Remembering and Respecting the Life and Ministry of John MacArthur – Part 2

GUEST: TRAVIS ALLEN, Pastor, Grace Church (Greeley, CO)

John MacArthur, one of the most influential pastors over the past 50+ years, entered heaven on July 14, 2025 after more than two years of health challenges, including heart, lung, and kidney problems.

John, as he preferred to be called, pastored Grace Community Church in Los Angeles for 56 years, authored over 150 books, was heard around the world on Grace To You, the radio ministry that broadcasts his sermons, and led The Master’s Seminary and University, along with a host of other ministries.

Last week in part 1, Travis Allen of Grace Church in Greeley, CO joined us to discuss why MacArthur became the pastor-teacher he was, one that the theologically conservative side of Evangelicalism always looked to to see where he stood on a given issue.

Travis graduated from The Master’s Seminary, taught at Grace Community Church, was the managing director of Grace To You, and knew MacArthur personally over many years. In fact, Travis is marked by at least two qualities of John MacArthur—a “servant of the Word and the flock”. In other words, both have the highest confidence in Scripture and diligently attend to the believers they shepherd in their churches.

Today in part 2, we’ll discuss what made MacArthur forthright in the pulpit and yet gracious in person and why he was considered the last line of defense for the false teaching and compromising that always plagues the church.

In the final segment, we’ll hear an audio clip of when John MacArthur last appeared on this program and a few of the things for which he will long be remembered.

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• Last Interview on TCW with John MacArthur - “You Foolish [Evangelical Church], Who Has Bewitched You?” – Nov 2018
• Additional Links:
  • John’s Personal Testimony
    click on “Listen to John’s Personal Testimony”
  • Reflecting on Pastor John
    Phil Johnson and Mike Riccardi, July 20, 2025
• 50 Years at Grace
• Pastor John Describes Heaven

Transcript

Remembering and Respecting the Life and Ministry of John MacArthur - Part 2

SATURDAY, July 26, 2025 at 8:00am CT

HOST: DAVID WHEATON:
Remembering and Respecting the Life and Ministry of John MacArthur. Today is part two of that topic that we'll discuss on The Christian Worldview Radio Program where the mission is to sharpen the biblical worldview of Christians and to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ. I'm David Wheaton, the host. 

The Christian Worldview is a non-profit listener-supported radio ministry. Our website is TheChristianWorldview.org and the rest of our contact information will be given throughout today's program. As always, thank you for your notes of encouragement, financial support and lifting us up in prayer.

John MacArthur, one of the most influential pastors over the last fifty-plus years, entered heaven on July 14th, 2025 after more than two years of health challenges, including heart, lung, and kidney problems. John, as he preferred to be called, pastored Grace Community Church in Los Angeles for 56 years, authored over 150 books, was heard around the world on Grace to You, the radio ministry that broadcasts his sermons and led the Master's Seminary and the Master's University along with a host of other ministries.

Last week in Part One, Travis Allen of Grace Church in Greeley, Colorado joined us to discuss why MacArthur became the pastor-teacher he was, one that the theologically conservative side of Evangelicalism always looked to see where he stood on a given issue. Travis graduated from the Master's Seminary, taught at Grace Community Church, was the managing director of Grace to You and knew MacArthur personally over many years. In fact, Travis is marked by at least two qualities of John MacArthur, "a servant of the word and the flock." In other words, both have the highest confidence in Scripture and they diligently attend to the believers they shepherd in their churches.

So today we'll discuss what made MacArthur forthright in the pulpit and yet gracious in person and why he was considered the last line of defense for the false teaching and compromising that always plagues the church. And then in the final segment, we'll hear an audio clip of when John MacArthur last appeared on this program and a few of the things for which he will long be remembered that we can learn from. Let's get straight to part two of the interview with Pastor Travis Allen.

Travis, in all your years of proximity to John MacArthur, what are some of the things you learned from him and apply now as a pastor or perhaps books or sermons of his that impacted you?

GUEST: TRAVIS ALLEN:
I've heard John MacArthur make that comment, and he's kind of using a little self-deprecating humor. He talks about someone who introduced him, "This is John MacArthur who's a lot more gracious in person than he is from the pulpit," and he kind of laughs at himself in that. I know what he's saying and I find it a little bit humorous, but I also see it as a little bit of a misdirection because I think that he is gracious and generous even in the pulpit. I think he's strong. I think he's bold.

It's his humility before God, knowing that he is a servant of the word first, his fear of God first. He does not fear man because he fears God, and in fearing God, he does good for others, he does good for the church, he does good for people. By putting God first and making sure that he is first and foremost a slave of the truth to say all and only what the truth says and when he conveys that and delivers that to people faithfully week after week, month after month, year after year, decade after decade, we see what it produces.

