If you haven’t yet heard, John MacArthur, one of the most influential voices in evangelicalism, passed away Monday.
For many Christians, this news stirs up a storm of emotions—grief, reflection, maybe even relief. But for those of us who, for years, have been shouting from the rooftops about his troubling legacy—his callous heart, his cover-ups of sexual abuse, his silencing of victims like Eileen Gray, and his hostility toward women—his death feels like stepping into a minefield. How do we navigate this moment with grace, truth, and a commitment to justice when his defenders are out here acting like he was the second coming of Paul, lionizing his legacy without any hint of regard for the wounded left in his wake? Is this a time to remain silent and let the dead bury their dead? Or is this the time to insist on being heard, while an untold number of walking wounded watch millions of Christians sing the praises of a man who, for them, represents pain, suffering, and a cruelty that pushes them further and further from a true understanding of Christ’s love for them?
First, let me be clear: I don’t take any joy in someone’s suffering or death. Ezekiel 33:11 says, “As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live.” My heart worries for MacArthur’s soul, and I’m praying he had a moment of clarity, a chance to repent before he met Jesus. But his death doesn’t erase the harm he’s caused. It doesn’t wipe clean the stories of women and children who were betrayed by his leadership. And it sure doesn’t silence the call for accountability just because his time on earth is done. Death doesn’t get to be a get-out-of-jail-free card for spiritual abuse.
But too often, death is just that. I remember feeling the same way about Ravi Zacharias and others. We are talking about hugely influential faith leaders who spend their entire careers mixing powerful truth with covertly harmful conduct and resisting repentance for the harm they cause. When they die, you’re not allowed to call a spade a spade or to say they were really problematic people because you’ll be accused of lacking basic human empathy and kicking his/her loved ones while they’re down.
So you bite your tongue for a few years while the dust settles, but you won’t be allowed to speak up then either. Then you’ll be accused of cruelly slandering the dead who aren’t even there to defend themselves.
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Meanwhile, they’ll be romanticized and cemented into the annals of history as great leaders of the faith whose lives and ministries should be used as templates for countless other believers. And all the horrible things they did get passed down as excusable and justified in the court of Christian public opinion, and we perpetuate cycles of dysfunction and harm on a grand scale.
I don’t think this is okay.
“What on earth is this lady talking about?” some of you might be scratching your heads and asking. And it’s a fair question since it seems the majority of people haven’t heard about Eileen Gray or Hohn Cho or any of the litany of other horror stories emerging from his leadership.
So let’s start there. In 2001, Eileen went to MacArthur’s Grace Community Church (GCC) for help, desperate to protect her kids from her husband, David Gray, a teacher at the church, who was physically and emotionally abusing them. Later, it came out that he was sexually abusing them too.
What did MacArthur and his elders do? They gaslit and shamed her. They wrote formal letters on church letterhead accusing her of ruining her family by refusing to submit to their commands for her to return to the sham of a marriage.
“We strongly believe that it is time for you to remove the restraining order and return to end the separation from your husband,” they warned. “There are no longer sufficient reasons for the two of you to stay apart. We therefore are requesting that you forgive David, allow him to move back home, and once again follow his leadership as the Scripture teaches.”
Can we pause here for a minute to reflect on the brazen stupidity and recklessness of this counsel? How and why should anyone be expected to submit to the leadership of a man who beats her or molests her children? This kind of advice is liable to get somebody killed.
Thankfully, Eileen did not heed the counsel; a fact that resulted in additional letters from the church leaders. She tried to leave the church, but they wouldn’t even allow her to do that. They ultimately sent her a letter instructing her to “repent” for failing to obey them and warned that a failure to submit to their instruction would result in church discipline.
And that’s just what happened. On August 18, 2002, during the evening service at GCC, John MacArthur stepped up to the pulpit and, in front of a crowd of 8,000 congregants, announced that Eileen Gray had violated Matthew 18, that she refused to repent of her wickedness, that she was being subjected to church discipline, and that the entire church ought to essentially shun her and treat her like an unbeliever.
