John MacArthur, the influential 86-year-old American pastor, broadcaster, and author, has been hospitalized with pneumonia, with his church asking for prayers as he faces what could be his final days.

The announcement was made Sunday at Grace Community Church, where MacArthur has served as pastor-teacher for over five decades. Tom Patton, a staff pastor, told the congregation that MacArthur “may be in the presence of the Lord soon,” urging prayer for the pastor and his family.

“We place our beloved pastor at the feet of the glorious Savior whom he has served so faithfully,” Patton said during the service, asking for “grace upon grace” for MacArthur’s wife Patricia, their children, 15 grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren.

MacArthur, known worldwide through his Grace to You media ministry, has been largely absent from public ministry in 2024 due to ongoing health challenges. He marked 56 years at Grace Community Church in February but has not preached this year.

In recent years, MacArthur has faced serious health issues. After experiencing breathing difficulties following a sermon in January 2023, he was hospitalized and underwent three heart procedures and lung surgery, spending seven weeks in the hospital. He was discharged in February 2024.

Despite public assurances last April that he was recovering—at one point joking, “The rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated”—MacArthur remained unable to resume preaching or attend the March Shepherds Conference, a major annual gathering for church leaders.

MacArthur has been a prominent figure in evangelical circles for decades, preaching more than 3,000 sermons since 1969 and authoring numerous books and biblical commentaries. His Grace to You broadcast reaches an international audience through radio, television, and digital platforms.

Reflecting on aging in a 2024 interview, MacArthur acknowledged his mortality, saying, “I realize I’m on the last lap. That takes on a new meaning when you know you’re on the short end of the candle.”

Church leaders have asked supporters around the world to pray for MacArthur and his family during this time.