Eugene's MacArthur, a role model for his well-known son, dies at age 91

  EUGENE – John F. “Jack” MacArthur of Eugene, a nationally known Christian radio host and pastor and the father of another famed Christian radio host, died in June 15 at age 91 of age-related causes.

  Memorial service was held June 28 at First Baptist Church in Eugene, where he had once pastored for more than 10 years.

  MacArthur preached almost every week from the time he was 19 until poor health forced him to stop only last January.

  His son, John MacArthur, Jr., is the well-known pastor of Grace Community Church in Panorama City, Calif., president of the Master’s College and Seminary, and the speaker on the Grace to You radio program, heard on stations around the world.

  The elder MacArthur was a profound role model not only for his son, but for many other young men who entered the ministry under his tutelage. His own radio ministry, Voice of Calvary, began broadcasting in 1942 and has aired continuously ever since. From 1956 to 1983, Voice of Calvary also sponsored a television broadcast.

  Over his long and distinguished career, MacArthur was a pastor, conference speaker, author, and church planter. He founded Calvary Bible Church in Burbank, Calif. In addition to the Eugene pastorate, he also served churches in Illinois and British Columbia. He had lived primarily in Eugene since 1969.

  In the 1940s, MacArthur served as an extension speaker for the Moody Bible Institute. Later, while pastoring in Southern California, he and Edwin Orr founded an outreach ministry to people in the film and television industry. Movie stars Roy Rogers and Dale Evans were close personal friends.

  Best-known as a biblical expositor, MacArthur influenced many other preachers — not the least of whom is his own son — to preach the Word faithfully, helping to stem the tide in an era when some say evangelical preaching was becoming more and more gimmicky and less Bible-centered.

  MacArthur was an inveterate reader with a broad range of interests. He had a particular concern for apologetics, and his preaching and writing were often peppered with facts and illustrations designed to demonstrate the trustworthiness of God’s Word. One of his books was titled How to Stay Away from the Psychiatrist. It was a practical study of how biblical principles apply to the problems of life. Other books included So You Have Trouble?, a study on First Peter; Alpha and Omega, on the book of Revelation, and Exploring in the Next World.

  MacArthur’s son said Voice of Calvary will continue to air until October.