Phil Johnson, the director of John MacArthur’s broadcast ministry, Grace to You, doxed me yesterday in a document he posted online. When confronted, Johnson defended what he did.
To dox someone is to publish private or identifying information about that person, especially as a form of punishment or revenge. Doxing is illegal in California and punishable up to one year in jail or a fine of $1,000.
In my case, Johnson published my home address. This was in response to an article I posted this week about the salaries, secrecy, and lifestyle of Johnson’s boss, John MacArthur. My article also noted that Grace to You (GTY) paid Johnson a $230K+ salary and a sizeable loan, which was fully forgiven.
Johnson included my address in a letter he posted online and then linked to in a tweet. After I confronted Johnson publicly for what he had done, he blurred the address in the online letter, which still includes my city and zip code. Johnson did not comment about what he had done, but instead defended publishing my address in a tweet.
The tweet below shows both the original letter Johnson posted, which has been modified to obscure my address, beside the letter with the blurred address:
Your tax-deductible gift helps our journalists report the truth and hold Christian leaders and organizations accountable. Give a gift of $30 or more to The Roys Report this month, and you will receive a copy of “Hurt and Healed by the Church” by Ryan George. To donate, click here.
I have a copy of non-blurred. pic.twitter.com/5HvmEjQFob
— Paul Nuñez (@nunez_paul81) February 6, 2021
In Johnson’s initial tweet with a link to the letter (3 of 5 tweets Johnson posted Friday), Johnson complained that I had cherrypicked quotes in my story and “didn’t link to full versions” of certain documents.
3/5 Apparently she quoted from me in this latest eruption of her monomania, but she didn't link to full versions of the documents she cherry-picked quotes from. Perhaps it's because these include data that don't fit her narrative:https://t.co/wwwDfw2bzAhttps://t.co/h5rraq4umL
— Phil Johnson (@Phil_Johnson_) February 5, 2021
Yet Johnson later admitted in a tweet that he had never mailed the letter with my address that he posted online. He sent me an email instead. Plus, while the online letter is dated “23 March 2020,” the document’s embedded metadata shows the letter was created on February 3, 2021, at 5:14 p.m. CT (3:14 p.m. PST). That’s the same day I published my article on MacArthur.
When asked on twitter about the creation of the letter, Johnson claimed that he had created a hardcopy of the letter in March “for his files.” He says he then scanned the letter to a pdf more recently.
No, that’s just how I format letters. But because at the time she was Tweeting nonstop trying to drum up hysteria about COVID at ShepConf, to expedite her getting it, I copied the text into an email & sent it. I kept the hard copy for my files & scanned it to a pdf this week.
— Phil Johnson (@Phil_Johnson_) February 6, 2021
However, the original PDF of the letter, which is no longer available online but I have in my possession, is editable and the font appears to be real and not a picture. Also, a link to the GTY website at the bottom of the letter is active, which would not be the case in a scanned document. (This link was also active in the revised letter with my address blurred at the time of publishing.)
Additionally, in the letter posted online, the name of GTY CFO David Fisk is removed and appears as “D_____ F_____.”
Yet, there would have been no reason to redact the name in a letter sent to me in March. The email Johnson sent me in March included Fisk’s name.
Other than Fisk’s name and the letterhead and signature, the only difference between the email and the letter Johnson posted is the addition of my address.
I tweeted to Johnson about the issues with his story about the letter’s creation, but he did not respond.
There are similar issues with the second document Johnson posted, which was also linked in Johnson’s tweet about the letter. In his tweet, Johnson suggests that the document was available to me before I published. However, like the letter Johnson posted, the metadata for the second document shows it was created on February 3, 2021, as well—at 7:02 p.m.
I reached out to Johnson on twitter to explain the discrepancy in dates concerning the second document, but as of time of publishing, he did not respond.
Content of Documents
The original email Johnson sent me on March 23, 2020, was a response to my request for information about MacArthur’s salary, the GTY board, and GTY contracts with MacArthur family members.
Johnson’s email was sent to me soon after I had reported that a person who had attended the 2020 Shepherds’ Conference at Grace Community Church had contracted COVID-19 and died.
In the email, Johnson accuses me of “making false accusations” and “scandalmongering”; likens my website to “the nests of busybodies”; and says I am “bent on destroying another’s reputation.”
