For decades, John MacArthur has railed on prosperity preachers, likening them to “greed mongerers” who led First Century cults.
Recently, he’s also taken aim at scandal-plagued evangelical leaders, like the late apologist Ravi Zacharias and former Hillsong Pastor Carl Lentz, saying these celebrities were in ministry only for the money. That’s why “liars and frauds and false teachers” are in business, MacArthur said in a recent sermon. “False teachers always do it for the same reason—filthy lucre, money.”
Yet according to financial statements and tax forms obtained by The Roys Report, John MacArthur and his family preside over a religious media and educational empire that has over $130 million in assets and generates more than $70 million a year in tax-free revenue.
MacArthur and his family and related companies have been paid more than $12.8 million from ministry and donor funds. And MacArthur owns three luxury homes worth millions.
In one year alone, MacArthur made more than $402,000 for part-time work at his broadcast ministry, Grace to You (GTY), and another $103,000 from The Master’s University and Seminary (TMUS). This was in addition to MacArthur’s salary from the megachurch he pastors, Grace Community Church, as well as book royalties and speaking fees.
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Also, in a scenario very similar to Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM), the board of GTY has been stacked for decades with MacArthur family members. Like RZIM, GTY also stopped filing IRS 990 tax forms in 2015, which enabled the ministry to keep executive salaries secret.
Grace Community Church (GCC) refuses to release its financial statements in violation of a core standard of the Evangelical Council on Financial Accountability (ECFA) of which Grace was a member.
When I contacted the ECFA about GCC, Compliance Team Lead Jake Lapp replied that the ECFA requires its members to provide a copy of their current financial statements upon written request. He added, “We have been in communication with the church regarding this requirement and expect you will hear a response soon.”
That was 10 months ago.
To date, I have not heard back from GCC, even after emailing the church again to request financial statements. However, I recently learned that GCC resigned from the ECFA less than two weeks after Lapp contacted the church about complying with ECFA standards.*
I also reached out to Grace Church elder and GTY executive director, Phil Johnson, inquiring about some of these matters. Johnson responded that some of the information I requested is “a matter of public record. A real journalist would know that.” (The composition of GTY’s board is publicly available; the answers to my other questions were not.)
Johnson further stated that his email, dated March 23, 2020, would be “the last correspondence you will receive from me. Nor will anyone who speaks for our ministry ever answer questions for you regarding any story you intend to write.”
MacArthur’s Millions in Homes
MacArthur first came under fire for his money in 2014, when several bloggers published MacArthur’s salaries, calling them “reprehensible” and noting that MacArthur “earns more than the president of the United States.”
In response, Phil Johnson posted a statement at the Sharper Iron website, defending his boss’ salary (see “MacArthur’s Salary” below).
Johnson also argued that “(MacArthur’s) lifestyle, not his income, is what biblically-minded people should look at if they want to evaluate his character.”
He added that MacArthur “has lived in the same house for the past 35+ years” and owns only one car.
“(N)o one who actually sees how John lives has ever accused him of self-indulgence or even thought in their wildest dreams to describe him as a lover of money,” Johnson stated.
While it is true that MacArthur has lived in his home in Santa Clarita, California, since the 1980s, the property is worth 1.5 million, which is more than twice the median value of homes in the area.
The five-bedroom, four-bath house sits on more than two acres and includes a tennis court and a swimming pool. The home also is not John MacArthur’s only residence.
Since 1996, MacArthur has also owned a $700,000 villa about an hour west of Santa Clarita, according to a document The Roys Report obtained from the Ventura County Tax Assessor’s office.
The three-bedroom, 2.5-bathroom home is located next to a world class private club with a championship golf course, tennis courts, pool, and fine dining. The home also is just 11 miles from the beach.
MacArthur’s third and largest home—a seven-bedroom, 7.5-bathroom ranch on five acres in Colorado Springs—was built in 2007, according to El Paso County records.
The property was given to Circle M Ranch—a limited liability limited partnership (LLLP) owned by John and Patricia MacArthur—by David Wismer Sr.
Wismer is a longtime member of TMUS’ Board of Directors and has also served as TMUS Board secretary.
I spoke with Wismer and he told me that in 2007, MacArthur approached him, expressing that he wanted to build a home in Colorado Springs. Wismer said he owns a 2,600-acre ranch in Colorado Springs and was happy to give five acres to MacArthur as a gift.
Wismer said MacArthur then built a home (valued around $800,000) on the Colorado property using his own funds.
MacArthur’s Salary
From 2005—2015, MacArthur made about $3.4 million in compensation from GTY and TMUS, for an average of about $320,000/year.
On top of that, MacArthur also took a salary from Grace Community Church that was “well within the upper-medium range” for California church employees, according to Johnson’s 2014 statement.
This puts MacArthur’s annual combined salary at an estimated half-million dollars most years. And in 2012, when he was paid an especially high salary and benefits from GTY, MacArthur’s salary likely pushed three-quarters of a million dollars.
In Johnson’s 2014 statement, he explained that MacArthur’s “salary and benefits” topped $400,000 in the fiscal year ending in 2012 because the GTY Board gave MacArthur a “rare 1st-edition KJB” that year. The Bible, Johnson said, was a “one-time gift capping 40 years of faithful ministry.”
In addition, Johnson stated that “Grace to You paid John MacArthur zero salary or benefits for the first 30+ years of our ministry’s existence.”
However, this statement does not match the facts.
According to a GTY 990 from 2002—the earliest 990 The Roys Report was able to obtain—MacArthur made $88,336 that year. This was just 16 years after GTY was founded, not 30.
According ECFA, GTY was founded in 1986. (The GTY website says GTY became a nonprofit in the early 1980s.)
It’s possible that Johnson was dating GTY’s beginning to the first year MacArthur was pastor of Grace Community Church (1969). That’s when a volunteer reportedly began recording MacArthur’s messages and giving them to members of the congregation who were too ill to attend. But the ministry didn’t even have a name back then and likely didn’t require any extra hours of MacArthur.
I reached out to Johnson to explain the apparent contradiction, but he did not respond.
Also, in his 2014 statement, Johnson stated that sometime after 2000, the GTY board “made a deliberate decision to pay (MacArthur) a full salary rather than a diminished wage that was arbitrarily curtailed based on the fact that he has other income.”
While it’s true that MacArthur received a huge increase in his GTY salary in 2003 (72%), MacArthur never worked full-time hours at GTY. MacArthur’s GTY hours varied each year from 10 to 30 hours per week, according to the organization’s own 990s.