Now, God doesn't have big institutions and ministries grow up under every faithful pulpit. There are other pastors who are like John MacArthur in that, but that life and ministry over that time, it does bear good fruit. And so when I see him do that in the pulpit and speak without compromise, with deep conviction, I see that as an evidence of his humility, that he fears God, he's humble before God, and then when he steps down from the platform and he speaks with people, it's kind of what you would expect biblically, not from people's experience, but biblically a man like that is a meek man.

You see that in the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. He's the same one who stood in the temple, Luke 20, and just swatted away every challenge from the Pharisees and the Sadducees, like He's returning Serbs and just smoking people, but He's doing it at a truth and principle level. Then when He speaks to people, He's kind and gracious and meek. There's a strength there, a poise, a confidence that's attractive, but He's not off-putting at all. He's a hospitable man. He makes people at ease in His presence.

I see that as something that I always want to aspire to as well, and I'm not even half the man that John MacArthur is and I don't have the same gifts, but I want to aspire to that. I want to be kind with people and meek and generous and humble, but before God, it really doesn't matter what people think of me or my ministry. It doesn't really matter what people think about what I've said. If I can defend it from the Bible, that's what matters. If I'm preaching from conviction, from studied conviction from Scripture, that's really all that matters because I have to give an account to at the end for the souls of people and for how I've handled His word, for how I've executed the stewardship that He's given me and I give an account to Him. Hebrews 13:17 says that. So I think I watched that in John MacArthur's life. That's something that I want to emulate in my own life.

HOST: DAVID WHEATON:
Yes, what you just mentioned is a common refrain I've heard over the years from those who meet John MacArthur for the first time after hearing him preach for years. They'll say, what a personable and gracious man. But really that's the way it should be for a pastor. Follow the example of the perfect preacher, Jesus Christ, who was as scripture describes, full of grace and truth. Now Travis, the second part of my question there was about any particular messages or books of his that have deeply impacted you as a person and a pastor?

GUEST: TRAVIS ALLEN:
I know that I read a number of different books early on as a young guy, but when I first discovered John MacArthur's ministry, as I said, it was in 1991 and the Gospel According to Jesus, I think it came out in 1988 I believe, and that is probably the one that I remember the most, getting a hold of that book and seeing exactly what he was saying in the churches that I attended, the easy believism, the desire to embrace Jesus as Savior and receive all of His saving benefits, but having no interest in Jesus Himself or in following His life and obeying Him. So that whole lordship controversy. I know that there were some different things that needed to be refined over the years. I think John MacArthur did such a good job at refining that message and clarifying it, but man, the antinomianism strain that has infected all of American religion on whatever side of the theological aisle you stand on, I think he dealt with it in his own spaces very, very faithfully, and I think it's benefited the church.

So from that kind of a seminal watershed, kind of a book, so many other books came out like Ashamed of the Gospel, Reckless Faith, the Vanishing Conscience, many books that really benefited the church and they're all in that vein to protect the church from the errors of the culture, the errors of a greedy covetous, antinomian love of stuff, love of wealth, love of health, wealth and prosperity, all that stuff that always was and just like waves of the sea kind of crashing up against the walls of the church and trying to intrude into the church. Many churches were overtaken by that, and I think John had a real concern to see churches protected. So those books were really impactful on my life.

The Master's Plan for the Church, I think that was a really seminal book for me, foundational to understand. Oh, there is a blueprint that God has put into the church. It's not just left up to us to go and innovate, work out our own designs according to our own place and time. But no, there is a faithful pattern and then apart from it is what is unfaithfulness and I want to be faithful. So that was really impactful in my life, and also Charismatic Chaos and then the book that came out later, Strange Fire, just dealing with the health, wealth, prosperity and the charismatic abuses and aberrant views of the Holy Spirit.

I think the main message in that whole debate and controversy that John was really helpful in was to try to focus the church back onto the written word of God, never to dishonor it. That whole movement tried to take people's eyes away from the word of God and put it on experiences in the words of one book title, Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire, to always look for something new and innovative and God speaking to you and leading of the spirit. All that stuff was so nebulous and confusing, but God gave us His written word and when we treat it as the authority that it is and we see it as absolutely sufficient for life and godliness, that's the message that John MacArthur wanted to convey through that whole controversy, Christian, get your eyes back into scripture because that's what has everything for life and godliness. That's what's going to renew your mind and transform your life. That was deeply impactful for me and I've tried to pursue that in my own life and ministry.

