Wade Burleson
Birth dateDecember 27, 1961 (age 64)
Birth placeOklahoma City, Oklahoma, U.S.
PartyRepublican
SpouseRachelle Burleson
RelativesRufus Columbus Burleson (ancestor)
EducationBaylor University (BA)
Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (MDiv)
Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary (DMin)
WebsiteOfficial website
Campaign website

Wade Burleson (born December 27, 1961) is an American politician, author, and retired pastor for Emmanuel Baptist Church in Enid, Oklahoma, United States (Emmanuel Enid). Burleson was twice elected President of the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma, serving between 2002 and 2004. He later served as a trustee for the Southern Baptist Convention's International Mission Board from 2005 to 2008. Oklahoma Governor Frank Keating appointed Burleson to the northwest Oklahoma Higher Education Program Board in 1996.

He is a speaker on the Civil War in Oklahoma,[1][failed verification] the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, conspiracies associated with assassin John Wilkes Booth,[2] and the history of the National Football League with its roots in Indian Territory.[3]

Career

In 1992, Burleson moved from Texas to Enid, Oklahoma to pastor for Emmanuel Baptist Church.[4] Burleson was appointed to serve on Oklahoma's Higher Education Program Board in 1996 by Governor Frank Keating.[5] In 2002, he was elected the President of the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma and he was reelected to the position in 2003.[6][4] He was elected to the Southern Baptist Convention International Mission Board in 2005. In 2006, his fellow members requested his removal from the board, citing "gossip, slander, lack of accountability and loss of trust."[4]

Burleson has publicly advocated for the removal of elected officials, advocating for their removal in court filings. These political stances were taken on church letterhead, as the office of Lead Pastor.[7][8] The effort Burleson advocated was later found to be "fatally-flawed" by the Oklahoma Supreme Court.

Congressional campaigns

2022

On February 1, 2022, Burleson announced his candidacy as a Republican to represent Oklahoma's 3rd congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives, challenging incumbent Frank Lucas; he lost in the primary to Lucas.[9][10]

2026

Burleson filed to run against Lucas a second time in 2026.[11]

Political views

Wade Burleson has publicly supported Judd Blevins, a known white nationalist affiliated with Identity Evropa who marched at the 2017 Unite the Right rally, for election to Enid City Commission.[12][13] He also brought conservative speakers to his church such as Charlie Kirk and Dinesh D'Souza, and wrote articles that promote anti-trans, Christian supremacist, Western supremacist, and anti-Palestinian viewpoints.[13]

Gender equality

Christians for Biblical Equality awarded Burleson the International Priscilla and Aquila Award for his advocacy of gender equality.[14]

The termination of Sheri Klouda was broken on Burleson's blog.[15]

Burleson was a speaker at a rally for women during the 2018 Convention in Dallas, telling messengers that "The New Testament we say we believe teaches us Jesus Christ sets women free to serve, to lead, to minister."[16]

Proposed database of sexual predators

In 2007, Burleson recommended the creation of a database to track sexually abusive ministers.[17]

Istoria Ministries blog

In 2005, Burleson used his blog, Istoria Ministries, to identify what he called "the continuing narrowing of the doctrinal parameters of fellowship and cooperation in the area of missions and evangelism by demanding conformity and agreement on nonessential doctrines."[18]

In May 2015, policies implemented by International Mission Board and spoken against by Burleson, leading to his censure by the IMB, were reversed.[19]

Awards and honors

Burleson received the Outstanding Achievement Award by the Oklahoma Association of Broadcasters for his radio and television ministry.[20]

Burleson spoke on the subject of respecting women during the 2009 regional New Baptist Covenant meeting in Norman, Oklahoma.[21]

Burleson was awarded the International Priscilla and Aquila Award for his advocacy of gender equality.[22]

Personal life

Wade Burleson has been married to Rachelle Burleson, DNP, chief nursing officer at St. Mary's Regional Medical Center,[23][24] for over 30 years. They have four adult children and three grandchildren.[citation needed] In 2011, Burleson was briefly jailed in Mexico after causing a traffic collision that injured two.[25]

Burleson retired from Lead Pastor at Emmanuel Enid in 2022. [26]

Bibliography

YearTitleNotesReferences
2003Happiness Doesn't Just Happen: Learning to Be Content Regardless of Your Circumstances[27]
2009Hardball Religion: Feeling the Fury of Fundamentalism[28]
2016Radically New: The New Covenant Will Change the Way You Think and Live[29]
2017Fraudulent Authority: Pastors Who Seek to Rule Over Others[30]
ForthcomingRed Earth Courage[31]

