“Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the Word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith” (Hebrews 13:7). “Imitate me, (in so much) as I imitate Christ.” The Apostle Paul, 1 Corinthians 11:1.
When it comes to ministry mentors and pastoral role-models:
Choose wisely! For “the student is not above
the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher.”
Jesus, Luke 6:40.
Over the past thirty years I have corresponded back
and forth with Pastor MacArthur often via handwritten letters. Despite an unbelievably demanding ministry
schedule, Pastor John has always taken time to write me back (albeit sometimes
through his church secretary). As a child/teenager
many of my chicken scratch notes included "difficult" bible questions, such as, “Pastor, how
do you explain the discrepancies with regard to numbers recorded in the same
bible verse in different bible translations?”
“Dear Pastor John, if God is absolutely sovereign, how do we reconcile ____.” After many gracious and thoroughly biblical responses I realized that
it was unlikely that I would be able to stump (my) Pastor John.
In the 90’s my (pastor) father had the privilege of
serving as missions/outreach pastor (while attending seminary) and I had the honor of
serving as a deacon (a decade or so later).
During college, when the Lord changed my career trajectory from sports broadcasting
to pastoral ministry/preaching, my love and appreciation for Pastor John
MacArthur increased a hundred-fold. He
was now not only my favorite preacher, he was also a ministry hero in the
faith. Like Dr. Lloyd-Jones, Pastor John was a lion in the pulpit and a lamb outside of it when interacting with his beloved congregation. As I was able to see him live out
his faith in private (doing life with his children and grandchildren) my respect
for him only grew. Like my own father, he was the same godly man at home as he was behind the pulpit.
One of the most memorable highlights of our married life is
when Pastor John and Patricia visited our 1-bedroom dorm apartment (see picture above) for dinner before
I graduated from seminary and moved to the Midwest to pastor a local church. Suffice it to say, no “jar of clay” has had a greater
impact on my pulpit ministry, my theological convictions, and my (biblical) philosophy
of ministry than Pastor John MacArthur.
This partially explains why Andrea and I named our son Jude MacArthur Kolstad.
Many people who find/visit Lake County Bible Church do
so via the Master’s Seminary church finder or by calling “Grace to You.” It is a tremendous stewardship and honor to
receive referrals from any of Pastor John’s ministry volunteers and pastors/professors (1 Corinthians
4:2; 1 Peter 4:11). To be called a "Master's man" is a great privilege and a great responsibility.
In view of the massive influence of The Master’s Seminary/University
and Pastor John MacArthur on me (and all of our pastors) we believe it is quite
fitting to highlight this special relationship on my ministry blog page and church website.
Included are a few of my favorite memories/pictures with Pastor John; (unfortunately I did not save any letters from my childhood/teen years).
