John MacArthur, please remove the plank from your eye

Humble Disciple · Jul 16, 2021

Matthew 7:5
You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
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Just to show that I'm not a Calvinist fanboy, I have never liked John MacArthur. Other than his opinions on female teachers, I agree with most of what MacArthur has to say. But in terms of his lifestyle, does he practice what he preaches?

The Prosperous Lifestyle of America's Anti-Prosperity Gospel Preacher | The Roys Report

Phil Johnson Covers Up John MacArthur’s Extraordinary Compensation & Lifestyle in Devious Statement to The Christian Post & Interview with Justin Peters - BrentDetwiler.com -

The above chart is not counting his other income streams, like from book royalties. Joel Osteen, on the other hand, who I disagree with on pretty much everything, receives no salary from his church:

Osteen says that as senior pastor, he draws no salary from the church, which has an annual budget of $70 million,[32] and that he instead relies on income from book sales.[33]
Joel Osteen - Wikipedia
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I'm not coveting John MacArthur's money. I feel sorry for the members of his church for having to pay his extravagant salaries. I don't care how Joel Osteen makes his money, because it's not from the church coffers.

Humble Disciple · Jul 16, 2021

How can I have any respect for Todd Friel now, a man who promotes John MacArthur as if he were John Calvin himself?

I estimate John MacArthur makes 1.5 to 2 million dollars a year. He is paid three salaries from Grace Community Church, Grace to You (media ministry), and The Master’s University & Seminary. That doesn’t include his ministerial housing allowance(s) which goes unreported on tax forms or IRS reporting forms.

Nor does it include income from book royalties, honoraria, and bonuses. Two hundred books have been written under MacArthur’s name. That amounts to hundreds of thousands of dollars in royalties every year. How much does he receive? He speaks at the biggest conferences in the nation. They pay thousands of dollars in honorarium for featured speakers. And what bonuses and gifts does he receive? For example, what did he get last year on the 50th anniversary his pastorate?...

Julie Roys at The Roys Report has done a great service for the Body of Christ. She has further exposed the nepotism, cronyism, and corruption that has characterized MacArthur’s ministry for decades. I’ve written about it at great length. Read here for starters.

Of course, she will be condemned for slander but it is never slander when hypocrisy of this magnitude is exposed. No, it is obedience to Jesus Christ and submission to the authority of Scripture.
https://www.gatekeepersonline.com/post/thoughts-on-julie-roy-s-the-prosperous-lifestyle-of-america-s-anti-prosperity-gospel-preacher
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Humble Disciple · Jul 16, 2021

Johnson’s statement came in response to questions from CP about a report published by independent journalist Julie Roys last Wednesday highlighting that while MacArthur is well known for preaching against the prosperity gospel, financial statements and tax forms show that MacArthur and his family run a religious media and educational empire with more than $130 million in assets that generates more than $70 million a year in tax-free revenue.

Roys also reported that MacArthur, his family, and related companies have been paid more than $12.8 million from ministry and donor funds and the megachurch pastor owns three luxury homes worth millions.

It was further revealed that MacArthur’s Grace Community Church resigned from the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability after Roys raised questions about the ministry’s compliance with membership standards, such as the timely release of financial statements on request, and concerns that two of MacArthur’s sons have served on GTY’s board along with their father.

MacArthur’s son, Matthew, remains on the board of GTY and has been listed on every 990 since 2002 as the treasurer. His other son, Mark, has also been listed as a GTY board member on every 990 since 2002.

Last year, the Securities and Exchange Commission charged Mark MacArthur, 52, along with a wealth management company he founded, with defrauding their advisory clients in a $16 million real estate investment scheme.

GTY has also reportedly paid MacArthur’s son-in-law, Kory Welch, and companies Welch owns millions over the years, according to Roys. In 2008, Welch, who’s married to MacArthur’s daughter, Melinda, was earning a salary of $83,677 as director of television broadcasting at GTY. He also received a $20,000 no-interest home loan with total debt forgiveness from GTY.

The following year, Welch began working for GTY as a video production contractor through a company he formed two years earlier, called The Welch Group. GTY reportedly paid The Welch Group $741,000 for “post-production services” that year.
Official denies John MacArthur makes more than $500K a year from Grace to You
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Humble Disciple · Jul 16, 2021

It's hard to believe this level of hypocrisy. Joel Osteen, despite his questionable teachings, might be the better man, because he could easily expose MacArthur for his hypocrisy. I can't believe that a fellow Calvinist is making me defend Joel Osteen.