Yet the hours MacArthur claimed to work each year seem to bear little relation to the salary he received. For example, in 2007, MacArthur claimed to work 20 hours per week at GTY and received $174,191. In 2008, he reportedly worked 10 hours per week and received nearly as much—$177,083.
Similarly, MacArthur’s hours at TMUS varied from 10 hours to 40 hours per week from 2005—2015 and didn’t necessarily correspond to the amount he was paid.
MacArthur logged a tremendous number of hours for GTY and TMUS, especially considering that he also worked as pastor of GCC. In one year, 2012, MacArthur reportedly worked a combined 60 hours a week at GTY and TMUS. This was in addition to the time he spent pastoring GCC, a church with an average attendance of more than 8,000 people.
Below is a chart compiled by The Roys Report, showing both the hours MacArthur claimed and the salaries he received for the years analyzed.
(Though it is not documented below, Phil Johnson received between $160,000 and $238,927 per year between 2005—2015 for his role at GTY. He also received a no-interest loan of $50,000 from the ministry for the purchase of a home, which was fully forgiven over a five-year period.)
A Family Affair
On its website, the ECFA states, “When a ministry encounters failure—or even worse, scandal—its difficulties can almost always be traced to a breakdown in governance.”
A key characteristic of good governance, according to the ECFA, is maintaining “the reality, not just the appearance of independent board governance.” The ECFA considers board members to be independent if they are not related by blood or employees of the organization.
For decades, though, two of MacArthur’s sons have served on GTY’s board along with their father. Phil Johnson, a key GTY employee, has also served on the board for many years.
Since 2002, the GTY board has ranged in size from eight to 12 members. So at times, as many as half of the board was either a MacArthur or an employee under John MacArthur.
One of MacArthur’s sons, Matthew MacArthur, remains on the board and has been listed on every 990 since 2002 as the treasurer of GTY.
MacArthur’s other son, Mark MacArthur, is also listed on every 990 since 2002 as a GTY board member.
In February 2020, Mark MacArthur was charged by the Securities and Exchange Commission with defrauding clients in a $16 million investment scheme. As late as August 2020, Mark MacArthur was still listed on GTY’s website as a board member. Mark MacArthur is not listed as a board member today.
In his 2014 statement, Johnson stated that board members “with blood relationships or employment connections to John MacArthur recuse themselves from salary decisions.”
However, it’s not just John MacArthur who is potentially benefitting from his sons’ and Johnson’s presence on the board. GTY has also paid MacArthur’s son-in-law, Kory Welch, and companies Welch owns, millions over the years, as has TMUS.
Millions to Kory Welch
In 2008, Welch was an employee of GTY, making $83,677 as director of television broadcasting. Welch, who’s married to MacArthur’s daughter, Melinda Welch, also was enjoying a $20,000 no-interest home loan with total debt forgiveness from GTY.
In 2008, there were no other contractors providing video production services for GTY, according to the organization’s 990s.
The next year, however, Welch began working for GTY as a video production contractor through a company Welch had formed two years earlier, called The Welch Group. In 2009, GTY paid The Welch Group $741,000 for “post-production services”—nearly 10 times what GTY had paid Welch the year before.
Since then, GTY has paid either The Welch Group or Dorma Productions (another small company Welch owns) between $659,000—$790,000 per year for a combined $8.3 million between 2009—2019.
Another company owned by Welch, called WeKreative, has also received more than $1 million in contract work from TMUS. From 2016 through 2019, TMUS paid WeKreative nearly $1.1 million for “marketing, public relations, and video production services,” according to TMUS audit reports and 990s.
During this time (in 2018 and 2019), TMUS also employed Welch as its COO, and for a time as its chief marketing officer, for which Welch received more than $138,000 in salary and benefits.
TMUS did not respond to requests for comment about Welch’s contract work or the potential conflict of interest concerning his positions at TMUS.
In addition to these jobs and positions, Welch is the CEO of The John MacArthur Charitable Trust (formerly The Master’s Grace Fund). This is a California nonprofit created “to support various ministries of John MacArthur, according to GTY’s 2019 financial statement.”
The sole member of The John MacArthur Charitable Trust is GTY and GTY elects a majority of the trust’s board. The trust does not file 990s, so it is not known if it pays Welch a salary for his services.
Money & Ministry
“You show me a person who preaches the money gospel, the money message, the wealth message—I’ll show you a person who has been corrupted by the love of money.”
So said John MacArthur in a 1987 sermon.
MacArthur added that he “never ever wanted to be in a position to look at ministry with a price tag.” That’s why, MacArthur said, he never asks for money when he preaches at other churches. “That is just too overwhelming a problem for my flesh to deal with.”
Yet clearly, MacArthur takes plenty of money from his own ministries. And though MacArthur may have never preached the prosperity gospel—a gospel that promises health and wealth—his income and portfolio looks an awful lot like those who do.
MacArthur may be America’s anti-prosperity gospel preacher, but his life, and the life of his family members, appears to be quite prosperous—and he seemingly has his ministries to thank.
*UPDATE: The original version of this story did not report that GCC had resigned from ECFA. Also, the aerial picture of MacArthur’s Colorado home has been changed. The original photo was of a nearby property, but not MacArthur’s.
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508 Responses
I don’t have an issue with someone who works at a high level earning good money. What troubles me is the lack of openness and transparency, and the simultaneous indications of nepotism and self-dealing and accumulation of wealth. When you see these things alongside the hubris of the ecosystem the man has created, it’s impossible to not see that there are real red flags and problems here.
None of it surprises me given some of the experiences I’ve had with his followers. But it does worry me because I think it does harm to the gospel. I happen to work for the state government in California, and the salaries of all state employee are public information, along with almost all other government financial information. I think the church should be at least as transparent as the government, hopefully even more so.
JL, those are some of my thoughts exactly. If our government, with all its flaws and corruption, requires certain levels of transparency, then the church should be even better.
Full disclosure: Julie Roys is my new hero. I admit I am a progressive evangelical presbyterian pastor, and I listen to a lot of exvangelical podcasts who just like to deconstruct the Christian faith. Julie Roys is a bit more conservative than I am, but she is exactly what we need — a mainstream evangelical, not a deconstructionist, who is exposing fraud in the Evangelical Industrial Complex in order to reform it.