Johnson closes by saying he will never correspond with me again, nor will anyone from GTY. (I included this information in my recent financial article about MacArthur.)
The second document Johnson posted appears to be an expanded version of the statement Johnson posted to the Sharper Iron website in 2014. (I linked to the statement at Sharper Iron in my recent article on MacArthur, as well.)
The expanded version Johnson posted today includes a paragraph defending GTY’s multi-million-dollar contracts with John MacArthur’s son-in-law, Kory Welch.
Johnson says GTY chose to use Welch because “his company’s work is excellent,” “his bid was competitive,” and “he has easier access to record John than any other videographers would.”
Johnson’s expanded version of his statement also calls critics of MacArthur “busybodies guilty of sinful scandal-mongering.”
Tweets Fail to Answer Questions
Johnson’s series of five tweets he posted Friday are the only responses from GTY, Grace Community Church (GCC), or The Master’s University and Seminary to the serious governance and financial issues I raised in my article on MacArthur.
The tweets fail to answer why MacArthur appears to make three full-time salaries from his ministries when he seemingly works part-time for at least two of them. They also give no explanation for MacArthur’s expensive lifestyle, which includes three luxury homes. Nor do the tweets address why MacArthur’s sons and Johnson, a key employee, served on the GTY board for decades.
However, in two tweets Johnson offered an explanation for why Grace Community Church (GCC) withdrew from the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) on April 2. This was less than two weeks after ECFA contacted GCC, urging the church to release their financial statements to me in compliance with ECFA standards.
In one tweet, Johnson said Grace Church dropped its membership “since the church doesn’t solicit donations from the general public.”
In a tweet to someone else, Johnson stated that GCC left ECFA because of “a disagreement over how much information needs to be made public, even for non-church members and non-donors.
Other tweets of Johnson’s were mainly ad hominem arguments, calling my work “scandalmongering twaddle” and “shoddy,” and alleging I’m not a “legitimate journalist” and likening me to “relentless busybodies and gossipmongers.”
Below is Johnson’s initial thread of five tweets:
2/5 Others have already pointed out the shoddy features of her latest screed. It frankly doesn't warrant much of a response. Ms. Roys's unhealthy, longstanding fixation with trying to discredit JM is too obvious anyway. However—
— Phil Johnson (@Phil_Johnson_) February 5, 2021
4/5 Since those documents (both more than a year old) already answered several of her main accusations, I'm not going to waste time saying more. As I told her directly, I don't consider her a legitimate journalist.
And she seems bent on proving me right.
— Phil Johnson (@Phil_Johnson_) February 5, 2021
5/5 That's really all I have to say. Though I'm willing to answer honest questions from fair-minded people, it is my general policy not to reply (especially on Twitter) to relentless busybodies and gossipmongers who appear to have malicious intent.
— Phil Johnson (@Phil_Johnson_) February 5, 2021
I am not posting the original PDF of Johnson’s letter including my address because I do not wish to dox myself. However, the tweet below gives more detailed metadata information on the original PDF Johnson posted of my letter.
"If you save any doc as a PDF it will say it was created yesterday" — Well, that depends on the source.
I just downloaded the letter in question, and as you can see, it still contains metadata; which can be altered by the creator and receiver, if skilled. @ModernDayZorro pic.twitter.com/zyrvRPsKTn
— David West (@InfinitelyManic) February 5, 2021
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100 Responses
Speaking of one of Israel’s “good” kings (52 years), Uzziah, 2 Chronicles 26:15b-16a (ESV) defines his downfall: “And his fame spread far, for he was marvelously helped, till he was strong. But when he was strong, he grew proud, to his destruction.” Uzziah’s affluence (read 2 Chronicle. 26:1-15) ultimately resulted in pride, his downfall.
John MacArthur—at 81, with 52 years successfully building, faithfully preaching God’s Word, as pastor, the same church, and seemingly “marvelously helped” by our Lord—has reached a time of notable affluence. May his besetting sin now be pride?
John MacArthur’s expositional teaching was so important to me as I was just learning the Word. Yet, I do not necessarily now think of him as such an exceptional example of one walking by the Spirit particularly recently. It is so influential to the sheep how leaders walk.