HOST: DAVID WHEATON:
Yes, I can definitely see that. Travis Allen is our guest today, talking about the life and ministry of John MacArthur who recently went home to be with his Lord. Travis was the former managing director of Grace to You, features the broadcast of John MacArthur's preaching ministry, and also he's currently the senior pastor at Grace Church in Greeley, Colorado.
In your last answer, Travis, you've mentioned several of the things that John MacArthur stood for during those 56 years. He was in this unofficial role of defender against false teaching and the compromising trends that would be trying to enter into the evangelical church. 

The J.C. Ryle account on X or Twitter gave 10 instances of John MacArthur defending biblical truth, and you've already touched on some of these.
Number one was the Lordship salvation controversy that somehow Christ can be your savior, but He's not really your Lord.
Number two, he took a strong stand in his opposition to female preachers preaching to men. He held the biblical line on that particular issue.
Another one that made John MacArthur very well known even outside the church was number three, during the COVID pandemic when his church in time just defied California mandates that they had to close down their service and they kept on holding services for people who wanted to come, and his church actually won a huge settlement against the state of California. He was very well known across the state and the country, even the world for that particular stance and not closing down the church. He believed what the says that the church is essential to be open.
Number four was another one mentioned in this column from the J.C. Ryle account was his opposition to the charismatic movement and the prosperity gospel. You just touched on that one.
Number five, his rejection of ecumenism and interfaith dialogue. Who can forget back in the day when he and R.C. Sproul and I believe Dr. D. James Kennedy were on one side saying, no, we must not enter into accords with the Roman Catholic Church and it confuses the Gospel. He was strong on that one.
Number six, MacArthur was strong on the issue of the defense of God's grace, God's sovereignty in salvation. He didn't believe that man had no responsibility like I think some portray him to, but as he read the New Testament, he just saw that God is sovereign in our salvation. He's the initiator and completer of our salvation.
Number seven here Travis, was the criticism of contemporary worship and the church growth movements like Rick Warren and Bill Hybels and Willow Creek. He was always speaking out against those and others who wouldn't say anything.
The last one, number eight was that he was a critic of the ecumenism of Billy Graham later in his ministry, and that was sort of a topic that no one really wanted to touch because Billy Graham was so revered and had started out his ministry quite well, but then began to have these ecumenical dialogues and events with those who preached a different Gospel even if they were professing Christians. As you look at all those things, Travis, I think it's very accurate that John MacArthur was known for pushing back against these and he was considered sort of the bulwark. People looked to him, even other Christian leaders looked to him as sort of the last man standing. He's not going to move on these things where you weren't so sure about other people. Why was he, John MacArthur, always the one that was looked to for what he would say and do with regards to these things coming into the evangelical church? I just thought of one more as I'm thinking here was the whole issue of social justice as well with the statement on social justice in the Gospel that he did much later in his life.

GUEST: TRAVIS ALLEN:
I remember talking to him one time and asked him, well, I thanked him. I said, "Man, thank you so much for," I think it may have been that social justice statement and the work he did on that and what he was championing there, and I just said, "thank you so much for standing up and saying what needed to be said and calling this out. It's so clear, I don't think that it was as clear before you drew attention to it. I think that you're drawing attention to it has brought clarity that need to be brought." And I said, "I just appreciate your what seems to be a spiritual courage in standing up." And I said, "Where do you think that comes from?|" He said, "Oh no, I don't think I'm courageous. I just think I believe the Bible."

And he was that simple about it to just say, if you believe the Bible, this is where you go. And so he really didn't shoot any personal pat on the back. He just said, well, this is kind of what you do. I think he didn't really see himself maybe in the right light there because I do think he was someone who stood out, who could see trends and dangers and threats a little bit further down the road than many others. And I think there are providential reasons for that. I think there are exposure reasons for that. It kind of comes back to over the years, God put him into a position to do that, but he started doing that way back when early in his ministry.

I think about again, a comparison to the Lord Jesus Christ when I think about the Lord Jesus Christ going to the temple in Jerusalem and things that many faithful men had seen in the temple that were wrong, that were moneymaking schemes, little contracts and business contracts between the vendors and the temple priests and markups on sacrifices and markups on money exchange and stuff like that, it was just an abuse. Turning the temple into a business enterprise instead of a house of prayer for all the nations, which is what God gave it for.

