University Update from Dr. Abner Chou

“Sometimes,” Dr. MacArthur once said, “you do not know the significance of a man of God until he is gone.” While Pastor John was speaking of individuals like Calvin, Spurgeon, Sproul, and Lloyd-Jones, these words are equally true of the one who spoke them.

In the days since his passing, tributes have flowed from close friends and family to major news outlets. Christian leaders have expressed their condolences. Even the nation of Israel sent a letter in honor and gratitude to Dr. John MacArthur.

The outpouring of such appreciation literally extends around the world, a reflection of the unquestionable and staggering impact of what the Lord has done through one expositor.

The starting point and driver to this astounding consequence was not clever marketing, polished PR, or shrewd business tactics. Dr. MacArthur always said, “You take care of the depth, and let God take care of the breadth.”

Dr. MacArthur’s work at The Master’s University was a prime demonstration of that. In the earliest days of his tenure as president, he raised up the right faculty, instilled theological conviction in the campus, and redid chapel so that it featured expository preaching. His leadership was an exercise of influence and discipleship, and the lessons learned have shaped individual lives, convictions, philosophy of ministry, and the entire campus culture.

There is a reason why The Wall Street Journal consistently rates TMU as top 10 in the nation for students’ best choice. This is the vindication of the sufficiency of Scripture and the validation of the man who labored to invest it into the lives of so many.

Indeed, “Sometimes,” as Pastor John said, “you do not know the significance of a man of God until he is gone.” But Dr. MacArthur’s quote did not stop there. Having uttered those words, he said, “but the most faithful men of God do not merely leave behind an institution, but a movement.”

If the first part of Pastor John’s quote was true of him, then the latter half of this quote is even more so. The Lord honored Dr. MacArthur’s mission of unleashing God’s truth one verse at a time and his faithful manner of life by entrusting him with a significant ministry, one that now encompasses a family of ministries (like Grace to You and The Master’s Seminary) that are reaching people of all ages worldwide with the truth of God’s Word.

The University stands as a vital instrument in this family of ministries. It is widely recognized as a beacon for faithful training of the next generation of the church in vocation and worldview, producing alumni who, across the globe, serve Christ steadfastly in their churches, workplaces, and homes. By God’s grace, we are resolved to entrust this biblically-centered education to many more students in the years ahead.

Given such extensive resourcing and such extensive reach, what God has entrusted through the fidelity of His servant Dr. John MacArthur is nothing short of a movement. Churches worldwide depend upon the faithfulness of these ministries to support the entire spiritual life and work of God’s people.

Finding ourselves with such a stewardship, we have but one response: As our chancellor charged us, we double down on every conviction that has been handed down to us.

To the best of our ability, we have taken every measure to ensure every hire and every admitted student is for Christ and Scripture. We are also regularly teaching through the doctrinal statement to our faculty and staff, so that the truth is not only fresh on everyone’s mind but that they also cherish these precious doctrines in their hearts.

At this time, we are not shrinking back but are pressing forward. We are raising up our people to protect the mission of the institution, even as we are pulling together every resource to preserve this mission. And all of this is so that we would perform the mission, setting up every generation after us for faithfulness until our Master returns. We are convinced that this is our role in the plan of God for this season, set up in divine providence through Dr. MacArthur.

In his final epistle, the Apostle Paul had a singular charge: that the ministry Christ had entrusted him would continue. The apostle articulated the key doctrines of this ministry (2 Tim. 1-3), established the key people and places for Timothy to work with (2 Tim. 4:9-21), and then charged Timothy to fulfill his ministry (2 Tim. 4:5).

Following in Paul’s footsteps, Dr. MacArthur fought the good fight, finished the race, kept the faith, and entrusted to us the ministry entrusted to him. I am earnestly praying that by God’s good grace and for His glory, we come together to do our all to fulfill our ministry and champion this movement of Christ and Scripture.

In His Grace,

Abner Chou

President and John F. MacArthur Endowed Fellow

The Glory of Heaven by John MacArthur

A quick glance at bestselling books shows that heaven is a hot topic. Who doesn’t wonder about the place where we’ll live forever in God’s presence—free from sorrow, pain, and fear? What will heaven be like? What will we do there? How will we relate to loved ones? Unfortunately, many popular books offer fictional accounts that mislead millions. In The Glory of Heaven, John MacArthur critiques these claims and presents a clear, biblical picture of God’s eternal city. Discover what Scripture truly teaches about your glorious future home.

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