Rev Joseph DeWayne Wade

I started singing after my brother came back from Vietnam with a group of guys that my brother had started a group with. Personally I think that we were good. I met my best friend in that little coal mining town Rodney, and we are still best friends to this day. We kept each other out of a lot of trouble, and we also got ourselves into a lot of trouble depending on the occasion. After I graduated in 1972, I attended the Triangle School of Drafting in Pittsburgh PA. Although I stayed in the drafting field for 11 or 12 years, I never made a career out of it, and that was one of the regrets in my life. I began to run the streets even more to the point of selling certain Streetly goods which could have landed me in more trouble than I could really handle at that time. This is one of those turns in life that I realized, that even though I was not chasing after God, God was watching over me. I met my first wife in 1973 and we got married in June 1974 and had one child, a little girl. I was very immature and for the next few years my wife and I tried to make it work but separated. During our separation we had another little girl, but, after 10 years of marriage, it still did not work out and we separated again causing my children to suffer. I can say that now because hindsight is 20/20, and if I had it to do all over again, I would have stayed more intricately connected to my children. For the next few years, I reconnected with a childhood friend who did not know I had always had a crush on her. I found myself back in the streets once again and at the same time dating my childhood sweetheart. We lived together for a while, becoming a blended family with my 2 little girls and her son. My first wife and I finally divorced. My mother died January 4, 1985, and I reconnected. with Friendship Baptist Church in Washington PA, where my walk with God started to come back into focus but was not quite there yet. On June 20, 1987, I married my childhood sweetheart by Pastor Reverend Stephen Sullivan. Counting all 40 years my wife and I have been together; we are still in love with each other today. My Spiritual Growth and Development Ever since I was a child at the age of 8, I can remember always believing that I was going to be a preacher someday. It was developed in my spirit but for years after my father died, I began to run away from that calling that I knew was there. My wife and I had a new home built in Avella PA. It was while in Avella that one night coming home from the bar, I had a serious accident in my van. As the van was turning over, I heard the voice of God ask me a question “How many more times,” at which in the midst of this accident I replied, “no more.” When the van finally came to a stop, I walked out of the sunroof of the van without any scratches on me and at that point my life changed. Under the tutelage of Reverend Sullivan my spiritual work began to become more important to me as my faith grew in the Lord. I attended church on a regular basis for the next 20 years. While attending Friendship Baptist Church I became a Deacon under Reverend Davis and began my academic years in ministry at Shiloh Bible Institute under Ed and Janet Popovich who became vital people in my spiritual growth. After successfully completing Shiloh, I was licensed to preach under Reverend Luther Perry who was now the pastor of Friendship Baptist Church. Another transition takes place in my life in 2006, my wife and I moved from Pennsylvania to North Carolina where we reside now in Winston Salem. In 2006, we became members of the Union Baptist Church of Winston Salem under Bishop Sir Walter Lee Mack, Jr. My spiritual growth continued, and I was ordained by the Rowan Baptist Association and began school at Apex School of Theology where I received my BA/Theology Degree and my MDiv Hood Theological Seminary in hopes to obtain my MDiv in May 2023. Goal: My goal is to become a Certified Chaplain so that I can start a new career in my life. One in which my educational, as well as ministerial achievements can be utilized . In a more progressive way to help those who are feeling the burdens of sickness, loneliness, grief, and loss, etc. in this world. Personal Information: Being the son of a Pastor, I accepted Christ into my life at an early age. At the age of 34 I rededicated my life to the Lord in April of 1984 and have been on the battlefield ever since. I have been happily married to Rev Denise Wade for 41 years and we have 4 children and 4 grandchildren. I am retired from BE Aerospace and devote most of my time to the ministry, family and continuing my education. Ministry Background At my home church of 22 years, Friendship Baptist Church in Washington, PA I served as a Deacon, Sunday School Teacher/Superintendent, Trustee, Choir member, Little Gentlemen’s Club, Custodian and anywhere my services were needed to assist in the ministry. In January 2002, Pastor Luther D. Perry licensed me to preach, and I became an Associate Minister. I served as an Interim Pastor for Pastor Rudy McAllister, Mt Zion Baptist Church in Bridgeport, OH for a year during his tour in the Gulf War. Since my family and I moved to Winston-Salem, NC in 2006 we have been members of Union Baptist Church and I was confirmed to the Ministerial Staff in 2008 as an Associate Minister and I have been serving in this capacity for the past 17 years. I was ordained to preach in July 2016 by the Rowan Baptist Association. I am a part of the Men’s Fellowship Ministry, The Men’s Choir, Sunday School Teacher, Jail and Prison Ministry, Evangelism and Outreach Ministry, Nursing Home Ministry, Samaritan Soup Kitchen Ministry and Security. Hobbies Fishing, woodworking, cooking, and entertaining Educational Background I am a 1972 graduate from Jefferson Morgan High School in Jefferson, PA. I graduated from Triangle Tech Institute with an associate degree in architectural and mechanical Drafting. I am a 2002 Graduate of Shiloh Bible Institute in Washington PA and received a Diploma of Biblical Studies. I am a graduate of Apex School of Theology where I received my BA/Theology Degree in May 2019 I am a graduate of Hood Theological Seminary where I received my Master of Divinity Degree in May 2023. I am currently attending the ACPE Chaplaincy program at Forsyth Medical Center in Winston Salem NC where I have received my first Unit in CPE and about to receive my second Unit on August 18th, 2023. Ministry Statement It is my desire to be the example to the world that God does love and care for even the worst of us. To show the world that there is forgiveness for all. By turning away from those things which so easily draws us to a life that is contrary to the will of God and share the knowledge of hope that we can live a more productive and meaningful life in Jesus Christ. To remain humble in all that I am assigned to do, remembering that it is not by my might or strength but, by the grace of God that we are saved.

• My doctrinal belief is what I profess every Sunday in our church: I believe in God the Father Almighty creator of Heaven and earth; I believe in Jesus Christ His only son, our Lord; He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary; He suffered under Pontius Pilot, was crucified died and was buried; he descended to the dead on the three day he rose with all power; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the father
• He will come again to judge the living and the dead
• I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Church Universal, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and life ever after.