And so I think there may have been other people that could maybe spot some of those things, but not with the same clarity. The Lord Jesus twice in His ministry, once at the beginning and once at the very end, He went in and cleared that place out and His disciples remembered later that it was written of Him, "zeal for your house will consume Me." I think the Lord Jesus walked in and said, "This is not right. Something has to be done about this. I'm going to do something." I think that John MacArthur has been like that throughout the years. I think that zeal for the Lord's house, for the church has consumed him.

That list that you gave in setting this question up, I think there are people with different interests who will read and assess John MacArthur's life and ministry through the prism of their own thing. They're real politically oriented, so they'll focus on John MacArthur standing up to Gavin Newsom and the government of California, and they'll kind of see him as a champion of political issues. And other people will see, oh, he was against the Charismatics or he was against women preachers and whatever their own thing is, they'll read him through that prism.

This is my humble opinion, but I really think that the best prism through which to see John MacArthur is he was a servant of the word and the flock. He really did see himself as a servant of the word and God's word drove him to see things and to love the flock, his own flock and other flocks too. And so he wanted to see them protected from trends that were coming down the pike and inform them and teach them, and he knew that he was in a position with people around him who could help him to get that message out.
So when he started to do that early on in his ministry, I think God put him there, but put him into more prominence by God's design so that he see other things and that just kind of built over the years to where people looked to him more and more to see what's he going to say next? What's he going to do? I don't think he was a man who loved controversy. I think he loved God's word and I think he loved the church, and so that put him into a position to be a defender of the faith and defender of the truth and defender of the church because he loved God, he loved Christ, he loved his church.

HOST: DAVID WHEATON:
He didn't love controversy. He loved God's word and the church. So true.

Travis, we've discussed that John MacArthur filled the huge yet unofficial role as MVP, most valuable pastor, when it came to defending biblical soundness against all the compromise that is constantly trying to enter the church. Is there anyone you see out there today who can step into the void and perform this important role?

GUEST: TRAVIS ALLEN:
I think that seeing John MacArthur enter into heaven, we look back and I think with hindsight appreciate maybe a man that we had taken for granted for many years. And I think that there are some who they always want to be the one to find the little problem in John MacArthur, some people who are just absolute critics and vile and reprehensible in trying to taint his life in ministry in some scurrilous way.

I think though for those of us who have really benefited, we look back and with reflection start to see what made him him. We realize that God will raise up who He wants to raise up when He wants to raise up that man for the time, where the times that he lives in and that can't be manufactured. That has to be God's move, God's spirit, God's timing, His providence, and we'll leave it to Him to do that.

I think what we need to learn is just to do what John did and just to love the truth, to love people, to love God, love His word, and really devote ourselves to the church, to defend the gospel, to defend the truth. So who knows who will be the next champion or champions who will enter into kind of a new era, but I know God will raise him up. He's done it in every single era. I trust Him. I'm kind of just curious to see what God does. But I think if we just kind of pursue the same basic fundamental things that John MacArthur pursued, God will form it and He'll bear the fruit how He wants to bear it.

HOST: DAVID WHEATON:
Travis, one of the things that made John MacArthur very well-known were his many appearances on Larry King live on CNN. It was a very popular interview program back in the day. So I just want to play two clips of John MacArthur's appearances on that program. The first one here with then San Francisco Mayor, Gavin Newsom, who now the governor of California, as they were discussing the topic of homosexual so-called marrying each other, and here's what Gavin Newsom had to say in favor of it and John MacArthur's response.

Larry King LIVE audio
Gavin Newsom: I'm a practicing Catholic. I got married in the church two-plus years. I don't see what we're doing in terms of advancing the bond of love and monogamy and extending that to families, families of same-sex. In any way, shape or form takes away anything from the church or the sanctity of the union that my wife and I have.

John MacArthur: I would just like to ask the mayor, as a practicing Catholic, do you believe the Bible is the word of God?

Gavin Newsom: Look, pastor, I'm not going to get into theological debate with you. That would be inappropriate.

John MacArthur: No, that's not a theological debate. That's just a straight question. Do you believe the Bible is the authoritative word of God?

Gavin Newsom: Yeah, with respect, I guess I do. 

Now the response.
John MacArthur: Well, then the Bible says when God created man, He said, one man, one woman, cleaved together for life. That's a family. Jesus in the New Testament reaffirms that. All the writers of the Old and the New Testament affirm it. Adultery, beastiality, homosexuality was punishable by death according to the Old Testament law because it was so serious in those early years because it literally shattered the hope of civilization.

The New Testament offers us, of course, grace. Those sins are sins, they're forgivable. Jesus died to redeem us from those sins. We're all sinners. You don't want to categorize sin.

Larry King: But what does the state have to do with it?

Gavin Newsom: Yeah, right.

