I had originally planned that this post would disappear in a few days, because I want the legacy of my blog to be about biblical worldview and practical Christian living issues, not analyzing public figures. However, I think the concerns expressed, as well as some of the dialogues I have had with others, are very valuable, so I am leaving it up. Regardless of when you read this in the future, I welcome your thoughts and respectful discourse. Whether you agree or disagree with my assessment, I would be interested in hearing your experiences. If you are involved in John MacArthur's ministry and disagree with me, that is fine, but I do ask that you consider that what I say reveals how it all comes across to those of us on the outside. At very best, we don't understand the culture, and you can enlighten us. At worst, there is something very wrong that we are seeing that you should consider.
As a brief introduction, I'll share a little of my own background. I grew up in small, Bible-teaching church. My parents didn't really "follow" any big name preachers. I wasn't raised to worship any pastor or leader, or follow them at all cost. I was taught to think for myself, and weigh what I was being told. Humans are fallible. All Christians are indwelt and guided by the Holy Spirit. Someone trying to take that role in our lives was said to be dangerous. Jeremiah 31:33 promised that God would put His law in people's minds, and write it on their hearts, and this happened when He sent the Holy Spirit! Hebrews 8:11 says, And they shall not teach, each one his neighbor and each one his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. Obviously, this isn't debunking spiritual teachers and leaders, but it is telling us that the Holy Spirit in our hearts helps us know Him. We aren't totally dependent on our leaders, because we have the best Leader inside of us! ...where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. Second Corinthians 3:17.
My first knowledge about anything related to John MacArthur was that I was encouraged to attend The Master's College by a couple I babysat for in high school. They had met while attending there. Although I am a very conservative Christian, something about this couple sort of bothered me. The husband required his wife to wear her hair certain ways and dress certain ways, and in "submission" she had to do it. Also, in just having conversations with them, I found the husband to hijack any discussion and turn it into a spiritual lecture, as if his wife and I were spiritually beneath him. That bothered me.
At any rate, God instead led me to attend Southwest Bible College, from which I earned a BA in biblical studies with a ministry major. Suffice it to say, I don't know everything about theology, but I know something about it. Please keep that in mind as you read on. It wasn't until a few years into adulthood that I really connected with The Master's College in a personal way.
A good friend of mine attended The Master's College. During this time, I had one of those wonderful moments in the Christian life, where I needed an answer from the Lord, prayed for it, and had Him speak to me about it in my study of scripture. Has that ever happened to you, that while you're reading the word the Holy Spirit illuminates a verse you're reading, and applies it to you and what you're going through?
I told my Master's College friend about this, and she told me very seriously, "You need to be careful. God doesn't speak like that. That verse was written thousands of years before you were born. It wasn't about you." She went on to accuse me of trying to create a new doctrine equal to scripture, and put my experience on an equal plane with scripture. Whoa! She even compared me to Joseph Smith, founder of Mormonism, who allegedly was visited by the angel Moroni and found the golden plates that supposedly gave a new gospel. Really? I was like the founder of a false religion because God had spoken to me in the Bible?
Correct Bible teaching is vital, but it is important to note that the Author of the Bible lives inside of every believer. The Holy Spirit knows the mind of God for me. God's word does address our personal lives and experiences. There is one interpretation, but unlimited numbers of applications, because unlimited numbers of Spirit-endwelt Christians read the Bible. All of their needs are different, but the Lord uses the Bible, in conjunction with the Holy Spirit, to meet us.
Over time, this friend, who had been one of my very best friends, became a very different person. I was constantly dodging her legalistic bombshells. She and her friends at the Master's College were constantly accusing me of being part of movements I had never heard of outside of their accusations. I was put down and corrected for simply having different views on things. I was constantly being accused of things. I didn't feel valued as a friend any longer, and that led to our friendship ending. What concerned me was that my friend's time at the Master's College transformed her from a sweet, caring friend into a negative, unhappy nitpicker who was constantly criticizing Christians who disagreed with her, and at the same time, doubting her own salvation. My heart is still broken about that.
