Biography of Kevin DeYoung
Kevin DeYoung Biography
Kevin Lee DeYoung is an American Reformed theologian, author, and pastor who was born on June 23, 1977. At Christ Covenant Church in Matthews, North Carolina, he serves as senior pastor at the moment. After being a part of the Reformed congregation in America, the congregation he previously pastored, University Reformed Church (East Lansing, Michigan), moved to the Presbyterian Church in America in March 2015.
DeYoung now serves on the Council of The Gospel Coalition. In addition, he writes articles for several other Christian publications, including Desiring God, 9Marks, and World.
Although DeYoung was born in South Holland, Illinois, he spent the majority of his childhood growing up in Jenison, Michigan, where his parents, Lee and Sheri, were employed by the Grand Rapids, Michigan-based international media ministry Words of Hope. His two grandfathers came from a Dutch Reformed family.
DeYoung earned his M.Div. from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in Massachusetts in 2002 after graduating from Hope College in Michigan in 1999. He successfully defended his doctoral thesis on January 10, 2019, after completing a Ph.D. program in Early Modern History at the University of Leicester, where John Coffey was his adviser, with an emphasis on the theology of John Witherspoon.
The newlywed DeYoungs relocated to northwest Iowa when Kevin was ordained as a minister of Word and Sacrament in the Reformed Church in America in 2002.
In Orange City, Iowa, DeYoung began his pastoral career at First Reformed Church. He was the lead pastor of the University Reformed Church in East Lansing, Michigan, which is close to Michigan State University, from August 2004 to June 2017.
DeYoung is the author of numerous books and essays, both solo and in collaboration. He co-won the 2009 Christianity Today book prize with Ted Kluck’s book Why We’re Not Emergent. The Leadership Journal Golden Canon Book Award and the 2010 Christianity Today Book Award went to his book Why We Love the Church, which he co-wrote with Ted Kluck. Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA) named Crazy Busy: A (Mercifully) Short Book about a (Really) Big Problem the 2014 Christian Book of the Year.
Along with John Piper and other members, DeYoung is a part of The Gospel Coalition Council.
He has given keynote addresses at numerous conferences, such as Shepherd’s Conference, Together for the Gospel, and The Gospel Coalition.
In 2017, DeYoung became an Assistant Professor at Reformed Theological Seminary Charlotte. He was elevated to Associate Professor of Systematic Theology on June 1, 2021.
Kevin is a member of The Gospel Coalition’s Council. He frequently gives speeches both domestically and abroad at churches, conferences, colleges, and seminaries. More than a dozen novels, including Just Do Something and The Biggest Story, have been published by him for both adults and children. The 2014 Evangelical Christian Publishers Association Book of the Year was Crazy Busy: A Mercifully Short Book About a Big Problem. Furthermore, three of his books were named Books of the Year by Christianity Today in 2009, 2010, and 2013. What Does the Bible Really Teach About Homosexuality? was selected as one of the 2015 Books of the Year by World Magazine. You can find Kevin’s work at clearlyreformed.org.
Apart from his primary role as senior pastor at Christ Covenant Church, Kevin teaches systematic theology as an associate professor at Reformed Theological Seminary in Charlotte. Prior to this, he held the position of Chancellor’s Professor for the Seminary. Kevin and his spouse, Trisha, are parents to nine children: five boys and four girls. They enjoy sports, hanging out with friends, and putting up with constant chaos as a family. Kevin also enjoys reading a lot.
