Reflecting On 50 Years of Ministry
“There came a man sent from God, whose name was John.”
Though these words were originally penned by the apostle John in his gospel in reference to the forerunner to the Messiah, I’m sure many contemporary believers could say the same for pastor and Bible teacher John MacArthur. Writing this piece two days removed from the 50th anniversary of MacArthur's ministry at Grace Community Church in California, I felt the need to reflect on the impact he had on my life and millions more.
God in His grace has brought many sheep into the fold of Christ by the staff of this faithful minister of the Word. But Pastor John does not see his mission as complete by only leading people to Christ. The great commission of the Lord Jesus is reflected in John's heart and actions as he has continually sought to grow his flock in the grace and knowledge that is in Jesus Christ. It is this particular emphasis of MacArthur’s ministry that God used to give me a greater understanding of His Word, and subsequently, the Person, work, and will of the living God.
It was during my sophomore year in high school that God in His grace redeemed my soul. Soon after this, God in His amazing providence brought me and my family to Countryside Bible Church in Southlake, Texas. Our pastor and teacher, Tom Pennington, also a faithful minister of the Word, formerly worked alongside John MacArthur in California. This aligned our church even more closely with Grace Community. Therefore, some of the influence MacArthur had on my life also came indirectly through my church.
John MacArthur assisted me immensely by emphasizing biblical truths that are unpopular in the contemporary age, and sadly even in the evangelical church. The first major misconception that I heard MacArthur address was that Roman Catholicism is simply one denomination of Christianity. MacArthur repeatedly and unequivocally stated that Roman Catholicism is not a form of biblical Christianity, but rather another manifestation of a perverted gospel message.
Not only did MacArthur help me (and countless other precious souls of Christ) have a deeper understanding theologically, but he also gave me an example for dogmatically defending the truth. The state of the church today lauds anti-intellectualism and ambiguity when it comes to theology. Not so with John. Dr. MacArthur stands upon God’s Word and boldly declares, “Thus saith the Lord.”
He, like the apostle who shares his name, makes a sharp distinction between truth and falsehood, between light and darkness. This dogmatism in the face of an increasingly postmodern cultural worldview is especially impressive and has ingrained within me a conviction concerning the infinite value of the Word of God.
We give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, for you, brother John MacArthur. We praise God for your faithful ministry.