Friends, this is wicked. A battered, broken woman who was betrayed by the one man who promised to protect her was now left on her own to protect her children and herself from a violent man. Only to make things worse, the very group of people who OUGHT to have been there to support and care for her through this difficult time were now treating her as an enemy. If you don’t think Jesus would weep over this, I’m not sure what to tell you.
A few short years later in 2005, her husband David Gray was convicted on multiple counts of sexual and physical abuse of children. He is currently serving 21 years to life for his crimes. The same man whose leadership Eileen had been urged to follow. The same man they insisted posed no continued threat.
This would have been an excellent opportunity for John MacArthur and the leadership at Grace Community to model public repentance to their followers. But that repentance never came. Eileen never received an apology. John MacArthur never repented for the injury he had overseen. In fact, evidence suggests that MacArthur even signed his stamp of approval on a “ministry” David Gray started in prison called “Grace Prison Fellowship.”
Of the whole affair, Eileen recalls, “They rejected me. Every single person rejected me.”
This isn’t just a misstep; it’s a betrayal of everything Jesus stands for. Matthew 18:6 warns, “If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.” Protecting abusers while shaming victims? That’s causing the little ones to stumble, and it’s a serious offense in God’s eyes.
Then there’s the pattern. This isn’t a one-off. Multiple women have come forward saying GCC told them to stay with abusive husbands, even when those men were violent or sexually deviant. One woman was counseled to endure her husband’s abuse like a missionary endures persecution. Are you kidding me? Jesus didn’t call us to enable sin; He called us to confront it. Galatians 6:1 says, “Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently.” Gently, yes, but restore—not enable.
MacArthur’s church seems to have missed that memo, prioritizing “biblical” patriarchy over the safety of women and children. It’s a pattern that former Grace Community Church elder Hohn Cho documented when he confronted MacArthur about the numerous injustices women in the church were experiencing under his leadership. Cho’s cries fell on deaf ears. And don’t even get me started on the cover-up of Pastor Paul Guay’s sexual abuse, where MacArthur allegedly knew and did nothing. This isn’t shepherding; it’s spiritual malpractice.
What makes this so hard to navigate is the army of MacArthur loyalists who defend him like he’s untouchable. It’s almost cult-like, this idolatrous commitment to a man who’s been put on a pedestal so high it’s blocking out the Son. I’ve seen it on X—his followers dismissing victims’ stories, accusing whistleblowers like Julie Roys of lying, and doubling down on MacArthur’s “biblical integrity.” This morning alone, I’ve been accused of fostering “the Jezebel spirit,” of “doing the work of demons,” and of needing to “repent” before I go to hell. For some, the consensus seems to be that any hint of criticism of John MacArthur’s ministry is clear and certain evidence of a reprobate heart, hellbent on rebelling against biblical truth.
Proverbs 18:13 hits hard here: “To answer before listening—that is folly and shame.” These defenders aren’t listening to the victims. They’re not wrestling with the evidence. They’re just shouting, “How dare you touch God’s anointed!” But Psalm 105:15 isn’t a shield for leaders who harm the flock; it’s a call for leaders to protect, not prey.
So why is this moment so challenging for those of us calling out MacArthur’s abuses? Because death complicates things. It’s tempting to soften the truth, to say, “Well, he’s gone, so let’s focus on the good he’s done.”
And sure, MacArthur’s written books and preached sermons that have helped many understand Scripture better. The same is true about Ravi Zacharias. I’m not denying that, and quite frankly, I’m not sure what to do with this reality. God has always been in the business of working things together for His glory, and He’s especially been in the business of using broken vessels to accomplish His purposes.
But 1 Corinthians 13:1-2 reminds us that all the theological accuracy and perfect expository preaching in the world amount to nothing when they aren’t paired with God’s love and compassion. A callous heart that shames victims and protects abusers cancels out a lot of theological brilliance. We can’t let his death whitewash the pain he’s caused.
