Pastor John MacArthur

[Beth77]

In my desire to better know God I have been listening to some of his sermons on YouTube. I find him interesting and I believe he is helping me to better understand the Bible.

Does anybody here recommend his sermons (or not)? Can you recommend other preachers?

 

[d taylor]

In my desire to better know God I have been listening to some of his sermons on YouTube. I find him interesting and I believe he is helping me to better understand the Bible.

Does anybody here recommend his sermons (or not)? Can you recommend other preachers?

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I would not recommend John MacArthur.

Zane Hodges is an excellent Biblical teacher and a lot of his teaching and writing can be found here.

Grace Evangelical Society

Here is their youtube channel

Grace Evangelical Society

 

[Beth77]

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I would not recommend John MacArthur.

Zane Hodges is an excellent Biblical teacher and a lot of his teaching and writing can be found here.

Grace Evangelical Society

Here is their youtube channel

Grace Evangelical Society

Thanks. I'll check out Zane!

 

[Vambram]

In my desire to better know God I have been listening to some of his sermons on YouTube. I find him interesting and I believe he is helping me to better understand the Bible.

Does anybody here recommend his sermons (or not)? Can you recommend other preachers?

John McArthur is very good and I recommend him. Another very good Baptist preacher you can find on YouTube is Dr. Leland Kennedy. Also, there's an Evangelical preacher on YouTube who I highly recommend. His name is Jack Hibbs.

 

[John G.]

John McArthur is very good and I recommend him

I wholeheartedly agree.
Btw, our church bulletin has quoted him. And we're Presbyterians!

 

[d taylor]

In my desire to better know God I have been listening to some of his sermons on YouTube. I find him interesting and I believe he is helping me to better understand the Bible.

Does anybody here recommend his sermons (or not)? Can you recommend other preachers?

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Zane C. Hodges
Assurance is of the Essence of Saving Faith

 

[Ivan Hlavanda]

In my desire to better know God I have been listening to some of his sermons on YouTube. I find him interesting and I believe he is helping me to better understand the Bible.

Does anybody here recommend his sermons (or not)? Can you recommend other preachers?

I highly recommend Macarthur.

Also Tim Keller, RC Sproul, Voddie Baucham, Paul Washer (he says it how it is). And lastly Sinclair Ferguson, who I have the privillege to listen to every year.

 

[Richard T]

For going through the bible, here is a good series from the late David Pawson.

Unlocking the New Testament

This series of talks gives a unique overview of the New Testament, from the widely respected evangelical speaker and writer, David Pawson. Unlocking the New ...

www.youtube.com

If you like books (many of which have free pdf's online) and want to sample the word of faith message the late Kenneth E. Hagin is good.
Evangelism and healing: the late T.L. Osborn
Line upon line and precept on precept, of most books of the bible, Bob Yandian

These teachers are all older charismatics.

 

[Rescued One]

I like John Piper.

 

[godisagardener]

John MacArthur is an excellent preacher. He doesn't mince words and teaches from the Bible. I highly recommend his books if you're looking for someone who truly dissects what's happening with our society and how turning to Jesus is our only hope. Jack Hibbs and the late Tim Keller are also very good, as already mentioned in another post.

 

[bèlla]

It is better to sit under the teaching of a local pastor and fellowship with others in the church. You need more than sermons to develop maturity and discernment. That allows you to determine which teachings resonate with your spirit beyond your home church. Much of that comes through knowledge of the word and an ability to test the spirits. You asked for advice without sharing anything about yourself or your walk with God. All teachings require a measure of sifting and none are perfect. Especially when you’re not in their presence. If you have a healthy prayer life the Lord usually lays things on your spirit which leads you to books and messages that facilitate your growth.

~bella

 

[St_Worm2]

Hello @Beth77, I've listened to many of Dr. MacArthur's sermons over the years, first via radio and now, of course, at his website: www.gty.org.

Of all the sermons of his that I've listened to I think that this one, Happy (Blessed) Are the Peacemakers (Matthew 5:9), is my very favorite.

If you are pretty new to the faith there is a 4-Part teaching series of his that may interest you called, Spiritual Boot Camp. It takes a close look at four of our most important Christian spiritual disciplines, How to Study the Bible, How to Pray, How to Function in the Body (fellowship) and How to Witness. Along with giving you a better understanding of the four disciplines, Spiritual Boot Camp will also give you practical ideas about how to incorporate them into your daily walk with the Lord (I still use some of the things that I learned from this series in my daily walk today, just FYI).

A couple of other recommendations are these: Renewing Your Mind w/Dr. R. C. Sproul, and Insight for Living w/Dr. Chuck Swindoll.

God bless you!! (Numbers 6:24-26)

--David
p.s. - I see that you are still a fairly new member here so I thought that I should also say, WELCOME TO CF

1 Thessalonians 5​

23 May the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body ​

be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. ​

24 Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass. ​

.

 

[Tom8907]

John Macarthur is a great pastor, he really helped me grow and I still remember reading his 'grace to you' devotionals every day.

Other great teachers are Paul Washer, Justin Peters, R.C. Sproul (now in glory), Matt Mason (Lion of Fire RAW), Joe Kirby, John Henry (TheGospelOfChrist) off the top of my head.

Don't forget fellowship with a Bible believing, Gospel centred church.

 

[Beth77]

If you are pretty new to the faith

Thanks.

