Kevin DeYoung

Kevin DeYoung (born 1977) is an American Christian Reformed Evangelical theologian and author. The church DeYoung pastors, University Reformed Church (East Lansing, Michigan), shifted to the Presbyterian Church in America in March 2015 after previously being a member of the Reformed Church in America.^[1] DeYoung is a member of The Gospel Coalition.

Early life

Kevin DeYoung was born in South Holland, Illinois and largely grew up in Jenison, Michigan where his parents worked with Christian radio.^[2] Both of DeYoung's grandfathers were from Dutch Reformed backgrounds.^[3]

Education

DeYoung graduated summa cum laude from Hope College in Michigan in 1999^[4] and then received his MDiv from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in Massachusetts in 2002.^[5] He is currently studying part-time to complete a Ph.D. in Early Modern History focusing on the theology of John Witherspoon at the University of Leicester (John Coffey is serving as his adviser).^[6]

Career

DeYoung first served as a pastor at First Reformed Church in Orange City, Iowa and since August 2004, he has served as senior pastor at University Reformed Church in East Lansing, Michigan near Michigan State University. DeYoung has authored or co-authored many books and articles, and his book Why We're Not Emergent (co-authored with Ted Kluck) won the 2009 Christianity Today book award.^[7] His book Why We Love the Church (also co-authored with Ted Kluck) won the 2010 Christianity Today Book Award and Leadership Journal Golden Canon Book Award.^[7] Crazy Busy: A (Mercifully) Short Book about a (Really) Big Problem was awarded the 2014 Christian Book of the Year by the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA).^[8]

DeYoung is a member of the Gospel Coalition with Tim Keller, John Piper, and others.^[9][10] In 2012, DeYoung also gained nationwide attention for his article responding to the viral video Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus, after the popular rapper Lecrae posted DeYoung's article, "Does Jesus hate religion? Kinda, sorta, not really," on Facebook.^[11]

Written Works

• Freedom and Boundaries: A Pastoral Primer on the Role of Women in the Church (2006)
• Why We're Not Emergent: By Two Guys Who Should Be, co-authored with Ted Kluck (2008)
• Why We Love the Church: In Praise of Institutions and Organized Religion, co-authored with Ted Kluck' (2009)
• Just Do Something: A Liberating Approach to Finding God's Will (2009)
• The Good News We Almost Forgot: Rediscovering the Gospel in a 16th Century Catechism (2010)
• Why Our Church Switched to the ESV (2011), 31-page booklet^[12][13]
• What Is the Mission of the Church?: Making Sense of Social Justice, Shalom, and the Great Commission, co-authored with Greg Gilbert (2011)
• Don't Call It a Comeback: The Old Faith for a New Day (Gospel Coalition the Gospel Coalition) (2011)
• The Holy Spirit (The Gospel Coalition Booklets) (2011)
• The Hole in Our Holiness: Filling the Gap between Gospel Passion and the Pursuit of Godliness (2012)
• The Gospel as Center: Renewing Our Faith and Reforming Our Ministry Practices (The Gospel Coalition) (2012)
• Crazy Busy: A (Mercifully) Short Book about a (Really) Big Problem (2013)
• Acting the Miracle: God's Work and Ours in the Mystery of Sanctification (contributed) (2013)
• Taking God At His Word: Why the Bible Is Knowable, Necessary, and Enough, and What That Means for You and Me (April 2014)
• What Does the Bible Really Teach about Homosexuality? (April 2015)
• The Biggest Story: How the Snake Crusher Brings Us Back to the Garden (August 2015)

References

External links

• University Reformed Church biography
• Kevin DeYoung blog

Ministers of the Word and Sacrament, also known as teaching elders, of the Presbyterian Church in America