bookslover
Puritan Board Doctor
A little over a week ago, John MacArthur turned 82. So, I thought it might be a good idea to visit his church to see him preach "live" one last time. My late wife and I visited his church occasionally over the years in the 1980s and 1990s, so it had been awhile since I'd last seen him in person, so to speak.
Currently, his church (Grace Community Church of the Valley, in Sun Valley, California) has one morning service, at 10:30, because of the COVID pandemic. He announced this morning that, probably starting on the first Sunday in August, the church will be returning to two AM services. From where I sat (way in the back), I saw three people wearing masks. There may have been more, but those are the only three I saw in the very packed sanctuary.
MacArthur may be 82, but he preached for a full 52 minutes on 1 Thessalonians 1, a very good sermon on the marks of a true church. He speaks a little more slowly than he used to, but his sermon was clear and well-organized, and his main points (he is still the king of alliteration) stood out well. The congregation was quiet and attentive. Remarkably, for a group that size, not one cellphone went off.
The congregation stood for the reading of the Scriptures (MacArthur read all of 1 Thessalonians 1-2, from the new Legacy Standard Bible translation), which I don't remember his church doing before. There was also a benediction at the end of the service, which I also don't remember from the past.
There was a choir of about 85 voices, and an orchestra of about 20 or so musicians. Stephen Sturz, who has been the organist there for many years, was also present and doing his thing. The service began at 10:30, and MacArthur began preaching at 11:20 (there was a fair amount of congregational singing). The service was over by about 12:20 or so.
No, MacArthur may not be fully Reformed, so that we don't agree with him about everything, but he is still, for my money, one of the most gifted preachers of the modern era. I've been listening to him off and on since 1980, the year I got saved. MacArthur was 41 in 1980, so I've been listening to him for literally half his lifetime.
I was edified by his sermon, and enjoyed cruising through the bookstore (natch!), which is still one of the more serious Christian bookstores around - of the few that still exist. Ain't no fluff in that store. It has a large theology section, a large section of the Puritan Paperbacks, etc.
One of the staff pastors took the evening service (I was not there). As far as I know, MacArthur does not take the evening service anymore.
I suppose he will continue to pastor the church as long as his health permits and as long as he feels the Lord wants him there. I don't think he'll be retiring any time soon, but who knows?
Currently, his church (Grace Community Church of the Valley, in Sun Valley, California) has one morning service, at 10:30, because of the COVID pandemic. He announced this morning that, probably starting on the first Sunday in August, the church will be returning to two AM services. From where I sat (way in the back), I saw three people wearing masks. There may have been more, but those are the only three I saw in the very packed sanctuary.
MacArthur may be 82, but he preached for a full 52 minutes on 1 Thessalonians 1, a very good sermon on the marks of a true church. He speaks a little more slowly than he used to, but his sermon was clear and well-organized, and his main points (he is still the king of alliteration) stood out well. The congregation was quiet and attentive. Remarkably, for a group that size, not one cellphone went off.
The congregation stood for the reading of the Scriptures (MacArthur read all of 1 Thessalonians 1-2, from the new Legacy Standard Bible translation), which I don't remember his church doing before. There was also a benediction at the end of the service, which I also don't remember from the past.
There was a choir of about 85 voices, and an orchestra of about 20 or so musicians. Stephen Sturz, who has been the organist there for many years, was also present and doing his thing. The service began at 10:30, and MacArthur began preaching at 11:20 (there was a fair amount of congregational singing). The service was over by about 12:20 or so.
No, MacArthur may not be fully Reformed, so that we don't agree with him about everything, but he is still, for my money, one of the most gifted preachers of the modern era. I've been listening to him off and on since 1980, the year I got saved. MacArthur was 41 in 1980, so I've been listening to him for literally half his lifetime.
I was edified by his sermon, and enjoyed cruising through the bookstore (natch!), which is still one of the more serious Christian bookstores around - of the few that still exist. Ain't no fluff in that store. It has a large theology section, a large section of the Puritan Paperbacks, etc.
One of the staff pastors took the evening service (I was not there). As far as I know, MacArthur does not take the evening service anymore.
I suppose he will continue to pastor the church as long as his health permits and as long as he feels the Lord wants him there. I don't think he'll be retiring any time soon, but who knows?