Singer and producer J.Y. Park (also known as Park Jin Young and JYP) has once again spoken out amid allegations of heresy and cultism surrounding the religious group he leads.
On November 8th, a video titled “For Christians Who Have Not Been Saved” was released on YouTube.
In the video, while explaining Christian faith and the meaning of salvation, J.Y. Park directly addressed the negative perceptions toward his religious group, “First Fruits.”
J.Y. Park cited the example, “People say that my church is heretical or a cult, but maybe you don’t know, so why not listen once?” adding, “I hope you just listen once.”
He particularly explained that “our church is becoming more widely known,” and in the process of pastors warning about dangers, even those unaware of the church have come to know about its existence.
Despite ongoing heresy and cult allegations, he expressed his wish for people to listen to his religious teachings directly and judge for themselves.
J.Y. Park also shared his view that one should not be confident of salvation merely because they have been practicing their faith for a long time. He emphasized the importance of personally confirming what one truly believes in, even if one faithfully attends church services, worship, and early morning prayers.
Earlier, on the 3rd, in a lecture he released, J.Y. Park also touched on the controversy surrounding his religious group.
At that time, he claimed they were facing serious persecution along with accusations of being a cult or heresy. He stated that rather than arguing doctrinal points or responding with organized comments, the resolution should be left to God.
In September, he attracted attention by revealing that his church includes members from Catholicism, Presbyterianism, Baptist churches, as well as former members of Shincheonji.
At that time, J.Y. Park refuted the idea that his church should be equated with Shincheonji simply because it has former members from that group. He asserted that “First Fruits” is a church with a clear foundation and theological background.
J.Y. Park’s religious controversies first arose in 2018. When suspicions of connections to the Salvation Sect were raised, he denied any links between his Bible study group and the Salvation Sect.
In 2020, during an appearance on MBC‘s Radio Star, he explained that his Bible study group does not belong to any specific church or denomination.
Since then, “First Fruits” has grown in size, reportedly holding services and gatherings in eight locations domestically and abroad, including Seoul, Busan, and Los Angeles.
Meanwhile, the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Korea is currently studying whether the teachings of J.Y. Park and “First Fruits” contain doctrinal heresy. The results of the study are scheduled to be reported at the regular assembly in September 2027, and no final judgment at the denominational level has been made so far.