2026 Elder Nominees

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What is a Bethel Elder?

Wisdom and unity, leadership and humility – the elders of Bethel strive to lead and serve with love. Our Shepherding Elders care for the ongoing and emergent needs of the body. Our Trustee Elders prayerfully set the vision of the church and oversee its governance. Elders at Bethel are appointed for a three year term. Bethel believes aspiring to this office is a noble task (1 Timothy 3) and involve the body in the vetting and affirmation of this group each year.

We are thankful for the men who have been nominated for these important roles. Each nominee has been interviewed and examined by the Elders of Bethel Bible Church.

Downtown Campus Nominees

*DENOTES REAFFIRMATION

Nathan has been married to his wife, Sunni, for longer than he hasn’t. They have three nearly grown children, Ethan, Seth, and Georgia. Nathan works in IT, and when he’s not coding for Baylor University, he spends most of his time with his family. His hobbies include: being a band/orchestra/drumline fanboy, timing at school swim meets, and training for the occasional hometown fun run. He likes to travel, snow ski, mountain bike, trail run, and take long walks with Sunni and sometimes his dog. He also loves Jesus… and the good people of Bethel Bible Church!

Ken and his wife Sue have three children and two grandchildren, and have been members of Bethel since 1984. Ken is a cardiologist in Tyler and loves to serve and love God’s people. Ken has served as an elder for the past six years. Bethel has always been a vital source of community for Ken and his family. Ken is an avid reader, and enjoys playing cello periodically with the worship team. In the last year, the Lord has taught Ken to relinquish our pseudo control and relax in God’s sovereignty.

Doug and his wife Mo moved to Tyler in 1980 where he joined the Potter Minton law firm. He practiced law with the same firm for 40 years. Doug and Mo were one of the founding couples of Bethel Bible Church. Bethel has a special place in their hearts and lives. He has served as an elder and deacon over the years and has made the Downtown church their home. Mo is very involved in Women’s ministry both in Bethel and Bible Study Fellowship. They have also been heavily involved in Mental Health reform. They were one of the Founders of the conference on mental health known as Peace of Mind. They have also led Young Life clubs and their son, Ryan, is working to reach college students through Young Life Manhattan. He is looking forward to returning to the Elder Board. He accepted the Lord as his Saviour at an early age but began to focus on what God has designed him to when in High School.

Don and his wife, Kim, have been married for 47 years. They have two children, Melissa and Ben and are blessed with four granddaughters. A semi-retired home builder, Don enjoys spending time outdoors, especially bird hunting. He also loves to travel, with road trips being a favorite way to explore and make memories. Don was a founding member and elder of Arbor Bible Fellowship, which merged with Bethel Bible Church in September 2011 to become the Downtown Campus. He has been blessed to watch the campus thrive and grow into a vibrant ministry serving the heart of downtown Tyler.

Mark accepted Christ at the age of eight and was baptized at the First Baptist Church in Galveston, TX. Mark moved to the Lindale area in 1977, along with his mom. He attended Lindale High School, and after graduating from UT Austin with an engineering degree, he moved back to Lindale in 1990, taking a job as an environmental consultant. He met and married his wife, Dawn, that same year. They have two Aggie sons and two awesome daughters-in-law: Will and Claire, currently living in Ft. Worth, and Calvin and Jess, currently living in Chandler along with the first granddaughter, Allyson.

Mark and Dawn came to Bethel Downtown in 2018 and have loved attending and serving there ever since. Mark attends Thursday Bible Study and serves on the security team on Sunday mornings.

The Swinneas have a small environmental consulting business in Tyler. When not working in the office, Mark enjoys hunting, fishing, and visiting his ranch in West Texas.

Ken grew up in Kilgore, Texas, and Jesus opened his heart to the gospel while attending Kilgore College. God blessed him with his amazing wife Pam, who he met at a Campus Crusade meeting at SFA. He knew almost immediately she was the one. They have been growing in love and in Jesus for 42 years. They have raised four wonderful children and have been blessed with 11 grandchildren. Ken retired from Tyler Junior college in December 2025 after a 35-year career as a professor and administrator. Ken and Pam have been members at Bethel Downtown for four years where they serve as life group leaders.

Henderson Campus Nominees

Mike has been married to a great lady, Pam, for 44 years. They have three adult children – Michael Anne married to Price and are blessed with two sons, Parks and Cannon; Travis married to Mandi and are blessed with three sons, Barrett, John Brooks, and Westley; and Austin married to Neesh and are blessed with two sons, Noah and Hunter. They have been part of Bethel Henderson since its formation in 2020. In the last year, the Lord has taught Mike about His high regard for humility.

Neil and his wife, Laura, were both raised in the Henderson, Texas area and have called Henderson home since 2014. Neil proudly served in the United States Marine Corps for 10 years and now works at Eastex Telephone. Laura served the community as a Registered Nurse before dedicating her time to homeschooling their two daughters, Layla and Rose. The Fosters began attending Bethel in March 2022 and quickly became active members of the church family. Neil enjoys staying active through daily exercise and regularly serves on the church security team. Laura faithfully volunteers in the nursery several times each month. Together, they enjoy spending time with family and friends and investing in their community.

Kalon and his wife, Jennifer, have been married since 2012. God led them into foster care early in their marriage, and through that journey they adopted their daughter, Mary-Faith, in 2017 and their son, Judah, in 2019. In 2024, they were blessed with a surprise gift when their youngest daughter, Selah, was born. Kalon serves as a coach and teacher at Henderson High School and has invested in students through HISD for nearly 15 years. The Reynolds family has been part of Bethel Bible Church Henderson since its launch in 2019 and loves the opportunity to lead their church family in worship as leaders of the worship ministry team. Their desire is simple: to help people know Jesus, trust God’s Word, and experience the hope and transformation found in the gospel.

