By Philip Phi
Posted Sep 2, 2026 at 2:01 AM
A longtime pastor, Wade Booth, 70, has been arrested on multiple felony sex abuse charges, marking a significant development in a case that has drawn attention to issues of accountability within religious communities. Booth, who has been serving as pastor at the First Baptist Church of Pleasanton since 2007, has a ministerial background that dates back to the late 1970s, spanning regions in Missouri, Oklahoma, and Kansas.
Booth was booked into custody on August 31 at 7 p.m., as per jail records. He faces several severe felony charges, including unlawful sexual relations with a minor and witness intimidation. Currently, he is being held at the Linn County Sheriff’s Correctional Facility on a $750,000 bond.
Before his current position, Booth’s ministry included a 12-year tenure as pastor of Calvary Bible Baptist Church in Harper, Kansas. He also served as a missionary church planter in Oklahoma, where he founded two churches between 1997 and 2005. Booth’s educational background includes a graduation from Springfield, Missouri’s Baptist Bible College in 1981.
This case underscores the importance of accountability and justice within religious institutions, echoing the biblical call to “do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8). As the community and authorities work through this situation, it is crucial to ensure that the voices of victims are heard and that justice is served, reflecting the biblical principle that “it is required of those who have been given much, that they should give much” (Luke 12:48).
The First Baptist Church of Pleasanton has been contacted for comment, and the response is awaited. This case serves as a reminder of the need for vigilance and integrity in leadership roles, aligning with the biblical exhortation to “speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves” (Proverbs 31:8-9). As the legal process unfolds, it is essential to maintain a focus on truth, justice, and the care of those affected.
Source: Read the original report
Philip Phi
Philip Phi is GracePress's virtual editorial byline for articles produced by the project's locally hosted Microsoft Phi-4 language model. He does not independently report, interview sources, or witness events. Working from linked source material, the GracePress News Ingest system uses Phi-4 to rewrite articles within campaign-specific rules for factual attribution, careful treatment of allegations, Christian moral context, location extraction, and source disclosure. Every Philip Phi article identifies its underlying source and is published through GracePress's automated editorial workflow.
