[A version of this article was published at 1819 News.]
The passing of John MacArthur could be considered the end of an era in American evangelicalism. MacArthur’s public preaching ministry spanned over 50 years. He brought faithful Bible teaching to millions as his ministry grew from the local church, to radio and television, to the conference circuit, to a huge internet presence, to a steady stream of published works. MacArthur was the Charles Spurgeon of the twentieth/twenty-first century, a preacher whose ministry will continue to reverberate for years to come.
MacArthur pastored Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, CA from 1969 until his passing this week. He helped found The Master’s Seminary, The Master’s University, and the teaching ministry Grace to You. MacArthur was not exactly cool, but he had something better – he had gravitas. As the rest of the evangelical church chased relevance, MacArthur refused to sacrifice reverence. MacArthur never trimmed his sails to go with the prevailing winds. He was not afraid of swimming upstream if loyalty to God’s truth required it. His ministry was a steady yet transformative force in American evangelicalism.
When MacArthur spoke, you always knew exactly what you were going to get: Exegetical, verse-by-verse, line-by-line preaching, delivered in a coat and tie, with expert-level oration, in a serious manner befitting the content, but with just the right amount of humor and wit thrown in for good measure. While the expository method is popular among a certain segment of evangelical preachers, MacArthur’s sermons featured what many expository sermons lack – clear and practical application of the Word of God to people’s lives. MacArthur’s ministry was not about entertaining the masses; there were never any theatrics or gimmicks, but there was a rock-sold confidence that the preaching of the Word would not go forth in vain.
While my own theological convictions ended up quite different from MacArthur’s in several areas (I’m in the Reformed/Prebyterian tradition, while MacArthur was an independent Baptist), he was a massive influence on me in my most formative years. MacArthur’s voice was the main preaching voice (other than my local pastor) that I heard growing up in the 1980s and 1990s. My parents would listen to him on cassette and radio. His book The Gospel According to Jesus and then Faith Works (with its subtle corrections of the previous book) were challenging and helpful to me in sorting out the relationship of faith, grace, and works. Charismatic Chaos helped me work through some of the excesses of the charismatic movement. Ashamed of the Gospel and The Vanishing Conscience taught me the importance of fearing God and pursuing truth and obedience in a context where pastors regularly shave off the sharp edges of God’s Word to make the gospel more palatable.
John MacArthur was an evangelical stalwart but he was not afraid to push back hard against errors in his own camp. Ever the courageous and uncompromising controversialist, he stood firm for the teaching of Scripture and against encroaching worldliness. Like a good shepherd, he did all he could to run off the wolves who threatened his flock. He was fully committed to the authority and inerrancy of Scripture as the Word of God, against all liberalizing distortions. He was a champion of the traditional and biblical model of the household, defending masculinity and critiquing feminism. He famously (or infamously, depending on your perspective) told Beth Moore to “Go home.” He had a major hand in leading the revival of Calvinism in the late twentieth century. He resisted the fads and fashions that ripped through evangelicalism over the course of his multi-decade pastorate. He pushed back hard against wokeness and the social justice movement. His sermons preached in the face of the Obergefell ruling (“We Will Not Bow”) and COVID tyranny in his home state (“A Nation Under God?”) were the stuff of homiletical legend. MacArthur’s congregation stood up for the right of churches to open their doors for worship beginning in July 2020. They refused to enforce masking and distancing directives. They fought the lockdown orders in court and won an $800,000 settlement. MacArthur’s open letter to Governor Gavin Newsom over religious liberty during COVID and his engagement on CNN with Newsom over same-sex unions when Newsom was mayor of San Francisco were excellent examples of how pastors can wisely engage with civil magistrates, calling them back to truth and righteousness in the public square. MacArthur’s appearances on Larry King Live and other news programs were must-see-tv because he never backed down from boldly proclaiming hard-edged truths, even to a secular audience.
Yet for all of MacArthur’s hardcore stances, he was genuinely concerned with the unity of the church and formed lasting friendships across denominational lines. He was especially close with Presbyterian theologian R. C. Sproul. He was committed to evangelism and missions. He was committed to equipping pastors and raising up a new generation of faithful gospel teachers and preachers. MacArthur managed to become a truly famous pastor, but you would never call him a celebrity. He cared nothing for church growth marketing techniques and yet built a mega—church. He was popular but he would want us to measure his life’s work not by its popularity but by its faithfulness. The centerpiece of his ministry was always the same. He proclaimed Christ and him crucified, Christ as the way, the truth, and the life.
MacArthur lived what he preached. Of course, like the best of men, he was a sinner saved by grace. It’s easy for men on the sidelines to criticize those who are in the arena; no man is perfect and that includes MacArthur. But by God’s mercy, MacArthur ministered for over half a century with great integrity and humility. He was married to Patricia for over sixty years, and despite many hardships, God blessed them with four children, fifteen grandchildren, and nine great grandchildren. MacArthur’s health began to decline in 2023 but he still preached as he was able. MacArthur fought the good fight to the very end. He was a hero and warrior in his time. He had a long and faithful ministry, marked by stability, fidelity, maturity, and courage. His departure will leave a void not easily filled. May the Lord give us more like him. Well done good and faithful servant.
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