Beyond his dedication to his church, MacArthur also made several news appearances, including one where he and other religious leaders explained to Larry King what happens when a person dies. During this appearance, MacArthur said he had a near-death experience when he had blood clots “all over both lungs,” and had a feeling of disappointment since he felt “I was ready to see my Lord.” 

“And not that I don’t love my wife, my kids, and enjoy the riches. I was made for social life. I was made for relationships, and that’s why I hang on here, and I was made to be used by God, and I want to serve Him as long as he wants me here,” MacArthur said on CNN.

“But I’m ready to go to heaven whenever He sends the word,” MacArthur said.

One of the pastor’s most famous television appearances was in 2004, when he feuded with then-San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom about same-sex marriage. MacArthur objected to Newsom’s approval of it, saying the Bible states “one man, one woman, cleaved for live, that’s a family.”

It would not be the last time MacArthur and Newsom shared a dispute. During the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, MacArthur began hosting indoor services in his church despite the lockdown restrictions ordered by Newsom as California’s governor. A legal battle between MacArthur’s church and Los Angeles County ensued, resulting in the church being paid a settlement of $800,000 in 2021 after the Supreme Court ruled California’s public health safety restrictions could not be applied to places of worship.

Two years later, MacArthur wrote an open letter opposing Newsom’s multi-state billboard campaign to promote abortion. The pastor expressed concern that Newsom’s “soul” was “in grave, eternal peril,” and said that his church was “praying for your full repentance.”

In the hours following the announcement of MacArthur’s death, many Christian faith leaders took to social media to express their condolences and commend the pastor for his impact on their lives.

“John MacArthur’s influence in my life was inestimable. He was a precious mentor & friend for nearly 45 years. In the pulpit, he was fierce, forceful, and full of earnest courage. In person, he was kind and gentle. This is a painful loss for the church; glorious triumph for John,” Grace to You Executive Director Phil Johnson said on X.

“One of America’s great Bible teachers, Pastor @JohnMacArthur, stepped into the presence of Almighty God Monday evening at the age of 86. He could get more out of a Bible verse than anyone I’ve ever known. His voice will be greatly missed,” evangelist Franklin Graham said on X.

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“John MacArthur has gone home. His faith is now sight, and he has entered his rest and eternal reward—perfect fellowship with God forever. Words fail to convey what his ministry has meant to so many of us, but for now, this will suffice: “Well done, good and faithful servant,” Center for Baptist Leadership Executive Director William Wolfe also said on X.

“In an age of compromise, Pastor John MacArthur stood as a fixed point, faithful to Christ to the end; an unflinching shepherd, a sleepless watchman, and an uncompromising herald. His pulpit thundered with truth, unmoved by fads, unshaken by threats, and unwavering in allegiance to the Lordship of Jesus Christ,” Oklahoma state Sen. Dusty Deevers said on X.