It is such a reminder that though we are new creations, we all struggle continually with the flesh. Paul tells us that the deeds of the flesh are evident. He tells us to eat solid food and practice to have our senses trained to distinguish between good and evil. It is very sobering that he tells us if we sow to the flesh, we reap destruction.
These are humbling words for us as we make and speak judgements and try to learn and practice what is pleasing to the Lord.
Dear Posters of Comments,
I am always trying to practice and improve my poetry. This nice Sunday morning my Muse threw at me a meditation about Big Mac. I append it below. It still needs a little work, and perhaps someone out there might help me fine tune it. Here ’tis:
Baahed! the sheep of Big Baahd John MacArthur,
“We refuse at his trough to feed farther.
It’s clear nobody knows
This wolf in our clothes
Who like a car should be recalled to Detroit –or better yet even to faraway Darfur!”
Pitifully poetically,
Rev./Dr. “Jimmy Burns,” the Schnappsburg Poet Laureate
a/k/a James Lutzweiler
Archivist (1999-2013), Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary
The most enjoyable part of all of this is the reveal of how ignorant Phil is. His hubris has caught up with him, as his half truths and lies stack up. And apparently he never thought he’d get called out on this. How little he understands how Julie operates.
Note to Phil Johnson: it’s better to lead with the truth, bad or good, in the future. And/or shut your yapper and save us the trouble.
Just a few thoughts……
1. I love JM and am grateful for his years of faithful ministry of God’s word.
2. I’m just reminded that how we start is NOT how we finish sometimes.
3. Ministry is messy(and I hate that).
4. I love my Sister Julie Roys (thank you for keeping us informed).
5. Money and Ministry DONT mix.
6. It looks like JM will have to apologize to every prosperity preacher he’s spoken against (can you say hypocrisy).
“He had, in fact, got everything from the church and Sunday School, except, perhaps, any longing whatever for decency and kindness and reason.”
Lewis, Sinclair. Elmer Gantry
When I was a fairly new, young Christian, I often listened to GTY when I was driving to my off-campus internship. I found MacAruthur’s exposition of the Word refreshing and a blessing. That was in the late 70s. My home church, which was IFCA, was very upset with JMac for being 1) a Lordship salvationist, and 2) a five-point Calvinist. I came to some of my own conclusions along the way, but I appreciated the teaching I received from GTY. I do think there is a lot of pride involved, however, with MacArthur’s current actions. It’s almost as if he speaks excathedra-my church, my seminary, my funds, my (fill in the blank). I hope he gets a clue before he goes to be with Jesus, or before his little kingdom implodes on him. I would think that all the drama in his church regarding COVID (or the fact that he probably had it) would bring some humility, but apparently not.
There was a certain pastor/church in South Carolina a number of years ago where one of the members (and others) began to question decisions that were being made. One of the pastor’s men began harassing the gentleman who raised the concerns. I believe this gentleman was a professor in a college. The college received a letter supposedly from the professor resigning from his position, which he had not. The pastor’s man became an attack dog even driving past the home of the professor and noting the children’s play equipment in the back and sending a threatening letter about how it would be a shame if his children were hurt. I believe a lawsuit followed in which the professor did win. As you can imagine there was rift between the pastor and his attack man as fingers were pointed as to whose fault it was that things got escalated to the point they did.
Tragically, it appears that Phil Johnson is moving down this path. He has already crossed the legal line with his doxing. If some of you writing on this blog are friends of Phil Johnson, I would recommend that you move alongside him and caution him about his direction — for his sake and also for the reputation of GCC. Blind anger and rage is a terrible thing and will cause one to cross lines and end up places they never intended to be.
PS – here’s the link if you want to see the similarities that are beginning to occur – https://www.apprising.org/2013/01/04/bloggers-lawsuit-for-harassment-against-perry-noble-and-newspring-church-reaches-settlement/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+apprising%2F2+%28Apprising+Ministries%29
Look at Phil Johnson’s history of blogging. Him and his buddies are awful human beings. One of them was an elder at my church who accused every critic or questioner of having no faith and evil intentions.
These men are evil.
Have you watched Phil Johnson defending John McA for saying that taking the mark of the beast won’t affect salvation (contrary to Scripture – Revelation 14:9-11)? It’s truly remarkable to watch. It’s an interview by Doreen Virtue from several months ago. I am not a fan of hers and she is too reverential to Calvinists but it often happens that people expose themselves more during “soft” interviews when their guard is down (as is the case with Johnson in this interview)
John Mac Worship causes one to not be able to be obedient to te word of God.
