John MacArthur Remembered as a ‘Gift’ to the Church by Pastors across Denominations
Christian leaders from across the nation are remembering the late John MacArthur for his unwavering commitment to biblical truth and his influential role in championing verse-by-verse expository preaching. MacArthur, 86, died Monday following a battle with pneumonia, concluding an earthly life that saw him serve the same church for more than 55 years and impact the world through his books, commentaries, study Bible and radio ministry, Grace to You.
Following is a sample of what eight Christian leaders said.
Albert Mohler, president, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
"He was the greatest expositor of his times," Mohler wrote in a column at World Opinions. "One of the ironies of John MacArthur is that, to the end, he insisted that any God-called preacher of the Word could do what he did. There was great truth in that claim, of course. After all, what MacArthur meant was that preaching comes down to the exposition of God's Word before God's people, and that meant studying God's Word with diligence and then standing before a congregation to read and explain that scriptural text. Any God-called preacher can do that. Every preacher should do that, even must do that. On the other hand, John MacArthur was uniquely gifted as an expositor, and he was uniquely faithful as well. He was a preacher God used to make other preachers better preachers.
"... As a young man, he had hoped to preach through the entire New Testament, verse by verse. That was accomplished, by the way, on June 5, 2011. Sunday by Sunday, passage by passage, he studied the text, then read and explained the text ...faithfully and powerfully.
"Under John's preaching, church attendance doubled, then did so again. It grew into the multiple thousands, leading to a near-constant process of growth and development at the church. His sermons were made available on cassette tapes, and then they were broadcast on the radio (and eventually streamed on the internet). Untold thousands listened to John's sermons, one after the other.
"He grew as a preacher, and his public influence grew explosively. If you listen to a message from his early ministry at Grace and compare it to his later years, you will not find any difference in conviction. What you do find is a growing depth of understanding and a greater sense of biblical theology, joined to a more comprehensive understanding of theological structure.
"... John MacArthur will be greatly missed and deeply mourned. He demonstrated faithfulness over a long lifetime of honorable ministry -- a remarkable gift to Christ's church. His race is now complete—and what a remarkable race it was. But, remember this: Pastor John MacArthur would be the first to say that the priority above all other priorities is that the faithful exposition of Holy Scripture continue until Jesus comes. Soli Deo Gloria."
“A Lion of the Pulpit, Now in Christ’s Presence: The Relentless Expository Passion of John F. MacArthur, Jr., 1939-2025. This essay honors John MacArthur as a great gift to Christ’s church — and to me. To God be the glory. https://t.co/16ndeiBS9z
— Albert Mohler (@albertmohler) July 15, 2025
Franklin Graham, president, Samaritan's Purse and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association
"One of America's great Bible teachers, Pastor @JohnMacArthur, stepped into the presence of Almighty God Monday evening at the age of 86," Graham said. "He could get more out of a Bible verse than anyone I've ever known. His voice will be greatly missed."
J.D. Greear, pastor, The Summit Church (N.C.) and former president, Southern Baptist Convention
"As with many, from John MacArthur I learned that the Scriptures never cease to amaze, they are an inexhaustible well of delights, that they give both the Christian soul and the Preacher sufficient resources to thrive for eternity," Greear said. "As pastors, we don't need to look to our ideas or our creativity to sustain ourselves or the people we are called to lead. Give yourself wholly to the Scriptures. They are God's word for his people, not idle words, but our very life.
"MacArthur's commentaries were 90% of the books I took with me when I went overseas as a missionary. He taught me so much about studying the Bible.
"Thank you, Pastor John, for teaching this and demonstrating it so faithfully. Many of us are different, more confident in God's Word, because of you."
As with many, from John MacArthur I learned that the Scriptures never cease to amaze, they are an inexhaustible well of delights, that they give both the Christian soul and the Preacher sufficient resources to thrive for eternity. As pastors, we don’t need to look to our ideas or… https://t.co/v7VrojRPev
— J.D. Greear (@jdgreear) July 15, 2025
Greg Laurie, pastor, Harvest Christian Fellowship (Calif.)
"Pastor John MacArthur is now with the Lord," Laurie said. "I had the privilege of knowing John personally, and I can tell you -- he was a true man of God. He spoke at our church several times over the years, and it was always a joy to spend time with him.
"John leaves behind a powerful legacy: his beloved family, his faithful congregation, his far-reaching media ministry, and of course, his epic library of biblical commentaries that will continue to impact generations.
"But above all, his greatest legacy is this -- he lived a life well-lived. He was faithful to the very end. He will be deeply missed, but I'm confident he has already heard those words we all long to hear: 'Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your Lord.' (Matt. 25:23)"
Pastor John MacArthur is now with the Lord.
— Greg Laurie (@greglaurie) July 15, 2025
I had the privilege of knowing John personally, and I can tell you—he was a true man of God. He spoke at our church several times over the years, and it was always a joy to spend time with him.
John leaves behind a powerful legacy: his… pic.twitter.com/izvbUYVMAA
Chris Larson, president, Ligonier Ministries
"What a gift Dr. MacArthur was for the body of Christ; what a gift he was to me," Larson said. "The Lord used him and Dr. Sproul in my early college days to deepen my understanding of the Scriptures and strengthen my conviction about the Bible's authority, inerrancy, infallibility, and sufficiency. As a college student with no money, I responded to a @gracetoyou offer and received a free copy of The Valley of Vision, opening a first glimpse into the Puritans' theologically rich spiritual life.
