Our Staff & Deacon Board

Wade Kuhlewind is a native of Huntington, NY. In his hometown he attended Sunday School as a boy sporadically, but never understood the gospel. In is middle teen years his father’s work transferred him to southern Florida. While Wade attended high school his younger brother was in Middle School. One of his school friends, Tommy, invited him to right the church bus to Calvary Baptist Church. Upon my mother speaking with Tommy’s mother, my brother could ride with Tommy. My mother, after learning of my brother’s experience at Calvary Baptist, my mother went to church on her own the very next Sunday. After listening to the pastor’s message, she responded to the invitation to come and trust Christ as her own personal Savior. During the week Mom encouraged me to attend next Sunday. Since I had a job at a grocery store, I could only attend Sunday School since I would need to get home and arrive at work on time. Attending the high school Sunday School class, I responded to the invitation with an uplifted hand indicating that I wasn’t sure I was going to heaven. The very next Saturday the Sunday School teacher, Jerry, was on my front porch. In the living room he shared what I later learned to be the “Romans Road,” or the clear plan of salvation using the Epistle to the Romans. On that June afternoon I asked Jesus Christ to be my Savior—and He saved me. A few months later I was baptized.

Christian growth was slow. Calvary Baptist was effective at evangelism, but less so on discipleship. Nevertheless, as I entered my senior year high school the Lord was preparing me for my next step in my Christian life. As a middle-class high school senior my sights turned toward attending college. My older brother was already attending the University of Florida. That was a place I truly wanted to attend. One of my happiest days was receiving my acceptance to the “Florida.” But lingering unsettledness began to grow. I came to realize that this would not be a place for me to grow as a believer. In fact, it would be toxic. Just a matter of days before the semester would commence for Bob Jones University, a Christian university, I decided to drop my plans to attend the U. of F. in favor of attending BJU.

BJU was the place that I could grow. The classes taught by godly Christian professors, the dormitory live, the overall university experience was designed to help me grow as a believer.  After only a few months I came to realize that I needed to dedicate my life completely to Christ. A few months later the Lord unmistakably directed me to prepare for the ministry. This was another turning point. My grades improved because I truly had a goal, no, a calling to engage my training to fulfill. After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Bible, and Master of Arts in Theology two years later I was nearly ready. One more special addition to my life is my wife, Cyndi. We met during our freshman year, but married after I finished graduate school.

Cyndi and I proceeded to Pennsylvania where Pastor Wade was called to be the youth pastor. After the senior pastor retired Pastor Wade was called to become the pastor. During those years he slowly worked on a Doctor of Pastoral Theology from Bob Jones University Seminary which was conferred in 2003. After twenty-seven years and two sons later in Pennsylvania, Pastor Wade returned to Bob Jones University to join the faculty of the Seminary.

In 2021 Pastor Wade received a call to come to Brookside Baptist Church. While his grown sons remained South Carolina, he and Cyndi joined the church family at Brookside. We have found Brookside to be the most welcoming church. Cyndi and I have thrown ourselves in the work of the Lord here and enjoy a peace of God’s presence. We enjoy our ministry with our “Encore” seniors. We call ourselves “Encore” because we are performing our encore of service and growth after the main performance of our lives. “Encore” is active, close, and warming. We love it. If you’re a senior, you’ll love it, too!