(CP) Grace Community Church Pastor John MacArthur has had a "slower than expected" recovery from three surgeries performed last year and is currently hospitalised, according to a recent update.
GCC Elder Tom Patton said in an update Sunday the prominent 85-year-old California pastor and author "suffered a series of health issues that kept him out of the pulpit and required three surgeries in the second half of 2024."
"His recovery has been slower than expected, with occasional setbacks affecting his heart, lungs, and kidneys," Patton added. "The doctors have not yet discovered any single root cause for these diverse troubles."
"John has been hospitalised for the past two weeks undergoing tests and treatments. So please pray for him, and for the physicians that are handling the case."
GCC elder Phil Johnson, executive director of Grace to You, took to Facebook last week to dispel rumours that MacArthur was receiving palliative care and taking issue with those wanting more regular health updates.
"John MacArthur has NEVER wanted public announcements to be made about his health. It's one of his quirks, and it is a years-old policy of his. The scarcity of public announcements about his health is not something unique to this current illness," wrote Johnson.
"It's an understandable policy, and there's nothing perfidious about it. It's frankly tiresome having to answer thousands of questions about one's health — AND deal with scores of quack remedies given by well-meaning persons. I know this from experience. It's why HIPAA rules exist."
MacArthur became the pastor-teacher of GCC of Sun Valley in 1969, a few years after graduating from Biola University's Talbot Theological Seminary. MacArthur has reportedly preached more than 3,000 sermons since then.
On New Year's Day 2023, MacArthur was hospitalised after preaching the first GCC service day, preventing him from participating in the second service.
GCC provided an update the following day, saying that MacArthur was "doing well" after the 2023 emergency and that he "just needs rest from a busy holiday week."
MacArthur continued to have health issues and was away from his pulpit from July last year until November when he preached at a Thanksgiving service.
"I'm still here, and thankful to the Lord for that," MacArthur said at the November service. "God has purposes that we would've never been able to fulfill if we weren't put into some kind of stress."
"I'm just thankful I see the good and gracious and kind and providential hand of God in every vicissitude in my life, every hard experience, every challenge — whatever that challenge may be."
