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T4G Session Seven - John MacArthur
- 04/28/06
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The final session of the conference will be led by none other than John MacArthur who will speak about “40 Years of Gospel Ministry” and who was introduced by Al Mohler.
He had us stand and read for us the first two chapters of 1 Thessalonians (from our new MacArthur Study Bibles) and then proceeded to reflect on 40 years of gospel ministry. It was a biographical address, of sorts, and one that was very interesting to hear. He told about his slow start in the ministry, introduced us to his mentors, and shared the lessons he has learned over the past four decades. Because of the somewhat rambling, reflective nature of MacArthur’s speech, it was a little more difficult to encapsulate than some sessions this week. Therefore, I have merely taken down some of the themes and individual points, perhaps without a clear thesis or theme running throughout.
MacArthur believes that a committment to expository preaching will bring about the following benefits:
1) It establishes the authority of God over the mind and soul. There is an issue in the church today over who has the right to speak in the church. Even Jesus said He spoke only that which the Father showed Him to speak. When you preach in this way people understand Who has sovereignty over their souls.
2) It exalts the lordship of Christ over His church. This may be the most assaulted doctrine in the church today. “This doctrine has sailed down to us on a sea of blood.” When you bring to the people the mind of Christ contained in the Word of God you exalt the lordship of Christ over the church.
3) It is the Word of God which the Spirit uses to save and sanctify. This is so simple: the Spirit uses the Word! If pastors won’t submit to the Word of God, what will they submit to?
4) If I never preached a sermon I would thank God for the sanctifying grace of the day after day, year after year, sanctifying grace of studying the Word of God.
5) You honor by example the priority of Bible study. People get it. They know that the Word matters to you more than anything else because the Lord matters to you more than anything else. “You are a living demonstration of hermeneutics.”
6) I never want to be guilty of giving people the illusion that they’ve heard from God when they haven’t. This is why study and proper interpretation is so critical. Expository preaching guards against say what is against the Word of God.
7) It has a massive impact on the experience of worship. Transcendence of worship is directly related to the depth of understanding of the Word of God. Those who know God best, worship God deepest.
8) It protects people from the error and carnality which is deadly to the church. You can do sermonettes for Christianettes, but this does nothing to protect them from sin, error and temptation. You give them nothing at all; you are no shepherd at all. This leaves your people absolutely defenseless.
9) The pastor should want to be a person who fully understands the mind of Christ in so far as this is possible. No matter where he is, what he does, MacArthur wants to tell people what he knows of the mind of Christ. “We should be the voice of God on every issue in our time.”
“I could say more…that’s what we all say when we run out of material.”
Having discussed the benefit of expository preaching, he turned to the benefits to the church in this type of consistent, Bible-focused ministry:
1) A church full of genuine Christians who think biblically. “I go to church at a real church.” We can go to a real church with real believers. It is the real deal!
2) People develop conviction where they have clarity. Conviction makes strength and strength has impact.
3) When you exposit the Word of God, everyone’s belief is tested at every text. “Everything I’ve ever taught has had to survive the scrutiny of the text.”
“I know what it is to be exposed in a church.” After almost four decades his people know everything about him—all of his strengths and weaknesses. He looks at this people and sees a reflection of himself and these same strengths and his weaknesses. He is constantly overwhelmed by the love of his congregation for its shepherd. He knows what it’s like to be loved, challenged, forgiven.
In the end he reflected on how stunned he is by what has come of his ministry. He insists that he really only just preaches the simple truths of the Word. “I preach what captures me. I preach what thrills me.” He sits in his study week after week just trying to get the passage right. It may be that there is no more simple, pure way of describing the task of a minister of the Word.
Bob Kauflin led us in singing “It is Well With My Soul.” We will return for one final panel session which will feature John MacArthur sitting with Dever, Duncan, Mohler and Mahaney.
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Comments (47)
I love the Big Mac. He rocks. He might seems big and mean sometimes in the puplit but he really does have a heart of love.
Go John!
“You can do sermonettes for Christianettes, but this does nothing to protect them from sin, error and temptation. You give them nothing at all; you are no shepherd at all. This leaves your people absolutely defenseless.”