This is evident when looking at how his followers will always attack those bring something to light about him, GTY or TMS.
One of Johns more recent disciples goes by the name of Doreen Virtue. Se was a professing new ager, now Christian youtbuber/celeb.
Doreen got picked up by those in the John Mac Calvinist circle, she is now a professing Calvinist.
She had Phil Johnson on her youtube channel and had him explain and make excuse for John Macs teaching that you can take te mark of the beast and still go to heaven.
Phils excuse was taken as if it is the gospel.
These people will never admit when John is in the wrong, they will rather make a scene and attack anyone who brings any issue to light regarding John,GTY or TMS.
In this circle you find some of the most vulgar, hardened and un-Christlike men, men such as Chris Rosebrough, JD Hall and that guy from te bible thumping wingnut.
It very much looks and sounds like a cult, and their master is John Mac.
Exactly! And by coincidence I just mentioned that interview to the commenter above! As a former lost Roman Catholic, I discern the exact same sycophancy and idolatry among Calvinists as there is towards RC clergy and popes.
I watched several documentaries on the RC sex abuse scandals and one of the most shocking things (among many) was hearing how many parents didn’t believe their kids and actually punished them for “daring” to accuse the priests of such behavior. This is where idolatry leads. As one damaged child now in adulthood reflected: “all the adults looked on the priests as if they were Jesus”.
Anyone who has read the Bible has noticed how many times we are told that God “shows no partiality”. And neither should we.
TRUTH should always be the most important thing. I cannot think of anything more UNChristian than defending wrong, whoever that wrong is done by.
Note to Julie – ppl don’t like it when u threaten their pocketbook or mess w their power structure. Look what they did to our Lord!
the Lord had no pocketbook or power structure on earth.
I think TJ James was saying Jesus was the one doing the messing.
The Bible says you shall know them by their fruit. Lying, cover ups, and retaliation are the fruits of evil. These are the behaviors of a criminal enterprise, not a Christian ministry. What’s next, having someone kneecapped? Where’s the ‘Grace To You’ in this ministry’s actions? This guy needs to be fired. So glad I’ve always seen through this ‘ministry’ and never listened to their radio program or donated anything to them.
I’m really sorry they did that to you, Julie. Don’t let it intimidate you. I have some some experience confronting JMac’s followers about sin, and I can tell you this is not unusual behavior for them. They will get nasty and defensive when challenged and questioned and presented with facts. It is not the behavior of honest and transparent and open people. I believe these are strong indicators of just how cult-like JMac’s empire is.
Julie, thank you for your work. You’re dealing with a cult. Their response reveals their true character. They will protect the goose that lays the golden egg. JM didn’t started this way but it is the people around him who has found a lucrative way of making a living for themselves that has corrupted him. Their defense is consistently simple: entitlement. Investigate the many staffs who have left or jettisoned and you will discover a mansion of skeletons.
Pray that the Lord Jesus will be with Julie and her family. May God expose these greedy hirelings even more.
All I know is what Peter said these wolves look like
They will make merchandise out of you!
Jesus said Feed my sheep not eat my sheep
And these shepherds are spiritually Obese eating the very malnourished lean sheep
There is a prophecy to these shepherds !!
Ezekiel 34
WOE TO YOU SHEPHERDS! Who are fat and my sheep Lean!!
No more needs to be said
I would be interested in all the pastors that the roys report and its members endorse. Please post up.
Grace and peace to you.
Jeff
I would be interested in all the pastors you know that…
Meet the 17+, very, very tough Qualifications…
Given by Paul, and most likely by Jesus…
For elders who desire to be overseers…
Found in 1 Tim 3:1-7, Titus 1:5-8.
The Bible talks about elders who desire to be overseers.
And qualifications for elders who desire to be overseers.
Can you have one without the other?
If a pastor? elder? overseer? does NOT Qualify???
Shouldn’t they remove themselves?
And be a good example to His Flock?
Jeff
Here’s just three Qualifications in Titus…
That “many” congregations and pastors “Ignore,” or “Twist.”
1 – Must Be *BLAMELESS.*
2 – *JUST,* 3 – *HOLY,*
Titus 1:5-8 KJV
…ordain elders in every city…
If any be *BLAMELESS,*
the husband of one wife,
having faithful children
NOT accused of riot or unruly.
