Well, in this episode of five minutes in church history, we are talking about church history being made in our very own day, and the book of church history is still being written.

And one of those key figures in the end of the 20th century

and now on through the 21st century is my guest.

It's Dr. MacArthur.

Dr. MacArthur, it's nice to see you.

Thank you, Steve.

Good to be with you.

So you are on the eve of celebrating 50 years of pastoral ministry here at Grace Community Church,

and it was a few years after that that Grace to you, the radio broadcast started up.

What memory do you have from starting here back in 1969?

The first sermon I preached here, the first Sunday I was officially to be the pastor I preached on

Matthew 721 and following many will say to me Lord Lord and I'll say to them depart from me I never knew you workers of

inequity and I think what in the world was I doing what a ridiculous way to

begin a relationship?

You're having them wonder if they're actually genuine Christian.

I mean, I laid it on them.

This is Sunday number one. Because I knew there were people who were not converted. I knew they

were on the board. I knew they were in the choir. I knew they were serving in the

church. I wasn't mean-spirited I was just passionate that these people needed to be

genuinely converted and the the congregation knew what they were getting and their new pastor.

Well, I knew it the first Sunday.

And the second thing that happened was the board came to me in the first couple of weeks and

...