"Later in my vocational life, the Lord would give me the unexpected privilege to serve at @Ligonier and get to know Dr. MacArthur as a trustworthy and gentle friend. Moreover, John's friendship with R.C. will provide enduring lessons to generations of Christians. Rare to find such courage, boldness, and kindness in gospel ministry. May the Lord raise up many more workers for the abundant harvest, preachers who will not flinch in telling the truth.
"I will miss him greatly."
What a gift Dr. MacArthur was for the body of Christ; what a gift he was to me. The Lord used him and Dr. Sproul in my early college days to deepen my understanding of the Scriptures and strengthen my conviction about the Bible’s authority, inerrancy, infallibility, and… pic.twitter.com/leLaubEQsR
— Chris Larson (@ChrisLarson) July 15, 2025
H.B. Charles, Jr., pastor of Shiloh Metropolitan Baptist Church (Fla.)
"A theological controversy erupted in my first church. Stumbling onto a book by John F. MacArthur Jr., I was armed with the truth I needed to stand firm. I then consumed every MacArthur resource I could get my hands on," Charles said in a tribute at the 9Marks website. Charles preached at MacArthur's church on Sunday, one day before he died. "When I discovered that 'Sun Valley' was just thirty minutes away, I started visiting Grace Community Church on Sunday nights. Over the years, his preaching and writing have shaped my biblical convictions and ministry philosophy. Then I met Dr. MacArthur and found him to be an even greater man, characterized by godliness, humility, and wisdom.
"My testimony is not unique. A generation of Christian believers, congregations, pastors, institutions, and organizations has been impacted by the faithfulness of this gospel warrior. From his pastoral leadership at Grace Church over five decades to his expositional preaching through the New Testament (and the subsequent radio ministry and commentary series) to the scores of books filled with biblical truth to the stalwart leadership of The Master's University and Seminary to the many around the country and who have counted on his clear and consistent voice for biblical truth in the face of error and confusion, John MacArthur has been an unspeakable blessing to the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. As his work ends, his impact and influence will continue for years to come. Rest well, faithful soldier of the cross."
John Piper, founder and lead teacher of Desiring God
"The longer I knew John MacArthur, the more I loved him," Piper wrote in a tribute at the Desiring God website. "Admiration intensified into affection. …I simply stood in awe of what he could do in the pulpit with a passage of Scripture. As with all powerful expositional preaching, no description can fully capture what makes it powerful. Yes, there was crystalline clarity. You knew what he meant and what he did not mean. Yes, there was explicit textual foundation for each point. You could see where it came from in the text. He made sure of it. Yes, there was application to the pressing pitfalls and possibilities of our time. The text virtually exploded with relevance. Yes, there was undistracting diction. No 'um' and 'uh' and 'you know' and 'sort of' and 'kind of.' Just unaffected simplicity and precision.
"Yes, he was just plain interesting. He believed it was a sin to make the Bible boring. How could the word of the Creator of the universe be boring? Whether he was explaining historical backgrounds or current controversies, he was engaging. Yes, there was zeal. He felt the worth and the horror of the realities he preached. God and man. Christ and Satan. Truth and falsehood. Sin and holiness. Life and death. Heaven and hell. Time and eternity.
Yes, there was authenticity. The whole man was in the message. There was no persona masking the person. Yes, there was love. Love for God. Love for the gospel. Love for the truth. Love for his flock. Love for the lost.
"And yes, there was authority. And that was not a personality feature. It was the 'Thus says the Lord!' that comes from unashamed submission to every paragraph of Scripture.
"But when all these marks of powerful expositional preaching are put in print, the power remains unexplained. The anointing. The unction. The sacred flame. The heart-piercing presence of God. The kind of seriousness that makes the heart sing. The kind of joy that brings tears with the opening of heaven. What can we say? It was a gift."
Chuck Swindoll, pastor, Insight for Living
"As we reflect on the remarkable years of ministry that John MacArthur dedicated to the Gospel, we find ourselves celebrating a profound legacy of preaching and teaching that has touched countless lives," Swindoll said. "John was a stalwart defender of truth, a man who unwaveringly stood on the authority of Scripture with both grace and conviction. His commitment to the Word was not merely a profession; it was a passion that ignited a zeal for discipleship and sound doctrine across the globe.
"Though we mourn his passing, we can rejoice in the rich harvest of souls he cultivated, and the countless hearts ignited for Christ through his ministry. His legacy will undoubtedly continue to inspire and challenge us to hold fast to our faith. As we remember John, let us honor his life by striving to embody the same devotion to God and His Word that he exemplified so beautifully."
As we reflect on the remarkable years of ministry that John MacArthur dedicated to the Gospel, we find ourselves celebrating a profound legacy of preaching and teaching that has touched countless lives. John was a stalwart defender of truth, a man who unwaveringly stood on the… pic.twitter.com/lWJ3jX9PZv
— Chuck Swindoll (@chuckswindoll) July 15, 2025
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Photo Credit: ©John MacArthur Facebook
Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
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Originally published July 15, 2025.