I have always considered JMac a false prophet. All you have to do is read the Sermon on the Mount to realize how many false prophets Jesus said there would be. I am a pastor. I believe Tim Keller is the best theologian out there, that the gospel must be the center of life and sanctification. John MacArthur is pure works righteousness. Much of my work is to undo and help people unlearn the crap they have learned from other pastors, and every congregant who has come under JMac’s spell is a massive mess to be cleaned up. Most of them are utterly unteachable and arrogant. Like Teacher, like student.
btw I had Tim Keller as my seminary prof for three years. He is the real deal.
J Mac’s salaries are not nearly as extravagant as the Hillsong pastor’s salaries, but that is not really the point. I put J Mac in the same category of L Ron Hubbard and Scientology, he is a cult leader in a non Christian cult. Who cares that he teaches the Bible. Anyone can do that. By their fruits you will know them. he is arrogant, narcissistic and totally full of himself. Stacking his boards with family members, running an empire — that is Jerry Falwell Jr territory. It is not likely that a J Mac menage a trois story will come out, although nothing will surprise me any more. But you knew the empire would come crashing down.
To me, the most damning story to come out is J Mac’s covid denial, and now a TMS student is dead because of it. J Mac is responsible for this, criminal charges should be brought against him. J Mac, who rails against other evangelicals for “no place for truth,” has now entered into the Alice in Wonderland world of alternative truth and conspiracy theory. he can probably find you a bible verso to prove that the earth is flat.
I am in the progressive reformed space, and J Mac considers himself reformed, Ha ha He is no more reformed than a barn door. he opposes everything reformed people stand for — he is dispensationalist, fundamentalist, separatist, works oriented cult. And his RIDICULOUS patriarchal view of women, he does NOT have the bible on his side. Telling women not to have authority over men and not to work outside the home. How did his wife last with him for so many years? No one truly educated follows him.
Reformed people like R C Sproul cooperated with him at conferences, but they laughed at J Mac behind his back. They viewed him as a heretic, but their entire goal was and is to get a piece of J Mac’s revenue stream. Together for the Gospel used to have him speak, not because they like him, they just want his customers. The Evangelical Industrial Complex behemoths use each other to make more and more money. Eventually the empires always fall.
It is not surprising that J Mac’s ministry will end badly, in scandal, they always do. God will not be mocked. And I believe J Mac’s covid denial, and the deaths now happening at the Grace Community Cult and The Master’s Seminary (the Master = J Mac himself) will result in scandal, arrest, lawsuits and the toppling of the J Mac empire. Someone should have told J Mac to hang it up at about age 70. Nothing good happens when you are over 70. But at 81 he is still going. Why? What will happen to the Kingdom if J Mac retires?????
I know this is a bit tough. But, by their fruits you will know them. Put the empires aside. J Mac ails against rich Christian celebrities, but he is not different than they are. IN fact, worse. He poisons people with his false teaching. The rest of us will spend many years cleaning up the mess he has made in people’s lives. Well, he does not answer to me. One day he will have a conversation with God about all this. Best of luck to him.
Forgot to mention that R.C. Sproule allowed his son in law to file a bogus defamation lawsuit against a blogger. To my knowledge RC never repented.
“I believe Tim Keller is the best theologian out there, “. That tells us all we need to know. Tim Keller is a woke globalist. The person you hate is not. You revering Keller shows just how sadly mixed up you are.
Agree with you, bibie follower
“That tells us all we need to know. Tim Keller is a woke globalist. The person you hate is not. You revering Keller shows just how sadly mixed up you are.”
Your boy, JMA, is a Trump-worshiping idolater. I am sure he makes burnt offerings to the orange riot inciter in the backyard of whichever of his mansions that he is staying at, at the moment. So, *pretending* what you say about Keller is true, and it isn’t, then the two are even.
Agree 100% Bible Follower, Tim Keller is a progressive and is a globalist – not a man of Christ.
YUP
ETHAN
You write..
“I believe Tim Keller is the best theologian out there…”
Do you mind if he has added some interesting things to the Bible?
Dr. Tim Keller Senior Pastor, claims to be, Complimantarian. NO females in Leadership positions. But, “Redeemer Church,” pastored by Tim Keller Senior Pastor, has Female Deacons. To get around that, Dr. Tim Keller Senior Pastor, does NOT “ordain” them. NO, NO, he commissions them. And calls them, “unordained, commissioned deaconesses.”
I kid you NOT. ;-)
And here Keller uses the infamous word “Biblical ” to make it sound okay. ;-) Keller says, “There are several good **biblical** reasons for having *commissioned deaconesses* in a congregation.”
Now, can anyone find “unordained, commissioned deaconesses”in the Bible? How can *unordained, commissioned deaconesses* be “Biblical?” If *unordained, commissioned deaconesses* are NOT in the Bible?
Simple, Dr. Tim Keller calls himself Senior Pastor. Nuff said. He’s the top dog. Obey and submit. And “his” people submit to “his” authority, his leadership, his celebrity. Like they are taught.
Keller’s reasoning for “commissioned deaconesses” being “Biblical” is… He says deacons are servants, NOT leadership, NOT judicial authority.
But, In the Bible, the very words Calvinists, Comps, use to disqualify women elders is “Ignored.”
1 Tim 3:12 KJV
Let the deacons be **the husbands of one wife,**
ruling (managing) their children and their own houses well.
If anyone cares – they can read about it here…
Be warned. Lots of double talk and triple talk, to make this sound “Biblical.”
http://byfaithonline.com/the-case-for-commissioning-not-ordaining-deaconesses/
Jer 50:6
“My people” hath been “lost sheep:”
**THEIR shepherds**
have caused them to *go astray,*
1 Pet 2:25
For ye were as *sheep going astray;*
BUT are now returned to
the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.
{{{{{{ Jesus }}}}}}
If you read Romans 16:1-2, you’ll see that Paul describes Phoebe (a woman) as a deacon. This is the same word used in the passage you cite, 1 Timothy 3:12. A passage like Romans 16:1-2 is probably the reason why Tim Keller (and many others) believe that women can and should serve as deacons.
In the future, please be careful when trying to discredit other people.
Hi Isaac
Sorry… I guess I did NOT explain my self properly.
I am questioning Why? If Dr. Tim Keller, senior pastor…
Really, “believe that women can and should serve as deacons.”
Why doesn’t Keller just “Ordain” them? As deacons?
