Much of the commentary about John MacArthur in the wake of his death last week has focused on the controversies about his views on gender and politics or his habit of turning a deaf ear to women who complained about abuse from their husbands or church leaders.
Thanks for writing this excellent defense of expository preaching. The history of various preaching styles is also a good review.
During the Covid crisis , my wife and I were led out of a PCUSA (non expository) church to a PCA (expository) church and later decided to become members. Currently the Pastor is preaching through the letters of John and dealing with assurance. The assistant pastor is preaching through first and second Thessalonians.
Our church is growing rapidly and when you interview visitors and new members, it is the preaching that drew them. Also most of the families are home schoolers.
This account of how exciting expository preaching was when Baptist types first encountered it three or four decades ago definitely tracks with my recollection of talk at my childhood churches. Idk if MacArthur personally was influential there, though I do recall once seeing his study Bible and assuming he must be long since dead, because I didn’t think they gave out that kind of gig in the 20th century.
Thanks for writing this excellent defense of expository preaching. The history of various preaching styles is also a good review.
During the Covid crisis , my wife and I were led out of a PCUSA (non expository) church to a PCA (expository) church and later decided to become members. Currently the Pastor is preaching through the letters of John and dealing with assurance. The assistant pastor is preaching through first and second Thessalonians.
Our church is growing rapidly and when you interview visitors and new members, it is the preaching that drew them. Also most of the families are home schoolers.
Westminster PCA, Kingsport, TN westminsterkpt.org
Blessings,
Pierre LeMaster
Nicely done. That’s a good explanation of what made MacArthur’s preaching attractive and distinctive.
This account of how exciting expository preaching was when Baptist types first encountered it three or four decades ago definitely tracks with my recollection of talk at my childhood churches. Idk if MacArthur personally was influential there, though I do recall once seeing his study Bible and assuming he must be long since dead, because I didn’t think they gave out that kind of gig in the 20th century.