A Tribute to a Faithful Shepherd: Rest Well, Voddie Baucham

Voddie. Voddie. Voddie.

The name echoes with the weight of a calling faithfully fulfilled. In a generation with many preachers, genuine heralds of the Gospel with good intentions are few in that vineyard. Preachers are many, but few are truthfully, boldly, and sincerely proclaiming the salvation that comes from trusting solely in the Lord Jesus Christ. Voddie stood out as one of them.

A Preacher of Christ, Not Prosperity

He was, unequivocally, the preacher of Christ. While others preached a gospel of prosperity—a God of only good times and no bad times—Voddie was busy preaching the God of all seasons. One of the most striking things about this man was that he preached Jesus. He pleaded with men with tears, asking them to come to the Lordship of Jesus Christ through repentance.

His ministry was not with entertainment, but with purity in the Gospel. He offered not prosperity, but Christ. He taught us just as the Apostle Paul did—with tears, pleading with us to trust in Christ Jesus.

A Guardian of the Flock

Voddie preached the Bible, and he saw Christ in every script. He guarded the sheep of Christ from wolves—those destructive false apostles, prophets, and pastors. Through his bold, expository preaching, he declared the excellencies of God. I never came to know Voddie physically, but through his YouTube videos, our fellowship in the spirit was real and lively. In every video, Christ lived. There was a magnet, a holy presence of God, throughout all of his sharings. In all our time together in the Word as I followed and listened, I saw Christ.

The Hope of Eternal Gain

And now, he has departed. He died to live again in Christ. He died not to perish, but to live in Christ, and this is gain to the kingdom of God. I am confident he has gained.

Today, I know Voddie is alive in Christ. He is dead in the body, but he lives with Christ in the Spirit. And I know I'll get to meet him again in Glory when we see Jesus.

I know Christ will reward him. Not because he preached well, not because he was sinless, not because he guarded the sheep, but simply because he trusted in Christ Jesus for his salvation—a salvation which comes by grace through faith. This was the foundation of his hope and ours.

A Conclusion in Worship

As I, Oriokot finished writing these words, my heart could no longer be contained. The sorrow of loss was utterly overwhelmed by the glory of the truth we celebrate. There, at my workplace (Rene Industries Ltd), the reality of Christ's victory—the very victory Voddie preached—exploded within me in worship. I found my heart pouring out this single, powerful truth, a song not just from my lips but from the depths of my spirit:

“Worthy is the name of Jesus.

You deserve the praise.”

This is the ultimate legacy of a life like Voddie’s. It does not end in sorrow, but erupts in worship. It does not point to a man, but directs every gaze to the King he served. The faithful preaching of Christ, the guarding of the Gospel, the tears of pleading—it all culminates here, in this unshakable declaration: He is worthy.

This is the truth Voddie now knows in full. He has finished his race, and his life’s work echoes into eternity, joining the everlasting song. And so, with a heart full of gratitude and hope, we say:

“Rest well, my dear friend. Rest well, brother, father, and preacher of the Gospel. Rest well, Voddie.”

In Christ, 

Silas Oriokot

Rising Point for Christ