Congratulations John MacArthur 40 years!

Here is the article from Pulpit Magazine. Folks we need more pastors today like Dr. John MacArthur that can leave a legacy of faithfulness in the church and solid Bible teaching.

Yesterday our church celebrated John MacArthur's 40th anniversary as our pastor. Below is the article that Rick Holland wrote in our church bulletin. An electronic copy of the bulletin can be viewed at this link.

First Thessalonians 5:12–13 contain a simple request from the Apostle Paul that echoes to us on this historic day: “But we request of you, brethren, that you appreciate those who diligently labor among you, and have charge over you in the Lord and give you instruction, and that you esteem them very highly in love because of their work.”

Today we are esteeming our Pastor-Teacher, John MacArthur, and appreciating his 40 years of service here at Grace Community Church. It is rare to find a man with four decades of unwavering commitment in ministry fidelity. It is rarer still to see this accomplished in the same church. On that rainy February weekend in 1969, no one knew that God was beginning something extra special, with worldwide impact and epic influence. From the very beginning our pastor said, “If you take care of the depth of your ministry, God will take care of the breadth of it.” John’s attention to the depth of his study of God’s Word has been used by His Spirit to extend gospel truth to the uttermost parts of the earth.

Ministry fads have come and gone. New ideas about how to do church have been tried and forgotten. The theory of preaching itself has been reshaped almost annually. But our pastor has never wavered in form or content in the pulpit of our church. John MacArthur is the embodiment of faithful expository preaching.

Our pastor has served as an excellent shepherd. He has married and buried, counseled and comforted, planned and prayed. But the credibility and precision for all the dimensions of his ministry have flowed from his preaching ministry. When church history refers to the preaching ministry of its heroes, it refers to the pulpit. There is no question that John MacArthur will be noted in the next chapter of church history, specifically for his faithfulness in the pulpit. For the record, he has stood in that sacred desk for over 7,000 hours!

Our pulpit is 45 inches tall (when fully elevated), 58 inches wide and 27 inches deep. It is famous for being one of the first to be installed with a hydraulic lift, so that it can be adjusted for height, and so that it can be hidden beneath the platform to reveal the baptistery. Its unique shape offers maximum surface area from which to work, allowing the preacher ample room for the Scriptures and his notes. Our pulpit is not particularly ornate, and intentionally so. Its purpose is not to draw attention to itself, but to exalt the Word of God as it is proclaimed to His people.

It is the proclamation of the truth from our pulpit that makes it special. Like Ezra, who read the Scripture and explained its meaning to the people, so our pastor proclaims God’s Word to us each week. As a result, the pulpit at Grace Church has an unparalleled reputation for being a place where expositional preaching meets an eager congregation.

Because of both the historic and symbolic importance of the pulpit in our church, the elders of Grace commissioned renowned impressionistic painter, Ron Hicks, to compose an original painting of it. John will receive this painting today as a small token of our appreciation and love for him.