[Not to be confused with Kevin DeYoung, a solid, biblical, reformed pastor who is very well respected
Pastor Kevin M. Young is a pastor, author, speaker, coach, and avid weightlifter who serves as Lead Clergy at Christ’s Table, a hybrid ministry based in Birmingham, Alabama, dedicated to bringing community, healing, and resources to those disillusioned with the institutional church but not with God. He holds a Doctor of Ministry in Semiotics and Future Studies from Portland Seminary, a Master of Divinity in Christian Education from Dallas Theological Seminary, and a degree in Media Communications from Cedarville University. He is also a NASM Elite Certified Personal Trainer and RP Nutrition Coach.
Young has pastored several churches, including Pentecostal Bridegroom Temple in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, where he served as Pastor after being appointed in September 2012 and succeeded Bishop Ronald Young in 2013. He previously served as senior pastor at Friends Church in Willoughby Hills, Ohio, and as a senior minister at JupiterFIRST Church in Florida, a liberal United Church of Christ congregation. His career includes roles as a worship producer at Prestonwood Baptist Church in Texas and associate pastor at Mountaintop Community Church in Birmingham, Alabama.
He is the author of Reconstruct Your Faith: Ancient Ways to Make Your Relationship with God Whole Again, a book that shares his personal journey through a crisis of faith and offers a path for others to rebuild their relationship with God using ancient spiritual practices. The book draws from his experience at the Abbey of Genesee, where he spent time in silence with Trappist monks, which helped restore his faith. Young is also a cohost of the Jacked Theology podcast and an active public theologian, known for his advocacy on social justice, progressive theology, and the importance of the table as a sacred space for reconciliation.
He is married to Sally Young, and they have four children. His work emphasizes compassion, justice, and humility, aligning with Micah 6:8: “Do justice, love mercy, walk humbly”.
Kevin M. Young is a lecturer and program coordinator at Northwind Theological Seminary and the founder and lead clergy at Christ’s Table, an online faith community. Based in Orlando, Florida, Young promotes teachings that are associated with progressive Christianity, which often challenge traditional biblical doctrines and reinterpret the core tenets of the Christian faith. Despite his academic credentials and involvement in theological education, Kevin M. Young’s teachings deviate significantly from the historic Christian faith, presenting a distorted gospel that is inconsistent with Scripture. As such, he must be regarded as a false teacher who should be avoided.
1. A Rejection of Biblical Authority and Inerrancy
One of the most troubling aspects of Kevin M. Young’s theology is his rejection of the Bible as the ultimate and inerrant authority in matters of faith and practice. Like many within the progressive Christian movement, Young treats Scripture as a collection of ancient writings that are culturally conditioned, subject to error, and open to reinterpretation in light of modern values and sensibilities. He frequently downplays or dismisses passages that conflict with contemporary beliefs about gender, sexuality, sin, and morality, suggesting that the Bible is not always relevant or applicable to today’s context.
However, the Bible is clear that it is the inspired, infallible, and authoritative Word of God. Paul writes, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16). Jesus Himself affirmed the authority of Scripture, declaring, “Your word is truth” (John 17:17). The Bible is not merely a collection of human reflections on God but the very revelation of God’s truth to humanity. By undermining the authority of Scripture, Kevin M. Young sets himself up as an arbiter of truth, leading people away from the sure foundation of God’s Word and into the shifting sands of human opinion.
2. The Denial of Core Christian Doctrines
Kevin M. Young’s teachings often reflect a denial or reinterpretation of core Christian doctrines, including the nature of God, the person and work of Jesus Christ, and the gospel itself. Like many in the progressive Christian movement, Young tends to emphasize God’s love and acceptance while downplaying or denying His holiness, justice, and wrath against sin. This leads to a version of God that is more palatable to modern sensibilities but is inconsistent with the God revealed in Scripture.
For example, Young frequently speaks of Jesus as a moral teacher and example of love and inclusion but fails to affirm the necessity of Christ’s sacrificial death on the cross as an atonement for sin. The Bible is explicit that “Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3) and that “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins” (Hebrews 9:22). By downplaying or rejecting the atoning work of Christ, Young presents a false gospel that is powerless to save because it denies the central truth of God’s redemptive plan.
3. Promoting a False Gospel of Inclusion Without Repentance
Young’s emphasis on inclusivity and unconditional acceptance is one of the hallmarks of his teaching, and while this may sound appealing, it ultimately leads to a false gospel that denies the necessity of repentance. He often promotes the idea that all people are already accepted by God just as they are, without any need for confession, repentance, or transformation. This teaching stands in direct contradiction to the biblical gospel, which calls all people to turn from their sin and place their faith in Jesus Christ.
The Bible clearly teaches that repentance is an essential part of the gospel message. Jesus began His ministry by proclaiming, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 4:17), and the apostles continued to preach repentance as a necessary response to the gospel (Acts 2:38; Acts 17:30). True inclusion in God’s family is not based on our own merit or identity but on the grace of God that leads us to repentance and faith in Christ. By promoting a message of inclusion without repentance, Kevin M. Young offers a counterfeit gospel that leaves people in bondage to their sin rather than pointing them to the transformative power of Christ’s grace.
4. Compromising on Biblical Sexual Ethics and Morality
Kevin M. Young is known for his progressive stance on issues related to sexuality and gender identity, advocating for the full acceptance of LGBTQ+ lifestyles within the Christian community. He argues that the Bible’s teachings on sexuality are outdated, culturally conditioned, and not applicable to today’s context. However, this approach disregards the clear and consistent teaching of Scripture that sexual activity is reserved for the covenant of marriage between one man and one woman (Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19:4-6; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10).
By affirming practices that the Bible identifies as sinful, Young not only distorts the truth but also denies people the opportunity to experience the freedom and transformation that come through repentance and faith in Christ. The Bible calls believers to be holy as God is holy (1 Peter 1:15-16) and to walk in obedience to His commands. Any teaching that seeks to normalize or affirm what God calls sin is fundamentally opposed to the message of Scripture and leads people away from the path of righteousness.
Conclusion: Why Kevin M. Young Should Be Avoided
Kevin M. Young is a false teacher because his progressive theology rejects the authority of Scripture, denies core doctrines of the Christian faith, and promotes a false gospel that offers inclusion without repentance or transformation. The Bible warns against false teachers who “secretly bring in destructive heresies” (2 Peter 2:1) and instructs believers to “contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 1:3). By undermining the truth of God’s Word and offering a message that is more concerned with cultural acceptance than biblical fidelity, Young leads people away from the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
Paul’s warning to the Galatians is particularly relevant: “But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:8). Kevin M. Young’s message is contrary to the gospel revealed in Scripture, as it denies the necessity of repentance, diminishes the reality of sin, and replaces the true hope of salvation with a man-centered ideology.
For these reasons, believers should avoid Kevin M. Young’s teachings and instead hold fast to the unchanging truth of God’s Word, which reveals the gospel of grace, the call to repentance, and the hope of eternal life in Jesus Christ. The Bible alone provides the foundation for our faith, and we must be vigilant in rejecting any teaching that seeks to undermine its authority or compromise its message. Only by grounding ourselves in the truth of Scripture can we stand firm in the faith and experience the fullness of life that Christ offers to all who trust in Him.
