How God Used John MacArthur in My Life

John F. MacArthur passed away on July 14, 2025. Along with his passing have come personal testimonies from countless individuals whose lives his ministry has impacted. I recognize that it is somewhat out of the ordinary for me to write a personal testimony about an individual, but if you will indulge me, I would like to share how God has used John MacArthur so significantly in my life.

Generational Beneficiary

When my parents became new believers, they were in desperate need of discipleship and growth. Early on, one of my dad’s pastors introduced him to the tape lending library of Grace to You. This was before the presence of MP3s and podcasts. My dad would regularly send for tapes and listen to them on his bike rides to work at a government job in northern Minnesota. Occasionally, while we were driving to our grandparents’ in Wisconsin, or if we were home from church sick on a Sunday, he would play a MacArthur sermon for our listening pleasure.

My dad also purchased every MacArthur commentary when it came out, and I quickly realized that the answers in those commentaries (having never read any other commentary) addressed the important questions I should be asking. I recall in 6th grade deciding that for my devotions, I would read through MacArthur’s commentary on Hebrews, and I thoroughly enjoyed what has become a lifelong process of learning about the Bible through more intensive study.

Making a Serious Disciple

The first book from MacArthur I ever remember reading (outside of commentaries) was in high school. The book was entitled Hard to Believe, and I can’t tell you how impactful it was on me. All MacArthur did was walk through passages of Scripture that dealt with the gospel and Christ’s call for full commitment to Him, but it revealed a laziness in my heart. I had often not thought that my whole life belonged to Christ. I often thought of salvation as being something added to my life, but as MacArthur had said, “Jesus isn’t interested in a makeover; He wants a full takeover.” God used this idea to revolutionize my life and commitment to living for Christ.

Shortly afterward, God clearly and providentially directed me to attend The Master’s University (then The Master’s College). My dad and I visited in October of my senior year of high school. When we attended Grace Community Church for the first time, MacArthur was preaching through Luke 14:25-35. If you are not familiar with the passage, let’s just say it was a call to full commitment to Christ that I could never forget. It is rare, I think, to be able to pinpoint sermons that have a lifelong impact on you, but this one definitely did. I downloaded both parts (it ended up being two weeks due to length—unsurprising for MacArthur). I listened to them regularly to remind myself of what Christ expects of me.

Seeing the Man as a Man

While at The Master’s College, I had probably eight or nine personal interactions with MacArthur, in addition to participating in some small groups that interacted with him. We were never familiar enough that he remembered my name, but he would recognize me from my periodic pestering.

He would often come to watch the college basketball games, and so I would impertinently go stand by him and ask him questions. He was always kind and gracious, taking the time to answer my questions (which I’m sure he had received countless times). One of the most significant memories I have of MacArthur is that, although he was so “famous,” he was humble and gracious in person. He would ask questions about me, and he never seemed rushed to get out of a conversation with me. I tried not to abuse that, but I never got the impression that he thought of himself as more important than me. Sadly, that is not always the impression I get from well-known preachers or speakers.  

People often have said that MacArthur was nicer in person than in the pulpit, and I guess that was true. One could really get to know the person in conversation, but when he was preaching, he had a very straightforward approach that came off as prideful to some.

One final story about lessons from in-person interactions. I was part of a Bible study that met in the neighborhood adjacent to the college, and one day, we had MacArthur there for a Q&A. I always loved getting MacArthur’s thoughts in Q&A form, and this time was no different. Out of the many highlights, one student asked what sins MacArthur struggled with. He mentioned that at the top of the list was a struggle against pride. I appreciated how he talked so candidly about that, and it was an important lesson to me to be wary of pride, especially when God has given you certain aspects of success. Furthermore, it was an encouragement not to be afraid to help others know you struggle with sin too. The best of men are still men at best.

Closing Thoughts

MacArthur was a very polarizing figure. Many people either love or hate him. Part of this is because he spoke with clarity and boldness about what he thought Scripture teaches. He didn’t try to soften it or make it die the death of a thousand qualifications. He just tried to be clear. He was fond of the saying, “A mist in the pulpit is a fog in the pew,” by which he meant you must be clear in your thinking and teaching. That came through in the way he prepared and presented his teaching. Nobody could misunderstand what he believed. But that’s why people either loved or hated him.

There is a lot more I could say. There is a lot more that many can say about his impact. But on a personal level, when people ask me who the most influential people are in my life, the top two are my dad and then John MacArthur. MacArthur was a spiritual grandfather to me. I know lots of people can claim that, and that’s fine. I am thankful that the Lord used MacArthur’s clear teaching to help me love the Bible and grow in sanctification. I didn’t agree with him on everything, but MacArthur was a gift to the church from the gracious hand of the Lord. Our loss is his blessing—to be forever with Christ. He will be missed.