Members of Ed Young’s Megachurch in Houston Accuse Church Leadership of Exclusion

In May 2024, Pastor H. Edwin "Ed" Young told his congregation that he was resigning from his leadership post at Second Baptist in Houston, ending his 46-year tenure as one of America's most influential and charismatic pastors .

The 87-year-old pastor designated his son Ben Young as his successor.

About a year later, a number of present and past members of the Second Baptist Church claim that the father-and-son duo—associate pastor Lee H. Maxcy and lawyer Dennis Brewer, collectively known as "the Young Group"—eliminated the congregants' right to elect their future pastor and instead appointed Ben Young in what they see as a move driven by personal gain aimed at “taking over” the church. Recently, earlier this month, some church members initiated legal action by filing a lawsuit in the Harris County District Court.

The opposition to Second Baptist is spearheaded by a recently established, Houston-based non-profit organization named the Jeremiah Counsel Corporation. This group states that their mission is to "uphold, defend, and reinstate integrity, transparent management, and donor security within churches" across Texas.

In a statement Friday, the Jeremiah Counsel alleged that the Young Group "deceived and manipulated" the Second Baptist's 90,000 members by amending the church bylaws to deny them their right to vote for a new pastor. It claimed church members never received copies of the proposed bylaws, and the Young Group now controls over $1 billion in assets.

"The congregation’s membership and financial resources have faced significant threats due to the misleading actions taken by the church leaders, specifically 'the Young Group,' comprising mainly the Senior Pastor. This group has eliminated the voting rights that church members had held for almost a century since the founding of the church," stated the Jeremiah Council.

Recently, both current church members and past deacons have attempted to voice their worries to Ben Young and the congregation, however, according to reports, he reportedly stated that he sees no reason to alter the present governing structure. As a result, churchgoers currently caution that due to the lack of voting procedures or an appointed board of trustees, Ben Young can now take actions such as selling or merging Second Baptist; shutting down, selling off, or raising fees at the church’s educational institution; increasing his own compensation along with others in upper management positions; and selecting the following senior pastor without undergoing a formal selection procedure or obtaining consent from an impartial oversight committee.

"The decision was either to step back and transfer everything to a single individual, or to take steps to secure this remarkable church for future generations," according to the statement.

The plaintiffs are seeking a declaratory relief from the court to restore the rights of members in Second Baptist's governance process and its management. They also want an injunction against the church's financial management and reimbursement of legal fees, per initial reporting from Baptist News Global They submitted the lawsuit mere weeks before the two-year deadline for such legal assertions expires at the month’s end in May.

In response to queries from The News Pulse, Second Baptist spokesperson John Card stated via text message on Friday afternoon that “the leadership team is informed about the lawsuit and will address it accordingly.”

The suit

On April 15, Houston-based lawyer John R. Strawn Jr. submitted a 36-page lawsuit on behalf of the Jeremiah Council against one of the biggest and most influential Southern Baptist mega-churches in the U.S.

As stated in the lawsuit, Second Baptist Church’s growth was facilitated by its members and Board of Trustees through their commitment to “sound management and fiscal openness” for the congregation spanning six locations within Houston. Currently, the church operates with an annual budget of around $84 million and possesses extensive real estate and financial holdings.

However, Ed Young allegedly became "determined to secure the ascendance" of Ben Young in 2023 and collaborated with Maxcy, the associate pastor, and Brewer, the attorney, to "orchestrate undisclosed and unvetted amendments" to the church's bylaws.

The Young Group asserted that their actions were intended to elucidate the conservative church's stance on various social topics as a reaction against a progressive "woke agenda." Nonetheless, the lawsuit alleges that their true objective was to substantially change how the church operates internally and to completely remove the congregation’s influence over ecclesiastical decisions.

The relocation of this individual was not solely related to familial inheritance," the lawsuit states. "It also aimed at amassing greater authority and oversight over ecclesiastical management and resources.

The lawsuit states, "What was previously a model of openness, responsibility, and sincere Christian beliefs within Houston’s religious sector would now become a venture dominated by a narrow circle driven primarily by personal profit. Additionally, Second Baptist’s original values of collective leadership, confidence, and devotion to members were set aside in preference for a large church hierarchy focused more on accumulating wealth rather than fostering generosity and benevolence."