Dyllon grew up in Orange, Texas, and later attended Texas A&M University where he met his wife, Bekah. After living in Midland and Junction for a few years, God brought Dyllon and Bekah back to East Texas. Dyllon is a PA at Henderson Family Medicine, and Bekah is the Ministry Coordinator for Bethel’s Henderson campus and a stay-at-home mom to their sons, Turner and Truett. They visited Bethel Bible Church shortly after moving to Henderson in 2021 and have found an amazing community there. They enjoy serving as worship leaders on Sunday mornings and have loved being involved with the Life Group leadership team. In Dyllon’s free time, you can find him working in the garden, at the gym, or hunting with his family.

Hope Campus Nominees

*DENOTES REAFFIRMATION

Samuel and his wife Candace have been married for over 30 years. Born and raised in Mississippi, they uprooted to Texas and had three beautiful children. They also are the proud grandparents of one. Unity, multi-culturalism, diversity, and a passion for Christ’s mission to the nation were a few key factors that led their hearts to Bethel Hope. In 2019, by divine guidance, Samuel and Candace became official members of Bethel Hope. Candace is a Registered Nurse, author, and poet for Christ. She is a member of Bible Study Fellowship and loves teaching the word of God to children. Before attending Bethel, he served as a deacon for over 25 years, he was the chairman on the deacon board, and was a Praise and Worship leader for many years. Samuel served in the US Army as a Commission Officer and now currently works for the United States Postal Service. He is also a diehard Raiders fan! Samuel and Candace are excited about the purpose and vision at Bethel Hope and look forward to being a part of the leadership team.

South Campus Nominees

*DENOTES REAFFIRMATION

Chuck is a retired home builder. He has been married to his high school sweetheart, Inez, for over 50 years. They have three children — Jennifer, Jana, and Jared, who are all married and have children of their own. Chuck and Inez have been attending Bethel since it was started in 1982. Chuck has been involved in leadership at Bethel from the beginning. Except for his relationship with Jesus Christ and his wife, nothing else has had a greater impact on his life than Bethel and the relationships he has developed here. This is what Chuck loves about Bethel — the relationships, the support, and the grace he has received over the years.

Ryan and his wife, Mandy, have been married for over 20 years, and have been members of Bethel since 2017, shortly after they moved to Tyler. Ryan and Mandy met in law school; Ryan now serves the community by prosecuting criminals in federal court, but Mandy is now a “recovering attorney” and serves their family at home. They have three children: Jackson, Reagan, and Madison. Ryan serves with the Bethel Student Ministry, teaching high school boys on Sunday mornings. Ryan and Mandy both believe that serving others through the church is a privilege and are grateful for the opportunities Bethel has provided to serve and the scripturally intensive teaching that is such an essential component of the church’s identity.

My wife Amy and I found Bethel Bible Church shortly after moving to Tyler in 2012 for my family medicine residency. We have served together in children’s ministry, teaching the 3rd–5th grade Sunday school class. We’ve loved watching students grow in stature and faith at Bethel before heading off to college. We are blessed with five children: Ashley, Aaron, Luke, Scott, and Mark.

Bethel has always felt like home. In November 2024, God used the prayers, love, and presence of our church family to sustain us through the passing of our 12-year-old son Luke. They have been—and continue to be—the hands and feet of Jesus to us as we wait to see Luke again. It is a privilege to serve my brothers and sisters in Christ at Bethel as an elder.

David and his wife, Carolyn have been members of Bethel since 2008, the same year that Pastor Ross married them at their family farm. They’ve been blessed with 4 children, Hutch, Sophie, Brit, and Bayless. David is a local pediatrician and serves in Bethel Student Ministry. They love the Biblical teaching of Bethel, broadening their kids’ view of God’s kingdom through serving on Bethel mission trips, and deepening relationships with other families through walking through the ups and downs of life.

Jacob Putman lives in Tyler with his wife, Rachael, and their three kids Cora, Tessa, and West. He is a graduate of Grace Community High School, Wheaton College, and Oklahoma City University School of Law. When he’s not working as the District Attorney of Smith County, he enjoys taking his kids to get donuts on Saturdays, camping, and running.

Tom and Kim have been members of Bethel since 1993. They celebrated 46 years of marriage on June 14th. Their son, Evan, is a Bethel Elder. Their daughter, Ashley, went home to be with the Lord in 2013. Tom is mostly retired and spends his time playing golf, having fun with their nine grandchildren, and floating the Buffalo River anytime he can. Kim works at Living Well and is the Director of Soul Care. Tom and Kim love Bethel and have “stayed in the boat” through the challenges that all churches face. Tom serves on the Tech Worship Team, and Kim helps supervise the nursery on occasion. Together, they coordinate the Operation Christmas Child shoebox ministry for all the campuses. They love being “real” with others, sharing life’s struggles, and allowing Christ into every area of our lives.

Paul and his wife Linda have been married for over 50 years and have two adult children. They have been career missionaries, having lived in the Philippines, Singapore, and Amman, Jordan. Paul holds a ThM and Ph.D. in Hebrew and Old Testament studies and has served as a professor at five different seminaries worldwide. Presently, he serves as the Vice President and Academic Dean for the Arab Center for Biblical Studies and writes curriculum material for use in the Arab world. Linda has a master’s in pastoral counseling and enjoys working with and helping women. Paul and Linda’s association with Bethel began in the late 1980s as missionaries of Bethel, and they have been living in the Tyler area for over 20 years.