What he said is so true, when the centrality of Scripture in worship is replaced by music, drama, etc. some Christians are unable to discern error from Truth.
So Mr. McArthur did not preach an expository message after all, Steve! No one does ALL the time. I does sound like a very good address on the priority and blessing of expository ministry.
Thanks for your hard work in blogging all this, Tim. It has been a pleasure to read.
Blessings,
Richard
Tim,
Thank you so much for your faithful service in doing these posts. They are going to help me reflect upon what I’ve heard this week and, Lord willing, see with the eyes of my heart and be changed by the challenges from God’s Word. It was great to meet you at T4G.
Tim,
Thank you so much for your faithful service in doing these posts. They are going to help me reflect upon what I’ve heard this week and, Lord willing, see with the eyes of my heart and be changed by the challenges from God’s Word. It was great to meet you at T4G.
Steve Camp (if you’re reading comments on this thread) and anyone else interested in the expositional nature of these messages at T4G:
I appreciated your fair question about exposition. It was made clear at the beginning that each participant was asked to give an address, not a sermon. The Word was front and center (as you would expect from these participants). Some of the messages were more expositional than others.I appreciated John MacArthur’s reading of 1 Thess. 1-2. He didn’t preach from that text, but he started us off in the Word before he spoke to us pastorally and personally.
Excellent, excellent admonition.
Tim Challies: If that’s rambling, I might not be able to stand it when he’s pointed. :-) (and thanks again for doing this, it’s such a good service)
Tim McNeely: Agreed. He may be the most humble and winsome of all the “Name” teachers out there.
People are often surprised by that upon meeting him, perhaps because they were exposed through his books to his mean side (which is actually Phil Johnson - JUST KIDDING PHIL!!! :-)
Robert wrote: (which is actually Phil Johnson - JUST KIDDING PHIL!!! )
No your’e not… :-)
Side note:
I just ordered the MP3 CD as they are accepting orders now. Cannot wait to get this in the mail!
I agree the nature of this conference was not necessarily for the preachers to preach expositional messages. Sometimes in conferences of this nature God leads the preacher to do otherwise.
Thanks again for all of the good notes Tim.
It really struck me when he said there is a group of unregenerate people in your church every week, they hang out together, they are in the same rooms. Children! He went on to say how important they are.
For those who don’t know (I didn’t until I looked it up), Sovereign Grace Ministries are handling the audio orders here: http://www.sovereigngracestore.com/category.aspx?categoryID=1841
Does anyone know whether audio of the panel discussions will be available for purchase?
Maybe the panel discussions will be on the DVD?
I did not realize there was going to be DVD available! Wonderful!
I’m so excited for the pastors and seminary students and whoever else is present at the conference! It’ll be wonderful to see them go back to their own ministries and churches with a renewed passion for the gospel and to share that passion with their congregation through faithful, expository and God-glorifying preaching of His word.
Thank you, Tim. Your notes have been tremendously helpful and encouraging to me personally, and it’s been amazing seeing brothers and sisters around the world gathering on cyber space to rethink the centrality of the word of God.
Richard, Terry and…
I was wrong.
I should have never emphatically said at least he would preach the Word.
Steve2 Cor. 4:5
What a way to end the conference! I look forward to the fruit these men will produce by being part of T4G. May God bless their ministry and His glory be displayed. Thank you Tim for dedicating your time to summarizing the conference for those of us left behind.
Just to clarify, the CD (not DVD) for the conference is already for sale and I think it is suppose to contain the panel discussions. Also, the 2006 Conference Book “The Ancient Made New: Preaching in the Modern Age” will be published Spring 2007 featuring chapters by Mark Dever, Ligon Duncan, Albert Mohler, C.J. Mahaney, R.C. Sproul, John MacArthur, and John Piper.
In addition, there is a great conversation with these guys (the main four) about “Cooperation in the Church” on the 9Marks website (see the link to audio). It is a great addition to th 9Marks interview series. If you all have not already signed up for free 9Marks materials, I highly recommend it (http://www.9marks.org/).
MacArthur said: “Those who know God best, worship God deepest.”
Amen! I heartily agree.
Another wonderful post to glean from. I love the way Pastor John speaks with such authority.
