Pastor John MacArthur has announced his readiness to return to the pulpit at Grace Community Church after a year fraught with significant medical challenges.
In a video shared on Grace to You's social media platforms, MacArthur, 85, remarked, “The rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated,” expressing enthusiasm for resuming his ministerial duties.
He assured his followers, saying, “I feel fine. I'm not ill at all. My heart is working well. My lungs are working well. There's nothing terminal that I'm experiencing. There's no heart failure. In fact, my heart is probably stronger now than it's been in the last decade of my life. I'm under good care from the doctors.”
MacArthur’s recent health struggles included multiple heart procedures and lung surgery, culminating in a seven-week hospitalization. His health saga began in January 2023 when he was admitted for breathing difficulties shortly after delivering a sermon at the church's first service of the year. Over the following months, he underwent three heart surgeries and a lung procedure, facing complications that required extended medical supervision.
“The issue for me was when they were trying to regulate everything because I had a lung surgery and three heart procedures, they put me in the hospital,” he explained. Despite these setbacks, he remained optimistic, stating, “I feel great. I'm ready to come roaring back into the public and pick up my ministry again.”
While he did not specify when he might return to the pulpit, Phil Johnson, executive director of Grace to You and an elder at Grace Community Church, confirmed that MacArthur was discharged from the hospital in February, clarifying earlier misinformation about his release and emphasizing the pastor’s steady progress at home.
With a prolific career as a pastor, author, and broadcaster, MacArthur has established himself as a leading voice among Evangelicals, with Grace to You reaching millions through radio, books, and digital platforms. He has delivered over 3,000 sermons since 1969 during his 56-year tenure as pastor-teacher at the Sun Valley congregation, according to Grace to You.