John MacArthur: But the point at this juncture is, well, he's representing the state.

Larry King: That's only to represent, not [Inaudible 00:25:19].

John MacArthur: He's coming back and saying, "I'm a Catholic and I'm a Catholic, and somehow this fits into my Catholicism." And I'm saying, well, what's your authority then?

HOST: DAVID WHEATON:
Now, did you notice that John MacArthur gets right to the heart of the issue? What's your authority for your viewpoint? What's your foundation for the truth you think you're speaking? If Gavin Newsom is a Roman Catholic who believes the Bible, then Gavin Newsom is totally inconsistent, taking a position in favor of homosexuality, which the Bible everywhere and always condemns as sin. And how ironic that these two would become in conflict with each other years later when Newsom became now governor of California and instituting these mandates that churches must shut down during COVID, which John MacArthur and Grace Community Church would defy.

And Travis, just one more short clip of one of John MacArthur's appearances on Larry King was on the topic of who was Jesus. And in the video there's John MacArthur sitting beside Dennis Prager who is a religious Jew, a Roman Catholic priest, can't remember his name, and also Deepak Chopra, remember that name, who's a new age guru and they were all trying to talk about who Jesus is and MacArthur was the only one there by a long shot who was giving any sort of biblical explanation for Jesus is.

Larry King LIVE Audio
Larry King: John MacArthur, where was he [Jesus] from age 12? What did he do? Where was He when He was 18?

John MacArthur: At the age of 12, He is with His family at the Passover in Jerusalem and He's left behind and He's in the temple and He's asking questions of the doctors and His parents don't even know He's not there because it's a large group. They finally go back, "What are you doing?" He says, "I must be about my father's business." I think it was at that point that having grown in wisdom and stature in favor with God and men, He had full cognizance of His deity and His mission.

Larry King: Why do you think there's nothing known after that until-

John MacArthur: Because there there's really no point until He begins His ministry. I think the Bible tells us that He was in all points tempted like as we are, that He was fully human, that He needed to live a fully human life from childhood through adulthood, experiencing everything, including temptation, and that perfect life which He lived, the Bible tells us is credited to the account of every person who puts his trust in Him.
Here's the heart of the Christian gospel, okay. On the cross, Jesus dies for my sin. In other words, God treats Him as if He lived my life. Turns around…

Larry King: But you weren't born yet.

John MacArthur: No. But God knows that. He treats Him as if He lives my life. Turns right around and by my faith in Christ, God treats me as if I lived His life. He credits His life to my account. That's the doctrine of justification at the heart of Christianity.

HOST: DAVID WHEATON:
So John MacArthur explains the heart of the gospel, that Christ takes the sinner's sin on Himself and pays the penalty for it on the cross, and also Christ takes His righteousness and accounts it to the saved sinner. Travis, what are your thoughts on some of these appearances that John MacArthur did on Larry King live in front of international audiences?

GUEST: TRAVIS ALLEN:
I asked him one time about going on to nationally syndicated programs like Larry King Live or other things like that, and I said, "How do you Do it? How do you stand there when you've got people who are scorning you from across the table and just would rather see you dead than sit across from you? And how do you maintain your composure? How do you keep on message?" And he said, "Oh, it's easy. All you do is I have two messages. I have two things in mind whenever I go into any environment like that, the absolute authority of God's word and the absolute exclusivity of salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone." He just kept that on his mind all the time. And wherever he went, whoever he talked to, that was his concern. And he could do it in the most gracious way with the most hostile crowd and in the end, win them over, in some cases, win them over.

HOST: DAVID WHEATON:
Well, that's exactly what John MacArthur emphasized in those two sound bites, the authority of God's word and the saving gospel of Christ. That's good for us to keep in when we are challenged or in a discussion with someone, stick with the Bible and not your own opinions and get to the gospel.

Final question for you, Travis, and just really has been interesting to get your perspective on John MacArthur today. We've talked about him, said of a lot of very positive things about him because there are a lot of positive things about him, yet we know he was but a man, we don't want to deify him. Of course he wasn't Jesus Christ, a sinless man. How do we, listeners today, let's say, who maybe don't know him very well or those who do know of him well, but maybe don't share the same perspective we do on him, how are we supposed to view a man who's been so gifted by God and so used by God yet without elevating him or deifying him and looking to him even more than we look to Christ in his word?

GUEST: TRAVIS ALLEN:
I think that it just requires us to keep our eyes on the Lord Jesus Christ and put all the servants of Jesus Christ into proper perspective. For his part, John taught that. He taught that very consistently. He would never want people to put him on a pedestal and engaged in some kind of hero worship. As I said, I tried to appreciate him and commend him to his face and he would gently correct me through the self-deprecating and corrective instruction, it's not really him. It's really what God has done in His word and through his life.