Why does Keller have permission to…
ADD… errr… funny stuff…
To the scriptures?
Is that what “A Best” theologian does?
Just make stuff up?
Why does Tim Keller senior pastor call them…
“unordained, commissioned deaconesses?”
Where do you find…
“unordained, commissioned deaconesses,” in the Bible?
In the article attached to the link above… Keller says…
What About Authority?
But is the biblical evidence above enough
to make a case for women to be ordained
to the diaconate in the PCA?
I (Keller) would say no. (NO)
I affirm and support the PCA’s belief
in male headship in the home and church.
——-
So, to get around that Keller calls women servants
“unordained, commissioned deaconesses,”
The women get a “Title” and recognition.
And Keller gets women servants
With NO judicial authority.
ALL are happy.
——-
And Paul called Phebe a “diakonos,” A servant.
Rom 16:1 KJV
I commend unto you Phebe our sister,
which is a servant
of the church which is at Cenchrea:
You do NOT need a “Title” to be a “Servant?”
You do NOT need to be “ordained” to be a “Servant?’”
You do NOT need to be “commissioned” to be a “Servant?”
Just be a “Servant,” of Jesus Christ.
You are wrong here. It is quite possible for someone to be a bad person but teach good doctrine. John Macarthur’s books are intelligent and sound in doctrine. It is well worth paying us millions of dollars to him. The problem is that he should not ask for millions. As John Wesley did, he should live modestly and accept a much lower salary than he could get by hard bargaining.
I have never seen the word progressive, separatist or fundamental in the bible. Words created by satan. I read my Bible every day and will not be swayed by false doctrines and teachings. The bible is my highest authority. God is my teacher by the Holy Spirit. Ok, so that makes me a fundamentalist, seperatist in your eyes. Jesus said, love not the world or the things of the world. I don’t. So, I’m definitely a seperationist. John mc Arthur has another gospel, so I knew Jesus was going to expose him. You are being deceived by words like progressive, fundamentalist, seperatist. I follow the doctrine of Jesus by reading my Bible and I’m not being swayed by what a man says. The Bible says, God is our teacher.
THERESE
Yes… Much agreement…
“The Bible says, God is our teacher.”
John 6:45 KJV
It is written in the prophets,
And they shall be ALL taught of God.
Deuteronomy 4:36 KJV
Out of heaven he made thee to hear his voice,
that HE might instruct thee:
Psalms 32:8 KJV
I will *instruct thee and *teach thee
in the way which thou shalt go:
I will *guide thee with mine eye.
John 14:26 KJV
But the Comforter, [which is] the Holy Ghost,
whom the Father will send in my name,
he shall teach you ALL things…
John 16:13 KJV
Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come,
he will guide you into ALL truth…
1 John 2:20 KJV
Ye have an *unction from the Holy One,
and ye *know all things.
*know = perceive, discern, discover.
1 John 2:26-27 KJV
These things have I written unto you
concerning them that seduce you.
27 But the anointing
which ye have received of him abideth in you,
and ye need not that any man teach you:
but as the same anointing teacheth you of ALL things,
and is truth, and is no lie…
Nothing good happens after 70?!!! Yikes! Now THERE’s some respect for wisdom, experience, and finishing strongly. The rest of your comments may be accurate, but please consider revising your views on seniors – especially those who have served Christ for years.
So, who is left? Only John Piper?! We should all study and teach the book of Ecclesiastes more :)
I wouldn’t even put John Piper in there. HIs Christian Hedonism is unfortunately a higher life view of the Christian life that no one can live up to, and which ultimately ends in despair. But at least he is sincere. Tim Keller is the only one left. Read The Prodigal God. We have nothing to offer. God have mercy on me a sinner. The gospel is all we have.
We have nothing to offer. That is correct, but we need to respond to the offer from God
John Piper appeals to people who don’t know the details of what he’s all about —in the same way JMac is a great preacher. Details, details, details is where it gets interesting —and toxic .
Piper is into a very extreme complementarianism. He is on record that women cannot have jobs where she is in authority over a man. Period. He even gets specific that women cannot be police officers. It may hurt a man’s spiritual authority when a woman arrests some male thug apparently. You can’t make this weirdness up.
Heaven forbid a preacher not be broke. I hate the Word-Faith Movement as much as anyone but this reeks of shaming a preacher for being rich…
One has to consider where the wealth comes from. Is it okay for a preacher to take what amounts to three, full-time salaries from organizations funded by donations to further the gospel? Does that honor donor intent? Also, the secrecy and enurement of MacArthur’s family from donor funds is concerning. Interestingly, I just updated my piece with new information that Grace Community Church has withdrawn from the ECFA. The withdrawal occurred less than two weeks after an ECFA compliance officer reached out to GCC informing them of the requirement that they needed to provide me with financial statements. So many red flags.
“Donor intent” – that’s a very succinct phrase that summarizes the problem. Christians don’t usually donate to someone so that person can pay his golf club fees.
Yes, do they stop to think about the people that are making sacrifices to God with their tithes and offerings? Like the widow and her mites? We should safeguard the honor of these gifts given to God.
As much as i respect JMac, he is not above reproach and need to be accountable and transparent as God’s faithful servant. Good work JRoys
Julie,
Thank you for your investment of time on this matter. However, it seems that you’ve only done half of the job. It would be probably very enlightening and perhaps very beneficial to do as thorough a job investigating his giving and generosity. I appreciate that, to many people, optics of a preacher having a lot of riches by our standards (not God’s standards as His riches are unfathomable) looks, well, questionable by those that are looking to find “chinks in the armor”. You mentioned that Mr Johnson got 50k interest free loan that was fully forgiven. As well, you mentioned another loan to his son in law that was fully forgiven. So, on your own report, let’s start there as a basic jumping off point with an objective value number to start this spreadsheet of Dr MacArthur’s generosity, giving (or forgiving) and that of his ministries.
You’ve shown yourself to be resourceful and able at reporting the facts as you see them. Maybe it’s just my opinion but it just comes off a little disingenuous to report on this man’s financial uptake for the last 50+ years and yet no mention of financial “losses” by his own choosing. Nothing about any of his conferences that he scholarshipped for people, hundreds of thousands of books that have been given away, media ministry resources that have been generously shared across continents and speaking engagements that he received no compensation for except the joy of sharing the gospel with those that need to hear it. You can see it feels unbalanced with really one side of the picture being presented. It would seem fair to present both sides of this analogous coin unless the point if this article was intended to be unfair to the point of nefarious.
