Lessons on Ministry from John MacArthur
I recently listened to a IX Marks interview with John MacArthur, hosted by Mark Dever and Matt Schmucker, that I found both encouraging and informative. There were several helpful points that I took from the interview and specifically from MacArthur’s ministry as he discussed his past four decades at Grace Community Church. Here are two things I found beneficial and from which I think we can learn.
1. We Should Worry About the Depth of Our Ministry and Let God Worry About the Breadth of Our Ministry. This is something that I heard MacArthur say time and again while I was at TMC and while I was a member at Grace Community Church. In MacArthur’s case, he focused on knowing the truth as it was revealed in Scripture and proclaiming that truth to his people. What began as simple pastoral faithfulness, has, over the years, turned into massive international fruitfulness for the sake of Christ and the gospel. MacArthur’s straightforward endeavor to know and proclaim the truth has been the catalyst to not only develop a large and thriving church, but also a Christian College, Seminary (with several international locations), Grace Books International, Grace to You Radio, a tape ministry that spans the globe, hundreds of books and Bible study resources, as well as many other Christ-exalting ministries and resources. MacArthur says he did not develop a “career plan” he then “schemed and then effected”; rather, his fruitfulness grew out of “passion”—an “insatiable” passion to know and preach the truth. There is much to be learned here.
2. We Must Learn to See Criticism and Disappointment in the Ministry as one of the Most Productive Works of God in Our Lives. This is how MacArthur sees criticism and disappointment—two aspects of ministry that are, though not pleasant, virtually unavoidable. MacArthur understands that God has given him gifts and abilities to where he is able to preach and teach the Scripture accurately. But he also realizes that there is one thing that he cannot do himself; he cannot “break himself.” He cannot bring failure into his life because he “fights not to fail.” So he has learned to receive failure, criticism, attacks, ridicule, and disappointment as God’s loving refinement and thereby grow more into the image of Christ and into greater fruitfulness.
Though there are many more things that could be said about ministry in general, and John MacArthur’s ministry in particular, I think these two lessons are essential for those of us who are seeking, just beginning, or already fully immersed in pastoral ministry.
