My Five Minutes with John MacArthur

Fifty years ago I was a fiery seminary student, lobbying for the right of single men to serve as pastors in local churches. I was the leader of the BUTTR club—bachelors until the rapture. I even spoke at seminary chapel defending celibacy and the value of single men in the ministry. At a Youth Specialties conference a year previous, John McArthur had argued that First Timothy 3 forbade single men in the pastorate. After all the text said an elder must be “the husband of one wife.” I thought McArthur was wrong in his interpretation. It calls for the elder to be moral—not necessarily married. McArthur came to my seminary to speak in chapel and I caught him afterwards, confronting him on the passage in question. “Pastor McArthur,” I said, “You have stated that single men cannot be pastors based on I Timothy 3 but I think you are mistaken.” He paused for a moment, and said, “You know how those youth conferences are. You say a lot of things that just come into your head. I believe single men can be pastors.” And that was the end of that.

McArthur had strong opinions, but he was also a genuinely humble man who could change his mind and admit it. The Babylon Bee had a headline, “John McArthur has nightmare in which he was wrong about something.” That’s funny and a fair tweak of McArthur’s strong-mindedness, but he was a man who could be taught by the Holy Spirit.

We have so much to learn from his life.

He believed in the innate power of the Word of God. McArthur did not use gimmicks to build his ministry. Several times a week he would stand in front of his congregation and deliver expository sermons lasting up to an hour. The pontiffs of preaching in that day said it would never work but it did. He studied hard and went into the pulpit thoroughly prepared and people loved it. His tapes and recordings have made their way around the entire world.

He was committed to training future generations of preachers. He established Master’s University and Master’s Seminary whose students have gone all over the globe faithfully teaching the Bible. The Pastor of the church I attend is a Master’s grad and he is carrying on in the great tradition of his mentor.

JMac was fearless in confronting our decadent, secular culture, and the decadent Christianity that is meandering around in it. He cared not a bit to be an applauded celebrity but a faithful servant of Christ preaching truth to a dying generation.

And he did not fear men. When the governor of California told churches to shut down their services he refused to do so, continuing to hold public meetings in the face of hostility from both politicians and clergymen. Looking back, it is clear he was right. But the important point should not be lost. He believed in doing the will of God no matter what the cost. 

On another occasion, Governor Gavin Newsome came out strong for abortion. McArthur publicly denounced him then wrote him a letter. He told Newsome: "You will stand in the presence of the Holy God who created you, who is your Judge, and He will demand that you give an account for how you have flouted His authority in your governing, and how you have twisted His own Holy Word to rationalize it…As you look over the precipice of eternity, what will your answer be?"

Many of the most famous names in the Christian world have lauded JMac in the last few days. Let me end with the benediction by Al Mohler, a friend of McArthur’s and a great preacher himself. “Wherever I may be around the world, when I see a preacher carrying a MacArthur Study Bible, now translated into multiple languages, I know immediately that this is a man committed to integrity in expository preaching. He may preach in a building of any size, or no building at all, but he knows how to stand before God’s people, read a text of Holy Scripture, and preach a straight line. John MacArthur was a preacher to the end. What a legacy.” 



Amen.

https://firstthings.com/a-straight-line-to-the-pulpit-the-legacy-of-john-macarthur/

He preached (and wrote best-selling books) against superficial gospels and charismatic distortions. He became more seasoned in connecting the themes of the Bible and the great doctrines of the faith.

https://thefederalist.com/2025/07/18/in-a-world-of-chip-and-joanna-gaineses-be-a-john-macarthur/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=in-a-world-of-chip-and-joanna-gaineses-be-a-john-macarthur&utm_term=2025-07-19

MacArthur became well known, not because he was a celebrity, but because he boldly spoke the truth about Christ in whatever venue he found himself. News of his passing was bittersweet to many Christians who count his preaching and writing as instrumental to their coming to faith and growing in the knowledge of Scripture.

He also spoke publicly about secularism, atheism, LGBT indoctrination, abortion, and much more. He never wavered on these matters and always directed people to the clear teachings of Scripture.

MacArthur endured much slander and attacks on his name and his church because he viewed the cause of Christ to be of higher value than any status he might gain through compromise.

https://www.christianpost.com/news/lion-of-the-pulpit-7-reactions-to-john-macarthurs-death.html?utm_source=ICYMI&utm_campaign=ICYMI&utm_medium=newsletter

Allie Beth Stuckey: "No one challenged Gavin Newsom's evil and stupidity as persistently or effectively as John MacArthur. And no one prayed harder for Newsom's repentance," Stuckey tweeted.