Met him once. I had really appreciated his commentaries. He came to my store to do a book signing and he was the most arrogant unlikable pastor I had ever met. I hope he gets to sit under the teaching of godly women for all eternity.
Wow. What a brilliant exposition of the ministry and legacy of someone widely considered to be the ultimate expositor.
This is everything I’ve been processing in my head over the last day or so, but written in a much more poignant and articulate way than I ever could.
Very grateful to you for writing the truth that will probably be ignored by many, but that is at the core of who and what MacArthur was, and what his legacy will always have to grapple with.
This piece hit like a gut punch. Not because it was harsh, but because it was honest in a way so few are willing to be.
I’ve lived through the fallout of MacArthur’s theology. I’ve seen it in the way churches interrogated my mental health instead of supporting it. In the way leaders cornered me about what I thought of him before they considered me for membership, in the coldness directed toward my wife’s profession (yes, she worked), and in the arrogance of pastors who thought their degree from his seminary made them fit to counsel but disqualified anyone with clinical training.
I’ve watched people weaponize his “Truth” as a cudgel instead of a comfort. And I’ve spent the past few days fending off men who claim to be shepherds but have used their platforms to invalidate my experience and gaslight my pain, all because I spoke honestly about a man who shaped the very system that harmed me and so many others.
There are survivors out here, still picking up the pieces. This isn’t bitterness, it’s bearing witness.
MacArthur never held much sway in my mind or in my life until I arrived at Bible College and began to engage with him. I was immediately struck by how unrelenting he was in insisting he was right about things that were very much open issues. The more I read the less I liked, and now at the end of his life I’ll remember him as a provocateur more than a pastor
1 Cor 3:12-13 is sort of emblematic of my feelings toward MacArthur now: he built a lot in his life, but when it all gets tested by fire I have a sneaking suspicion we’ll all see that he a lot more straw than he purported to use. Glad I’m not God and I don’t have to sus these things out
Very well said. Early in my ministry I subscribed to his tape library and read his books. Eventually I began to notice a strange similarity between the books and the recorded messages. But that's not what turned me off to him. The more I listened to MacArthur the more I perceived how stern and unchristlike his manner was. Frankly, I grew weary of his approach.
I find it ironic that a man who demonstrated so little grace to others would name his ministry "Grace to You."
His book TGA2J was a game changer for me. But when I heard him on the radio he did come off as way too harsh. So the pastor could be too sure of his own opinions, too judgmental. Not true of anyone here thank goodness.
I don’t follow the man and have only heard about him but nothing in this blog came from the Spirit but of your flesh. Even Paul when he spoke out against the Jewish leaders who were in opposition to Christ took back the name he called one of them upon finding out they were a Jewish leader.
Not sure how that's relevant. Paul apologized for making a specific insult to a specific person whose rank he didn't know, a person who was alive and standing right in front of him. This article is about the sordid legacy of a dead person. That legacy is what you should be upset about.
I do not know if the allegations of this man are true or not but know how God has us to not focus on peoples' legacy but rather to expose evil works. We do not wrestle against flesh and blood so if this man did the things alleged in this post he is still not the focus. The enemy, the devil, is our enemy not man. Understanding the travesty of hell we should hope that the man repented on his death bed before dying if again the statements made in this post are true.
Jesus wants us to focus on heavenly things above and not the works of the devil done through transgressions. This is the subtle way that the devil gets people through their emotions to put a focus and a spotlight on his evil works which keeps attention away from Jesus....this is why Jesus says you must forgive and to NOT hold a record of wrongs.
This post represents holding a record of wrongs which is why I said this is not written out of the Spirit but out of the flesh. When we expose evil we are called to cover people but focus on exposing the evil by focusing on Jesus who exposes the darkness by default.
He is the focus. The post is about him. It's not about Satan. MacArthur was a grown-ass man who did the stuff he did because he wanted to and felt entitled to. If you don’t like it, don't read it.
and paul also withstood the apostle "on this rock I will build" peter, to his face. we can't blindly, unilaterally honor offices; we hold people accountable TO their office. teachers will receive a stricter judgement because of their greater capacity for harm.
don't be so quick to judge the author's intentions when he bears witness of the great harm caused by this teacher.
I can not speak on what the man did in office but my point still stands that this was written out of the flesh and not out of the Spirit. The world also makes commentary about the evils that goes on in the world which is bearing witness of harm but the world still operates out of the flesh as well but we are told that when we walk according to the Spirit we will not fulfill the lusts of this world
Part of the point here is that you are literally admitting that you have no idea about MacArthur or the reality of what he did and you still have multiple posts condemning the post.
You can just move on without commenting if you don't know what you are talking about. That would be the most appropriate following of the spirit.
oh wow. everyone should be scared when the humorist lays down the laughs & speaks plainly but I'm so SO glad you did. Thank you. wrestling with a difficult legacy is easier with the machete of truth
Met him once. I had really appreciated his commentaries. He came to my store to do a book signing and he was the most arrogant unlikable pastor I had ever met. I hope he gets to sit under the teaching of godly women for all eternity.
That last sentence is gold. Amen.
SAY IT LOUDER, BOBBY.
That last sentence made me laugh so hard. Sad to think he could write and preach but when you met him, he wasn’t even likable.
You will know them by their fruit.
Wow. What a brilliant exposition of the ministry and legacy of someone widely considered to be the ultimate expositor.
This is everything I’ve been processing in my head over the last day or so, but written in a much more poignant and articulate way than I ever could.