Within a few days of publishing the IRS records on John’s money, I got a call from a member of The Master’s University and Seminary board of trustees politely asking if we wouldn’t please cool our jets? The man was a real gentleman, but I explained we were convinced everyone in a governance position there at MacArthur’s empire needed to prepare for worse. The signs of fiscal improprieties were too glaring and they involved too large numbers to be simple oversights which could be solved by any modulation of present practices. The rot was at the core and it would only grow, so no, we would keep publishing and hoped he understood.

We made a friend that day and the friendship has continued to the present.

Remember, this was back in 2012.

What has happened since 2012?

In 2018 The Master’s University and Seminary were placed on probation by their accreditation agency, the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC).

This probation was in response to John and his trustees’ refusal to correct financial and governance failures WSCUC had brought to their attention—specifically including the sweetheart deal John’s son-in-law, Kory Welch, had with TMUS. (We had noted this back in 2012 when TMUS was paying Welch’s company $750,000 per year.)

The WSCUC Team expressed their concern:

The team notes with concern a pattern of operational irregularities, including the 2017 auditor’s specific finding on appearance of conflicts of interest with the President’s son-in-law supervising a contract from which he benefits, as well as institutional aid being awarded to related parties exceeding typical award amounts. The lack of response to this finding six months after it was identified as an auditor “significant finding” adds to the concerns of leadership willingness to promptly align with accreditation and financial audit standards.

In late 2018, The Chronicle of Higher Education did a lengthy piece on the scandal titled “Who Is the Master at Master’s University and Seminary“? The article called particular attention to MacArthur’s explanation given to the TMUS community concerning WSCUC’s motives in placing them under suspension:

During an hourlong address, the Rev. John F. MacArthur warned seminarians that the accreditor’s action was the result of an attack “orchestrated, if not by any humans, by Satan himself.” The Chronicle has obtained a recording of the speech, which was delivered in late August.

Talk to those who have worked most closely with MacArthur and they say John considers all criticism to be persecution. So no, John didn’t learn, and things continued to deteriorate.

Eleven months ago, on February 13, 2020, MacArthur’s son, Mark MacArthur, was charged by The Securities and Exchange Commission with securities fraud in the amount of $16,000,000. At the time, Mark sat on the Board of MacArthur’s Grace to You radio business.

No surprise, for several years now, John’s governance boards have been embroiled in internal controversies. So far, MarArthur has been able to intimidate people into silence. Will it continue?

Dad used to say, “Truth and time walk hand in hand.”

Now then, here we are today in February 2021 and another article is making the rounds just now. It’s nine years later and none of the essentials have changed. Instead, things have grown worse. More money and property for John and his family.
https://warhornmedia.com/2021/02/06/john-macarthur-his-wealthy-and-important-trustees-should-all-be-fired/
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Humble Disciple · Jul 16, 2021

How dare John MacArthur criticize John Piper for not accepting his cessationism, when Piper lives so modestly compared to him?

That said, we single out John Piper for commendation.

John votes himself no salary from his nonprofit, Desiring God Ministries.

In fact, unlike the others, John Piper doesn’t own his nonprofit; his church does. Each year Bethlehem Baptist Church appoints the leadership of Desiring God Ministries. We challenge any of these other men to follow John’s lead and place their nonprofit under the authority of their elders board. What an excellent example John is on this.

Then because Desiring God Ministries is under the authority of Bethlehem Baptist Church and John is an employee of Bethlehem Baptist Church, Desiring God Ministries has to put into the public record of their Form 990 how much money John is paid by Bethlehem Baptist each year. We see that John’s 2010 church salary was $120,000.

Brothers, two things to note about this: first, it’s unheard of that any of these men would allow their church salaries to be known, publicly; and second, this amount John receives is very, very low for a senior pastor of his position. But of course, John still has his royalties to live high on the hog from, right?

Wrong.

Next to Desiring God Ministries in Guidestars list of nonprofits is a foundation titled Desiring God Foundation. It has three officers: John Piper, Terry Kurschner, and Noel Piper and they don’t pay themselves a penny from the foundation. They simply give money away.

How much and to whom? In 2010, Desiring God Foundation made the following grants:

$205,000 to Desiring God Ministries

$70,000 to Bethlehem Baptist Church

$75,000 to Bethlehem College and Seminary

$30,000 to Training Leaders International

Where did this money come from? Well, add it up and you’ll find these gifts total $380,000 and the Pipers’ foundation received income from John’s advances and royalties during 2010 of $391,000.