1 – For a bishop “Must Be” *BLAMELESS,*
as the steward of God;
NOT self willed,
NOT soon angry,
NOT given to wine,
NO striker,
NOT given to filthy lucre;
a lover of hospitality,
a lover of good men,
sober,
2 – *JUST,*
3 – *HOLY,*
temperate;
1 – *Must Be*
Strongs #1163, die. – It is necessary (as binding).
Thayer’s – necessity established by the counsel and decree of God.
This *must be* is the same Greek word…
You *must be* born again. Jn 3:7
Seems to be a small word but very important. Yes?
1 – BLAMELESS
Strongs #410 anegkletos – unaccused, irreproachable, blameless.
Thayers – cannot be called into account, unreproveable, unaccused.
Dictionary – Without fault, innocent, guiltless, not meriting censure.
How many, pastor/leader/reverends, who honestly examine themselves, seriously considering this one qualification,
can see themselves as BLAMELESS, without fault, innocent, and thus qualify to be an elder/overseer?
And if you can see yourself as BLAMELESS?
Is that pride? And NO longer without fault? :-)
——-
Isa 3:12 KJV
O my people, they which lead thee
cause thee to err,
and destroy the way of thy paths.
Isa 9:16 KJV
For the leaders of this people
cause them to err;
and they that are led of them are destroyed.
Here are two more “Qualifications” found in Titus…
That most pastor/elder/overseers, “Ignore,”or “Twist.”
2 – JUST
Strongs #1342 – dikaios {dik’-ah-yos} from 1349;
Thayers – 1) righteous, observing divine laws
1a) in a wide sense, upright, righteous, virtuous,
keeping the commands of God
1a2) innocent, faultless, guiltless
1a3) used of him whose way of thinking, feeling, and acting
is wholly conformed to the will of God,
3 – HOLY
Strongs #3741 – hosios {hos’-ee-os}
Thayers – 1) undefiled by sin, free from wickedness,
religiously observing every moral obligation, pure holy, pious.
——-
Now that’s three tough Qualifications for
“pastor/leader/elder/overseer” – Yes?
1 – Must Be BLAMELESS.
2 – JUST. 3 – HOLY.
——-
Do you know many? pastor/elder/overseers?
Who meet just these three qualifications?
——-
What should a pastor/elder/overseer do?
When they do NOT Qualify?
——-
Ps 138:6
Though the LORD be high,
yet hath he respect unto the lowly:
but the proud he knoweth afar off.
Ps 40:4
Blessed is that man that maketh the LORD his trust,
and respecteth not the proud,
nor such as turn aside to lies.
That is a strawman argument.
That’s like writing to a newspaper which exposes a fraudulent company and asking them to publish a list of the companies they endorse!
There are thousands of global ministries which go about their business quietly and honestly, just as there are thousands of decent (and, may I add, TRANSPARENT) secular companies.
When you see Diotrophes being called out in 3rd John (or the several ministry colleagues of Paul being called out in his letters), is your reaction to think “I think they should list the disciples they endorse”??
To me, the most egregious thing J Mac is doing is denying COVID completely, and now people are starting to die. This is a breaking of the 6th commandment, You Shall Not Kill.
Ms. Roys, there is an old J Mac sermon that I wish you could find. I lived in Los Angeles from 1988-1994. I attended J Mac’s church with my wife one time. I cannot remember the year, but it was somewhere around 1990 I think. It took place on missions Sunday. J Mac preached on the great commission, and he got into baptism. And for him baptism must be by immersion. I am a presbyterian so I do not take this as an absolute.
He told the story of how a ventilator dependent quadriplegic in the hospital heard a radio sermon of his and became a Christian. My wife is a health care worker who has spent her life working with spinal injury patients, people like Joni Earickson Tada. A vent dependent quadriplegic is someone whose spinal injury is so debilitating, they cannot even breathe on their own, they must have a ventilator at all times to even breath.
In obedience to Jesus and J Mac’s command, the quad wanted to baptized. Of course it had to be by immersion. So, four of his friends came, took him to a swimming pool, put the quad on a tarp, then quickly removed the quad from his ventilator, immersed him in the pool, and quickly pulled him out before he died. J Mac gloried in their obedience, and boasted in how one of his converts, in obedience to J Mac’s command, risked his life to be baptized by immersion.