I pray the Lord would grant us, His Church, a deep and genuine hunger for His Truth, so that we have no other choice but to eat His Word. May His grace and Spirit fall upon us at such a desperate time as this. Amen. All glory and honor be unto the Lord our God, forever and ever amen.
“I was wrong.” - from Steve’s post above.
Steve,
You are one of the reasons that I am stronger in my faith today than five years ago. Thank you for your ministry and your music, and for your willingness to stand for the truth of Scripture as it reveals our Sovereign Creator.
And thank you for your humility. I pray that God would someday grow me in the way he has you…God bless you, brother.
It’s not surprising to me that even when THE BIG MAC is giving a basic biographical sketch of his life in ministry that he still blesses the body of Christ (1 Cor. 4:16 ).
Tim, thanks so much for your hard work of blogging for the T4G confrence.
I have information about the CDs (No panel sessions at the moment) and video (none to be released unless there is sufficient demand), and about an official release of the “statement of faith”.
To help the guys at T4G guage demand for what I feel are going to be “must have” items, please pop over to my place and leave a comment and I will pass on the link to my contact in the organisation.
“It is the Word of God which the Spirit uses to save and sanctify. This is so simple: the Spirit uses the Word!”
Thanks again Tim for giving us the inside of this unique conference.
Your insight and blogging has blessed us tremendously - cannot even imagine how pumped you are travelling home!
To Steve Camp:
Did you apologize because John DID NOT preach the word as you so emphatically stated he would?
I am really sorry if I misunderstood your post…but it sounds like you were disappointed because John did not exposit the Word. In other words, do you think John “blew it” because he simply shared and did not preach?
Again, I apologize if that is not what you meant…
I am just looking for some clarification.
Thanks!In Christ,Greg Gemmell
Greg said: “Did you apologize because John DID NOT preach the word as you so emphatically stated he would?”
Yes.
Greg said: “I am really sorry if I misunderstood your post…but it sounds like you were disappointed because John did not exposit the Word…”
Yes.
It’s important for the younger brothers who participated in T4G to see the example of a man, like Isaiah said, “…to this one I will look, to him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My word.” John is that man; he is the current patriarch of expository preaching. There is no one finer than say he and R.C. Sproul for exposition and the depth of theology that permeate their preachments.
I love John Mac greatly and respect him deeply; he has been a friend and mentor to me for which I am grateful. He has set the bar for preaching and set it high. It should not be lowered for anyone, under any circumstance; for any gathering; anywhere.
Example: Piper’s words were very inspiring and stirring—and as I understand it, ignited the room; but he didn’t open the Book and preach the Word did he…
John Mac said years ago that anytime a man is given an opportunity to preach the Word and instead shares his own words, stories, insights and anecdotes, that man has forgotten his duty.
I agree.
SteveIsaiah 66:2
Piper gave theological explanation to us of 2 Corinthians 3:18 - 4:6.
Dear Steve,
I understand your concern. I guess I was disappointed in the way you stated your first post. It sounded a bit sarcastic and/or unloving because there was more behind it.
I know you are John’s friend. You could have done something in private that I never could since I don’t know him personally - you could have expressed your disappointment. Rather, you made it public and it made me sad when I read it. I don’t think our brother sinned by doing what he did.
In our wonderful Lord,Greg
On another MacArthur-related note - on Thursday night, I got a chance to shake his hand and personally thank him for the gospel according to Jesus. I was honored… and almost speechless.
The guy before me apparently asked a favor of John. He explained a situation to John and then took out a cell phone and dialed a number and handed it to JM. I caught bits and pieces of John MacArthur leaving a VERY encouraging message for someone on their voicemail.
That’s such a good thing. :) That’s why JM is one of my living heroes of the faith (along with James White, John Piper and a few others….).
I thank the Lord for whatever ministry was accomplished at T4G through each of these brothers.
SteveCol. 1:9-4
That’s very gracious of Sovereign Grace Ministries to be carrying the series, what with MacArthur’s dogmatic denial of the Holy Spirit’s present activity in spiritual gifts, and all.
On a lighter note and I’m sure this is all old news to you, but Iconclam’s ‘blog has a pretty funny writeup on just this sort of dynamic at the T4GCON event.