Very grateful to you for writing the truth that will probably be ignored by many, but that is at the core of who and what MacArthur was, and what his legacy will always have to grapple with.
This piece hit like a gut punch. Not because it was harsh, but because it was honest in a way so few are willing to be.
I’ve lived through the fallout of MacArthur’s theology. I’ve seen it in the way churches interrogated my mental health instead of supporting it. In the way leaders cornered me about what I thought of him before they considered me for membership, in the coldness directed toward my wife’s profession (yes, she worked), and in the arrogance of pastors who thought their degree from his seminary made them fit to counsel but disqualified anyone with clinical training.
I’ve watched people weaponize his “Truth” as a cudgel instead of a comfort. And I’ve spent the past few days fending off men who claim to be shepherds but have used their platforms to invalidate my experience and gaslight my pain, all because I spoke honestly about a man who shaped the very system that harmed me and so many others.
There are survivors out here, still picking up the pieces. This isn’t bitterness, it’s bearing witness.
Thank you, Matthew, for not flinching.
More citations in this than in MacArthur's entire multi volume commentary
Thank you so, so much for these careful, humorous, and balanced words on a person who has done great harm but that many don't recognize as such.
All of this. Thank you for writing this.
MacArthur never held much sway in my mind or in my life until I arrived at Bible College and began to engage with him. I was immediately struck by how unrelenting he was in insisting he was right about things that were very much open issues. The more I read the less I liked, and now at the end of his life I’ll remember him as a provocateur more than a pastor
1 Cor 3:12-13 is sort of emblematic of my feelings toward MacArthur now: he built a lot in his life, but when it all gets tested by fire I have a sneaking suspicion we’ll all see that he a lot more straw than he purported to use. Glad I’m not God and I don’t have to sus these things out
Very well said. Early in my ministry I subscribed to his tape library and read his books. Eventually I began to notice a strange similarity between the books and the recorded messages. But that's not what turned me off to him. The more I listened to MacArthur the more I perceived how stern and unchristlike his manner was. Frankly, I grew weary of his approach.
I find it ironic that a man who demonstrated so little grace to others would name his ministry "Grace to You."
Holy smokes. And let us all be reminded that we, too, will die one day.
As a woman who reported a sexual attack at one of his ministries by an employee, I thought it was a rather measured piece.
A he frequently reminded us, we're all fallen. Strange how he was still elevated by his fans as though he was not as fallen as we are.
His book TGA2J was a game changer for me. But when I heard him on the radio he did come off as way too harsh. So the pastor could be too sure of his own opinions, too judgmental. Not true of anyone here thank goodness.
Thank you for capturing the things I’ve been thinking but didn’t have the energy to cite. 👏🏻
Wow, thank you.
I don’t follow the man and have only heard about him but nothing in this blog came from the Spirit but of your flesh. Even Paul when he spoke out against the Jewish leaders who were in opposition to Christ took back the name he called one of them upon finding out they were a Jewish leader.
Not sure how that's relevant. Paul apologized for making a specific insult to a specific person whose rank he didn't know, a person who was alive and standing right in front of him. This article is about the sordid legacy of a dead person. That legacy is what you should be upset about.
I do not know if the allegations of this man are true or not but know how God has us to not focus on peoples' legacy but rather to expose evil works. We do not wrestle against flesh and blood so if this man did the things alleged in this post he is still not the focus. The enemy, the devil, is our enemy not man. Understanding the travesty of hell we should hope that the man repented on his death bed before dying if again the statements made in this post are true.
Jesus wants us to focus on heavenly things above and not the works of the devil done through transgressions. This is the subtle way that the devil gets people through their emotions to put a focus and a spotlight on his evil works which keeps attention away from Jesus....this is why Jesus says you must forgive and to NOT hold a record of wrongs.
This post represents holding a record of wrongs which is why I said this is not written out of the Spirit but out of the flesh. When we expose evil we are called to cover people but focus on exposing the evil by focusing on Jesus who exposes the darkness by default.
He is the focus. The post is about him. It's not about Satan. MacArthur was a grown-ass man who did the stuff he did because he wanted to and felt entitled to. If you don’t like it, don't read it.
and paul also withstood the apostle "on this rock I will build" peter, to his face. we can't blindly, unilaterally honor offices; we hold people accountable TO their office. teachers will receive a stricter judgement because of their greater capacity for harm.
don't be so quick to judge the author's intentions when he bears witness of the great harm caused by this teacher.
I can not speak on what the man did in office but my point still stands that this was written out of the flesh and not out of the Spirit. The world also makes commentary about the evils that goes on in the world which is bearing witness of harm but the world still operates out of the flesh as well but we are told that when we walk according to the Spirit we will not fulfill the lusts of this world
Part of the point here is that you are literally admitting that you have no idea about MacArthur or the reality of what he did and you still have multiple posts condemning the post.
You can just move on without commenting if you don't know what you are talking about. That would be the most appropriate following of the spirit.
Utter nonsense from someone who is ignorant of the facts.
“He was habitually un-Christlike.”
Your thesis is right on and you brought receipts. Bravo Matthew. 👏
oh wow. everyone should be scared when the humorist lays down the laughs & speaks plainly but I'm so SO glad you did. Thank you. wrestling with a difficult legacy is easier with the machete of truth
I bought a John MacArthur study Bible, became slowly - then quickly! - horrified by the study notes, and returned it to Amazon in pristine condition.