John F. MacArthur Jr.'s Blog

Don't "Share Your Faith"

For most of us it’s difficult to avoid marinating in the postmodern thinking of our friends, families, and colleagues. And we see signs of this even in the realm of evangelism.

READ MORE

Christ in His Proper Place

“Jesus Is the Answer” is a song that has always bothered me for one glaring reason: It never tells us what the question is. In many ways, Andraé Crouch’s well-worn anthem is emblematic of many modern evangelistic strategies—where the preacher skips over prerequisite details in his haste to get to the cross.

READ MORE

Everything Begins with God—Including Evangelism

"In the beginning God . . . (Genesis 1:1)." God’s own story of redemption begins with Himself. And that’s where we should begin when preaching the gospel.

READ MORE

The Dangers of an Oversimplified Gospel

What needs to be conveyed to unbelievers in order that they might understand and embrace salvation? Many of the modern trends in evangelism have tended to take a minimalist approach to the question. Unfortunately, the legitimate desire to express the heart of the gospel clearly has given way to a less wholesome endeavor.

READ MORE

John MacArthur on the Irreducible Elements of the Gospel

The preacher is left with one option when it comes to faithful gospel proclamation—and it’s not an elusive option reserved for scholars. Paul expected his audience to be able to clearly differentiate between the one true gospel and all the other pretenders.

READ MORE

Perspective, Entertainment, and the Lordship of Christ

How do we make biblical decisions about entertainment? God’s Word doesn’t say anything specific about what kinds of movies or TV we should watch, or what kinds of music we should listen to. In the absence of explicit biblical instructions, how do we determine what kinds of entertainment are acceptable?

READ MORE

Priorities, Entertainment, and the Lordship of Christ

Our media-driven culture has redefined the pursuit of happiness. The American Dream—which used to consist of a loving family, a nice house, a white picket fence—now includes instant fame, endless riches, easy romance, and the blank-check promise that anyone can achieve his or her dreams. Reality television and the rise of the Internet are perhaps somewhat to blame for this phenomenon. But ultimately the problem lies in the human heart.

READ MORE

Worldliness, Entertainment, and the Lordship of Christ

As new creatures living under the authority of Christ, believers have been rescued from the corruption of sin and set aside for righteousness (cf. Leviticus 20:26). Our new nature is no longer compatible with the world—the transforming work of salvation makes us aliens in a lost and dying society, at odds with the very things we formerly loved. The lordship of Christ forces us to denounce the impurity and worldliness that once informed our character and occupied our hearts.

READ MORE

Stewardship, Entertainment, and the Lordship of Christ

God has given each of us a limited number of resources—in particular, time, money, talents, and energy. And we are commanded to be good stewards of each (cf. Ephesians 5:15; Ecclesiastes 11:9; Mark 12:30).

READ MORE

Christians and Entertainment

Over the last few weeks, we’ve looked at several important biblical principles that help guide our decisions, activities, and behavior in areas of life about which Scripture does not specifically speak. The principles we’ve examined can apply to every gray area in life, including those related to entertainment, amusement, and leisure.

READ MORE