Dr. MacArthur was asked by the Together for the Gospel team to share his reflections on 40 years of ministry, that did not come from him. He did seem uncomfortable talking about himself and even shared how he is most at home preaching the Word in his home church. Though not an expository sermon, nevertheless, many pastors were deeply moved by his love for the sheep. Piper was also asked to give a topical address, not a sermon - I believe he made mention of this at the beginning of his address.
I think John Macarthur sounds so sincere and humble…unlike some speakers mentioned, he didn’t start the lecture by talking about and drawing attention to himself. Refreshing!
Mark Dever mentioned in the very beginning of this conference that they asked people to lecture or preach or whatever they wanted to do/thought was the best thing to do, etc.
John’s recent lecture “Jesus Christ the Head of the Church” at RC’s conference was timeless even though it was not a pure exposition.
The truth preached in Bible dress is the most powerful thing in all the world. That is why i thought CJ’s brief exposition of 1 Tim 4 (Watch yourself) was so good.
I appreciated all the sessions esp. Pastor MacArthur’s and CJ’s. BTW I was part of John MacArthur’s church for 13 years and too am a friend of his.
I think i see what Steve Camp is saying but do not agree with him 100%.
This was a profitable session.
T4TG,
Caleb
MacArthur’s address was surely the capstone on the most God-centered, cross-focused conference ever. Upon returning home, my wife asked if my “mind was full.” For those of us who have attended many conferences, you know what she meant because most of them are so chock full of information that you cannot possibley retain it all. But I confessed that, no I didn’t suffer from information overload. In fact, there was only one trumpet sounded again and again from the speakers: Preach the word. As a result, in the wake of T4TG my convictions have set like concrete. I honestly cried during most of MacArthur’s address—simply because he is a living example that God builds and strengthens His church through the clear proclamation of His Word. And as Piper said, “If not, do it anyway.”
Tim:
I get the impression, as I read to the end of T4G here, that you got worn out by this conference - that while you have ben faithful to blog your fingers and ears off, that left you little time to personally process this stuff and it has left you a little tired.
I might be wrong about that, but I’d like to read your thoughts on what happened at T4G.
I’m one of the members of a congregation that these ministers will return to. I’m anxious to see and hear our pastor’s response. Though we are predominantly dispensational, he uses a lot of MacArthur and Piper’s scholarship in preparation for his messages. Though the gospel is faithfully presented, there seems to be a large disconnect between the pastors and the congregation and among the congregation itself. With the rapid rise of anti-Christian sentiment and just the general overwhelming pressures of living in our sin-dominated culture (both in and out of church), Christians need the ‘one anothers’ and a genuine committment to each other.
Mike Morrell:
You are misrepresenting MacArthur’s position. You seem to do this with some consistency. Why not get it straight?
For those of you that where there. Macarther mentioned some children’s books based on the lives of missionary “heros” that he read to his children when they where coming up. Does anyone remember what those where? I failed to get them in my notes and am interested in using something like that to challenge my own daughters. Feel free to send me info/suggestions.
cliff@metrofbc.com
Wow…was that the best conference you’d ever been too? I can’t stop thinking/meditating on the truths covered. Not to mention the HAUL of books we got!!!! LOL
Hi John H.,
I misrepresent MacArthur with consistency? I’m not sure I understand, this being my first ever “public comment” about MacArthur’s ministry, as far as I’m aware. And as far as it goes, I’m quite familiar with “Charismatic Chaos” and I just read his church’s position paper on tongues afresh the other day—he’s pretty plain about what he believes & I think its beyond misrepresenting!
I’m not trying to bash the brother; I have recieved ministry of value from him with regards to grace. I just don’t understand his high-decible bashing of charismatic belivers, especially now that there are so many credible Reformed charismatic folk like Wayne Grudem and the Sovereign Grace folk (and some other people here). I don’t understand why being “Biblical” is applied in a sectarian manner…its just heartbreaking.
Thanks for your comments on the Eldredge’s latest book Captivating. Somehow I happened upon your blog in a quick search for online feedback about it. It is being so well-received in the Christian community right now. I agree with the criticisms you pointed out. Do you think the book also placed an unbiblical emphasis on the self-exaltation, (i.e. “woman is the incarnation of the Beauty of God”), and even slipped a bit into the neighborhood of psychoanalysis and the supposition that mankind is by nature good?
