John MacArthur Publishing Group
A Q&A with Joe Zhakevich
What is the John MacArthur Publishing Group (JMPG)?
Our mission statement really captures the reason JMPG exists: “The John MacArthur Publishing Group exists to produce biblical resources that bring the transforming truth of God’s Word to the lives of His people.” We could even condense it to a brief statement: “Equipping Believers with Transforming Truth.” That’s our goal! To produce and distribute books that explain Scripture and that sanctify believers.
There are plenty of Christian publishers out there. Why start another one? What unique value can this one bring to the church?
JMPG was launched to provide trusted resources for those desiring to know Christ and to understand His Word more deeply. Sure, there are fine publishers. But there’s a rising trend to publish works that are more superficial and less biblical. We’ve also seen publishers reject solid, biblical works even from best-selling authors.
When Dr. MacArthur proposed his newest book, The War on Children, there were leading Christian publishers who said no to the idea. Some of them said the topic was too controversial, even though parents are yearning for wisdom on protecting and raising their children in this dark generation.
In light of all this, our goal is to be bold and to proclaim the truth. In fact, the Board decided to call this publishing platform the “John MacArthur Publishing Group” not because Dr. MacArthur has any ownership in it, but because the Board wants this publisher to stand boldly, the same way Dr. MacArthur has for over five decades. We want to proclaim the Word of God for those seeking to know the truth.
What kind of books and resources will this publishing group focus on in the coming years?
The books JMPG has already released reflect the kind of resources we want to provide.
Dr. MacArthur’s The War on Children looks at our culture that is anti-children, anti-family, and anti-God, and offers biblical instruction on how to be a godly family in this godless society. We released the book in print, Kindle, and audio, so that people could get the version that works best for them.
The MacArthur Old Testament Commentaries on Zechariah as well as on Jonah & Nahum explain each book devotionally and expositionally. Whether you’re a pastor, a shepherd, or a new believer, these commentaries explain God’s Word, instruct us how to live as Christians, and draw us near to Christ.
The next commentary is on the book of Daniel. It examines those amazing stories of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fiery furnace, Daniel in the lions’ den, and the prophecies of the end times. The seventy weeks, the Tribulation, and the Antichrist are all explained in this commentary. Even though Daniel is difficult, the beauty of these commentaries is that they’re written so everyone could understand them—they feed our Christian soul.
Let me mention one other project we’re working on—a series called The Great Chapters of the Bible. The first book is on our bodily resurrection from 1 Corinthians 15 (The Triumph of the Rising). Another work describes the unfailing love of God towards us from Romans 8 (The Triumph of Love). We’re also working on a book about the supreme prayer of Christ for us believers from John 17 (Our Savior Who Prays). These are taken from The MacArthur New Testament Commentaries and are done in a way that anyone can read them and delight in the beauty of God.
Why should Christians continue to write and publish books? Aren't there enough books out there already?
This is such an important point; even three thousand years ago Solomon said, “The making of many books is endless” (Ecclesiastes 12:12). Millions of books are published every year but most of them are not useful. There’s also so much other godless noise around us—whether it’s degenerate movies, blasphemous music, or any form of foul entertainment. We’re constantly bombarded with the depravity of this world. The goal of JMPG is to counter this and produce books that will nourish believers with truth and draw them closer to Christ.
This is why we’ve joined this publishing venture: to display a high view of Scripture and a high view of God. A. W. Tozer said: “What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” Of course, the Bible is the most important book to read to see who God is. But when someone wants to study the Bible at a deeper level, we want to provide those resources that enable Christians to focus on specific portions of Scripture and to dive into God’s Word.