I feel certain that this second half of the investigation will be a little more challenging as we are commanded to not brag about our giving but to give in secret. I am sure that Dr MacArthur’s character would indicate that he has followed that directive in general for decades of his life, probably not just beginning in 1969 at the beginning of his official ministry. So, I want to encourage you to be generous in your assumptions that whatever you discover as your final financial number value of his generosity of material and intellectual property shared over 5-6 decades of life that you would allow for exponential expansion of the number to account for all the kindness and generosity that has NOT been publicized.
I think the real story here you will find will be what an amazing story of kindness and generosity the Lord has given to one faithful (not sinless) man who has been a strong advocate of godly principles and sound doctrine. The Lord has surely blessed Dr. MacArthur financially… that is obvious to even the casual observer. But to delve deeper into just how much he has been given that nobody knows about that was given away by his open hands with neither a jot nor tittle of documentation but just a sense of practical generosity and overwhelming kindness? THAT would be story worthy of publishing, gawking over and sharing with people far and wide about the unfathomable generosity of our good Father through the faithful life and ministry of one Dr. John MacArthur. Many people who possess a strong giving spirit bestowed upon them by the Holy Spirit oftentimes are blessed abundantly in financial and other ways by the Lord because their heart is set on blessing others. This would probably demonstrate a similar outcome.
I look forward to hearing the other side.
Thanks for your work.
Well said. I too would like to read the full story
Us givers have the option to note where we want money to go. None of your business. Keep your money, and be a good steward, we dont need your help, were fine with how its going. Go be you.
Any minister who accuses brethren of greed must be able to demonstrate firstly, that his accusations are based upon fact and not surmise; and secondly, that his own life and conduct will stand up under close examination.
If Mr MacArthur had not implied fault in others – as we are told he has done – there would be less need for an investigation into his own affairs.
We are certainly called, as Christians, to judge the Church (1 Corinthians 5:12b); but only if we have attended to any motes in our own eyes first (Mat 7:5).
Kofi, there’s someplace between broke and what is being reported here, and I think we know what would be reasonable and responsible. What is most disconcerting is the fact that things have been turned into a family enterprise. That’s why it’s never a bad idea to live modestly. Money and the things money buys can be very corrupting. The choice isn’t between poor and rich. It’s simply about doing the right and honorable thing.
I love your writing and heart for Jesus. Keep up the good work.
Give me neither poverty nor riches. This sounds like a good rule of life to me. Although, a couple more bucks would be nice.
“Heaven forbid a preacher not be broke.”
So, a pastor is considered broke if they own fewer than three multimillion dollar homes?
Can’t you see how ridiculous your comment is?
Non story. If his members saw him behaving in a worldly manner, saw him loving money, saw him turning from the Gospel, you’d have something to write about. I respect your role in bringing accountability, just think this is more harm than help. Without 2-3 witnesses and biblical charges.
I have received emails from both GCC members and TMUS students, complaining about MacArthur’s lifestyle. They say MacArthur flies on private jets with his own security entourage and shows up on campus with a new car every couple of months. They’re all scared to speak on the record, though, which is concerning. But this is the same culture of fear and intimidation that the TMUS accrediting body found when it investigated TMUS. That’s why the school was placed on probation.
“(T)he report depicted Master’s as an accreditor’s nightmare: an insular and oppressive institution where loyalty to the president and his church has sometimes trumped both academic and financial concerns.” https://www.chronicle.com/article/who-is-the-master-at-masters-university-and-seminary/
No need to do anything about Covid, just trust God, but for some reason he needs security guards? I wonder what kind of security team the
apostles had.
Mark, great reply! they had no earthly security guards, their heavenly security was firm, and they were all horrifically murdered except St. John.
Masters University is NO LONGER ON ACCREDITATION PROBATION. They complied with requested changes outlined by the accreditation commission.
Julie, this seems more insinuating and if they don’t want to go on record why even put it in comments? Do you have photo / video evidence from them?
I absolutely heard John state on film that people have questioned and commented on him driving new cars all the time. He said the owner of a dealership offers these new autos to him to drive.
This is a great example of John giving off questionable optics to his neighbors, general public, and Master’s University and Seminary students, etc. It is just human nature not to wonder or question why they are seeing him every few weeks or months in a brand new car. It just looks bad.
Why not politely deny the offer by the dealer to drive different new cars around his ministry and schools and just buy his own car. No this is not sinful what he is doing by accepting the offer BUT John admits himself it LOOKS questionable.
Julie,
I’ve got more insights than most. The bullying, intimidation and fear culture….you are on the right track. This current comment you are getting colder. John has had friends who own Galpin Ford and other local SoCal dealers who let him drive their cars, so he’ll cycle through different cars they loan him. I have never seen an issue with this. These are friends who appreciate him and loan him a car to drive. Similar thing with a private jet. A close friend is very wealthy and has private jets and takes John from time to time where he needs to go. Another thing, I don’t see an issue with.
Focus on the fear culture and you’ll get somewhere.
Thank you for your comment. Clearly, some people see the new cars and private jet travel as an issue and others don’t. It’s not for me to decide. But I do think if Phil Johnson is going to use MacArthur’s owning of just one car as evidence of MacArthur’s modest lifestyle, it’s disingenuous not to mention the arrangement with the car dealers.
I have heard so many stories about the bullying and agree that it’s a huge issue. But when will people come forward and speak on the record? The bullying will continue until people stand up to the bully.
It’s not typically John who is a bully. It’s the culture, that you and others are exposing, and propagated by Phil, and many others over the years. The most difficult part is that the “bullying” is done under the guise of “truth” and “sounds” biblical but when you see the pattern, you begin to see how folks get railroaded and run out of Panorama City, or Newhall…..
Jordan,
If all of those witnesses are brainwashed worshipers, they won’t care what they see, Dear Leader can do no wrong in their eyes.
Have you looked into how much MaCarthur tithes back into the ministries?
How is that relevant? The money donated to GTY, GCC, and TMUS is to be used for the mission of those ministries, not given in exorbitant salaries to MacArthur to redistribute as he pleases. But I hope he is generous with his millions. It would be great if he’d release his tax returns so we can see.
Julie, I pray for you often. You need to stop slandering people. I do not know what your agenda is, but you must repent.
For something to qualify as slander, it must be false. What have I said that’s false?