He loved to preach this passage in 1 Corinthians chapter four, "Let a man consider us in this manner as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God." And he said in this case, "Moreover, it's required of stewards that one be found faithful. To me, it's a very small thing that I'd be examined by you or any human court. In fact, I don't even examine myself or I'm conscious of nothing against myself," this is Paul speaking, "yet I'm not by this acquitted, but the one who examines me is the Lord. Therefore, do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait for the Lord. Wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and make manifest the motives of hearts. And then each one's praise will come to him from God."

So John MacArthur would preach this passage and point to Paul saying this. What is he? He's a servant of Christ. John would teach it as a third level galley slave rowing on his own oar in a trireme, one of those large ships and just pulling his own oar. That's how Paul saw himself and that's how he saw Apollos and Cephas and others who ministered to them.

Paul said, and John said, look, we're just servants. We're just pulling our oar, trying to do it faithfully, trying to put power into it, trying to serve the Lord Jesus Christ and serve you. And that's all we are is servants. Don't get caught up in the servants. I preached, Apollos watered, but it's God who gave the increase. That's how John saw himself. I think that's how we have to see John and other faithful servants who we admire and appreciate. We should not engage in hero worship. We should turn completely away from this celebrity culture and the carefully cultivated images of celebrities. All of that's just window dressing and a facade. If we keep our eyes on Christ, we're going to see him as most glorious.

People at the end of the day are not that interesting. They really have a limit to them. But Jesus Christ has no limit whatsoever. He is the infinite God. He is the incarnate God-man, and He is magnificent to behold. There is no end to searching His greatness, His glory, His grandeur. That's what John would want us to focus on.

At the end of the day, John is like any other prophet of scripture who stood there holding a sign, whatever was coming out of his mouth, he really was a sign to point to the greater reality. Gifts of God are like that too. They're signs pointing to the hand of the giver, the heart of the giver, and John MacArthur being a gift, being prophetic in his ministry, he's really assigned to point us upward to the Lord Jesus Christ and God who sent him. So if we could kind of honor John well, it would be to put our faith and all of our hope, all of our love on the Lord Jesus Christ.

HOST: DAVID WHEATON:
To think now that John MacArthur after a lifetime of faithful ministry is in the presence of the One he believed in and worshiped and preached, the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ now is just really amazing to even contemplate. So we say, well done thou good and faithful servant. We don't say that, but God I'm sure is saying it to him at this point. And he's been such a great impact on us, Travis, but so many people around the world and we thank God for what he did in John MacArthur's life. And we're thankful for you, Travis, and all that the Lord has taught you, partly through the influence of John MacArthur and partly elsewhere as well. I know too and your study of His word and thank you always for your willingness to come on the Christian Worldview Radio program, but even more your faithfulness to scripture and to preaching it verse by verse into mining out what God has said in order to help people come to saving faith and for believers to grow in their faith as well.

GUEST: TRAVIS ALLEN:
Thank you for the opportunity, David. I really appreciate it.



HOST: DAVID WHEATON:
Really love and respect Travis Allen for his commitment to God's word in the church, two of the qualities that marked John MacArthur's life in ministry. If you missed any of the interview with Travis last week or this week, just go to our website TheChristianWorldview.org to hear a replay.
I came across a post on X or Twitter by Josh Barzan who wrote a post about the life and legacy of Pastor John MacArthur with about 20 points of interest about his life and ministry. I'm not going to read all of them, just going to touch on a few that I thought were interesting.

1. He said he was born into a preacher's home in 1939. He grew up steeped in scripture, Christian radio and ministry life, but his first love wasn't the pulpit, it was the football field. In fact, MacArthur dreamed of playing professionally. Friends called him tough, athletic and competitive. He once said, "I wanted to hit people, not help them." But God had other plans.

I believe that MacArthur's background in sports was used by God to shape him for his preaching ministry and having strong convictions. Doing well in sports takes being on a mission. It takes dedication and training, overcoming obstacles, getting up after defeats, staying humble after victories, takes teamwork. Sports reveals your character and it can be used as a vehicle to build your character, and these qualities that MacArthur learned in sports transferred into his ministry.

