[Note: Following is an interview with my friend Tom Ascol. This interview appears in this month's edition of Tabletalk magazine from Ligonier Ministries. Tom Ascol is the chairman of Founders Ministeries and was instrumental in my call to be pastor at PBC last year. I hope this interview will acquaint you better with one of the great men in modern day SBC life. Tolle Lege, our Friday book recommendation, will return in bi-weekly format next Friday, July 13. Thanks for your patience with my lack of blogging lately during my family's recent vacation.--CJR]

TT: How did you first hear the call to ministry, and how long have you been a pastor?

TA: I was sixteen years old when I first sensed God calling me to pastoral ministry. It was through the preaching of a guest preacher during a “youth revival” at my home church, South Park Baptist in Beaumont, Texas. Though I had grown up in the church, I had a very jaded view of pastors, so I thought God was playing a cruel joke on me. After several months of prayer, reflection, and counsel, our pastor asked me to preach for the church. Afterward, on November 7, 1973, the church licensed me to the gospel ministry.

I accepted a call to pastor Rock Prairie Baptist Church in College Station, Texas, on October 31, 1978. I have served two churches since, including Grace Baptist in Cape Coral, Florida, where I have been ministering since 1986.