“In a way, the world−view of the Party imposed itself most successfully on people incapable of understanding it. They could be made to accept the most flagrant violations of reality, because they never fully grasped the enormity of what was demanded of them, and were not sufficiently interested in public events to notice what was happening. By lack of understanding they remained sane. They simply swallowed everything, and what they swallowed did them no harm, because it left no residue behind, just as a grain of corn will pass undigested through the body of a bird.”
― George Orwell, 1984
Most intelligent reply yet.
Marty, since you don’t know how much your boy “tithes” either, your witty comeback is vapid and useless.
You see there is ‘Big Eva’ and her lesser known sibling ‘Big Earna’. Although formerly estranged, they are now reconciled and meet up quite regularly now.
No preacher is perfect, all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (preacher or not) and I have had the experience, for example, of hearing a very good biblical preacher suddenly saying a very untrue unbiblical thing from the pulpit. We need discernment with any preacher but we also need to evaluate the totality of their ministries. Frankly, I would rather have a preacher who might go a little overboard with personal comforts than a preacher who ostentatiously rejects personal comforts to look like a man of the people so that he can more effectively preach heresies while being considered a cool guy.
I would rather have a preacher that does neither.
Neither excess nor an ostentatious rejection of excess to puff oneself up might be the ideal but anybody who was not born yesterday knows that this is not an ideal world (although I have known wonderful Christian preachers who managed just the right balance).
It is unfortunate that John MacArthur’s spokesperson, Phil Johnson, could not respond in defense of his boss with “Considering biblical principles of stewardship and the overall objective every believer possesses to help fulfill the Great Commission, John has always insisted on taking only a fair salary from those who contribute (often sacrificing their own level of lifestyle) to his multifaceted ministries. John’s dogmatism and disciplines extend to the governance of his personal consumption of contributor resources.”
Phil should have been able to gone on to comment about a huge additional aspect of MacArthur’s income (that Julie did not touch on in this article): “Since those ministries by in large promote John’s personal writings, for which he receives additional personal income in the form of book royalties, and because John does not believe in private inurement, he assigns all of his royalty income to the cause of Christ (since he writes those books while receiving a salary from the church).”
Furthermore, it would have been good if Phil could have said, “John has invested the fair salary he has received from the church over the past 50 years and it is those funds that have paid for his level of lifestyle, not contributions from donors.”
Unfortunately Phil was unable to say any of that. Those would be defensible positions in a not for profit ministry world that has enabled MacArthur’s vast wealth accumulation. If Phil could have proferred those kinds of responses to Julie’s questions it would have cleared his name.
But the fact Phil could not respond that way serves to evidence a great exegetical preacher, undoubtedly one of the best ever in the history of the Church, who is on the road to not finishing well. As the body of Christ we should not tolerate the slippage one of our greatest expositors.
Julie’s objective investigative insight is all the more alarming when coupled with the recent (several years ago now) probation of TMS and TMU by the accreditors. The accreditors in essence stated that probation would continue, and the possible stripping of accreditation in total, if MacArthur were to continue in leadership of the schools for reasons of past bullying and nepotism.
This underscores the above concerns regarding MacArthur not being on the road to finishing well and becoming another black eye for our movement.
Years ago my wife and I decided to begin segueing out of GCC when one of the long standing elders of the Church, John Bates, told us after we had expressed similar concerns (over 10 years ago now) that this was “John’s church.” We responded stereophonically, “Oh no its not!” That anecdote serves to underscore the sycophant culture of those who surround the great preacher and their inability to be a corrective, countering agent in his life. We all need that!
With a lack of accountability MacArthur is ending up in the same boat as those whom he routinely calls out on the carpet within our increasingly fragile Evangelical movement.
You nailed. Thank you.
Please note: Masters University IS NO LONGER ON PROBATION. THEY COMPLIED WITH THE ACCREDITATION COMMISSIONS REQUESTED CHANGES.
And how long did it take them to comply?
Ralph,
Well said. This is what happened at Mars Hill Church with Mark Driscoll, where i served as an Elder, and Mark told me to my face, “this is my church!”.
Go to the Welch Group Corporation Twitter account: https://twitter.com/welchgroupinc?lang=en
The Welch Group Corporation was formed in 2007 for the purpose of creating high quality video, TV and multi-media production.
Then go to the Welch Group Corporation web page listed in the twitter acct: http://www.welchgroupinc.com/
All that displays is: “The Welch Group” – lol
This from a company that was formed 13 years ago for: “the purpose of creating high quality video, TV and multi-media production” – lol
Now try Dorma Productions: https://www.dormaproductions.com/
“Dorma Productions”
“specializing in creating high-impact, response-generating media content all the details, coming soon”
and a “Contact Us” button that doesn’t work!
?Coming soon”, That’s all U got? – lol. Com’n Korey it’s been 6 years!
No reason to make a site that shows how you are better than your competition when you have no competition.
lol
Hilarious that a media company that is advertising high impact , quality materials doesn’t have a functional website . Might make sense if it’s all a farce for billing one client your Father in Law controls ….geeez….not a lot smarts here to even try to make it look legit
Julie,
“I have received emails from both GCC members and TMUS students, complaining about MacArthur’s lifestyle. They say MacArthur flies on private jets with his own security entourage and shows up on campus with a new car every couple of months. They’re all scared to speak on the record, though, which is concerning. But this is the same culture of fear and intimidation that the TMUS accrediting body found when it investigated TMUS. That’s why the school was placed on probation.
“(T)he report depicted Master’s as an accreditor’s nightmare: an insular and oppressive institution where loyalty to the president and his church has sometimes trumped both academic and financial concerns.” ”
Wow… I could say that I’m speechless but that would be a big lie, and I don’t want to be like MacArthur. Literally nothing stuns me about him any more.
Julie, what’s your prediction on how long it takes before MacArthur offers (only to his 100% elect, proper, Trump-supporting faithful right-wing uber-complementarian TULIP sycophants, oops I meant flock) the choice to get “slain in the Spirit”?
Anyone claiming that a preacher with three homes in wealthy enclaves worth millions of dollars and receiving an exorbitant salary for part-time work is normal is just dishonest. There are too many preachers talking against prosperity theology yet living the very lifestyle that prosperity preachers glorify. It’s hypocrisy to tell people to do as I say but not as I do.
I’m very wary of any non-profit, including ministries, where the board is loaded with cronies, family, and friends. In addition the lack of transparency in publicizing financial documents and the son’s multi-million dollar investment scam raises a lot of red flags.