"Self-interest over transparency"

Second Baptist was founded in 1927 In Houston, Young arrived at Second Baptist Church in 1978 when the congregation numbered around 300 members. As the past president of the Southern Baptist Convention, he was an extensive author with a long-running broadcasting venture that significantly expanded the church’s reach over recent years. His influence made him a prominent figure within Texas’ growing conservative Christian community.

The lawsuit states that church members believed in Ed Young, describing him as a leader marked by "selflessness and personal sacrifice," noting how he invested his book earnings directly into the congregation’s funds. He was seen as "a dedicated servant of God whose guidance played a crucial role in the church's prosperity" for many years. Nevertheless, with time, “Young’s perspective on the church's direction shifted; prioritizing his kin above religious principles and favoring private gain over openness.”

Starting two years ago, Ed Young sought to make sure his son Ben Young succeeded him. The father allegedly had Maxcy, the associate pastor and longtime church administrator, to take on more responsibility to handle the accounting and financial aspects of the faith business, the suit says. Ben Young and Maxcy were tasked with managing the large congregation.

The Young Group was in part inspired by the financial success by Ed Young's oldest son, Pastor Edwin Barry Young of Fellowship Church in Grapevine, who has satellite offices in Plano, Fort Worth and Dallas, along with others in Florida, South Carolina, Oklahoma and in London.

The aftermath

A day after being installed as the senior pastor, Ben Young allegedly "ordered his father to vacate his office and cease his involvement in the church," the suit says. That same day, the new church leader fired the headmaster of Second Baptist's K-12 school along with the choir director. He then appointed Cliff Young, his brother, Mac Richard, his cousin who leads Lake Hills Church in Austin and Brewer, the attorney, to the ministry leadership team (MLT). Brewer has served as general counsel and CFO of Edwin Barry Young's Fellowship Church.

"The lawsuit states that this tight-knit group now claims control over Second Baptist Church along with all financial resources and assets. With their increased authority, Ben Young and the MLT are ready to implement choices that could significantly reshape the church’s future—this includes potentially selling off any underperforming church campuses. Previously safeguarded by an independent Board of Trustees, these assets can now be converted into cash based on the decision of just a handful of people—and primarily for those individuals' gain," the filing reads.

According to the lawsuit, Ben Young reportedly transferred control of the "Winning Walk" media platform to his father. The platform was developed by Second Baptist Church employees utilizing church funds across various mediums such as websites, books, videos, podcasts, and an online bookstore aimed at spreading their ministry message. Nevertheless, Ben Young supposedly handed over the rights to the Winning Walk initiative to Ed Young so that he could employ it for personal fundraising purposes under his own guidance and advantage.

Ed Young's legacy

This lawsuit could further tarnish Ed Young’s reputation, which is already contentious for those within the Southern Baptist community due to his pastoral work.

Although he has undoubtedly grown his congregation and helpedHouston through events like Hurricane Harvey and various disasters, he has simultaneously become more divisive as he has aged due to his stance against immigration, transgender rights, and Democrats.

Throughout the years, Ed Young has faced criticism regarding his leadership due to allegations of pervasive sexual misconduct within the SBC hierarchy, as well as how Second Baptist handled cases of sexual abuse. The church resolved several lawsuits from the mid-2010s involving a previous youth pastor.

Several months prior to stepping down, Ed Young took action. The News Pulseheadlines In February 2024, Reverend Young faced criticism for denouncing immigrants as "unwanted" and "trash," along with calling President Biden an "atheist" during multiple politically charged speeches. Local Houston activist organizations and political figures demanded that he step down because of his "abusive use of authority and position."

In April 2024, Ed Young invited Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick to a private luncheon organized by the American Renewal Project , a group aiming to recruit and train clergy and congregants to win seats on Texas school boards, city councils, county commissions and in the state legislature.

Patrick, a Republican and long-time member of Second Baptist Church, participated in the event where he addressed right-wing Christian attendees. He warned them that “the country will be lost” unless conservatives secure victory in the upcoming presidential elections scheduled for November 2024. "Right now, it’s about fighting against the forces of darkness,” Patrick stated at the time. “On one side, you have individuals who worship God, trust in Him, and bring up their children according to His teachings; meanwhile, others reject belief in God entirely and aim to remove all traces of religion from public life. Their hatred towards God defines our struggle today.”