Grace Community Church in California has appointed Nathan Busenitz as its new senior pastor, filling the leadership role once held by longtime pastor and Bible teacher John MacArthur.
Church elders unanimously chose Busenitz for the position last Thursday, about a year after MacArthur’s memorial service, according to an announcement.
MacArthur, founder of Grace to You and pastor-teacher of Grace Community Church for more than five decades, died on July 14, 2025, at age 86 after recently being hospitalized with pneumonia. Following his death, Busenitz was appointed “staff pastor” on an interim basis while the congregation’s elders considered a permanent successor.
Busenitz previously worked as MacArthur’s personal assistant and studied at both The Master’s University and The Master’s Seminary, institutions closely associated with MacArthur’s ministry. He later served as executive vice president of The Master’s University. Busenitz is married and has four children.
“Having grown up at Grace, Nathan is already known and beloved by our church family,” the church elders said. “Nathan’s giftedness for preaching and shepherding became evident in these ministries through his clear teaching and humble leadership.”
“As Nathan steps into his new role and transitions from leading the seminary, the elders ask the congregation to faithfully lift up him and his family in prayer. We enter this new season of ministry with gratitude to God for His faithfulness in the past and with joyful confidence in His plan for the future.”
According to Busenitz’s biography on the Grace Community Church website, he began serving at The Master’s University in 2000 and joined Grace’s pastoral staff full time in 2003, remaining in that role through 2009.
He began teaching historical theology at The Master’s Seminary in 2008 and later helped lead the Cornerstone fellowship group at Grace Community Church.
