On Sunday, February 27, Pastor John MacArthur preached at Evergreen Church. Hear more from Pastor Rocky as he reflects on that Sunday.

How did you think Pastor John’s sharing at our church went?

The entire Lord’s Day when Pastor John visited our church was amazing! Our Lord continues to show His hesed love for Evergreen Church by bringing gifts like Pastor John to encourage us. Out of his incredibly busy schedule, he preached the Word and took the time to share his personal thoughts with us. People have shared with me that the interview portion of the day felt like our entire church family was able to pull up a chair beside the pastor and hear him share his insights as an older brother. It was fun to hear about his family and the insights that he learned through football. On a personal level, Sharla and the children were super encouraged to have Pastor John take the time to visit our church since I have shared on many occasions with them on how the Lord has been caring for our church through people like him.

Was there any significance to what Pastor John preached (Psalm 19) in relation to where the Lord is leading our church?

It was quite significant for Psalm 19 to be preached as it is one of the signature portions of Scripture that proclaims how God speaks to His people. Pastor John delivered a clear exposition of Psalm 19. Psalm 19:1-6 says that God communicates to all people on a general level through His Creation. Psalm 19:7-14 says that God gives specific revelation to His people. Specific revelation is where God give His own testimony to who He is and how one comes to a saving relationship with Him. In other words, creation may declare in a general sense that a divine creator exists, but the Bible is God’s only reliable testimony to who He is. The Bible is the only inerrant, authoritative and sufficient Word from God. Psalm 19 tells us that we are on the correct path as we emphasize God’s Word in everything that we do.

Why do you believe this was an emblematic moment for our church?

As I think about Pastor John, his commitment to the faithful ministry of God’s Word comes to mind. Therefore, his visit was significant for us as his visit was emblematic of what our Lord is doing at Evergreen Church. The ministry of the Word of God is foundational to the discipleship of our church. Since discipleship is the central theme of the church, this was a foundational teaching on what the church is to focus on. God’s Word is a “Discipleship Essential.”  “They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” (Acts 2:42) To put it in another way, one cannot grow as a disciple without God’s Word. Therefore, anyone who is with Evergreen Church on the Lord’s Day comes away with a strong emphasis on God’s Word. The Bible is being taught during the Sunday School Hour from 9-10am. The Lord’s Day Service is loaded with God’s Word as we read the Word during our public reading of Scripture. We sing the Word as the praise music is loaded with doctrine. We pray the Word as leaders pray according to God’s Word and we preach the Word as we are committed to expository preaching. Expository preaching is the commitment to preach the God intended meaning of the biblical text for the building up of the Body of Christ. Therefore, the preaching of Psalm 19 was incredibly significant to our church.

What benefit do you see in allowing guest preachers, such as Pastor John MacArthur, to preach at our church?

We are just getting started as we are coming out of two years of COVID-19, and we will begin to see what it feels like to be a member of Evergreen Church.

Pastor John has been faithfully pastoring Grace Community Church for over 50 years, and it is amazing to see their commitment to build up one another through the ministry of the Word and prayer. The benefits from hearing from people like Pastor John are numerous.

First, he is able help paint the picture of what the future could look like some day. As he shared with us, he is looking backwards upon his life as he is in his 80’s and he can recognize the providential moments in his life that has led up to where he is at today. It takes time and patience to see how the invisible hand of the Lord is moving. We are just getting started and it helps to hear from role models who are further down the road. “The Work of the Word” was preached at Pastor John’s 50th anniversary and it provides a picture of what faithful Bible exposition over the course of a lifetime yields.

Second, he was able to encourage us by letting us know how difficult it was for him in his initial years at Grace Community Church in 1969. This is a reminder that Gospel ministry is always filled with challenges. There are always unique challenges when there is a transition in leadership, but the challenges were multiplied due to the COVID-19 season. Therefore, we should expect challenges in the life of the church and understand that it is a part of the process.

Third, he is a living picture of finishing strong. Finishing well is the genuine desire of all followers of Jesus Christ. Paul said that he had fought the good fight and finished the course that was set before him, and a crown of righteousness was waiting for him in Heaven (2 Timothy 4:6-8). A picture is worth a thousand words, and we all need to formulate the vision of a Christian Champion.

Fourth, it is good to see the greater Body of Christ to see more of Christ. This is how the one anothers functions in the greater Body of Christ. Our aim is Christlikeness, and it is helpful to see. It is a great reminder that we are not alone and there are many faithful likeminded brothers and sisters outside of our local church.

Are there any guest preachers lined up the church can possibly look forward to hearing in the future?

The Lord has provided other people from outside of our local church who have come alongside us, and some have agreed to preach on the Lord’s Day. However, I will keep it a surprise for now.

By Pastor Rocky

As Evergreen Church prepares to hear from special guest Pastor John MacArthur this Sunday, 2/27, we thought it would be great for Pastor Rocky to share more about his relationship with Pastor John MacArthur and how much of an encouragement Pastor John MacArthur has been to him personally and to our church.

2014 - Personal Visit

Please share how you first got to know Pastor John MacArthur?

