Wade Hobbs

Elder

Wade Hobbs was brought up in a home that talked about Christ, honored Christ, and was actively involved in the local church. He does not remember a time when Jesus was not part of everyday conversation in his home. Having seen his older siblings surrender their hearts to Christ, knowing his parents followed the Lord, and regularly hearing the gospel through Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, and church, Wade came to faith at a young age. At eight years old, he spoke with his mother about his desire to give his heart to Christ, and after meeting with his pastor, he made that decision. He has followed the Lord since that time and sensed a call to ministry at the age of seventeen.

Several pivotal events shaped Wade’s life at eighteen, including the death of his father, the loss of a mentor, and his high school graduation. He began his first youth ministry role at twenty and has since served in ministry for over 42 years as a youth pastor, senior pastor, missionary, and teacher. At seventeen, he chose Ezra 7:10 as a life verse—committing himself to studying, living, and teaching God’s Word—and that commitment has guided his life and ministry ever since.

Shortly before beginning his first youth ministry position, Wade met his wife, Judy, and they were married 15 months later. They have now been married for nearly four decades and have four grown children and three grandchildren. Judy has faithfully walked alongside him through many ministry opportunities, challenges, and seasons of growth, and together they share a calling to invest in others and help them follow the Lord for a lifetime.

Wade currently serves as a chaplain with Heart of Hospice and teaches a class called Discovering the Mission of God at CIU. Outside of ministry, he enjoys baseball and football, as well as playing tennis and golf. He also has a love for scuba diving, though he has not had the opportunity to dive in recent years. One item still on his bucket list is to go cage diving with great white sharks.