I've always believed in Jesus but I am rather new to the Bible and Pastor MacArthur has helped me a lot, I think. Some may disagree with his explanations and so I guess it's possible that he isn't helping me. Lol.

 

[St_Worm2]

I've always believed in Jesus but I am rather new to the Bible and Pastor MacArthur has helped me a lot, I think. Some may disagree with his explanations and so I guess it's possible that he isn't helping me. Lol.

Hello again Beth77, I don't agree with everything that he's written, but I do with most of it. There are a couple of controversial topics that he has gained a large/loud group of enemies from writing/speaking against, but his verse-by-verse expository teaching of the Bible itself is VERY good (and this, which makes up the majority of what he teaches as a pastor, is rarely, if ever, controversial).

So, I believe that his expository teaching will be a great help to you and to anyone else who is trying to deepen their knowledge and understanding of both God and His word.

Why not join with the Bereans and approach Dr. MacArthur's teachings in the same way that they approached the Apostle Paul's teachings (see Acts 17:10-11)? You could also ask your pastor what he thinks (if you are unable to find & confirm the truth about something that MacArthur has written/said from the Bible), and/or you could bring it back here and discuss it with us, too

Don't forget to pray for the Holy Spirit's guidance when you study His word or listen to various sermons about it (from MacArthur and others), as the HS is the one who is sanctifying you (growing you up in Christlikeness from here to Glory).

God bless you!!

--David
p.s. - along with Matthew 5:9's sermon (Happy Are the Peacemakers), I think that the rest of MacArthur's sermons on various verses from the Sermon on the Mount are excellent too

 

[d taylor]

Thanks.

I've always believed in Jesus but I am rather new to the Bible and Pastor MacArthur has helped me a lot, I think. Some may disagree with his explanations and so I guess it's possible that he isn't helping me. Lol.

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Well you have to understand MacArthur is a big Lordship salvation theologian. Which is a works based salvation theology, which teaches it takes more than belief in Jesus to receive God's free gift of Eternal Life.

 

[Ivan Hlavanda]

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Well you have to understand MacArthur is a big Lordship salvation theologian. Which is a works based salvation theology, which teaches it takes more than belief in Jesus to receive God's free gift of Eternal Life.

Where does MacArthur teach works based theology?

I listened to many of his sermons and have his book. He always teaches by grace alone by faith alone by Christ alone.

MacArthur actually heavily criticizes works based salvation and calls it false gospel

 

[d taylor]

Where does MacArthur teach works based theology?

I listened to many of his sermons and have his book. He always teaches by grace alone by faith alone by Christ alone.

MacArthur actually heavily criticizes works based salvation and calls it false gospel

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John MacArthur's Position on Lordship Salvation
Above ^ is the link to the full written article on John MacArthur and MacArthur's Lordship beliefs

WHAT MUST A SINNER DO TO BE SAVED?​

What is the Gospel message according to MacArthur? According to him, what must a person do to be saved? Does his answer match Acts 16:31 or does he teach something else? Here is what he says:
"Let me just say simply, that when you present the gospel, all of this Lordship discussion aside, a presentation of the gospel is simply this: you are calling on someone to TURN FROM THEIR SIN and FOLLOW JESUS CHRIST. That’s it! Turn from your sin and follow Jesus Christ!....That is all we are asking: TURN FROM YOUR SIN AND FOLLOW JESUS CHRIST....What you talk to an adult about is the same thing you tell a child: you need to turn from your sin and follow Jesus Christ"
(this is transcribed from a taped question and answer session given on 9/25/90 at the Calvary Baptist Church in Brewer, Maine, Rev. Larry Pawson, Pastor).

Notice that MacArthur’s emphasis is upon WHAT MAN DOES (turning from sin, following Christ) rather than upon WHAT CHRIST HAS DONE. His emphasis is upon MAN’S COMMITMENT, rather than upon the Person and work of Christ and the response of faith to that Person and to His work. His emphasis is upon DO, but a true gospel message should emphasize DONE (John 19:30). It is not our COMMITMENT that saves us; it is CHRIST who saves us. Following Christ is a result of salvation, not a condition of salvation. Before we FOLLOW CHRIST in discipleship we must COME TO CHRIST for salvation. Before we COME AFTER CHRIST (Luke 9:23) we must COME UNTO CHRIST (Matthew 11:28). The term "BELIEVE" does not mean "turn from sin and follow Christ." It means "trust fully, rely upon, resting one’s whole weight upon the WORTH, WORD and WORK of Jesus Christ." We must not re-define saving faith to make it some kind of a "work-requirement" for salvation. Justification is for the person who "worketh not, but believeth" (Rom. 4:5).​

 

[Beth77]

Why does MacArthur attack other belief systems? That's a turnoff for me.

 

[St_Worm2]

Why does MacArthur attack other belief systems? That's a turnoff for me.

Hello Beth77, isn't that a big part of what pastors are supposed to do for their congregants/flock, preach against false doctrines/teachings/teachers for the good of all (including that of the false teachers)? Also, isn't that the very thing that we see the Lord Jesus and the Apostles doing time and time again in the Bible?

The Bible tells us that "the truth" is a REALLY big deal, yes, because it's by finally knowing the truth that we are set free (so that we might be justified/saved) .. e.g. John 8:32, and it is also by the truth (first and foremost) that we are continually/progressively sanctified as believers by God, and that from justification to Glory .. e.g. John 17:17; cf Philippians 1:6.

God bless you!!

--David