Learn this lesson well, brothers and sisters in Christ: as John said recently in a Sunday evening sermon, he knows his own heart and he disciplines himself financially. Think about it: John and Noel use their royalties to fund a foundation that provides their church most of the salary they are paid each year. Then John turns around and gives his elders board the authority to govern Desiring God Ministries.
John MacArthur: his wealthy and important trustees should all be fired - Warhorn Media
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Perhaps MacArthur denies the reality of spiritual gifts because they are lacking in his own life.

Marooncat79 · Jul 16, 2021

1. I agree w you in principle
2. It’s really none of our business it’s a church matter
3. We seemingly don’t really know how much he really makes in revenue

Humble Disciple · Jul 16, 2021

Marooncat79 said: ↑

2. It’s really none of our business it’s a church matter
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That is not correct. John MacArthur made his own finances our business when he made Joel Osteen's his business. We have a right to point out his hypocrisy.

Marooncat79 said: ↑

3. We seemingly don’t really know how much he really makes in revenue
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There's a wealth of publicly available information on this, no pun intended.

This is the same John MacArthur who, back in the 80s, wrote bestselling books on Lordship salvation. When is he going to surrender his own life to the Lordship of Jesus Christ?

Do you realize how easy it would be for John Piper, Joel Osteen, and other teachers he's criticized to expose his own hypocrisy?

John MacArthur is not just enriching himself at the expense of his church members, actual crimes are possibly being committed as well, and we're supposed to look the other way?

Johnson’s statement came in response to questions from CP about a report published by independent journalist Julie Roys last Wednesday highlighting that while MacArthur is well known for preaching against the prosperity gospel, financial statements and tax forms show that MacArthur and his family run a religious media and educational empire with more than $130 million in assets that generates more than $70 million a year in tax-free revenue.

Roys also reported that MacArthur, his family, and related companies have been paid more than $12.8 million from ministry and donor funds and the megachurch pastor owns three luxury homes worth millions.

It was further revealed that MacArthur’s Grace Community Church resigned from the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability after Roys raised questions about the ministry’s compliance with membership standards, such as the timely release of financial statements on request, and concerns that two of MacArthur’s sons have served on GTY’s board along with their father.

MacArthur’s son, Matthew, remains on the board of GTY and has been listed on every 990 since 2002 as the treasurer. His other son, Mark, has also been listed as a GTY board member on every 990 since 2002.

Last year, the Securities and Exchange Commission charged Mark MacArthur, 52, along with a wealth management company he founded, with defrauding their advisory clients in a $16 million real estate investment scheme.

GTY has also reportedly paid MacArthur’s son-in-law, Kory Welch, and companies Welch owns millions over the years, according to Roys. In 2008, Welch, who’s married to MacArthur’s daughter, Melinda, was earning a salary of $83,677 as director of television broadcasting at GTY. He also received a $20,000 no-interest home loan with total debt forgiveness from GTY.

The following year, Welch began working for GTY as a video production contractor through a company he formed two years earlier, called The Welch Group. GTY reportedly paid The Welch Group $741,000 for “post-production services” that year.
Official denies John MacArthur makes more than $500K a year from Grace to You
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Do you want John MacArthur to be the next Ravi Zacharias? I don't want John MacArthur to die in unrepentant sin. I agree with him on almost everything he teaches.

Iconoclast · Jul 16, 2021

Humble Disciple said: ↑

How can I have any respect for Todd Friel now, a man who promotes John MacArthur as if he were John Calvin himself?
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Who has appointed you as their judge?
You do not know anything, but take it upon yourself to attack a godly elder.
Why don't you call Todd Friel as speak to him as a man would,instead of a cowardly attack from your keyboard.
Scripture indicates you should not make such an unfounded attack on an elder.

Reynolds · Jul 16, 2021

Humble Disciple said: ↑

Just to show that I'm not a Calvinist fanboy, I have never liked John MacArthur. Other than his opinions on female teachers, I agree with most of what MacArthur has to say. But in terms of his lifestyle, does he practice what he preaches?

The Prosperous Lifestyle of America's Anti-Prosperity Gospel Preacher | The Roys Report

Phil Johnson Covers Up John MacArthur’s Extraordinary Compensation & Lifestyle in Devious Statement to The Christian Post & Interview with Justin Peters - BrentDetwiler.com -

The above chart is not counting his other income streams, like from book royalties. Joel Osteen, on the other hand, who I disagree with on pretty much everything, receives no salary from his church:

I'm not coveting John MacArthur's money. I feel sorry for the members of his church for having to pay his extravagant salaries. I don't care how Joel Osteen makes his money, because it's not from the church coffers.
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Another Macarthur hit job. You don't like him because as a high Calvinist, he points out and even ridicules the inconsistency and absurdness of the most common, general form of Calvinism.

rlvaughn · Jul 16, 2021

Humble Disciple said: ↑

But in terms of his lifestyle, does he practice what he preaches?