At the same time, we’re called to grace. Colossians 3:13 says, “Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” That’s the tightrope we’re walking. I can forgive MacArthur—not because he deserves it, but because Jesus commands it. But forgiveness doesn’t mean silence. It doesn’t mean pretending the harm didn’t happen. It means speaking the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15), holding leaders accountable, and protecting the vulnerable. The church has been burned too many times by leaders who dodge accountability while their followers cheer them on. We can’t keep repeating that cycle.
We must tell even unpopular truth about John MacArthur because we repeat what we don’t repair. There are countless men taking up his mantle and perpetuating his sins. Just take a look at the latest lawsuit against Grace Community Church, filed by Lorraine Zielinski who accuses church leaders of publicly disclosing confidential counseling details during a church service.
Lorraine claims she sought help from church authorities but was ultimately pressured to abandon her plans for legal separation, despite her clearly expressed fears for the safety of both her and her daughter. Like Eileen Gray, Lorraine tried to resign her church membership only to find that the church forbade it, instead placing her under official church discipline.
As reported in Faith on View, “According to the lawsuit, GCC leaders threatened to reveal private counseling information to the congregation if she did not meet with them. When Zielinski refused, the church allegedly followed through on its threat, publicly sharing her private information while misrepresenting her role in the marriage dispute.”
This wasn’t merely John MacArthur at the helm here. This was the work of his protégés, the men he dedicated his life to training up to follow in his stead. These are the abuse cycles we repeat when we refuse to name, confront, and denounce the rot in our own camp.
To my fellow Christians wrestling with this, here’s my plea: don’t look away. Don’t let the cult of personality around MacArthur—or any leader—blind you to the truth. Release John MacArthur into God’s hands, who alone judges rightly. Pray for his family and his congregation. Hold fast to compassion. Tell even hard truths without flinching. And cling tight to Jesus because, in the end, this is all about Him anyway, and He will right every wrong.
This article was originally published at Honest to Goodness and has been reprinted with permission.
Kaeley Triller Harms, who blogs at Honest to Goodness, is a Jesus follower, abuse survivor, writer, wife, mom, and lover of words aptly spoken.
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191 Responses
I am deeply saddened after reading many of these comments. In fact, it almost brings me to tears. Although I empathize with individuals who desire to express their anger, hurt, and disillusion arising from the action or inaction of MacArthur and GCC, I can’t help feeling overwhelmed by the collective condemnation of this one man. It’s as if we have all joined a public stoning.
Could we set aside for a moment the issue of whether MacArthur is guilty or innocent of these charges being made against him? Could we instead pray for the victims and for one another for healing? I say this because, collectively, we sound like we’ve become the voice of “the accuser of the brethren?”
Jesus’ message to all those ready to stone the woman caught in adultery was that none of us is without sin. Yet, by the sound of these comments, either nobody has sinned or nobody has ever failed to own up to it. Adam sidestepped it by blaming Eve and she did likewise by blaming the serpent. Sarah refused to acknowledge to the Lord Himself that she laughed. King David resisted the truth about his adultery with Bathsheba and murder of Uriah until the prophet confronted him. Peter denied knowing Jesus three times. Obviously, sinners have a problem owning up to our sin.
My point is this: though MacArthur didn’t apologize and make amends to those hurt by his decisions, can we still forgive him? Or will we continue to defame, demean, and destroy his character, his theology, and his contribution toward the Body of Christ, until we have no more stones to throw? I hope by sharing my comment I won’t be stoned either. Please forgive me if my thoughts have offended you.
Larry, It seems like you didn’t read the article. This “one man” leads many others, holding special conferences for preachers. If you hold yourself up as an example, then you have higher accountability according to James 3:1. If this issue isn’t highlighted, it will continue and it harms the whole church. You are letting your emotions affect better judgment.
