John MacArthur undergoes second lung procedure as church cuts budget

The Grace Community Church pastor and host of the Grace To You podcast underwent a second successful procedure on his lungs last month, according to a congregational note from MacArthur shared on Sunday. Doctors were optimistic about his prognosis, MacArthur said. He expected to spend several more months recovering at home before his return to leadership, he added. MacArthur said he loved his congregation and desired to be back with them as soon as possible, but noted that his life and times were in the hands of God.

The California pastor suffered a number of health issues throughout the last year after receiving a heart valve replacement in July 2024. MacArthur experienced issues with his heart, lungs, and kidneys after his surgery before his weeks-long hospitalization in December 2024. Doctors put MacArthur on a physical therapy regimen because of his lengthy confinement to a bed, church elder Phil Johnson said in a late January update. MacArthur returned home from his first hospital stay in February and has since released several update videos confirming he has no terminal illnesses and acknowledging he’s entering what he characterized as the last lap of his life.

What happened with church finances? The California megachurch will reduce its budget by about 20% for the new fiscal year, according to MacArthur’s note. The reduction came after congregational giving, for the first time in more than a decade, began to show the effects of what MacArthur characterized as a financial recession. MacArthur still described Grace congregants as consistently generous and cheerful givers despite the financial setback. The Lord gave Grace some large donations in order to get through the last few years, he noted. Very few will be affected by the budget adjustments, and church leaders will continue faithfully working with what the Lord provides, he added. MacArthur assured congregants that leaders were not anxious and looked forward to continued dependence on the Lord. Despite the budget reduction, the church remains completely committed to God’s ministry, he added.

Dig deeper: Read my initial reporting for more background on the pastor’s initial hospitalization earlier this year.