The above chart is not counting his other income streams, like from book royalties. Joel Osteen, on the other hand, who I disagree with on pretty much everything, receives no salary from his church.
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I agree in principle. Apparently many popular ministers receive extravagant salaries, and often even their churches are not exactly aware of how much they make. I do not spend time looking at other preachers' finances, but I hear about them from time to time when they make news. Several years ago there was Ed Young Jr. who owned an $8 million private luxury jet, and had some independent board outside the church who determined how much he should make. At least that is how it was reported. Re Osteen, what is it they say, even a broken watch is right twice a day?

Humble Disciple said: ↑

How dare John MacArthur criticize John Piper for not accepting his cessationism, when Piper lives so modestly compared to him?
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As far as doctrines are concerned, they must stand or fall based on the scriptures, not on the foibles of those who hold them.

rockytopva · Jul 16, 2021

In which is why I believe this the Laodicean church age.

Van · Jul 16, 2021

rlvaughn said: ↑

SNIP
As far as doctrines are concerned, they must stand or fall based on the scriptures, not on the foibles of those who hold them.
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Spot on!!!

George Antonios · Jul 16, 2021

I think MacArthur is gravely wrong on a host of issues: his Calvinism, his view that the blood of Christ has no intrinsic power, Lordship Salvation, his adoption of the eternal Sonship instead of incarnational Sonship of Christ, etc.
That being said, I do not think he's a hypocrite for exposing prosperity gospel preaching while making 0.2 million a year as a man that labours much and runs a huge ministry. He did not become rich by preaching prosperity. You can be rich in a right way while descrying those who became rich in a wrong way. You should note that nuance. Sorry but you're out of line here.

Now, if there is fraud going on under his supervision, that's a different matter, but I know nothing about it as I am too far removed, so I'll just keep my mouth shut for now.

P.S. for a bunch of reformed amillennial brethren, you should embrace the prosperity gospel since Israel's material blessings/promises apparently belong to you now...you know, the "real" Israel.

Humble Disciple · Jul 16, 2021

If Phil Johnson and others keep enabling John MacArthur, he's going to end up like Ravi Zacharias, dying in unrepentant sin.

John MacArthur's sin is the sin of hypocrisy, and the facts are out there for anyone with the eyes to see them. I prayed for Dr. MacArthur last night that he repents.

George Antonios · Jul 16, 2021

Humble Disciple said: ↑

he's going to end up like Ravi Zacharias, dying in unrepentant sin.
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Outside of the man Christ Jesus, there isn't a man that ever lived that did not die in an "unrepentant sin" of some sort.

rockytopva · Jul 16, 2021

Humble Disciple said: ↑

If Phil Johnson and others keep enabling John MacArthur, he's going to end up like Ravi Zacharias, dying in unrepentant sin.

John MacArthur's sin is the sin of hypocrisy, and the facts are out there for anyone with the eyes to see them. I prayed for Dr. MacArthur last night that he repents.
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And John Calvin can have heretics burned at the stake and that is OK?

Jerome · Jul 16, 2021

Humble Disciple said: ↑

Just to show that I'm not a Calvinist fanboy, I have never liked John MacArthur.
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What's not to like? (besides the $$$ thing)

Humble Disciple said: ↑

Other than his opinions on female teachers, I agree with most of what MacArthur has to say.
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What did he say about women teaching, that you disagree with?

SGO · Jul 16, 2021

Are you really trying to live up to your name?

Ok, I'm GOing.

Humble Disciple · Jul 16, 2021

If we believe in the Reformation principles of Solus Christus and Soli Deo gloria, we should be just as willing to point out institutional hypocrisy as Martin Luther was. It doesn't matter whether or not that church leader is on "our team." Ecclesia semper reformanda!

Humble Disciple · Jul 16, 2021

SGO said: ↑

Are you really trying to live up to your name?

Ok, I'm GOing.
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It takes humility to pray for people you dislike and to point out the hypocrisy in someone who promotes your own beliefs. It would be much easier for my ego to lavish John MacArthur with praise, in order to boost my own Calvinism.

John MacArthur, please remove the plank from your eye

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