Without repentence, there is no forgiveness. That is because in MacArthur’s mind and view, he did not sin. His conscience was seared.
In a round about way I understand your sentiments Larry. Having said that, someone’s death doesn’t make their life and world view socially immune to honest assessments. Secondly, no doubt many people’s assessments and conclusions wish it was not so. 🤔
It’s healing for the victims of spiritual/financial abuse caused by JM for decades ,starting in the late 70’s for me up till 2003,to now know we can speak out & tell our stories & know JM can’t rain his terror & verbal abuse on us anymore. What ever is making you sad it’s yours to deal w/& no one’s dictating to you how to “deal”w/your saddness.Being truthful sets you free&that’s exactly what the victims are doing being truthful&anger is a part of healing from extreme grief from trauma.it’s the 1st step after telling others our stories & it helps others to be brave to tell their stories of trauma from JM verbal abuse& trauma from his hoodwinking many of their millions hiding behind Jesus/God & the book the Bible.its truly something u wouldn’t know about unless u experienced it so don’t go judging something u know nothing about.(being abused by JM)
If people insist on crying, perhaps save some of those tears for Eileen and her children. The pain, isolation and shunning they had to endure.
8000:1
That was the ratio. Think about that.
8000:1
A powerful, wealthy, highly regarded, and well-connected Bible teacher, turned his 8000 member church against a single, terrified woman who was simply trying to protect her children. And then he turned around and rallied to the side of the rapist. What JM did was spiritual violence. Many have walked away from the faith for lighter offenses against them.
And yet, people are sad and wanna cry cause others are recalling the truth of JM’s actions and the incalculable harm he inflicted on others? Seriously?
Any tears for Eileen and her children?
How is JM being defamed? What section of the investigation is factually incorrect? Where is the record of his repentance and contrition? JM no longer needs our sympathy or empathy. No real or imagined stones can harm him. He will now stand before Jesus, the Righteous Judge. May the Lord show him the mercy he did not grant to others.
There are 2 sides to this story and it seems to me the point is not ‘forgiveness’ but ‘ If this issue isn’t highlighted, it will continue and it harms the whole church’.
JM’s sister sat Nxt 2 me face 2 face on my moms couch having known me as my mothers daughter for the 25 yrs since my mom married Bob & said to me on the couch face 2 face after she drove my dying mom Sharon Keene 2 the lawyers ofc 2 make amendments 2 her will after it was all left 2 her (my mom)because Bob died 2 mos b4 her.JMssister said “ur mom asked me on the way 2 the lawyers ofc if she should change her will to b more n favor 2 u & ur kids”& i said:”what did u say?” & jms sister said “It’s none of my business.”i was n shock! as it was every bit of JM’s sisters business as she was executor of my moms estate which earns %1 of the entire estate & JM’s sister got 100K cash gift.& masters seminary Rcvd over 2 mil.On GCC’s website plz listen 2 THE RICH FOOLs sermon sept 5 2004.i just listened 2 JM say:due 2 bob& sharon havinNO KIDS bob & Sharon Keene gave over 2 mil 2 masters seminary.This is proof of the verbal abuse JM sent my way 4 over 25 yrs.PO BX 1147 Ojai CA 93024 attn ms Hathaway-I want my families $ returned.JM lied about me up @ the pulpit sayin I’m non existent.I’mLitterally sick 2 my stomach having just heard that sermon 4 the 1st x after googlin my parents name & JM’s name😠
Dear Laura Lee
I have just been reading all your comments here with this article. My heart goes out to you and your children for the horrific spiritual, emotional, relational and financial abuse you experienced at the hands of JM and apparently his sister.
As a sole parent you needed the compassion of Christ, but received none, receiving only the judgement of pharisees masquerading as a church. This is not the way of Jesus.
It appears that your mother as a close staff member was unwittingly persuaded and blinded to their apparent manipulations in the guise of Biblical or spiritual advice. This spurious treatment was a betrayal of her trust and abusive to her and all of you as a family. Incredibly sad.
