Pastor John MacArthur gave an update on his health during a question-and-answer session at The Master’s Seminary (TMS) on Tuesday. The event was his first public appearance since undergoing heart valve replacement surgery on July 15.
The 85-year-old chancellor emeritus of TMS and pastor and teacher of Grace Community Church (GCC) in Sun Valley, California, last preached at GCC on July 7.
On July 14, as MacArthur was about to continue his series of sermons on Revelation, Steve Lawson, professor of preaching at TMS, informed the congregation that MacArthur would need to undergo surgery. Lawson pointed out that MacArthur’s condition was serious and reminded the GCC that God was the one who “determined” MacArthur’s days “before the foundation of the world.”
The following week, GCC elder Tom Patton told the congregation, “Thank you for praying for our pastor. He had a new aortic valve implanted on Monday and the procedure was very successful.” Patton added that MacArthur was doing well and recovering at home.
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During the August 11 service, Patton read a text message from MacArthur That means,
Here is a message for the Grace family. I am doing well after my aortic valve replacement. The surgery was successful. Now I need to regain my strength. I am feeling good and can gradually return to normal activities and duty.
MacArthur told the congregation, “Just a few more weeks and I hope to return to the pulpit and congregation of my beloved Grace Church. Thank you for your continued prayers and love. Love to all of you.”
When MacArthur appeared before a new class of seminary students on Tuesday, he showed signs of a weak voice, which he said was due to not preaching. “One of the things you find out pretty quickly when you start preaching is that if you don’t preach regularly, you lose your voice. It’s a muscle you have to use.” He then jokingly encouraged them, “So preach as often as you can. If you don’t … you start to sound like an old man.”
MacArthur acknowledged that his time on earth was coming to an end. “I have no illusions about my mortality, so I don’t know how much time the Lord will give me,” he said, adding that it would be “far better to go and be with Christ, but if it is more necessary to be here, then I am incredibly blessed to be here.”
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Although this was not MacArthur’s first heart procedure, he said that not only was the surgery “very successful,” but that he is doing well overall.
