“Today we remember the life of Dr. John Fullerton MacArthur Jr. (June 19, 1939 – July 14, 2025) who was the pastor of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California. MacArthur was the teaching pastor of the church since February 9, 1969. MacArthur was an acclaimed Christian author and the founder of Grace to You, an internet, radio, and TV broadcast ministry. He was also the chancellor emeritus of The Master’s University and The Master’s Seminary. Above all, he was a humble and faithful servant of the Lord Jesus Christ”.

One comment read … “John MacArthur has entered heaven and, oh, what a rich welcome he must have received. John spent most of his years studying, proclaiming, and fiercely defending the Word of God… And I’m just one of millions who benefited from his work in the Kingdom. And now? He has heard that precious acclamation from the lips of Jesus himself, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” John’s faith has become sight and what he sees now is more dazzling and breathtaking than he ever imagined”.

Another read … “Expository preacher John F. MacArthur Jr., who taught Scripture to millions through taped sermons, radio broadcasts, Bible commentaries, and a best-selling study Bible, died Monday at the age of 86. MacArthur said the most important mark of his ministry was that he explained the Bible with the Bible, not cluttering up sermons with personal stories, commentary on current events, or appeals to emotion, but teaching timeless truth”.

Yet another read … “Pastor John MacArthur has left this world today, but his teachings will live on forever. His sermons, commentaries, and books have profoundly shaped my life and helped me grow in my spiritual journey. His unwavering commitment to expository preaching showed how powerfully God can use a faithful servant to touch millions of lives — and I’m grateful to be one of them. Though I never met him in person, his ministry reached me in India, reminding me that God binds His people together by His grace, no matter our country, culture, or language. I thank the Lord for Pastor MacArthur’s life and legacy. I pray for his family and the ministry he built — may God continue to lead it for His glory”.

Unusual for me for me to begin a blog with FOUR quotes – all lifted from my Facebook feed, which I check out most days, but each encapsulating sentiments that resonate and expressed better than I could. His death had come as no surprise given he had been unwell, which in recent days took a turn for the worse, from which he was not expected to recover. And so when I woke up to the news, it came as no surprise. Those who follow my “religious” blogs will know that while I refer to a number of Christian “leaders” and their theological take especially when it comes to relating God’s Word to the times they live in, YET NONE I can fully endorse and MANY I have found disappointing when they make some profound observation and then go onto to spoil it by speaking what I judge to be error. The truth is – no one has it all and real Christians especially need to be beholden to the Truth. As for Johnny Mac, he was one of the best among many human instruments I have come across to teach God’s truth, maybe THE best of people other people seeking God’s truth look up to.

Many on my theological wavelength will agree with me that the stand out preacher my side of the Pond, during my lifetime, was Martyn Lloyd Jones. I would go as far to say the chap that has that accolade when it comes to the other side of the Pond is John MacArthur. I try to avoid following this or that preacher, based on the premise that none understand the whole truth of God’s word, yet I am happy to admit that over my lifetime there have been many who influenced my thinking while to my shame I have not been an exemplar of the profound truths that come out of these people’s lips. John MacArthur is one such, although in the early days I was not that impressed for I found him unnecessarily dogmatic in some areas and questionable in others, where I considered that a different perspective and understanding was in order. Yet over the years, I often came across him and time and time again he has come out with stuff that I judged to be spot on, especially when it comes to what the Bible teaches. Moreover, he was adept in applying its teaching as one tries to respond to today’s baffling events.

He gained near hero status when unlike most pastors, who rolled over, he responded to the Covid tyranny/propaganda by NOT shutting his church down.The same thought applied to the social issues of the day, many contentious. Rather than cave in to cultural norms, his views were based on what the Bible taught. I loved his expository approach to preaching, often missing in today’s church, and the way he dug deep to understand what the Bible teaches. Another way he differed from many high profile preachers is while he was uncompromising in contending for the faith, he was gracious toward those who differed on some less essential aspects of theology yet loved his Lord and sought to follow Him. He wrote profusely on Bible related subjects and such is worth checking out.

In recent days, my social media feeds were inundated with John MacArthur sermons, maybe due to the premonition his days left on planet earth were numbered. These I found remarkably helpful, for example in helping me come to terms with the Israel conundrum. I could go on but better I end, although I expect much more will come out from better people than me concerning his contribution to the Body of Christ and as a truth teller. “God buries His workmen and carries on His work” is a quote attributed to another saint, Charles Wesley, seen as in a different theological camp as John MacArthur, yet both were true workmen in God’s great enterprise. I will continue to thank God for this workman of His and the wonderful legacy he left. We should pray for new workmen to be raised up to carry on God’s work, preach the Gospel and shepherd His people.  

I could end with any number of uplifting John MacArthur quotes (the Internet is full of them) from which we can learn much as well as following his example in many ways. But let us not exalt man and instead the One he exalted. As for shortcomings in preaching, one respected friend offered the following view:

“A few shocks John MacArthur may have experienced the moment he arrived in Glory:
1) He was wrong about Calvinism.
2) He was wrong about the Rapture.
3) He was wrong about the miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit.
Or perhaps he was so caught up with the Glory and Beauty of Christ that everything else paled into insignificance!“