To Tim, the T4G organizers, and all on this thread:
Please forgive me for the comments that I made that were the slightest bit critical of any speaker at T4G, especially John MacArthur, for not preaching expositionally from the Word. I so deeply respect and love each of these men and have been privileged to serve with some of them throughout the years in conferences as well. I am so sorry that my words would cause any hurt to them or to any of you.
I didn’t understand that Mark Dever had qualified on several different occasions at the conference that each of the speakers were not going to be giving exposition or a preachment, but rather sharing about the topics assigned from the deep well of their years in ministry, walking with the Lord faithfully, and personal devotion and experience. Their words, from Tim’s excellent notes, were still rich in content from the lessons learned and the principles of God’s Word that the Lord had marinated in them.
In light of my lack of understanding of that context, I should have refrained from making my earlier comments that were unnecessarily over the top and I humbly ask for each of your forgiveness.
I support these dear brothers and so greatly appreciate their love for the Lord and His Word. I would never want to do or say anything that would unjustly cast them in a negative light and diminish their faithful ministry to us all.
I am personally looking forward to hearing first hand the MP3’s of each of their sessions and being ministered in my own life.
His unworthy servant…StevePhil. 2:1-5
Dear Steve Camp,
Thank you, brother, for your words above. If I offended you by my post, I likewise ask your forgiveness.
In Christ,Greg Gemmell
I would love to hear this sermon, but the official site wants me to pay $2 to download it.
But for all the praise of John MacArthur it is deeply disturbing that he is part of the absurd trend of recent years that is unheard of in all the annals of foolish tupid things in Church history: putting your own name to the Holy Scriptures. A man who is held in high esteem for his high regard for the Bible has the audacity to issue the “John MacArthur Study Bible”. Not only is the arrogance breathtaking, but who would even want a Bible where all the notes come from one man? It’s like only readng one commentary all your life. Cursed be all named Bibles! The Bible is the Bible not the MacArthur/Ryrie/Scofield/Max Lucado Bible.
In regards to the comments by Jonathaiblen concerning the MSB, please know that the notes were not written entirely by Dr. MacArthur, but by a conglomerate of the The Master’s Seminary professors.
By the way, you’re making a terrible generalization by using those particular names in a string: those men would not even agree on the true nature of the most basic issue of all—the gospel (see The Gospel According to Jesus and The Gospel According to the Apostles).
Hi, I happened to see your discussion and intended to add some perspective to your discussion. In your discussion you have mentioned two or three issues and they are distinct. 1. Partial fulfillment 2. “The two-fold intention” a.The “partial fulfillment” of scriptural portion is suggested only when apostles or Christ Himself explains it to be so. For example, in Lu 4:18 “The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed;” is a quotation from Isaiah 61. Isaiah goes on to add “to proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God” However, Christ is not mentioning about the vengeance at that time as the prophecy was fulfilled only partially. b.One exception to this rule is when you know as a matter of fact one part of a passage or verse is fulfilled with out the fulfillment of the latter part.
Regarding “The two-fold intention” One will be safer to confine to literal meaning however, we understand there is another vital principle, which always go hand in hand with interpreting every passage . That is, we interpret scripture by scripture. For example, the passage in Heb 2:12 saying: “I will declare Your name to My brethren; In the midst of the assembly I will sing praise to You.” which is even true about King David. However, as the scripture itself explains it to be of Christ we understand it is applicable to Christ. Another kind of two-fold intention is as we see in Mt 16:6 Then Jesus said to them, “Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.” Mt 16:11 “How is it you do not understand that I did not speak to you concerning bread? —but to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”Mt 16:12 then they understood that He did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees. This kind of figure of speech is not at all rare in other literatures. Interpretation of this kind we always do in order to understand all kinds of poetical works. (Whether it is P.B Shelly or Shakespeare or our blessed Lord) As long as I understood from the previous discussions you had about the matter such, two folded intentions are not our issue but the two fold intentions we saw in Hebrews 2.Please also note that allegorical interpretation is not same as the “two folded intentions we discussed above.”