Well-known author and pastor John MacArthur has been hospitalized for two weeks and is recovering “slower than expected” from multiple recent surgeries, his California megachurch, Grace Community Church (GCC), announced on Sunday.
The 85-year-old MacArthur has “suffered a series of health issues that kept him out of the pulpit and required three surgeries in the second half of 2024,” said GCC elder and staff pastor Tom Patton.
“His recovery has been slower than expected, with occasional setbacks affecting his heart, lungs, and kidneys,” Patton said. “The doctors have not yet discovered any single root cause for these diverse troubles, and John has been hospitalized for the past two weeks undergoing tests and treatments.”
MacArthur did not preach at GCC from July to November of last year, according to a report in The Christian Post. He returned to the pulpit on November 24, the Sunday prior to Thanksgiving, saying, “I’m still here, and thankful to the Lord for that.”
The public statement follows a Facebook post last week by GCC elder Phil Johnson, who is also executive director of MacArthur’s Grace To You radio ministry. Johnson confirmed MacArthur’s hospitalization and pushed back on social media rumors that implied his boss was near death.
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Johnson confirmed MacArthur is “getting treatment for some symptoms that have plagued his recovery from heart-valve replacement (and) the persistence of these symptoms is a concern.”
He added: “But the suggestion that he has been handed over to palliative care is a sinister lie . . . There’s no conspiracy by the elders at GCC to keep people from hearing information they need to know.”
Johnson concluded, “Beyond what I’ve said here, it’s John’s & his family’s prerogative to make public announcements about his health whenever and however they see fit.”
History of obscuring MacArthur’s health problems
In his recent social media post, Johnson confirmed the rarity of GCC providing updates on MacArthur’s health problems.
“John MacArthur has NEVER wanted public announcements to be made about his health,” wrote Johnson. “It’s one of his quirks, and it is a years-old policy of his. The scarcity of public announcements about his health is not something unique to this current illness.”
As The Roys Report (TRR) previously reported, on January 1, 2023, MacArthur was absent from GCC’s pulpit after preaching in the first service.
Patton initially told congregants that MacArthur “had a bug.” Later updates stated MacArthur was “under the weather.”
After MacArthur missed two additional Sundays, the church stated on its website that MacArthur underwent a surgical procedure “needed to clear some blockage in his arteries.”
Prior to this, in December 2020 and January 2021, while embroiled in a lawsuit with California and Los Angeles County for defying bans on indoor worship, MacArthur was absent from the pulpit for several weeks.
MacArthur has since admitted that he had COVID.
Yet, at the time, GCC said MacArthur was “resting” and preparing for an upcoming conference.
Last week, Johnson said there is “nothing perfidious” about MacArthur’s “understandable policy” of silence about his health problems.
“It’s frankly tiresome having to answer thousands of questions about one’s health—AND deal with scores of quack remedies given by well-meaning persons,” stated Johnson.
Elder Patton urged congregants to pray for MacArthur’s attending physicians “to identify a suitable treatment or treatments. And, for John, that he will recover strength and health enough to resume public ministry.”
“Please pray earnestly and steadfastly. Our pastor desires to return to his beloved church soon.”
Freelance journalist Josh Shepherd writes on faith, culture, and public policy for several media outlets. He and his family live in central Florida.
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8 Responses
I don’t wish ill on anyone, even J Mac, but think it’s indicative of his character that he has his people regularly lie about his health when he’s sick or infirm. having 3 surgeries is not “under the weather” and having covid during a global pandemic is not “resting for a conference”. It’s lying, plain and simple, and a weird thing to lie about. Sure, he can be private about his health, but that doesn’t mean he needs to actively lie about it. That’s definitely sin.
I agree. You can protect your privacy without lying.
According to The American Heart Association, Cleveland Clinic, John Hopkins, Mayo Clinic, etc… Covid can do damage to the heart, kidneys, and lungs.
Hiding the covid diagnosis seems to have been about pride more than privacy.
Oh, I’m SURE hiding his Covid was about pride- since he did so much to flaunt the government mandates, minimize the harm, and actively hide the spread, infections and death happening on his campuses (church, college, seminary). I’m sure that’s why he and his handlers lied about it.
and long term effects of covid have been keeping some people very sick. it wouldn’t be shocking for him to have continued complications. it would also not be shocking for him and his church to continue to lie about it.
Yes, being private about health is fine, but lying is another thing altogether.
Agree that the initial lying about having Covid was probably an extension of all the lying (or, to interpret it generously, parroting lies that he heard from others) MacArthur was doing at the time about the dangers of Covid, along with the way he was prioritizing the business of his church over the heath of his neighbors.
Especially at his age, it would indeed not be surprising if the damage from Covid (especially since I think his case would have been before effective treatments like Paxlovid were available) has made him less able to recover from things.
“The doctors have not yet discovered any single root cause for these diverse troubles …”
I suggest that being 85 years old is the “single root cause.” Best wishes for recovery and retirement to Mr. MacArthur.
Heavenly Father, we lift up your servant John MacArthur and ask for healing. Comfort him and his family. We’re so grateful for his ministry and trust you with his care. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
Amen! I agree with this loving prayer and have been blessed with his ministry for 40 years.
We all live in this fallen world, seek who you will serve. As for me and my family we will serve the Lord. May God bless each and every one of you, he’s a big God.