Voddie Baucham, a powerful expositor of God’s word, suddenly passed away last week at the age of 56. Our church family was planning to welcome him to Calgary as he was planned to be at our church October 10–12 to speak at several events. God’s plans are not our plans. That weekend is canceled and in its place is Voddie’s funeral.
I know many in our congregation are shocked to hear this news, and even though we do not know Voddie personally, we have benefited from his sermons, books, and shared love for our great Savior, Jesus Christ. I regularly give away his books Family Driven Faith, Family Shepherds, What He Must Be (to marry my daughter), Fault Lines, and Expository Apologetics. These resources will continue to build and strengthen Christ’s church for many years to come.
With three notable leaders dying this year (John MacArthur, Charlie Kirk, and Voddie Baucham) it can seem as if there is a gap of leadership in the church and a great loss for the kingdom’s advance in this world.
Let me remind you that the kingdom of our God is grounded in the undying person of Jesus Christ and no mortal man. Christ promised to build his church, and he will do it. He will use weak, mortal men to continue to proclaim the saving glories of Jesus Christ. The messengers will come and go but the message remains the same and the mission moves forward.
This might seem cold or callous to the messengers of Christ but let me remind you of another truth. Death is not the end. MacArthur, Kirk and Baucham are now in glory, clothed with the righteousness of Christ, and adorned with crowns for their faithful service to their God and King. They have fought the good fight and finished their course with joy. This should be a reminder to all of us who are living in this sin-cursed world. We are weak, mortal, and are one day nearer to the day of our death than we were yesterday. Let us live for Christ, be his messengers, and advance his kingdom. And when death greets us and we are mourned then forgotten, know that God receives his own into heaven, and has an army of messengers in every generation who will carry the torch, animated by the Holy Spirit of God to run their course to the end.
As we grieve those who have died in the Lord and who are no longer with us, we do not grieve as those without hope. Voddie has crossed the River of Death and entered the Celestial City. His death is a promotion to glory. Now we must carry on the mission, armed with the same gospel, carried along by the same Spirit, and preaching the same Christ. Voddie has helped many become better disciples, not disciples of Voddie Baucham, but disciples of Jesus Christ—the one who is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
So let us thank God for Voddie’s life and how it encouraged us to follow Christ and let us engage in the same task of pointing others to our wonderful Savior.