John MacArthur and the Fundamental Baptists

John MacArthur entered heaven on Monday at the age of 86.

It’s difficult to know exactly what to say about him, as members of our fellowship hold widely differing views regarding him. In many aspects of his ministry, MacArthur was a fundamentalist—though he resisted that label.

A fifth-generation preacher, his family’s gospel ministry traces back to Canada and Scotland. He became pastor of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California, in February 1969, and served there for 55 years, growing the congregation from 400 to a megachurch of around 8,000.

MacArthur had numerous ties to Baptist fundamentalism. He attended Bob Jones University in the late 1950s and early 1960s and was a classmate and personal friend of many fundamentalist Baptist leaders from that generation. Later, he became president of Los Angeles Baptist College (then affiliated with the GARBC), transforming it into The Master’s College and Seminary and severing its Baptist ties to the joy and frustration of many in the GARBC.

He was never timid about the causes he championed. From the 1970s through the 1990s, he openly opposed the doctrine of secondary separation; a stance held by many fundamentalists. Yet in later years, he found it necessary to practice it often.

In the 1980s and 1990s, he strongly advocated for elder-rule church governance over congregational rule, holding seminars to coach pastors on how to implement this change in their churches—even against congregational resistance. Baptist fundamentalists felt betrayed by this movement and believed it violated the scriptural polity and damaged churches.

MacArthur was a vocal critic of the charismatic movement, both in his preaching and in print, most notably with his 1992 book Charismatic Chaos. His articulate and bold position on this issue was welcomed in our circles.

His 1988 book The Gospel According to Jesus sparked significant controversy in both conservative evangelical and fundamentalist circles. Intended as a needed corrective to the excesses of “easy believism,” some critics felt it introduced a works-based element to the gospel. The debate was particularly intense between MacArthur and figures from Dallas Theological Seminary, such as Charles Ryrie and Zane Hodges. The Reformed wing of evangelicalism largely supported MacArthur, while the more dispensational wing took exception. Despite the controversy, MacArthur remained a committed dispensationalist. This issue divides fundamental Baptists still.

He was also outspoken on the biblical role of women in the home and church, advocating for what is now known as the complementarian view. He drew his position from the plain teaching of the Bible, unaffected by the influences of modern feminist culture. His convictions on this issue grew stronger with time. For example, he publicly criticized popular Bible teacher Beth Moore, saying she had the natural ability to sell jewelry on TV but should not mistake that for a call to preach. He famously told her to from the pulpit, to “go home.”

His position on women in the church would be the same position held widely among fundamental Baptists, but his bluntness—some would even say harshness—in delivering the message raised even some fundamentalists’ eyebrows.

John MacArthur was perceived as unbending, but proved he was willing to change doctrinal positions when personally convinced. In the later years of his ministry, he migrated from a moderately Calvinistic dispensational position to a dogmatic five point Calvinistic position on soteriology.  He did this while continuing to hold to a pre-tribulational rapture and premillennial return of Christ.  He masterfully brought his church along with him through that change.  This mystified his Reformed friends who did not believe such a position could exist.  It also frustrated many of his dispensationalist friends who MacArthur sometimes harshly criticized for holding the same position that he formerly held.

During the COVID-19 crisis (2020–2021), MacArthur and Grace Community Church engaged in a prolonged legal battle with city and state officials over restrictions on in-person worship. This strained his relationship with groups like 9Marks, whose leader Jonathan Leeman advised churches not to follow Grace’s example. Ultimately, MacArthur’s church prevailed in court and was awarded nearly $1 million in legal fees.  Most fundamental Baptist churches did everything possible to obey the COVID-19 restrictions and scrupulously avoided a reputation of being scofflaws, even against governmental restrictions they strongly opposed.

MacArthur never shied away from conflict—even with friends. He was not a man-pleaser.

His books and Study Bible are found on the shelves of every pastor I know. His preaching was clear, biblically grounded, and influential. Tens of thousands of pastors and Christian leaders, including many reading this now, attended the annual Shepherd’s Conference at Grace Community Church and considered it helpful.

In the last 50 years, John MacArthur has been more influential in Baptist fundamentalism than any individual Baptist fundamentalist leader. The same is true for conservative evangelicalism.

He took positions that often encouraged fundamental Baptists, but also some that divided us even from one another. He always seemed to be right in the middle of our own internal controversies and debates. He was not a man who sought the praise or approval of others but stood by his convictions in the face of opposition.

John MacArthur never retired. Remarkably, he remained active in productive ministry until the end of his earthly journey at 86 years old. He is now in the presence of our Lord.

We pray for God’s comfort for his family and his church in their great loss.

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