When Pastor Tom Ascol first heard about a “prayer service” at Dallas-Fort Worth Airport, he admitted that he had “very low expectations.”
Even Ascol couldn’t have foreseen how badly this “prayer service” would miss even his low expectations.
Ascol gained quite a bit of virality recently when he recounted an infuriating experience he had at DFW Airport:
As I await my flight home from seeing Voddie’s family an announcement in @DFWAirport says “all are welcome” to a “prayer service” in the chapel. With broken heart I went hoping maybe Scripture would at least be read. Instead I found this & was denied access. Imam-led Salah. pic.twitter.com/p6GhJ4IESB
— Tom Ascol @tomascol (@tomascol) September 26, 2025
Ascol revealed that he was at that airport as he was waiting to fly back home after seeing the family of Voddie Baucham, a titan of Christianity who recently passed away.
“As I await my flight home from seeing Voddie’s family an announcement in [DFW Airport] says ‘all are welcome’ to a ‘prayer service’ in the chapel,” Ascol posted. “With broken heart I went hoping maybe Scripture would at least be read. Instead I found this & was denied access. Imam-led Salah.”
Ascol shared a picture of this “prayer service,” which turned out to be a Muslim prayer service.
While the pastor’s disappointment was palpable, things only got worse.
In a separate thread, which Ascol posted after getting numerous interview requests, he shed more light on what had happened during the incident in question (while noting he would not be taking any interview requests).
“The announcement on the public address system in Terminal D of DFW was repeated more than once,” Ascol explained. “A woman’s voice said that a prayer service would be held in the chapel near gate D40 at 2:30 and that ‘all are welcome.’”
“I had a heavy heart, and hours before my flight back to Cape Coral was scheduled to depart,” Ascol continued. “Though I had very low expectations, thinking that this might be some weak ecumenical offering, I thought that perhaps someone might read Scripture during the service.”
He added: “The main room had several men kneeling on mats with a Muslim Imam in the far corner and a man praying aloud a Muslim prayer near the door. I looked through the door, bags in hand, processing the fact that what the travelers in DFW were invited to was, in fact, Muslim prayers.”
While disappointed, Ascol noted he still wanted to observe.
Too bad the Muslim Imam had other plans.
“When the man finished his audible prayer, I tried to enter the room to observe,” Ascol said. “He quickly came and blocked my entrance as the Imam started speaking about the prophet Mohammed. He said there was a chair in the back for me, but that I must take off my shoes.”
“When I made a move to step further toward the door, he shifted his position to stand directly in front of me, making it clear that this prayer service was only for certain kinds of people, namely Muslims,” Ascol said.
As harrowing as the experience was, Ascol ultimately walked away more emboldened in his faith than ever.
It has also provoked me to pray more diligently that the Lord would revive His people, convert His enemies, and restore the truth of His law and His gospel to its place of prominence in our communities. I encourage all believers to join me in these prayers. 12/12
— Tom Ascol @tomascol (@tomascol) October 1, 2025
“I posted about it on X because it grieved & angered me that this type of false worship is not only taking place in a public facility but also is being promoted in deceitful ways by DFW authorities.”
“It grieves me as a native Texan. It grieves me as an American. It grieves me most as a Christian who is jealous for the glory and honor of the crucified and risen Lord Jesus Christ,” Ascol said.
“It has also provoked me to pray more diligently that the Lord would revive His people, convert His enemies, and restore the truth of His law and His gospel to its place of prominence in our communities. I encourage all believers to join me in these prayers.”
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
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