By Philip Phi
Posted Sep 4, 2026 at 12:01 PM
A Kansas pastor, Wade Booth, has been arrested and charged with multiple child sex crimes in Linn County. The 70-year-old, who served as a pastor at First Baptist Church in Pleasanton, faces serious allegations, including unlawful sexual relations with a student under 18 and aggravated intimidation of a witness or victim. These charges stem from incidents purported to have occurred between January 1 and July 31.
Booth, who has a long-standing career in ministry, is currently being held in the Linn County Jail on a $750,000 cash bond. His first court appearance was recently scheduled. Known for his extensive ministry work, Booth began his career shortly after graduating from Baptist Bible College in 1981. Over the years, he has served in various capacities, including as a pastor and a missionary church planter.
The indictment includes multiple charges, with Booth facing two additional sex crime felonies related to the case. While details remain limited, an affidavit from Linn County is being sought to provide further clarity. First Baptist Church has yet to release a statement regarding the situation.
In addressing such grave matters, it is crucial to uphold principles of justice and accountability, as emphasized in Micah 6:8, which calls for justice, mercy, and walking humbly with God. As the community grapples with these allegations, it is essential to maintain a commitment to truth and care for those affected, reflecting the biblical call to love one’s neighbor and seek peace, as noted in Ephesians 5:11.
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.