2. A car crash that changed everything. In 1957, when MacArthur was 18 years old. John was involved in a horrific car crash on Route 66. He was ejected from the vehicle, flipped through the air and landed 100 feet away. Miraculously he lived. He spent months recovering, but that season wasn't just physical rehab, it was spiritual awakening. MacArthur later said, "God basically put me in a hospital bed and said, 'are you ready to listen now?'" It was then he surrendered to the call of ministry. His dreams of football died on that road, but a lifelong mission to preach Christ was born.

3. The making of a preacher in the 1960s, MacArthur enrolled at Bob Jones University in Greenville, South Carolina, but quickly transferred to Los Angeles Pacific College, then earned his master of Divinity at Talbot Theological Seminary. He studied under Charles Feinberg, immersed himself in Greek and honed his skills in expository preaching. He also met and married Patricia, the love of his life in 1963. Together they would raise four children.

MacArthur often spoke very highly of Charles Feinberg, who was a Jewish believer and taught MacArthur so much. It goes to the importance of a good teacher or athletic coach. And his wife Patricia understood John's God-given gifts and arranged her life and family to allow those gifts to be fully used. They had a very good and long marriage. MacArthur was a voracious reader, so he was also influenced by so many great Christians of the past. But those God put in his life personally, his parents, professor Feinberg and his wife Patricia, contributed so much to who he was as a man and a pastor.

21. Finally, number 21 in this post, and we have it linked at our website, TheChristianWorldview.org, if you want to read the whole post, “A Legacy of Conviction.” "Love him or not. John MacArthur has left an undeniable mark on the modern church and will go down as one of the most influential theologians of the 20th and 21st century. In an era obsessed with relevance, he remained rooted. In a time of compromise, he stood firm. He didn't chase trends, he trusted the text. MacArthur's legacy isn't built on charisma or innovation. It's built on conviction, clarity, and an open Bible." Boy is that true and well said.
Franklin Graham, the head of Samaritan's Purse, son of Billy Graham, said on Twitter, "One of America's great Bible teachers, Pastor John MacArthur stepped into the presence of Almighty God Monday evening at the age of 86. He could get more out of a Bible verse than anyone I've ever known. His voice will be greatly missed." That's for sure.

I, for one, will miss John MacArthur's preaching. Outside of my parents and family and the word of God itself. John MacArthur, his preaching and his example as a man is the most significant influence on my life. And I say is rather than was because his preaching lives on and I, like millions around the world, will continue to be edified by his solid exposition of the word of God.

John MacArthur was kind enough to do many interviews over the twenty-plus years of this program. And I looked into our archives and the final interview he did, I believe was on November 10th, 2018, as we discussed his book, Christ's Call to Reform the Church. Here was his final answer of his final interview on the Christian Worldview. For some reason, the audio of my voice is a little off, but as I listened to John MacArthur, it just reflects what he stood for in his life and ministry.

The Christian Worldview Radio Program, November 10, 2018
Host: David Wheaton
John MacArthur with us today on The Christian Worldview. So final question for you, John, and thank you again for coming on the program. I believe you just turned 80 years old. You're now an octogenarian and I think you've been a pastor for 50 years or close to it. We've talked about a lot of serious subjects today, things going on within the church, about the seven churches of Revelation and what the American Evangelical Church can learn from the call to repent and be sanctified and the things in those messages in light of your new book. So as you part today from us, what is your final encouragement or exhortation for followers of Christ who are hearing all of this? What should they be doing at this particular time? What should they be focusing on?

Guest: John MacArthur:
Well, first of all, you need to focus your life on Christ and His Word, it's gazing at His glory that sanctifies us. We need sanctified believers. We don't need pastors that are immoral, pastors that are shacking up with people, pastors that are sometimes committing suicide rather than get caught. And this is just horrific stuff. We need people to live Christ-like lives. And again, that's a reflection of the absence of a doctrine of sanctification where guys are elevated because they have certain communication skills or leadership skills, but they're unsanctified. 

So I think we need to be close to the Lord. We need to cultivate that first love. We need to walk with Christ in godliness and holiness. And then we need to preach the gospel faithfully to this culture and not be accepting of any compromise.

I think people say to me more often than anything that, you don't compromise. And I don't see myself as somebody who just doesn't compromise. I see myself as someone 100% devoted to biblical truth. And since it is the truth, I will not waver on that. And that's the kind of Christians we need to be, both in the way we live and what we communicate, that we are completely committed to the truth of the Word of God. In order to do that, you've got to know the Word and you've got to be exposed to teachers and preachers who can teach you the Word.

HOST: DAVID WHEATON:
Well. On behalf of myself, John, and my family and many other people I know we have been so grateful and impacted by your 100% devotion to biblical truth and your faithful preaching of the whole council of God over so many decades. So just thank you so much for that. And thank you for coming on The Christian Worldview today. And we just wish and pray all of God's best and grace to you and your family, your church, Grace to You and all the ministries that you lead.

