John MacArthur

I had the privilege of working with him when a deaf girlfriend and I were working (for a year) on 'translating' his book The Gospel According to Jesus into simple, sign-compatible English for the deaf. Twice during that year we spent time with him checking and rechecking some of the material to make sure we were not changing his intended meaning.

Although he is of the Reformed pursuasion and I am not, I have to say that he is one of the finest men I have ever met or had the opportunity to listen to. He is humble, kind, and generous. And he also has a great sense of humor. I doubt he would ever remember me, but I will never forget him!

 

Are you speaking of John MacArthur of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, the same one who has published several books and has a radio show called Grace To You and is a president of the Master's College? He's not a Baptist Pastor. But he is a good Pastor.

We attended his church before we moved to where we live now. He's a very knowledgable and easy to understand minister. Very mild mannered...and his church is Christ centered. He likes to give Hebrew and Greek word explanations in his sermons, and I thought that was really great. I had never heard anyone preach that way before.

Grace Community is a non-denominational church I believe.

Here's his web address:
www2.oneplace.com/Ministries/Grace_to_You/

[ September 17, 2002, 06:48 PM: Message edited by: WisdomSeeker ]

 

I like his study Bible

Eric

 

If he ain't Southern Baptist, by golly, he's wearing SBC camoflage! Looks like one, acts like one, preaches like one!! Close to one--hey, we in the SBC will keep praying he'll soon make the move like Brother Jerry finally did!

Brother MacAuthor is the "Einstein" of the 21st century theologians!

Blackbird

 

I like listening to John MacArthur preach because his sermons are so "meaty." My only complaint is his sermons are too short.

 

With the exception of his dispensationalism and the pedantic nature of some of his stuff, he's very good. Worth listening to and worth reading.

 

John MacArthur is one of the finest Calvinistic pastors and teachers in the United States. May his tribe increase.

Ken

 

AAAAAAAAAMEN!

This from an......
Independent, Fundamental, Sovereign Grace, Missionary, Pre-Mill/Pre-Trib, NIV/NASB preaching , Calvinist, Predestined by the free will of God's foreknowledge and election, and a sinner saved *only* by the Grace of God through Jesus Christ...... BAPTIST!

[ September 17, 2002, 11:47 PM: Message edited by: LRL71 ]

 

Not only is John MacArthur not a Baptist, he is not a theologian, and would be the first to tell you he is not. He is a gifted pastor, a gifted communicator, from the lecturn, from the pulpit, and in writing, but not a theologian. His book published in 1984 in which he denied the eternal Sonship of Christ, then, after being shown his error, retracted his statements and changed his position seems to reinforce that fact.

 

In 1995 thru 1997 when I pastored a small Baptist church in the Philippines, I would turn to his radio broadcast at night and listen and could not get enough of his preaching.
God knows, He used John Mc'Arthur to start to pry open my wax-closed Arminian eyes to the truth of the Doctrines of Grace when he once preached on Romans 8:28 thru 33.

 

The fact that he'd publically admit a mistake, correct himself, and actually CHANGE HIS POSITION sets him apart from about 95% of people who publish books and commentaries on Scripture... and it speaks very well of him. That probably sets him apart from most of us who post on this forum, too, come to think of it...

Who was it who said, "a foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds"? Ralph Waldo Emerson, maybe?

Eric

[ September 18, 2002, 03:03 AM: Message edited by: eric_b ]

 

Kathy,

I don't care for him. Please see this thread:

http://www.baptistboard.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=10;t=001640

 

Except for his view on remarriage and Romans 7, we would get along pretty well.

 

Chet said:

I don't care for him.

Because, according to your words, "He believes in Lordship Salvation, is a strong Calvinist, and is not dispensational."

This isn't a criticism, it's an endorsement.

2 out of 3 ain't bad, and those first two are pluses, not minuses. The third would be another plus if it were true, but it is not. He is a dispensationalist, just not one in the Scofieldian mode. You say:

That is the very definition of a Dispensationalist. The distinction between Israel and the Church is the sine qua non of the Dispensational paradigm.

[ September 18, 2002, 11:09 AM: Message edited by: Ransom ]

 

DocCas: every pastor is a theologian - some are very poor theologians and some are very fine theologians and some are somewhere in between. Look at how often pastors are instructed in regard to teaching / doctrine, etc., in the pastoral epistles.

Chet: John MacArthur is, actually, a Dispensationalist. However, you are correct in stating that he holds to "Lordship Salvation" and "Calvinism." So, what do you believe? That the ungodly can inherit the kingdom of heaven? Just curious. Maybe we ought to entertain this on another post, eh?

As to the original question - John MacArthur is a fine man of God who is a gifted pastor/teacher.

Rev. G