My pastor – Dr. Melvin V. Wade Sr. – recently visited the Shiloh Metropolitan Baptist Church. During his visit, I interviewed him about his life, family, and ministry.

Dr. Wade has been my pastor for about twenty years. I am not a church-hopper! Over the years, he has graduated from being my pastor. He is now Dad to me.  He and his wife have been parents to both my wife and me.

Dr. Wade, former President of the National Missionary Baptist Convention, has led the Mt. Moriah Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles for 38 years. Next year, he will celebrate 50 years of preaching.

The Wade family is a well-respected preaching family among African-American Baptists. Dr. J.C. Wade, Sr. served the Salem Baptist Church in Omaha for over four decades. Pastor Wade also has a preaching brother and two preaching sons.

Following is the first part of an extended discussion we had on a variety of topics related to preaching and pastoral ministry.

Did you find this interview helpful? Join the conversation in the comments section.