“John MacArthur went to glory this evening at 6:17pm PST.”
With that terse announcement, we received word last evening (July 14, 2025) that John MacArthur, long time pastor of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California since 1969, passed away. Many have referred to him as America’s leading Bible expositor. His death was anticipated, but death always brings a certain finality to a life; and it causes us to reflect on this man who has had such a wide impact within the Christian community and beyond.
I met John back in the 1980s when I became the senior pastor of The Moody Church. He invited me to speak at his church, and it was my privilege to visit briefly in his home. He was relaxed, personable, and was willing to discuss any subject. And he was an encouragement to me, personally. He spoke frequently at Founders Week, in those days held here at The Moody Church.
John’s ministry was not without controversy. When the first edition of his book The Charismatics was released, it stirred up a great deal of discussion and debate. Later, The Gospel According to Jesus became a point of contention, and books were written against what some saw as a rejection of the free and gracious offer of the gospel. The more he spoke and wrote about a variety of topics, people found that they had to take sides: Did they agree with him on certain issues or not? Neutrality was impossible.
Be that as it may, whether I agreed with John or not, I am deeply grateful for his ministry. There are lessons he left behind that have benefited me and tens of thousands of other pastors and lay people.
First, John shared his convictions about many topics and did not concern himself with what others thought. He did not take a poll or put his finger into the air to see which way the wind was blowing. He did not refrain from calling out names, condemning false doctrines, and decrying evangelicals for submitting to the culture. Sometimes his comments were deemed unwise, but no one was left wondering what he believed. He called balls and strikes as he saw them and was undeterred when the crowd booed. Agree or disagree, there he stood.
A few years ago, he gained national attention because he refused to close his church during the COVID-19 crisis. John wrote a letter to Governor Gavin Newsom, which many of us read with interest and appreciation. He helped many Christians think through the relationship of church and state, and the limits of government authority.
Second, he was, above all, a preacher of the Word. I remember him saying that the preacher’s responsibility was to carry the food from the kitchen (the Bible) and serve it to the guests (the congregation) “without messing it up.” He did not mind people knowing that a good chunk of his time each day was reserved for Bible Study and reading. As I have listened to him throughout the years, I have often been surprised at how well read he was on contemporary issues, quoting authors, alluding to what others had to say, but that was done in passing. A moment later, he was leading us back into the Scriptures.
Many people might not know that John spent time discipling other younger pastors individually and in small groups. Even with his worldwide ministry, “Grace to You,” he made time for individuals. He was not just an academician; he prioritized investing in pastors who sought his advice and counsel.
My last conversation with John was about two years ago. I called him because a Christian leader asked if I would check with John about the possibility of a ministry partnership that could reach the wider Christian community. John was warm and encouraging; and in such contexts, if he disagreed with something, he disagreed with thoughtfulness and grace.
My memories of John are not just a man with deep convictions behind a pulpit, but as a man who, in his daily life, walked with God and encouraged thousands of others to join him in his commitment to faithfulness in ministry.
So yes, the evangelical community has lost a strong and fearless leader—a man who paved the way for many others and was always concerned about keeping the church distinct from the world by being gospel-centered.
That is truly a remarkable legacy to leave behind.
