John MacArthur Passes Away at 86
John MacArthur, a prominent American pastor who shared the gospel worldwide, passed away on July 14 at the age of 86 after battling pneumonia. He became well-known in 1969 when he took on the role of pastor at Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California. His influence grew rapidly through a tape ministry and later, his teachings reached wider audiences via Baltimore’s Christian radio station, where his clear and poetic approach resonated with listeners eager for doctrinal depth.
By the early 1980s, Grace to You, which started as a tape ministry, evolved into an independent nonprofit organization and eventually secured its own facility. Its radio broadcasts now reach audiences over 1,000 times daily in English-speaking regions, as well as almost 1,000 times in Spanish, spanning 23 countries across Europe and Latin America. Meanwhile, MacArthur’s church thrived, filling a 3,500-seat auditorium with two services each Sunday.
MacArthur’s written works were as impactful as his sermons, with the MacArthur Study Bible being among the most widely used study bibles globally. Noteworthy publications include According to Jesus, the Gospel (1988), Gospel of the Apostle (1993), 12 Ordinary Men (2002), and Slave: The Hidden Truth about Your Identity in Christ (2010). According to his bio, he authored nearly 400 books and study guides during his career.
In 1986, he also established The Master’s Seminary, where all 3,000 sermons delivered over 40 years can be accessed for free. His preaching style, which he described as “unleashing God’s truth one verse at a time,” stemmed from a personal quest for deeper understanding of the Bible.
“My initial goal wasn’t really to create sermons that appealed to people. It was more about my desire to understand the New Testament,” he shared in a testimony on his ministry’s website. His fascination with the Bible, especially the New Testament, spurred him on, even as he sometimes struggled to comprehend its depth.
As he aged, his pace of preaching slowed. He took eight years to complete his sermons on the book of Matthew.
“My insight into the text has deepened, which made it more challenging for me to go through the book,” he stated, reflecting on his journey.
His unique blend of Reformed Baptist theology attracted followers from various denominations, even though not everyone agreed with all his teachings. Still, his profound respect for the Bible was universally acknowledged. When asked about his legacy, MacArthur expressed a simple desire: “I just want to be known as a servant of the Lord.”
“You know, Paul uses this term, hupēretēs, which means ‘under rower.’ I was faithful to God’s Word and the teachings of the New Testament,” he explained.