My very compassionate wife freaked out in the middle of the sermon. She said, “Does that idiot realize that those four idiot friends just about killed the quadriplegic? Had he died, they would have been charged with manslaughter!”
Now that may seem like a little thing, but it’s not. J Mac’s inability to see that the 6th commandment requires that you do NOT immerse a vent dependent quadriplegic shows what pharisee and false prophet he is. It presages his current callous disregard for human life by defying the California government, by denying covid, but not having people wear masks, and by bullying people who do want to report sickness and death. Now that people are starting to die because of this false teaching, we literally have criminal behavior.
Ms Roys, at the time this sermon was preached, J Mac was peddling his sermons on cassette tapes. So it’s not on the internet. But it would be something to get a hold of that sermon. It would shed much light on his COVID denial now. I am sorry I cannot remember the date it was preached any better than what I say above!
Wow, I never heard that. It’s extremely shocking.
It amazes me that people don’t question the fact that Calvin was a confessed murderer (and despot) and yet his followers today (like McArthur and Johnson) see no problem taking his name.
Any decent secular person would be horrified at much of Calvin’s writings.
For me, Calvinism isn’t Christianity and that is the root of every issue concerning them.
IF what you say is true, I would think that if asked today MacArthur would not do that. All believers need time to mature and grow, including myself. Paul said he would not judge himself, but Christ would. Paul was accused in his day of actions and motives in his ministry. I met John MacArthur and asked him to sign my Bible. I said it’s not a John MacArthur Bible, a bit apologetically, and he replied that’s ok with a smile. Through the years I have appreciated his stance for the faith delivered to the Apostles from Christ so I asked for an autograph which I done a few times with other ministers.
You are truly off the rails.
“However, the original PDF of the letter, which is no longer available online but I have in my possession, is editable and the font appears to be real and not a picture.”
Yeah, that’s how acrobat works. It’s a feature. It detects text and makes it editable. You need to repent.
There are programs that will do this, but according to the metadata it’s very unlikely that’s what was done. Interestingly, I asked Phil Johnson directly to explain the apparent lie and he still has not done so. See twitter thread: https://twitter.com/reachjulieroys/status/1357890247170883584
What exactly does she need to repent of? Phil Johnson doxed Julie Roys, not the other way around. It would be strange indeed to insist that a victim repent for… revealing that she has been victimized? That is a classic abuser mentality. Not calling you an abuser – I don’t know you from Adam – but just pointing out the dangerous implications of what you’re suggesting.
Does anyone remember when Johnson deleted his Twitter account for a few days? I see some similarities with his recent posts. I’ll let him explain it himself: http://www.romans45.org/misc/twitter.htm
Didn’t you possibly Dox John McArthur, by revealing his home, and incomes online? Just sayin’?????
No. Aerial photos do not identify a home like a home address. And MacArthur’s incomes that I published are from public IRS 990s. They are required by the govt because the govt understands that organizations that take donations owe transparency to their donors.
When all this blows over…and it will…John MacArthur and Phil Johnson will still be bringing the truth of the gospel to millions, and your 15 minutes as a character assassin of fellow believers will be over. This is not advancing the gospel.
Phil acted a bit petulant, but can you blame him? Bad look for him, but it’s not even close to what you’re doing to yourself.
Yes, I do blame him. Even if I had done something wrong, doxing someone by creating what appears to be a fabricated document is unconscionable. But the fact remains that I did nothing wrong. I did what investigative reporters do. I researched and reported information of public interest. I don’t know what Phil is so upset about. If they’re not ashamed of his and MacArthur’s salaries and lifestyle, why do they mind that I made them public?
Greg said: Phil acted a bit petulant, but can you blame him?
A bit petulant?
Phil did something illegal and is hardly acting above reproach. How can you defend such blatant, ungodly behavior?
Even if what Julie did was wrong, which it was not, Phil’s retribution is hardly excusable for someone who claims to be a man of God.
How hypocritical is Julie Roy! The very first thing I saw on your page, in BIG LETTERS, was DONATE. You’re asking people for MONEY. You yourself are living a very comfortable lifestyle. MacArthur has never asked for money. But I know they gave away free of charge more than 40,000 study Bibles- I got one, free.