Providentially, our Lord was providing a mentor and friend for me as He would know that I would be called into pastoral ministry. In the 2000’s, I had known about Pastor John MacArthur because someone had gifted me a MacArthur Study Bible and I was listening to “Grace to You” on the radio. Back in 2009, when I served as a coach at the University of Southern California (USC), a portion of my recruiting area was in the San Fernando Valley. Therefore, I decided to stop by Grace Community Church to drop off a copy of our “Marriage Pyramid” that Sharla and I had developed. Weeks later, Pastor John wrote me telling me how he liked it because it was biblical. Providence would move our family to coach for the Seattle Seahawks in 2010 and in 2012 the Ligonier’s Westcoast Conference happened to be held in Seattle and John MacArthur was one of the speakers. Since he is a football guy, I decided to extend an invitation to visit our Seattle Seahawks training facility. Troy and I were able to give him and Steve Lawson a tour of our training facility. From that point on, he has graciously allowed me to contact him for advice or for a visit. In fact, in 2016, as we were wrestling over the decision to enter full time pastoral ministry, I had consulted him about how to discern the call of the preacher.

2017 - Q&A at The Master’s University

How were you able to maintain a relationship with Pastor John MacArthur over the years?

Providence would keep connecting both of us. In 2017, another Ligonier’s conference was hosted at Evergreen Baptist Church and we were able to meet up in the office in between his sessions. During our visit, he had asked me if I had any formal ministry training. I told him that I had begun an online master’s degree in theology while I was coaching. He would extend an invitation for me to sit in the Doctor of Ministry in Expository Preaching program at the Master’s Seminary. Therefore, I audited the program since the summer of 2017 and officially enrolled in the summer of 2021. Being able to be on the campus of the seminary on a regular basis has helped deepen my relationship with Pastor John as well as other leaders of Grace Community Church.

How has Pastor John MacArthur been an encouragement personally to you? To the church?

I can trace back the hand of the Lord moving providentially in my life through the people He has surrounded me with. Even at an early age, I always looked for role models in my life. During my formative years, the Lord provided great role models for me through my own father and mother, the greatest influences in my life. Sharla’s parents have always been a positive model for me as they are an example of generosity. As I began my football journey, the Lord provided the greatest coaching influences. I could not have asked for a better football mentor in Coach Pete Carroll and the other assistants as they have left a massive imprint upon me that would shape the way I approach challenges. Relationships with outside coaching influences such as Coach John Wooden served as a unique source of encouragement to me during my USC days.

It is true that the Lord equips the called. Since calling me to serve Him in a pastoral role, I have been provided a great role model in pastoral ministry through Pastor John. He is always available for a question, but the greatest encouragement that Pastor John has been to me on a personal level is the mutual friendship that we share. As a man who has gone the way before me, he understands my joys and pains. Looking at his life provides me with perspective.

The church can be encouraged by knowing how the Lord is caring for His church by equipping me with so much support from the Body.

2020 - Shepherd’s Conference with Evergreen Pastoral Staff

 What do you respect most about Pastor John MacArthur as a person?

When I think of Pastor John, his enduring commitment to be an expositor of God’s Word comes to mind. This is what our Lord calls His under shepherds to be about. However, the thing that I respect the most about Pastor John is that he is a genuine man of God. As a person he genuinely reflects what he teaches. I love him as preacher, but I love him more as a person. As I get to spend time with him in informal settings, I can see the work of the Word in his life. He reminds those around him what the Apostle Paul said to Timothy in 1 Timothy 1:5, “the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart.” He genuinely loves Christ, and people. As I have gotten to know him and see him interact with his family and other church members, I can see the love of Christ in him. The word “encouraging” come to mind as I see him interacting with people. He is one of the most gracious and generous people that I have had an opportunity to know.

Please share how it came about that Pastor John MacArthur is going to preach at our church on Sunday, 2/27.

Pastor John had wanted to preach at our church for a few years, but the COVID-19 season hit and things got very busy for him. Last Monday, I woke up thinking that I should check in with him to see if he would be able to fill the pulpit this year. He responded and asked if February 27th would work. He apologized for the short notice but would explain to me that this may be the only time in the foreseeable future, as the elders of Grace Community Church had given him that week off from preaching so he could prepare for the Shepherd’s Conference (takes place in early March for the equipping of pastors).  Instead of resting, he has made a special effort to serve our local church.

What are your hopes for Pastor John MacArthur’s time with Evergreen on Sunday, 2/27?

The Lord loves His church at Evergreen! He has shown His great love and care by providing people to encourage and equip us. My biggest hope for Pastor John’s visit is that our Lord will be glorified by our people being able to see His providential care for us by providing a unique gift to the church like Pastor John MacArthur. I am eager to hear God’s Word preached by him from our pulpit that Tommy Yamada built for our church, and I am excited for our people to see how our Lord has been working behind the scenes to care for us. For the investments he has intentionally made in us, I am hoping that Pastor John leaves feeling the affection and appreciation that Evergreen Church has for him. This will be a significant moment in the life of our church family.