:\/\/christianbenefitsmagazine.com.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4230\/revisions\/4247"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christianbenefitsmagazine.com.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4237"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/christianbenefitsmagazine.com.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4230"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christianbenefitsmagazine.com.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4230"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christianbenefitsmagazine.com.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4230"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}