Thank you for sharing your story here.
I pray for emotional healing for you and your children.
I also boldly pray also that you will be ‘blissed’ through God’s justice and Natural Law and that funds which rightfully belong to you and your children are in some way returned to you.
Dear Larry, you played quite a few oldies used to diminish those who biblically raise issues about ungodly behaviour (for our edification and God’s honour).
You have imputed bad motives to people that you don’t know. How can you call them “devils” (the meaning of accuser of the brethren)?
No one has “stoned” anyone. Did David “stone” Saul when he called him out in front of his soldiers for persecuting David without cause? Did Nathan “stone” David by confronting him?
And you will not be stoned. But I am respectfully sharing things that I hope will bring understanding to you.
In the examples you gave (Sarah, David and Peter) you are slandering the ones that God has approved. God never condemned Sarah or Peter, and he forgave David, who fully and swiftly repented of his sin. John MacArthur did not. Now things are between him and God, who is the only fair judge.
However, it is good and godly to publicly call out Elders who are sinning. Paul strongly calls for this to be done (1 Tim 5:20-21). This is required and necessary. And we are _not_ to show favouritism, even if we like other things they have done.
Did you shed any tears for those who were persecuted by MacArthur? I hope so. God cares for the widow, the orphan, the alien, the oppressed. You should too.
Jesus flipped the tables and sternly accused people who were spiritual leaders and harming those they led. This is the category JM falls under, and why the condemnation is harsh. He lived his life condemning others, and the people speaking out now likely spoke out then too.
Dying doesn’t stop the harm he committed, so we will not stop naming that harm, as a warning to people, and as a validation to the people he hurt.
I am in 100% agreement that the ministry abuses of JM need to be discussed and dealt with, even though he has died. I think the term “spiritual malpractice” is apt. I would even agree their church has perpetuated some great evil, even in the midst of SOME strong Bible teaching. I would NOT equate JM to Ravi Zacharias. Ravi was an evil sexual predator who I suspect will reside in the Lake of Fire. I have better hopes for JM, but am confident he will grieve the evil he enabled and has done in victimizing the victims.
Today I asked an AI portal (grok) this question:
Did the late Ravi Zacharias ever speak at an event sponsored by John MacArthur? If so, when and where?
And the response was as follows:
“Yes, Ravi Zacharias spoke at an event sponsored by John MacArthur. Specifically, they both spoke at the Defending Truth Conference hosted by New Vision Baptist Church in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, on Saturday, November 4, 2017. This was the fifth annual Defending Truth Conference organized by NRB-TV, featuring notable Christian speakers including Ravi Zacharias, John MacArthur, R.C. Sproul, and others.”
“There is no definitive evidence from the provided references of other events where Ravi Zacharias spoke at an event explicitly sponsored by John MacArthur, though both were prominent figures in evangelical circles and appeared at various conferences together, such as the 2003 White House meeting with other Christian leaders.” (end of AI response)
My question to readers and commentators:
Did John MacArthur or other parties at that same event ever repent for failing to discern – AND WARN OTHERS – that Ravi Zacharias was a wolf in apologetic clothing?
Ravi Zacharias never spoke at THE SHEPHERDS CONFERENCE, which is the event sponsored by Grace Community Church and Masters Seminary. Any other event that they may BOTH have been invited to participate in was not at all John MacArthur’s idea or with his support. MacArthur was all about holding up Scripture. He didn’t always do it with the gentle tact one might hope for, but OT prophets were hated too. MacArthur had great concerns about Ravi Z because RZ NEVER spoke of scripture or held up his teachings with it.
Hi Kaeley,
Read your article dated 7/15/25 John MacArthur’s legacy. I don’t know any of the actual facts of what you are saying. If true, shows poor judgement in the leadership at Grace Church. Eileen was mistreated. Certainly, David Gray was a despicable individual, may he truly repent. We all sin & make mistakes and there are consequences of that sin. For those children who have lasting effects of David Gray & others like him, we need to pray for. They need God’s healing.