I had no idea where this was all coming from for a while, but as I got to know more people who either attended John MacArhur's college or church, I began to recognize some patterns.
I taught a Bible club in the home of a family who were members of Grace Community Church (MacArthur's church). This family postured themselves over me spiritually, as I had experienced from the man I babysat for as a teen, and my friend who attend The Master's College. They nitpicked the way I worded things, and took every opportunity to lecture me or put me beneath them in some way. I had to mind my P's and Q's around them, with no freedom to enjoy the Christian life or ministry.
I wish I could say these were the only instances where people associated with John MacArthur gave me these experiences, but sadly, they weren't. I have had many other encounters, particularly when I used to teach evangelism workshops in the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles (near Grace Community church). It was all much the same. I was treated as spiritually inferior. I was called out for small things that were different than their preferences. I also had friends who joined churches spawned by Grace Community Church. Someone at one of these churches, which I visited, actually said, "I would rather not witness than accidentally give someone false assurance." I will write a post about this soon, but for the moment, all I can say is that we are biblically commanded to witness, and the idea of "false assurance" isn't even mentioned in the Bible. I saw a lot of these people cutting others out of their lives simply because they had different views on non-salvation issues.
On a basic level, I have to say that I do agree with John MacArthur on most of the "bullet points" of the faith. I admire that he stood up against California's tyrannical governor and continued holding church services (even if he isn't the only one who did that). I know John MacArthur has held to the Bible, when many others (Joel Osteen, for example) have watered it down. I admire that MacArthur hasn't compromised. However, these good things don't erase the concerns. When I have often tried to voice my concerns, the responses I get are things like, "He doesn't compromise like Joel Osteen." I'm not saying he does. My concerns have little if anything to do with that. My main issue is the culture he appears to create in his church and college, and how it appears to facilitate spiritual bullying and posturing. Theologically, the only issue I have is something that came up in my relationship with my former friend. The idea that we can't apply scripture to our lives. The following is taken from Grace Community Church's own website.
We teach that, whereas there may be several applications of any given passage of Scripture, there is but one true interpretation. The meaning of Scripture is to be found as one diligently applies the literal grammatical-historical method of interpretation under the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit (John 7:17; 16:12-15; 1 Corinthians 2:7-15; 1 John 2:20). It is the responsibility of believers to ascertain carefully the true intent and meaning of Scripture, recognizing that proper application is binding on all generations. Yet the truth of Scripture stands in judgment of men; never do men stand in judgment of it.
Okay, I agree with most of that, but there is a little problem with the clause I highlighted. I wanted clarification before I made a statement about it. The church's website listed no email addresses. The only way to contact was to mail in a postal letter, so I wrote the church a letter, and was never responded to. Since I don't have their answer, I can't give a perfect response as to what this means, but here is my understanding. It sounds like they're saying that I can't apply a scripture to my life unless everyone from all time can draw that same application. That is problematic. As I shared above, sometimes God meets us in our Bible study, illuminating a scripture and applying it to what we are going through. When God speaks to us, we know it. Removing personal application from our study of the Bible is dangerous. First Corinthians 8:1 tells us, knowledge puffeth up. Just knowing facts about God without encountering Him in our reading of the Word is a miserable way to live. No human pastor has a right to tell people how the Holy Spirit is allowed to speak to them. Of course we need to understand what the passage is teaching. We need correct Bible study. I already stated that we need to be grounded in the word, so as to be rightly dividing the word of truth. (Second Timothy 2:15). But he has apparently thrown out the baby with the bathwater. Because some people misapply scripture, he has taken the liberty of trying to control how his people are allowed to apply it. And as I look at his other beliefs, a lot of other things appear to me to be like that. In my experience, he and his people are constantly accusing others of being part of "movements" that no one else has heard of. He appears to write off Christians who take different theological positions than he does. I see no biblical reason to alienate others who know Jesus.
