In a spirited rebuttal to swirling rumors about his health, 85-year-old Pastor John MacArthur has declared himself ready to return to the pulpit at Grace Community Church after a year marked by significant medical challenges.Â
“The rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated,” MacArthur quipped in a video posted on Grace to You’s social media accounts, echoing Mark Twain’s famous line. The beloved pastor, renowned for his theological writings, biblical commentaries, and the international broadcast Grace to You ministry, expressed enthusiasm for resuming his ministerial duties.
The rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated. ???? So thankful to the Lord for your prayers as I continue to recover. pic.twitter.com/rRCz3ebAIM
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— John MacArthur (@johnmacarthur) April 16, 2025
“I feel fine. I’m not ill at all,” MacArthur assured his followers. “My heart is working well. My lungs are working well. There’s nothing terminal that I’m experiencing. There’s no heart failure. In fact, my heart is probably stronger now than it’s been in the last decade of my life. I’m under good care from the doctors.”Â
The recent period of multiple heart procedures and lung surgery, which led to a seven-week hospitalization, is the latest chapter in MacArthur’s health saga, which began in January 2023, when he was admitted to the hospital for breathing difficulties shortly after delivering a sermon at Grace Community Church’s first service of the year. Over the subsequent months, he underwent three heart surgeries and a lung procedure, facing complications that necessitated prolonged medical oversight.Â
“The issue for me was when they were trying to regulate everything because I had a lung surgery and three heart procedures, they put me in the hospital,” he explained. Despite the setbacks, MacArthur remained steadfast, stating, “I feel great. I’m ready to come roaring back into the public and pick up my ministry again.”
He did not give any specific indication of whether or when he might return to the pulpit.
Last November, MacArthur made a brief appearance at Grace Community Church where he openly discussed his health battles.
“I’m still here and thankful to the Lord for that,” he said, acknowledging the “stress” of his medical journey. He reflected on his faith, adding, “I’m just thankful I see the good and gracious and kind and providential hand of God in every vicissitude in my life, every hard experience, every challenge — whatever that challenge may be.” His remarks underscored the resilience that has defined his 56-year tenure as pastor-teacher at the Sun Valley congregation, where he has delivered over 3,000 sermons since 1969, according to Grace to You.
MacArthur’s recovery was closely monitored by medical teams that provided physical therapy to counter the effects of extended bedrest. In February, he was discharged from the hospital, as confirmed by Phil Johnson, Grace to You’s executive director and an elder at Grace Community Church. Johnson clarified earlier misinformation about MacArthur’s release, emphasizing the pastor’s steady progress at home.Â
However, MacArthur’s absence from the March Shepherds Conference, an annual gathering for church leaders hosted by his church, was notable.
Reflecting on his mortality, he remarked, “I realize I’m on the last lap. That takes on a new meaning when you know you’re on the short end of the candle. But I am all thanks and praise to God for everything He’s allowed me to be a part of, and everything He’s accomplished by His Word in these years of ministry.”
With a prolific career as a pastor, author, and broadcaster, MacArthur has built a legacy as a leading voice among Evangelicals, with Grace to You reaching millions through radio, books and digital platforms.
