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Our Leaders
Bishop ​Wade H. Ferguson, III
Bishop Wade H. Ferguson III is a native of Charlotte, North Carolina. He graduated from North Carolina Central University in Durham, NC, with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, Cum Laude. He has worked in various fields, including positions at the Mecklenburg County Department of Social Services and Bank of America.
In April 2003, Bishop Ferguson embraced his pastoral calling after holding multiple leadership roles in the church. As an ordained bishop in the Church of God, headquartered in Cleveland, Tennessee, he currently pastors the 15th Street Church of God in Charlotte. The church's vision, mission, and purpose reflect Jesus’s Great Commission to “go and make disciples.”
Bishop Ferguson was the President of the Southeastern Regional Fellowship (SERF) from 2018 to 2024. Prior to that, he served as Secretary-Treasurer for two previous presidents between 2010 and 2018 and on the Western NC SERF General Board of Directors. Additionally, Bishop Ferguson has worked with many organizations in and around Charlotte. He is a founding member of the Men’s Empowerment Coalition, where he served as Co-Facilitator and immediate Past Chair of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Food Policy Council. He is also a founding member of Men Who Care Global.
He was instrumental in the faith-based initiative tackling health disparities in underserved communities, leading to a partnership with the Mecklenburg County Health Department and the creation of Village Heartbeat. For over ten years, he has dedicated his efforts to this organization, focusing on fostering healthy Black communities within churches.
Bishop Ferguson founded the IYSH (Man) Up collaborative, focusing on men’s empowerment and community outreach. He currently serves on the board of Home4Me, advocating for teens in foster care and those transitioning from the system. He is passionate about men's well-being and societal roles and partners with various organizations to support youth and adults. Through the Community Kitchen, 15th Street addresses the diverse needs of different ethnic groups by offering weekly hot lunches and sharing the gospel.
Bishop Ferguson has been married to Reverend Yolanda Ferguson for over 37 years. They have two grown sons and four grandchildren.
Reverend Yolanda Ferguson
Reverend Yolanda Ferguson is a native of Charlotte, NC, and serves as the Women’s Ministry President and the Director of Christian Ministries at 15 th Street Church of God. She is an ordained minister in the Church of God and serves alongside her husband, Bishop Wade Ferguson, who has been pastoring for over 22 years. She possesses the spiritual gifts of administration, leadership, and service. She earned a master’s degree in organizational communication from Queens University and another in Christian Leadership from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. She serves ministry leaders as the director of Christian ministries, believing that healthy leaders help build a healthy church. She is pursuing a Doctorate in Ministry at Liberty University, focusing on Urban Ministry.
Yolanda enjoys learning and being taught by others and will always be a student of God’s Word. She is a Growth Coach with Paradigm 360 Coach Training and Consulting and has ministered to many people that God has sent her way. God called her to establish a ministry that empowers individuals to recognize their growth potential. Consequently, she successfully launched her business, FERG Training and Consulting LLC, in 2023.
She aspires to be a powerful woman of prayer. Serving alongside her husband, she understands that ministry must be immersed in prayer. Her anchor scripture is Jeremiah 33:3 (Msg): “Call to me, and I will answer you. I’ll tell you marvelous and wondrous things that you could never figure out on your own.” Yolanda recently retired after more than 30 years of service, although she continues to teach part-time at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. She aims to improve her health and wellness with a graceful attitude toward aging, exercising her body as much as possible. Married for over 37 years, she and her husband have two grown sons and four grandchildren (with one on the way) who affectionately call her "Queenie."