John MacArthur, Influential Evangelical Pastor and Author, Dies at 86
Controversial California preacher known for long ministry and sharp theological positions passes away
SUN VALLEY — John MacArthur, the longtime pastor of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California, and a prominent voice in American Evangelicalism, has died at the age of 86 following hospitalization with pneumonia. His death was announced Monday evening by his teaching ministry, Grace to You.
“Our hearts are heavy, yet rejoicing, as we share the news that our beloved pastor and teacher John MacArthur has entered into the presence of the Savior,” the ministry stated. MacArthur is survived by his wife Patricia, four children, 15 grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren.
Over his five-decade ministry, MacArthur built a large following through his sermons, radio broadcasts, and books—over 400 in total—becoming one of the most recognized figures in Reformed evangelical circles.
But even within Evangelical circles, MacArthur's legacy is marred by serious concerns and controversies. Under his leadership, Grace Community Church faced criticism for how it handled abuse allegations—most notably excommunicating a woman who refused to reconcile with her convicted child-abuser husband. Former elders and Christian journalists raised alarms about what they described as an unhealthy church culture regarding discipline and authority.
Orthodox Christian leaders, while urging compassion and prayer, have warned against romanticizing the legacy of heterodox teachers. “Heresy is serious,” wrote one Orthodox priest on Facebook. “Those who attack the Church with polemics… are in serious trouble. Thankfully we can pray for their souls and entrust them to the mercy of God. Do not say ‘Memory Eternal’—say ‘Lord have mercy.’”
And attack the Church, MacArthur certainly did. After the conversion of Hank Hanegraaff — popularly known as the Bible Answer Man — MacArthur launched an assault on Hanegraaff and the Orthodox Church.
" [Hanegrafff] went through a ritual called chrismation, in which a rag, supposedly infused with divine life, was placed on his head and transferred to him. This is an Eastern Orthodox Ritual. What does the Eastern Orthodox Church believe about the Gospel? Here is 'decree 13' from their dogma: 'We believe a man to be not justified through faith alone, but through faith which works through love, that is to say, through faith and works."...That's what Eastern Orthodoxy teaches... The sister church [to the Orthodox Church -Ed.] in the West is the Roman Catholic Church... That is false Christianity teaching a false gospel; it is not to be joined; it is to be cursed.