Another issue I have with this quote from his website is that it really puts the burden of responsibility on the Christian, when in reality, the Holy Spirit is the one who enables us to understand God's word. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. I feel like much of MacArthur's theology fits this description--good things, but expecting believers to do it in their own strength, instead of in the power of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is de-emphasized in his theology, it would seem.
Some recent quotes I have seen by MacArthur are:
"You don't think the world has infected your church? Cut out the music. Turn on all the lights--normal lightbulbs please. Have a man stand in front of them and preach the word. Try to sell that." Okay, there are some major problems with that. How is music worldly or sinful? The Bible talks about singing unto the Lord multiple places in scripture (Exodus 15, Psalm 96, Ephesians 5:19). John MacArthur's own church has a music ministry. And how is it ungodly or worldly to have the lights low? I know that's kind of trendy right now, and no one has to like it, but that has nothing unbiblical about it. That has nothing to do with the Word being preached! And he says it as if all other churches are doing this, when really, very few I have been to do it.
Recently, he has said "When Christians become political, sinners become the enemy instead of the mission field." What is that supposed to mean? Is he saying that no Christian should jump into the political ring? We need godly people in our nation to feel that call! My husband has that burden on his heart to be involved politically. MacArthur is making the case that it is impossible to be a Christian in politics without making sinners the enemy. And, I might add, MacArthur might not think he is making sinners his enemy, but he has made a lot of Christians his enemy, so I don't know why he thinks he can say that and be above reproach.
This year, MacArthur has stated he is against religious liberty, because it supports idolatry (you can read the article here.). He furthermore stated that religious liberty is "meaningless" to Christians, because the government doesn't have a say in the kingdom of God. Technically true, but he seems to be advocating for a theocracy, and that will never happen until Christ returns. People need to have the choice to believe or disbelieve the Bible, or else their faith isn't real. Religious liberty makes our lives and spreading the gospel much easier, and that's what we should want. We are told in First Timothy 2:2 to pray for our leaders, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This verse indicates we should want to have peaceful lives, without a lot of issues. It seems John MacArthur is self-destructing. He also recently suggested that it is too late for America to be redeemed and that our nation is already under God's judgment (article here). I find it interesting that he is saying this as an older man in his 80's. Would he have this outlook if he had more years on earth ahead of him? How does he think that makes us all feel about our future serving the Lord? Only God knows the future of our nation and world. We need to trust and obey Him.
I also found this article--written by a godly man who attended and later taught as a professor at The Master's College--fascinating. He appeals to them in a godly way. He says that their theology is sound, but suggests that the culture is very cult-like. He also lists several instances of strong control being exercised by MacArthur. You can read it here.
Last week, I made a pretty harsh statement online about John MacArthur in response to a quote. I worded it a bit strongly, and said more than I should have. A Christian brother I don't even know called me to account, and I am grateful. He recognized me as a Christian sister in doing so. I reworded the comment later, while keeping the meaning there. But even with much more kindly-worded language, I had two people tell me that if I dislike John MacArthur, it means I'm going to hell. That is scary that they think John MacArthur, not Jesus Christ, is the way, truth and life.
Obviously, I don't know the man. I am sharing the experiences I have had, and my reaction to it. It appears to me that he mentions everything that makes the Christian life a joy (the Holy Spirit working in us, the Bible applying to our lives, God meeting us where we're at and ministering to us, and relationships with Christian friends who go to different churches) and takes all of that away from us. I have no wish to tear down a godly leader, but after examining all of this, I wonder if he could be called godly. He might have pristine theology, but is the Holy Spirit guiding the rather outlandish things he is saying and doing? Jesus said in John 13:35 that a watching would would know we are His children by our love for each other--not by how we nitpick each other. It appears to me that MacArthur is falling far short in that department.
I have tried to speak as kindly as I could. Now it is your turn. If you have a comment in regards to all of this, you are welcome to share (ether in comments, or through other means of contact, which many of you already do). If I truly misunderstand all of this, please tell me. It would take a lot for me to change my perspective, but I am very willing to hear you out. Thank you for letting me share.
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