Well before this blog ever came along there have been public discussions of corrupt leadership and a cult-like atmosphere at MacArthur’s church. The snarky, hostile responses church leadership gave in response to a public request for financial information, followed by a lie that the information is already public when it isn’t, should be deeply concerning to those attending or giving money to this outfit.
MacArthur’s followers seem to feel he is beyond reproach and that he has the same authority as an apostle (one comment here actually likened him to Paul) is also deeply concerning.
Sooner than later the truth is all going to come out about this “ministry” as it always does. He’s only delaying he inevitable. All things done in darkness shall come to light.
JM is nothing like Paul who did not claim any entitlement for the sake of the gospel. JM claimed all entitlements and more.
When the money starts to roll in, it becomes easy to justify increasing salaries to make life easier (money usually does that). It is sad that MacArthur doesn’t follow the example of Billy Graham. Graham’s handling of money from his global ministry must be the bane of tele-evangelists existence. Even by the standards of the past 40 years, Dr. Graham has a modest salary and lived modestly, preferring to use the extra resources to further the gospel. All of this is troubling. One can reasonably conclude from how the Apostles conducted themselves, they too would be troubled.
Billy Graham’s father owned a dairy farm. His wife’s father was a surgeon. My understanding is that a good part of their net worth was inherited. He also bought and renovated a log cabin retreat home in North Carolina on 200 ac in the 50’s when the land was cheap to get privacy for his family. When he died, he was one of the richest ministers in the country, worth an estimated $25 mil. He also lived to be 99; so he gained the full advantage of the increasing value of his home, property, investments, life insurance, etc. He did receive a good, but not extravagant salary, set by an independent board, and his organization set the pace for financial integrity. Some ministers are wealthy by virtue of astute investment, inheritance, explosive increase in property value, or marrying into wealth. So, we do need to be careful in our judgments. But I do think that those who earn their living from the Gospel should be especially circumspect.
Another incredibly positive example was Bill Bright, founder of Campus Crusade for Christ now known as Cru.
Bill Bright never owned a home or a savings account. He would not accept speaking fees. He donated all royalties from his books to Cru and liquidated his modest retirement funds to start a training center in Moscow. He raised his own support which remained modest. His organization had over 20,000 employees and 200,000 worldwide volunteers. He led Cru for 50 years. He could have easily monetized his position, name recognition, and success in building a large worldwide organization. He preferred to live simply and humbly. His net worth at death was $1.4 million, some estimate a little higher. I’m guessing this wealth came via life insurance policies he had to assist his wife after his decease. She lived another 12 years after his death.
I’m not saying every minister of a large organization should go to this extreme, but it is refreshing to see such a selfless example and such a radical Gospel counter-culture life. He shows us the surrender to the American good life of wealth and extravagance can be resisted and conquered–while we also take seriously taking care of our spouses and loved ones.
Great comments Ralph Drollinger. Agree 100% on being a phenomenal expositor. I’ve really enjoyed much of MacArthurs teaching but caught undertones of pride at times. A Pastor needs to be correctable, and teachable, like any Christian. Unsure if he is. One thing I do appreciate about MacArthur, and in his favor, I’ve never heard him ask for money. In all fairness I’ve only used his online resources, all free BTW.
This story is a good thing – as some personalities in a congregation have the tendency to put church leaders on an altar – easier to look to a corporeal human instead of an invisible God. I view incidents like this as God saying; don’t follow the earthly messenger, follow my Son, Jesus Christ. An equalizer. The same could be said of great church fathers – all were flawed humans and exhibited such in various ways.
I don’t understand Julie s outrage at Phil Johnson’s disclosure of her personal information when that is precisely what her whole article has done in regard to John MacArthur.
Actually, though I clearly know all three of his addresses, I disclosed none of them. And I redacted his address from any documents I posted. And just to be overly cautious, I blurred out the signage on the entrance to his golf community. I have bent over backwards to protect him. Unfortunately Phil Johnson went out of his way to disclose mine.
Can you file a legal complaint under anti-doxxing laws against Phil?
California Penal Code § 653.2 PC – Electronic Cyber Harassment
This is a state law for California that specifically targets cyber harassment, such as doxing. It makes it illegal for any person to use an electronic device, such as a computer, phone, or tablet to:
Intentionally cause another person to fear for their safety
Harass, torment, terrorize, or cause injury to another person with no legitimate purpose
Make personal and identifying information or electronic messages of a harassing nature available to view or download
Violating this law can result in up to one year in county jail, and/or a fine of up to $1,000.
Something to think about.
This makes for an interesting theological question. We should not sue fellow Christians, but instead should appeal to the church. That’s problematic when the acknowledge no church leaders above them, but that’s a side point. What is interesting here is whether we should report Christians who violate the civil law to the police. The Bible is less clear on that. It is commonly thought nowadays that we should, if the crime is child molesting. Does that apply to doxing also?
I am genuinely uncertain and hope to see responses to this comment.
Ever hear of the sin of omission?. What does the Scriptures say in Romans about the government and the Christian response to it? Also, if there is sufficient evidence for a criminal charge, good old Phil has rights of Due Process. I don’t see what the problem is here.
“I don’t understand Julie s outrage at Phil Johnson’s disclosure of her personal information when that is precisely what her whole article has done in regard to John MacArthur.”
Oh, look–another one of John Mac’s kept boys. You are probably Toady #1 (Phil Johnson himself) with yet another sock puppet. How cute.
Wow…so many comments that are beyond the pale. Julie, thank you for your vigilance! There just is no justification possible, yet people do it. No wonder the sheep continue and will continue to be fleeced. Tithing is always positioned as giving to God and furthering His kingdom but somehow these deified pastors always live better than most who give to them…why, because God has blessed them more? They live off the giving of people with good intentions that are giving to God but somehow it goes into the pockets of the pastor, his family and those who protect them. As if God is the great redistribiter of wealth in the sky…blessing the “special ones” who claim they are “called”. I see Billy Graham is still the one that should be the example. Really? He was the origins of what we are dealing with today with celebrity pastors. A household name, an unhealthy tie to politics (encouraging Nixon’s anti-Semitic views among other things), building wealth to the tune of $25M+ (thats just what is plain to see..there’s always more), building a massive compound, and stacking his organization with family. He is the archetype whether he meant to be or not. I recall seeing his $300k+ salary in the 990 forms of BGEA many many years ago…not sure what that is in today’s dollars but none of this is modest. He may have been a well intended, good dude but he really set the stage and now we are dealing with it. Just because someone is charismatic and a good orator does not make them worthy of worship or greater blessing. Just means that they are a good communicator. They put their pants they same way we all do (and maybe take them off more often)! Let (s)he who has ears…
First. There is nowhere in scripture that says you cannot prosper financially. Second. What is MacArthur PREACHING? That’s the point! Go back in every message he has ever preached and investigate there. When you find something pointing people to use Christ or the gospel as a means of financial gain, then make your report. That would be more beneficial than this write up. God bless
If someone preaches good stuff Biblically and people donate, and they donate millions (Grace to You alone takes in 22 million a year ) and then there is malfeasance with these donations, that doesn’t bother you?
