Grace Community Church Names Nathan Busenitz as Senior Pastor
Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California, named Nathan Busenitz as its permanent senior pastor on August 23, 2026. The church's elders voted unanimously on August 20 to appoint Busenitz, who had been serving as interim pastor since the death of John MacArthur in July 2025. Busenitz grew up at the church and served for years as MacArthur's personal assistant.
Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California, officially named Nathan Busenitz as its new senior pastor on August 23, 2026, during a Sunday morning service. The announcement came on the one-year anniversary of the memorial service for John MacArthur, who led the congregation for 56 years before his death on July 14, 2025.
The church's elders reached a unanimous decision on August 20 to call Busenitz to the permanent role. Chris Hamilton, chairman of the elderboard, introduced Busenitz to the congregation and said the elders had gathered around him in prayer immediately after the vote.
Busenitz has deep roots at Grace Community Church. He grew up in the congregation, served as a Bible study shepherd in the Crossroads college ministry, and later worked for several years as John MacArthur's personal assistant. He also served as executive vice president of The Master's Seminary and as a professor of church history there.
Following MacArthur's death, Busenitz stepped into the role of interim staff pastor. His appointment as permanent senior pastor ends a year-long transition period for one of the most prominent evangelical congregations in the United States.
In his remarks to the congregation, Busenitz said he was committed to continuing the church's focus on the lordship of Christ and the authority of Scripture. He thanked the elders for their trust and asked the congregation for their prayers.
Grace Community Church draws several thousand attendees each week and operates The Master's Seminary and The Master's University as affiliated institutions.
