John MacArthur, longtime pastor and author, dies at 86

John MacArthur, the longtime pastor of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California, has died at the age of 86, according to an announcement from his ministry.

“Our hearts are heavy, yet rejoicing, as we share the news that our beloved pastor and teacher John MacArthur has entered into the presence of the Savior,” his ministry announced Monday night. “This evening, his faith became sight. He faithfully endured until his race was run.”

The pastor had reportedly been hospitalized with pneumonia following years of ongoing health issues, including atrial fibrillation and related complications, according to Fox News. The outlet reported that he had undergone several medical procedures since 2023, including multiple surgeries and a second lung procedure earlier this year.

MacArthur served as senior pastor of Grace Community Church for 56 years and was widely known for his conservative evangelical preaching and extensive theological writings. He was president of The Master’s Seminary and The Master’s University and the voice behind the “Grace to You” media ministry, which distributed his sermons, books, and teachings worldwide.

Over the course of his ministry, MacArthur authored dozens of books and study guides, including The MacArthur Study Bible, which has sold millions of copies. He was regarded as one of the most influential figures in modern American evangelicalism.

MacArthur’s death comes less than two weeks after the passing of Jimmy Swaggart, a fellow prominent figure in American evangelicalism. Swaggart, a leading Pentecostal televangelist for more than seven decades, died at the age of 90.