Wade grew up in Georgia, where he was baptized at seven and spent his teenage years active in youth ministry. Those years planted the first seeds of his calling to vocational ministry.
While studying Biblical Studies at Liberty University, Wade lost his father during his freshman year. That loss deepened his sense of calling and led him to his first youth ministry internship, the start of a fifteen year journey in student ministry.
In 2008, Wade became pastor of First Baptist Church in Muncie, Indiana, a step he took after sensing God’s clear leading. His approach to pastoral ministry has always centered on biblical teaching, spiritual guidance, and partnering with the congregation to nurture real spiritual growth.
Wade holds a Doctor of Ministry from Northern Baptist Theological Seminary, where he focused on church conflict resolution through spiritual discernment, a Master of Divinity from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Christian Education and Leadership, and a Bachelor’s degree in Biblical Studies from Liberty University.
He has also served the wider church, including as President of the American Baptist Churches of Indiana and Kentucky from 2016 to 2018, work that reflects his heart for building bridges across denominational and theological lines.
After several years in Muncie, Wade sensed God calling him to a new season of ministry. He now serves as pastor of The United Church in Canandaigua, New York, a congregation rooted in both the Baptist and Presbyterian traditions.
Wade and his wife Christy have been married since 1994 and have three grown children.
Outside the church, you’ll usually find Wade on a mountain bike or a trail run, cheering on the Georgia Bulldogs, or settled in with a cup of coffee and a good book.