HCU Honors the Life and Legacy of Dr. Voddie Baucham, Jr.

Houston Christian University (HCU) pays tribute to the life, legacy and enduring witness of Dr. Voddie Baucham, Jr., following his recent passing on Sept. 25, 2025. We mourn his loss and celebrate a life lived with conviction, courage and deep faith.

A faithful and honorable alumnus of HCU, he was a graduate of the class of 1992, earning a BA in Christianity and Sociology. He was actively involved in campus life, serving on the Missions Team and as a member of the Theta Alpha Kappa Theological Society.

Years later, the University had the honor of welcoming him back as a guest speaker to share his thoughts on the impact of fatherlessness on families, where he reflected on the meaningful role HCU (then Houston Baptist University) played in shaping his faith. His powerful testimony continues to inspire students and alumni alike.

"We are thankful for the life and witness of Voddie Baucham. It was our privilege to have him on campus several years ago and a true joy to hear his testimony regarding the great influence that various HCU faculty members had on his life and his spiritual formation.

We thank God that Voddie was an honorable, faithful, and influential alumnus of Houston Christian University," said HCU President Robert Sloan.

Raised in a non-Christian home and encountering the gospel for the first time during college, Dr. Baucham's intellectual and personal journey to faith uniquely shaped his approach to ministry. He became an internationally respected theologian, preacher, author and educator-known for his uncompromising commitment to biblical truth and the centrality of the gospel in all of life.

Dr. Baucham served as Senior Lecturer and founding Dean of the School of Divinity at the African Christian University in Lusaka, Zambia, and was a founding faculty member of the Institute of Public Theology. He also founded VoddieBaucham.org, a platform that continues to equip believers around the world with gospel-centered resources for biblical living, apologetics, family discipleship, and cultural engagement. His influence extended far beyond the pulpit-through global teaching, writing, speaking and even founding Zambia's first Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu academy as a unique outreach and training initiative.

In 2025, he and his family relocated from Zambia to Cape Coral, Florida, so he could serve as the founding president of the newly established Founders Seminary.

We are proud to include Dr. Baucham among our most impactful alumni. His life exemplified what it means to think biblically, live faithfully and lead courageously. His wife and children will continue to be lifted in our prayers.