References

  1. ^ "Historian to chronicle Union flight from Indian Territory". News Ok. Retrieved 2018-12-08.
  2. ^ "Oklahoma Town's Connection to Lincoln's Assassination". News 9. Retrieved 2018-12-08.
  3. ^ "LISTEN: Wade Burleson on Oklahoma's Impact on the Formation of the NFL". K-1O1. 2018-05-14. Archived 29 March 2019 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2018-12-08.
  4. ^ "Baptist Roots Run Deep for Controversial IMB Trustee". EthicsDaily. 2006-01-16. Archived 21 September 2014 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2018-12-08.
  5. ^ "Legislative Updates 1996". Ok higher ed. Retrieved 2018-12-08.
  6. ^ "'Man of grace' rises from crowd to head Baptists". NewsOK. 2002-11-30. Retrieved 2015-10-28.
  7. ^ "Legislative Updates 1996". Ok higher ed. Retrieved 2018-12-08.
  8. ^ "In tabling recall election vote, city has drawn ire from petitioners, local pastor". Enid News. Retrieved 2021-05-21.
  9. ^ Ewald, Alexander (28 June 2022). "Lucas wins GOP primary vote, defeating Enid's Burleson". Enid News & Eagle. Retrieved 1 October 2022.
  10. ^ "Court rules Ezzell recall petition is insufficient; election won't be held". Enid News. Retrieved 2021-05-21.
  11. ^ Olsson, Faithanna (April 4, 2026). "Statewide, federal races: 15 file for governor, Oklahoma auditor wins by default". NonDoc. Retrieved April 11, 2026.
  12. ^ Zadrozny, Brandy (13 March 2024). "A small city in Oklahoma elected a white nationalist. Will it be able to vote him out?". NBC News. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
  13. ^ Mathias, Christopher (13 March 2024). "He Didn’t Deny Being A White Supremacist. Then He Was Elected To City Council.". Huffington Post. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
  14. ^ "Priscilla and Aquila Award Recipients". CBE International. Retrieved 2018-12-08.
  15. ^ "Sheri Klouda surprised at the fallout from her 'removal' at Southwestern". Baptist News Global. 2007-01-25. Retrieved 2018-12-09.
  16. ^ "At Southern Baptist meeting, lunchtime protest calls for change". Dallas News. 2018-06-12. Retrieved 2018-12-09.
  17. ^ Davis, J. Mostyn (February 1990). "Who Ever Said It Would Be Easy?". Postgraduate Medicine. 87 (2): 24–25. doi:10.1080/00325481.1990.11704548. ISSN 0032-5481. PMID 2300526
  18. ^ Hansen, Sarah Pulliam and Collin. "Costly Complaints". ChristianityToday.com. Retrieved 2018-12-09.
  19. ^ "IMB drops ban on 'private prayer language'". Baptist News Global. 2015-05-14. Retrieved 2018-12-09.
  20. ^ Long, Jeannine (Fall 2013). "Official Publication of the Oklahoma Society of Mayflower Descendants". Oklahoma Mayflower. Oklahoma Society of Mayflower Descendants.
  21. ^ "Burleson urges respect for women in ministry". Baptist News Global. 2009-08-11. Retrieved 2018-12-09.
  22. ^ "Priscilla and Aquila Award Recipients". CBE International. Retrieved 2018-12-09.
  23. ^ Emily Summars, Returning to work: St. Mary's hires new chief nursing officer, Enid Eagle, 26 Dec 2016.
  24. ^ "Rachelle Burleson Named Chief Nursing Officer". St. Mary's Regional Medical Center. 13 December 2016. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
  25. ^ "Enid pastor briefly is jailed while in Mexico"
  26. ^ "Burleson announces GOP candidacy running against incumbent Lucas". Enid News. Retrieved 2022-02-27.
  27. ^ Burleson, Wade (June 30, 2010). Happiness Doesn't Just Happen: Learning to Be Content Regardless of Your Circumstances. United States: Trestle Press. pp. 1–5. ISBN 978-0-98274461-1.
  28. ^ Burleson, Wade (April 20, 2009). Hardball Religion: Feeling the Fury of Fundamentalism. United States: Smyth & Helwys Publishing. pp. 1–5. ISBN 978-1-57312527-7.
  29. ^ Radically New: The New Covenant Will Change the Way You Think and Live. Enid, OK: Istoria Ministries. April 5, 2016. ISBN 978-1-52032020-5.
  30. ^ Fraudulent Authority: Pastors Who Seek to Rule over Others. April 16, 2016. Retrieved 2018-12-08. – via Amazon.
  31. ^ "Enid's Night of the Generals". Enid news. Retrieved 2015-10-28.