Dr. Tom Ascol Appointed Acting President of Founders Seminary Following the Passing of Dr. Voddie Baucham
October 14, 2025
CAPE CORAL, FLORIDA — On October 7, 2025, the Board of Directors of Founders Ministries named Dr. Thomas K. Ascol as the acting President of Founders Seminary in the wake of the loss of founding President, Dr. Voddie T. Bauchum, Jr. (1969-2025). Dr. Ascol, a close friend of Dr. Baucham, will carry out the presidential responsibilities for the seminary and will also continue in his role as its Chancellor and President of Founders Ministries.
Founders Seminary remains steadfast in its purpose to train men for ministry with sharp minds, warm hearts, and steel spines. This appointment reflects the Board of Directors’ confidence in Dr. Ascol’s leadership and commitment to the mission of Founders Seminary.
Founders Ministries grieves the loss of Dr. Baucham while rejoicing that he is now in glory with Christ. The Board reiterated deep gratitude for Dr. Baucham’s fruitful labor and leadership in establishing the seminary and continues to pray for his wife, Bridget, and their nine children and three grandchildren.
Dr. Ascol made the following statement in response to his appointment as acting President of Founders Seminary:
“Last month when we celebrated the first convocation of the newly established Founders Seminary, I could not have anticipated that our Lord would so quickly call my brother, friend, colleague, and our founding President, Voddie Baucham, to his heavenly reward. As I said when I introduced Dr. Baucham on that occasion, he was the only man that I wanted to be at the helm when this seminary launched. In God’s kind providence, that happened. He and I looked forward to working together for years to come with him in that position. But the same God who kindly lent Voddie to this great work has called him home. And I bow to Him with sorrow, faith, and hope and with full confidence in His sovereignty, wisdom, and goodness.
I am thankful to the Founders board for their confidence in me to become the acting president of Founders Seminary. From its inception the goal of this institution is to assist churches in training elder-qualified men to have sharp minds, warm hearts, and steel spines. Dr. Baucham typified that and the mission that he inaugurated remains before us. We have made an excellent start. By God’s grace we have assembled a strong and growing leadership team and a wonderful cohort of students with enrollment continuing to increase. We have formidable challenges and bright prospects before us.
As I step into this role as acting President of the seminary, I realize that I am completely dependent on the grace and strength that comes from our Lord. Please pray that He will supply all our needs for the glory and honor of our Lord and King, Jesus Christ.”
“The Founders Ministries board is certain that, under Dr. Ascol’s guidance, Founders Seminary will continue the work entrusted to it: equipping pastors with sharp minds, warm hearts, and steel spines, just as our dear brother Dr. Baucham modeled in his life and ministry. The board is united in its confidence that, with God’s help, the seminary’s mission will not only continue but flourish,” said David Mitzenmacher, Board Chairman of Founders Ministries.
“I came to serve at Founders because of Dr. Tom Ascol’s leadership, and I have witnessed it firsthand at Grace Baptist Church and in many other contexts, time and again. This work of training men is not for the faint of heart. It demands clarity, courage, and conviction in the face of opposition. I can say without reservation: there is no one I would rather be in a foxhole with than Dr. Ascol. Under his leadership, I am confident that Founders Seminary will continue to raise up soldiers of Christ who are equipped with sharp minds, warm hearts, and steel spines for the advance of the gospel,” said Dr. Peter Sammons, Professor of Theology at Founders Seminary.
“In addition to my role at Founders Ministries, I have been a member of Grace Baptist Church for the past 17 years, where Dr. Tom Ascol is the pastor. I have personally been witness to a role model for what a pastor should be – someone who has a sharp mind, a warm heart and a steel spine. As we move forward, still mourning and feeling the loss of our friend and first President, Dr. Voddie Baucham, Dr. Ascol is the right man to lead this much-needed seminary. He is the kind of man we want to replicate at this institution. By God’s grace, under his leadership, I am confident that we will not waver in our mission,” said Chris Faro, Executive Director of Operations of Founders Ministries.
Additional Information:
Dr. Bauchum was announced as the first president of Founders Seminary on June 5, 2025, and also served as Professor of Cultural Apologetics. He preached the Inaugural Convocation address for the seminary on Saturday, September 20, and preached his final sermon on Sunday, September 21, at Grace Baptist Church, his home church in Cape Coral, Florida. Dr. Baucham entered the presence of his Savior on Thursday, September 25, after suffering an emergency medical incident in Texas.
The establishment of Founders Seminary was announced in January and welcomed its first class of 30 students in August. Founders Seminary exists to serve the Triune God of the Holy Scriptures by equipping godly men with the education, aptitude, character, and conviction requisite for effective leadership in the local church.
A funeral service to honor Dr. Baucham’s life and faithfulness was held on Friday, October 10, at Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship Church in Dallas, Texas. A fund for the care of the Baucham Family has been established at www.givesendgo.com/bauchamfamily.
Psalm 116:15 – “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.”