MacArthur has been used by God in many significant ways. His teaching & expounding of God’s word is remarkable. Few in history will have such effect. I don’t agree with everything he teaches, but those disagreements are not essential. However, we are all human, not perfect in any way.
There are always two sides to every story. Again, it does appear that Grace Church leadership exhibited poor counsel. However, you said that Eileen tried to leave the church, but they wouldn’t allow her too. You also said that Lorraine tried to resign her membership, but the church forbade it. Those statements are canards. Eileen could have left, Lorraine could have resigned her membership.
Regarding the letter to Gray in prison, the date of this letter is important…did MacArthur believe he had repented? Details are unknown & important.
Jerry Straub
To Jerry: Wow… no words can describe an adequate reply to even TRY & make sense of anything you wrote or to reason w/someone like you.It’s clear it would be futile & impossible to enlighten,educate &/or commmunicate any type of reason towards your capability to comprehend common sense as to the what’s & whys & hows of love.respect,kindness & basic consideration to another human being.Hope u enjoyed utilizing the word Canard.Attempting to Discredit Eileen or anyone who has experienced extreme spiritual abuse from JM is a evil sin in of itself.& no,we ALL do not commit evil sins same as JM. He was a practiced pro @ committing evil,well practiced,thought out,calculated,emotionally damaging sins towards many & got away w/it for decades all in the name of God convincing everyone who would choose to listen,claiming Jesus was on board w/ his Baloney.& if u have 1/2 a brain u would realize GOD & Jesus would not be on board w/JM’s ANYTHING.ABSOLUTELY NOTHING JM stood for represents Jesus teaching or Gods philosophy re: love peace kindness grace forgiveness salvation & ever expanding consciousness thru his son Jesus Christ.Tramatizing victims Again is what your words represent.Plz rethink your approach & learn to be kind.Praise the Lord few in history will have same effect as JM did.
“ Praise the Lord few in history will have same effect as JM did.”
Speaking as a survivor of JM’s theology, advice, and seminites for two decades starting in the 1980’s, I would hope that few would have the same effect, but after digging at some of the roots of why this happens – i am afraid this will continue to be coming from more than just a few.
Some thoughts about why this happens:
Most of us are culturally programmed from birth to place high value on authority, so we then gravitate to those who present themselves as authoritative on matters of interest.
No one held a gun to JM’s head and forced him to believe that monologue was God’s sanctified way of maturing the listener. He willingly inserted himself in a system of tradition, and sold it “biblically” as “God’s divine and unchangeable truth”.
Dialogue is much more difficult to utilize for financial gain and power. Plus, people in general love to be told what to do by someone dressed in a formal costume, rather than spending the effort to think things through for themselves. Most of us abhor uncertainty. Having someone present the five most popular views with supportive evidence on a particular theological subject, and then letting each decide which one seems best lacks certainty. Kingdoms and names aren’t built like this.
Certainty is what often easily traps people into idolatry. I’ve never met anyone that would admit they idolized JM, but the signs were there, one of them being they downplayed all of his victims, so much so that they were still able to stomach whatever came out of his mouth.
So much more could be said, but thank God I woke up to allowing myself to be abused.
I think John MacArthur was a good man and teacher. However, he did and say many messed up things. Which includes the way him and his movement treated pentacostal/charismatic. It was so uncharitable. Even going as far as calling things of the spirit demonic. I just hope his followers do not keep repeat his mistakes. His followers want to ignore all these things and it is just not right.
Well written, thoughtful article. I see that the author is an abuse survivor. I am a man who has suffered spousal abandonment, parental alienation and spiritual abuse. Unless you have been on the receiving end of abuse, it can be hard to be empathetic with those who are being abused. May we all strive to love others correctly, as Jesus Christ said we ought to; especially those who have been abused, and may we that are strong protect the weak. Ps. 82:3-4.