After it was announced on TBN last week that Pastor Donnie McClurkin is "getting married," the gospel singer and his girlfriend, Nicole C. Mullen, clarified earlier this week that he has yet to pop the question and they are not engaged.
During Mullen's Periscope Bible study on Monday, she spoke about the marriage announcement made on TBN's "Praise the Lord" last Thursday, saying that while the couple is "definitely on the road to marriage," they are not engaged.
"There's a protocol that both he and I want to honor. So, are we officially engaged? No," Mullen said. "Are we on the road to marriage? Yes."
Mullen's response followed McClurkin's guest appearance on "Praise The Lord" hosted by Matt and Laurie Crouch where Matt announced several times during the hour and-a-half show that "Donnie McClurkin's getting married."
"Are you ready for something? Can I just drop something on you," Crouch asked the audience before getting on his feet to proclaim, "Donnie McClurkin's getting married!"
Matt's co-host and wife, Laurie, went on to ask the Grammy Award-winning gospel singer, "are you officially making that announcement and is it OK with you? Do we need to edit this?"
McClurkin, the senior pastor of Perfecting Faith Church in Freeport, New York, responded by describing just how much he covets marriage.
"Honestly, the only thing in my life that is missing is marriage," he said. "The only thing that's missing out of everything that I'm doing locally, cross country and globally is that aspect that makes family, family — is that wife that would make a man whole, that essence, that element that brings favor to man."
After he was pressed by Matt to make his own announcement or reveal to the audience the name of the woman he's in love with, McClurkin said: "I've fallen in love with a wonderful young woman by the name of Nicole C. Mullen." He later repeated Matt's frequent announcement on the show, saying: "Donnie McClurkin's getting married."
Matt added that while he was in the green room talking to A.R. Bernard about his book, Four Things Women Want From a Man, Donnie shared that he's getting married. The host then took it upon himself to "drop the bomb" on the audience, which he said included 3 million viewers.
On Monday, McClurkin spoke to his friends and fans on Periscope to reiterate that certain protocols need to take place before he can propose to Mullen. He also emphasized that they are not engaged but plan to get married after first getting counseling, among other important steps, before jumping into a life-long commitment.
"I've fallen in love with Nicole and we're talking daily and any plans that we're making have not been officially established. I have never given her a ring. I didn't propose to her officially and there have been no official statements made at all," he said. "What you saw on TBN was Matt Crouch letting everybody know that I am in love and I am working toward marriage. The truth of the matter is that my plan is to get married. But as I stated on TBN, she and I both have agreed that the protocol of counseling is necessary."
The Christian Post contacted both McClurkin's and Mullen's representatives for comment but a response was not available by press time.
McClurkin said Monday on Periscope, however, that he and Nicole will be making a joint statement soon.