If you’re going to go after others, attacking them, expect to be scrutinised yourself.
Unlike MacArthur’s ministries, I am completely transparent with how I spend donated funds. It’s all posted here: https://julieroys.com/2019-2020-financial-statement/ I think you will see that my stipend (which is all I get; no benefits) is very modest.
Stephen, asking for donations is not the issue. Did you even read Julie’s article? This is about transparency and the appearance of hypocrisy. By the way, how do you know what kind of lifestyle Julie lives?
Julie – do you consider Phil Johnson to be a brother in Christ?
I do not know. He certainly professes Christ. Yet some of the fruit he produces is rancid. Only God knows the heart.
Julie I just want to say from the bottom of my heart I pray for you. My heart is really broken by what I see happening in the church on so many levels. I’m heartbroken at how you have been slandered and treated by professing Christians. I don’t know how I feel about everything you post, but I get the impression that your heart broken about the silence of the church so much, that you can do nothing but speak. That is something I can understand completely. When George Floyd was murdered I thought the church would stand up with courage with Christians in the black community and say we feel your pain… We wont let history repeat itself. Instead many of us who stood with these leaders in the american evangelical Christian community saw a response that we never expected. And were left so deeply hurt. But my hope is in the power of Jesus. He has the ability and power to cleanse and restore his church (like he did the temple). I miss your Moody show. Please guard your heart. Hold fast to what is good and listen to the voice of the Spirit… Even when its difficult. God bless you. Rooting for you.
Hi Julie – thank you for your reply. I may sound like I’m splitting a hair, but I want to make sure I’m being clear about what I’m asking. I’m not asking about the state of his heart, because as you said, only God can ultimately know that. I’m asking how you consider him when you interact with him – do you consider him to be a fellow child of God, or do you consider him to be a fraud? If you can’t answer “yes – I consider him to be a brother in Christ” then in my opinion, the answer is “no.” If you aren’t convinced by the fruit, then I think you have to consider him to be a wolf in sheep’s clothing, because actions speak louder than words. How you consider someone determines how you interact with him.
Plenty of information to debunk Julie’s next article on the MacArthur Study Bible. She claims on a YouTube interview that he says he did everything in the notes on the study Bible in an interview. I have audio where he states about 10 years ago. That he didn’t write every note and information on the Study Bible. However he and a team did general editing especially with the Old Testament. MacArthur never claimed he wrote all the notes.
If any movement is transparent and honest and is walking with the Lord, then it can open it´s doors and be transparent knowing there is nothing to hide. The recent revelations regarding Ravi Zacharías , have shown that all the reports about him were in fact true. All the refutations and denials by the mission have been exposed. I happened to come across the live broadcast of his memorial service , of which I had to depart after just 3 minutes. As I was watching a person described the watch he wore displayed in a glass case! Talk about idolatry. Phil Johnson does come over as a bully, seriously lacking humility. If one is defensive, rude, dismissive; condemning, and insulting, none of those traits are the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Sadly one can see the same jerk and default reaction that was evident in the Zacharías case. If John Macarthur has three houses and is content before the Lord with that, then just come and share that with his congregation; be transparent! Why all the defensiveness? I am a Pastor shepherding a church among the Lord´s people in Peru. I am supported by a mission from my country, and therefore would not accept any financial support from the church. We are able to support many families in desperate need during this time of the covid19 pandemic. Just remember that for every so-called famous Pastor who falls, there are thousands of faithful servants who will never be known until the day of judgment, who will remain faithful until the end. If John Macarthur and the church has been completely open and transparent regarding income and certain properties, the said article by Julie Roys would have been in the open market! Don´t try and shoot the messenger, but seek to truly give some GRACE FOR TODAY!
The reason for the unchristian response is that you’ve stirred the hornet’s nest Julie. you’ve only uncover three mansions and some money. Thats just the tip of the iceberg. Check out properties, accounts owned in other family members name, check out the different organizations, foundations where JM draws salaries. Check out the church loans and loan being forgiven at church. Check out the pay outs of elders they wanted to leave in silence. A church that has nothing to hide do not need Non disclosure agreements, will be transparent with their financial dealings and compensation packages. JM wrote a book on Integrity, I read that book years back…totally a disconnect of the talking and walking. Thank you Julie for your courage.