Ordinary People With Extraordinary Lives

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This Podcast is dedicated to bringing the testimonies of believers and followers of Christ Jesus to a public platform where everyone is encouraged to join us and witness God’s glory in the lives of people from around the world. This series is dedicated to bringing the testimonies of believers and followers of Jesus Christ to a public platform where everyone is encouraged to join us and witness God

’s glory in the lives of people from around the world. You will get an up-close and intimate look into the lives of these believers, and how the Lord transformed their lives through the power of the gospel and how the Lord brought them out of darkness into light.

When the Man You Once Feared Became Your Beloved Pastor — John MacArthurIn the spring of 2023, I had the opportunity to ...
07/16/2025

When the Man You Once Feared Became Your Beloved Pastor — John MacArthur

In the spring of 2023, I had the opportunity to share my testimony at the Sojourners Women’s Luncheon at GCC. One of the memories I shared was about my first encounter and conversation with Pastor John.

It was November 2014, on a Sunday evening. A friend and I were on a bus headed to the Walk of Fame in Hollywood when the bus stopped right in front of a building. I saw a big sign that said “Grace Community Church.” It didn’t ring a bell at first—until I saw the name John MacArthur underneath. That’s when I remembered hearing about him from my pastor’s wife and a young man back at my church in Queens, New York, who admired his teaching.

To be honest, I had tried listening to his sermons before on the Grace To You app, but I thought, “Wow, this man sounds so mean—he can’t be a man of God.” I struggled to understand his teaching, so I stopped listening. But because his name reminded me of my beloved church back in New York, my friend and I got off the bus and went inside. And there he was—preaching. The man I had been so afraid to hear was standing in the pulpit, faithfully proclaiming God’s Word. And we stayed. I kept visiting the church occasionally—I was desperate for a church family and to hear God’s Word again.

Fast forward to September 2017, I returned to Grace Community Church. It was another Sunday evening, and once again Pastor John was preaching. That night, I decided to go up and talk to him (yes, the man I once thought was “scary”). He was the first person I spoke to. I told him I was looking for a church and wanted to get plugged in. He kindly encouraged me to come on Sunday morning, attend Crossroads, and join the Foundations Bible study on Fridays. Then he asked someone nearby for a pen and paper, wrote down my name, email, and phone number, and said, “I’ll have my secretary reach out to you this week.”

That first encounter proved me completely wrong about him. He was so kind and patient as he listened to me. Like many have said: “John MacArthur is nicer in person than he is in the pulpit.” His kindness and humility stood out that day.

As I walked out of church, I told myself, “He meets so many people—he’ll forget and lose that piece of paper.”

But the next day, I had a voicemail from a sweet lady from Grace Community Church. I called her back, and we had the kindest conversation. That call marked the beginning of my journey at Grace. (To my surprise, I later met that same sweet lady at Bible study—and she became a dear friend, along with many other godly women I met in ministry.)

I started attending both morning and evening services, joined Foundations, and God surrounded me with faithful friends who loved Christ and made me want to follow Him more. Once I committed to Grace, I knew I had found my new home. Though my family hoped I’d return to New York after college, I stayed in LA—because of Grace Community Church.

I’m thankful for the years God gave me there. I got to work for the church, doing what I love. I moved to LA chasing Hollywood and the film industry—but the Lord gave me something better: not just a job, but a ministry and a family. I even had the blessing of working on The Essential Church, the first Christian feature documentary I was part of. We spent countless hours interviewing Pastor John, witnessing up close his love for his church and his Savior.

The man I once feared became my beloved pastor. His love for God’s people was evident—even to a girl from New York whom he didn’t know. Because he passed my contact info to his secretary, I found not just a solid church—but a family. It was at Grace that I met my husband, and after five years of marriage, our hardest goodbye when we moved to Phoenix in 2024 was saying farewell to our church family.

Today, I’m sad that our pastor is no longer with us. But I’m also rejoicing, because he is in the perfect presence of his Savior. What a great hope we have in Christ—that one day we too will be with Him and with our beloved saints in heaven, forever.

I look forward to the day I’ll be with my sweet Savior, Jesus, in heaven. 🙏🕊�https://gracechurch.org/sermons/19842

“Precious in the sight of the Lord Is the death of His godly ones.”Psalms‬ ‭116‬:‭15‬ John MacArthur will be missed, but...
07/15/2025

“Precious in the sight of the Lord Is the death of His godly ones.”Psalms‬ ‭116‬:‭15‬

John MacArthur will be missed, but his faithfulness and legacy will live on!

From a life of crime and brokenness to a life of faith and service—Justin Harvey’s story is one of powerful transformati...
06/06/2025

From a life of crime and brokenness to a life of faith and service—Justin Harvey’s story is one of powerful transformation. Hear how God turned his darkest moments into a mission of hope, mentorship, and street evangelism.

🎙️ Don’t miss this upcoming episode! Subscribe to our podcast and YouTube channel to be notified when it drops. https://www.youtube.com//?sub_confirmation=1

S3:EP48 | From Youth Pastor to Overseer of Training Center  | Todd Burgett | Redeemer Bible Church AZWatch Now: https://...
03/04/2025

S3:EP48 | From Youth Pastor to Overseer of Training Center | Todd Burgett | Redeemer Bible Church AZ
Watch Now: https://youtu.be/HLw42fPCOEc

🎙️ Exciting Episode Coming Soon! 🎙️Yesterday, I had the privilege of recording a podcast interview with my dear friend J...
03/02/2025

🎙️ Exciting Episode Coming Soon! 🎙️
Yesterday, I had the privilege of recording a podcast interview with my dear friend Justbrooke Bartz about her upcoming book, Godly Ever After! 📖✨

Brooke is a gifted author, and the founder of Open Hearts in a Closed World ministry. In this episode, she shares the heart behind her new book—an encouraging story for young women navigating faith, friendship, and trials.

📢 Mark your calendars!
Godly Ever After is releasing in April and will be available on Amazon! 🛒✨

🔥 Stay tuned!
https://www.youtube.com//?sub_confirmation=1

Out Now!
11/12/2024

Out Now!

In this episode of Ordinary People with Extraordinary Lives, we sit down with Pastor Kevin Hay as he shares his faith journey. Kevin grew up in an unbelievin...

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