John MacArthur Recovering After Unexpected Surgery

Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California, has given an update on the health of Pastor John MacArthur, informing the congregation that after a week of testing, the venerated elder underwent a medical procedure designed to clear a blockage in his arteries and that he would be taking a few weeks off to rest and recover.

MacArthur, 83, has had some health struggles over the last two weeks. He was unable to preach the second service at his church two weeks ago and did not preach the previous week, with Michael Reeves taking over that duty.

While we don’t know MacArthur’s diagnosis, generally speaking, blocked arteries occur when the blood vessels that carry oxygen and nutrients from the heart to the rest of the body become narrowed or blocked by a buildup of plaque. This plaque comprises cholesterol, fat, and other substances in the blood.

Common in people over 60, blocked arteries can lead to serious health problems, such as chest pain, heart attacks and strokes. It is typically treated with lifestyle changes, medication, and surgery, such as:

Angioplasty and stenting, which uses a small balloon to open the blocked artery and a stent to keep it open
Coronary artery bypass surgery, which uses a blood vessel from another part of the body to bypass the blocked artery

The church informs that MacArthur “will take the next few weeks off from preaching to recover and to prepare for Shepherds Conference.” They say he’s “feeling better and is grateful for the opportunity to rest in the coming weeks” and ask supporters to “please continue to pray for our pastor’s recovery.”