GUEST: John MacArthur:
Well, David, you've been a great friend for years, as your family has been. It's my joy and I encourage people to pray for the Master's University and Seminary where we're trying to train up the kind of leaders that we need in the future.

HOST: DAVID WHEATON:
That is so vintage John MacArthur, focus your life on Christ and His Word, gazing at His glory is what sanctifies us. Cultivate your first love of Christ and walk in sanctification, preach the gospel faithfully to this culture, not be accepting of any compromise, completely committed to the truth of the Word of God. 

Now, he mentioned there about appreciating our family. Perhaps next Mother's Day, Lord willing, I will ask my Mom how she first met John MacArthur and his family way back around 1980 when we were on a trip to California. In fact, for this program, I asked my mom permission to read a card that she received from John MacArthur just a few months ago. She had written him a note to encourage him during his health trials and also to thank him for his sound preaching over the years.

Not too long after my mom received a card in the mail saying this: 
"Dear Mary Jane, your sweet note is a treasure. I'm so encouraged to hear that you have allowed me to be your teacher for so many years and it has followed with your children. Thank you for your prayers. With deep affection, John." 
It was dated April 14th, 2025, three months to the day before God brought John MacArthur home to heaven.

Just one final thing in this two-part series on Remembering and Respecting the Life and Ministry of John MacArthur, Mike Riccardi, one of the pastors at Grace Community Church, where MacArthur pastored all those years, along with Phil Johnson, who leads Grace to You, they lead a Sunday school class at the church and they were taking some questions. And here is what Riccardi said about some of the last words of John MacArthur before he entered his eternal reward in heaven.

Audio Sound Bite: Mike Riccardi:
And I'll share this last thought, I hope it's okay to share, it was reported to me by some of those who were with John in the hours that he was ready to go to heaven. And one of the verses that were on his mind as some of his last words was 1 Corinthians 15:55, "O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?" And he was speaking about how the resurrection is the conquest, the resurrection of Christ is the conquest of all of that. And it was reported to me that in between gasps for air, he said, "I feel no sting. I feel no fear." Why? You can clap for that. Because Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Because the Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. And really, because he was saying it is well with my soul.

HOST: DAVID WHEATON:
I feel no sting. I feel no fear. That's perseverance of the faith to the very end of his life. Oh, that each one listening today would be able to believe that in full confidence on our deathbed. And each one of us can. Persevering in the faith to the end can't be manufactured by us though, by grating our teeth, by repeating positive mantras. Listen to what scripture says in passage that John MacArthur referenced there, 1 Corinthians 15:54, "But when this perishable body will have put on the imperishable body and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting? The sting of death is sin and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." It is God who saves the lost sinner. It is God who sanctifies the believer. And it is God who empowers the believer to overcome in persevere to the very end.

Ephesians chapter two says, "For by grace you have been saved through faith and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God. Not as a result of works so that no one may boast." Salvation is all of God. But we are called to receive God's gift of grace, God's gift of salvation by placing our faith, our trust in the perfect life and sacrificial death of Jesus Christ on our behalf.

John MacArthur didn't have this confidence on his deathbed. He didn't go to heaven because he was such a great person, because he preached so many powerful sermons, because he led so many ministries, because he impacted so many people. No, he was a sinner in need of salvation like everyone else. He believed God and His gospel. And like it says about Abraham, it was credited to him as righteousness. So if there's one thing you take away from this series on John MacArthur, believe in the Lord Jesus Christ like he did and God will save you and empower you to persevere to the very end.

Thank you for joining us today on The Christian Worldview and for your support of this non-profit radio ministry. Let's remember that Jesus Christ and His word are the same yesterday, and today and forever. So until next time, think biblically, live accordingly, and like John MacArthur, stand firm.

The mission of The Christian Worldview is to sharpen the biblical worldview of Christians and to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ. We hope today's broadcast encouraged you toward that end. To hear a replay of today's program, order a transcript or find out what must I do to be saved, go to TheChristianWorldview.org or call toll-free, 1-888-646-2233. The Christian Worldview is a listener-supported non-profit radio ministry furnished by the Overcomer Foundation. To make a donation, become a Christian Worldview Partner, order resources, subscribe to our free newsletter, or contact us, visit TheChristianWorldview.org, call 1-888-646-2233 or write to box 401 Excelsior, Minnesota, 55331. That's box 401 Excelsior, Minnesota. 55331. Thanks for listening to The Christian Worldview.

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