Wow. The bar is so low in Christianity. As long as someone preaches “Biblically”…it’s all okay?
Did you read the article ? Do you not think this is obscene that his Son in Law’s company was paid over 700K a year by this ministry? Secular companies are careful about this. It’s called conflict of interest.
Kory Welch was on the payroll for editing /producing John’s sermons for GTY and it sounds like when he was it all legit …getting paid a little more than 80K a year . Seems like a fair enough wage to me. I have no issue with that or that Kory worked in the ministry . Employing family for fair wage is fine.
Then all of a sudden he’s off the payroll and this work is provided by a vendor …Kory’s company…and now it jumps to 700+ annually. All of a sudden. What changed ?
This is way beyond people doing well financially . This is stealing ministry money…people’s hard earned money that they wanted to be used for Christ. But it’s not called stealing because JMAc has all his family on the Board to approve it.
Can you even comprehend how much 8 + million dollars is? To just one family member! And as Julie explained we don’t know anymore who is getting paid what because GTY stopped filing.
Sophia,
I thought women aren’t allowed to speak up and make their voice heard in John MacArthurland… that is IF you are a woman and aren’t another alias/sock puppet of Phil J., Mark MacArthur, etc.
I would like to hear what John MacArthur has to say about all of this before drawing my conclusion.
Check your heart.
Jealousy makes us do evil things. I live in a country town in Kentucky and houses are fancier than that picture. I am happy to see after 50 years of faithfully preaching and working hard, he has a home and is able to provide for his family. (Both of which are completely biblical). If you would take as much time to research what God says in His Word rather than building a platform on jealousy, you’d know. Sad way to try to make a name for yourself by putting others down. I’ll make sure this week I send Grace toYou a donation. Thanks for the reminder.
JBRUWN (dang, you sock puppets don’t even try to be creative),
Julie can very easily do an IP check to prove whether or not you really live in a hick redneck crudhole in KY as you claim. If you are spoofing/hoaxing such an IP, there are ways of finding that out too.
Think about that long and hard before you post more BS. Is the 15 bucks an hour or whatever you are getting from the reputation-management firm you work for really worth this risk?
Transparency isn’t needed. Stop giving money and dry up the source. These grifters have Christians scared to death about not tithing. I know I survived a prosperity gospel church. I tithe. But it ain’t to no church. I give for services rendered and get all the fellowship I need and where two or more are gathered there is Christ. Don’t need to feed the beast in some megachurch. Megachurches were never in gods plan. Because they all become nothing but profit centers and not prophet centers. The rest goes to where Jesus said to spend it.
I’ll admit my bias up front – I love the man, but I believe your article lacked context. Comparing John MacArthur to a prosperity preacher doesn’t seem fair. The granddaddy of prosperity teachers, Kenneth Copeland, has amassed over $600 million, including a jet collection. To put things in perspective, the J.M. earnings you cited are similar to those of a higher end real estate agent in Los Angeles. They’re not obscenely more than the average CEO in Los Angeles County ($238,000, before incentives). This, for someone who built a very large organization over many decades. Phil Johnson’s salary seems low to me for California, given his responsibilities. And as far as JM’s Son in Law’s video services – I own a production company, and we could never duplicate the amount of professional content they turn out for the amounts you mentioned, especially paying California wages. No one’s getting rich producing over 100 hours of high-quality, fully-edited multicam content for $700k.
John MacArthur doesn’t hammer listeners for money, and goes out of his way to not affect giving to listeners’ local churches. I think John and Phil run solid organizations focused on saving souls.
Hey Shawn. Then he and his over paid staff will happily sell all and live modestly? Duhhh here’s the difference real estate agents make money selling real estate. Grifters like Mac make money selling god. They allegedly represent god. Act and live modestly vs like the grifters they are. Copeland is the chief grifters and none of these low life’s represent or follow our lords humblness and are not prophets. If anything it’s copyright infringement. Are you that slow in your thinking?
Sorry Shawn for being rude. I’m just tired of pastors living large and people making excuses for their wealth. Mega churches are the only churches that pastors and staff live in luxury and not modest and humbly. As I sincerely believe Christ would be living.
Half-million/year? I wonder how many people who earn under $50K/year gave to his ministries. Christians should disadvantage ourselves financially so that we can advantage those who need it. It doesn’t appear John does this.
What is amazing is how some Christians (that should know better) try to defend and justify the minister they admire no matter what. Rather than being objective and knowing how to evaluate biblically and honestly admit/acknowledge a fault in the minister they admire, using whatever reasoning they can find to justify the minister they like.
According to Scripture, Christians are sojourners on this earth quickly passing by and as Jesus said, we are to lay up treasure in heaven AND NOT ON EARTH – something I’m sure John Macarthur also taught. Yet.. having.. how much treasure on earth is going on? You’re a sojourners and pilgrim on this earth that is passing by and you have how many houses? How much money and property stacked up when there are how many Christians that don’t even have enough to eat in India? Those that are fans of JM that are trying to justify him, please answer one question – if this is not LAYING UP TREASURE ON EARTH, what is?
What’s just as amazing as seeing this exposing of JM’s wealth is seeing the fans of JM (who I would expect to be more biblically knowledgeable and discerning) defending and justifying JM here..
John Macarthur’s side will accuse those on the Bill Johnson side that when accusations are brought to false ministers about their ministry, wealth, teaching, those people that follow those ministers are so blinded, they try to use whatever reasoning they can find to justify the minister they admire. They’re astonished when they see that side using whatever reasoning to justify their minister. Yet JM’s side, rather than being biblically discerning and acknowledging the faults, they do the very same thing…