Remembering Evangelical Giant John MacArthur: A Life Devoted to Truth

Widely renowned evangelical theologian John MacArthur has passed away at the age of 86, leaving a lasting impact on the Christian community. MacArthur, who died on Monday, refused to bend the knee to woke ideology and made national headlines in 2020 when he refused to follow California law to close his church during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Los Angeles County sued Grace Community Church, and the suit ended in a settlement in 2021 after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the state could not force churches to close, according to Newsweek.  

Newsweek reported that MacArthur wrote in a letter at the time, “We know that there is no circumstance that can cause the church to close. The church is not only a building but is the bride of Christ and exists to proclaim the truth.” 

In August 2020, President Donald Trump called MacArthur to thank him for not closing his church, The New York Times reported. The two talked about how Christians could not vote Democrat, and MacArthur said, “There’s no way that a Christian could affirm the slaughter of babies, homosexual activity, homosexual marriage, or any kind of gross immorality.”  

MacArthur passed on Monday after contracting pneumonia, according to his ministry’s website. 

He pastored Grace Community Church for 56 years and served as president of The Master’s University in Santa Clarita, California, since 1985, before transitioning to chancellor in 2019. His media ministry, Grace to You, is a nonprofit organization that distributes MacArthur’s audio programs, books, and television programs.  

MacArthur opened The Master’s Seminary in 1986, which trains men “for pastoral ministry—to preach the Word of God, reach the world for Christ, and teach others to do the same,” according to the seminary’s website.  

Known for being an expository preacher, MacArthur dedicated his life’s work to teaching on passages from the Bible verse by verse, to directly align his sermons with the meaning of the Scripture.  

Charlie Kirk, an evangelical Christian and the founder of Turning Point USA, posted on X: “Pastor John MacArthur faithfully testified to the Truth of the Gospel for decades all while the culture, the media, and our politicians peddled lie after lie. He was a legend and he will be deeply missed.”  

Josh Zeichik, director of church engagement and leader of The Focused Pastor at Focus on the Family, is a Master’s University alumnus. A little over a year ago, he interviewed MacArthur for “The Focused Pastor,” a resource that seeks to equip and encourage pastors.  

“He had recently written a book on the war on children,” Zeichik told The Daily Signal. “He was so committed to proclaiming truth and protecting the vulnerable. … You hear people preach sermons. You hear them in chapel. But when you get to sit down and hear their heart face-to-face and his commitment to claiming truth because to not would leave kids vulnerable, I thought was so inspiring.” 

Zeichik recalled a time when we heard MacArthur speak about 20 years ago at The Master’s University when he was a student there and somebody asked MacArthur how they could pray for him. MacArthur said that he was preparing to be a guest on “Larry King Live,” on CNN and would have an opportunity to speak to the masses. But what MacArthur said next was unexpected: His prayer request was not for him, but for King.  

“He goes, ‘Pray for Larry, because I feel like Larry’s very close to believing,’” Zeichik said.  

While MacArthur was known for plain, true, and unwavering commitment to proclaiming the truth of the Gospel, he ultimately wanted to see that translate to winning over people’s souls for the Lord, Zeichik said.  

“Many are eulogizing Pastor John as internationally renowned, but he was not a celebrity pastor,” Jenna Ellis of the American Family Association and host of “Jenna Ellis in the Morning” said on X. “He was a humble and gracious teacher and witness to the goodness of God. He used every moment to proclaim the truth of the gospel and make the name of Christ renowned and glorified.”  

One X account posted a quote by MacArthur on the day of his passing: “All death can do to the believer is deliver him to Jesus.”  

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