John MacArthur (American pastor) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids John MacArthur |
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 John MacArthur (2013) |
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| Born | June 19, 1939 in Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
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| Died | July 14, 2025 (aged 86) in Santa Clarita, California, U.S. |
| Education |
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| Congregations served | Grace Community Church, Sun Valley, California |
| Spouse |
Patricia Smith
(m. 1963) |
| Children | 4 |
John Fullerton MacArthur Jr. (June 19, 1939 – July 14, 2025) was an American pastor, Christian teacher, and author. He founded Grace to You, a program that shares Bible teachings on radio and television. From 1969 until his death in 2025, he served as the lead pastor of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California. He was also a leader at The Master's University and The Master's Seminary in Santa Clarita.
Many people recognized MacArthur as a very important Christian preacher of his time. He wrote or helped create more than 150 books. His MacArthur Study Bible, which includes his notes and teachings, sold over a million copies. In 2021, he helped update a Bible translation called the NASB '95, creating the Legacy Standard Bible (LSB).
Contents
Early Life and Education
John MacArthur was born in Los Angeles on June 19, 1939. His grandfather was an Anglican minister, and his father, Jack MacArthur, was also a radio preacher. John once mentioned he was distantly related to General Douglas MacArthur.
He attended Bob Jones University from 1957 to 1959. Later, he studied at Los Angeles Pacific College. In 1964, he earned a Master of Divinity degree from Talbot Theological Seminary in La Mirada, California.
Career Highlights
While at college, John MacArthur sang in a quartet called Voice of Calvary, which was heard on Christian radio. From 1964 to 1966, he worked as an associate pastor at a church his father started. This church was named Harry MacArthur Memorial Bible Church, after his grandfather.
From 1966 to 1969, MacArthur worked for Talbot Theological Seminary. On February 9, 1969, he became the lead pastor at Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California. He was the youngest person to hold this position there.
MacArthur's daily radio and television program, Grace to You, started from his sermons at Grace Community Church. These sermons were first broadcast on radio in 1977. In 1985, he became the President of Los Angeles Baptist College, which is now The Master's University. The next year, in 1986, he was also named President of The Master's Seminary.
On June 5, 2011, John MacArthur finished a 42-year project. He had preached through every book of the New Testament at Grace Community Church. He considered this a major life goal.
Key Beliefs
Spiritual Gifts
John MacArthur believed in something called cessationism. This means he thought that certain "sign gifts" mentioned in the Bible, like prophecy or speaking in tongues, were given to the first followers of Jesus for a special time. He believed these gifts served their purpose and stopped being given after the early church period. He wrote several books about this belief.
Understanding Jesus
In 1983, MacArthur shared a specific belief about Jesus's nature. After some discussion, he later updated his view. He explained this change in an article from Grace to You.
Roles in the Church
MacArthur held a complementarian view on gender roles in the church. He believed that the Bible teaches different roles for men and women in church leadership. He thought that roles like elder and pastor should be held by men. He based this belief on certain Bible passages, such as 1 Timothy 2:11–12 and 1 Corinthians 14:34–35.
Bible Interpretation
MacArthur described himself as a "leaky dispensationalist." This means he believed in a very literal interpretation of the Bible. He also saw a clear difference between Israel and the Church in God's plan. He believed in a future time called the millennium, where Jesus will rule on Earth. He also believed in a pre-tribulational rapture of the church.
Salvation and Faith
MacArthur taught about "Lordship Salvation." He believed that when someone becomes a Christian, they must accept Jesus not just as their Savior, but also as their Lord. This means committing to follow Jesus in their life. He emphasized that true faith leads to a changed life. He stated that "only those who continue living holy lives will enter the Lord's presence."
Creation of the Earth
MacArthur was a Young Earth creationist. He believed that the Earth was created in six literal days, as described in the Bible. He wrote a book called The Battle For the Beginning about this topic. He argued that the idea of evolution goes against what the Bible teaches about creation.
Recognition and Appearances
John MacArthur received honorary degrees from Grace Graduate School in 1976 and Talbot Theological Seminary in 1977. He spoke at many important events and conferences, including the annual Shepherd's Conference.
He also appeared on various news programs and documentaries. These included shows like CNN's Larry King Live, The Ben Shapiro Show, FOX News, and MSNBC News.
Personal Life
When he was younger, John MacArthur hoped to play professional football. However, a serious car accident at age 18 changed his plans.
He studied the Bible deeply and became known for his clear, detailed teaching style. In 1963, he married Patricia Sue Smith. They lived in Southern California and had four children: Matt, Marcy, Mark, and Melinda. They also had fifteen grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
Illness and Passing
In January 2023, MacArthur was diagnosed with a heart condition called atrial fibrillation. He had surgery to help correct it. In July 2023, he had another procedure to treat the condition and was away from his public ministry for a few weeks.
In the second half of 2024, MacArthur had three more surgeries, including one on his aorta and another on his lungs. After several months, he briefly returned to his ministry in November 2024. However, on January 6, 2025, it was reported that his recovery was slower than expected. He had been in the hospital for two weeks with issues affecting his heart, lungs, and kidneys.
On July 13, 2025, an elder at Grace Community Church announced that MacArthur had contracted pneumonia and was not expected to recover. He passed away the next day, July 14, 2025, at a hospital in Santa Clarita, California, at the age of 86.
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Selected Books
- Twelve Extraordinary Women: God Shaped Women of the Bible, and What He Wants to Do with You (October 5, 2008)
- Twelve Ordinary Men: How the Master Shaped His Disciples for Greatness, and What He Wants to Do with You (May 8, 2006)
- One Perfect Life: The Complete Story of the Lord Jesus (March 4, 2013)
- Anxious for Nothing: God's Cure for the Cares of Your Soul (John Macarthur Study) (February 1, 2012)
- Safe in the Arms of God: Truth from Heaven About the Death of a Child (July 8, 2003)
- Saved Without A Doubt: Being Sure of Your Salvation (January 1, 2010)
- The Charismatics: A Doctrinal Perspective hardback (1978)
- Fundamentals of the Faith: 13 Lessons to Grow in the Grace and Knowledge of Jesus Christ (February 24, 2009)
- The Charismatic softback (1978)
- Gospel According to Jesus (1989) ISBN: 0-310-28651-4
- Charismatic Chaos (1993) ISBN: 0-310-57572-9
- Our Sufficiency in Christ (1998) ISBN: 1-58134-013-3
- Ashamed of the Gospel: When the Church Becomes Like the World (2001) ISBN: 1-58134-288-8
- Think Biblically!: Recovering a Christian Worldview (2003) ISBN: 1-58134-412-0
- Fool's Gold?: Discerning Truth in an Age of Error (2005) ISBN: 1-58134-726-X
- The Jesus You Can't Ignore: What You Must Learn from the Bold Confrontations of Christ (2009) ISBN: 1-4002-0206-X
- Strange Fire: The Danger of Offending the Holy Spirit with Counterfeit Worship (2013) ISBN: 978-1-4002-0517-2
- Right Thinking in a Church Gone Astray: Finding Our Way Back to Biblical Truth (2017)
- The Gospel According to Paul: Embracing the Good News at the Heart of Paul's Teachings (2017)
- Biblical Doctrine: A Systematic Summary of Bible Truth (2017)
- None Other: Discovering the God of the Bible (2017)
- Worship: The Ultimate Priority (2012)
- Parables (2015)
See also
In Spanish: John F. MacArthur para niños
