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.
Nathan Atkinson*
Downtown Trustee Elder Nominee
Nathan has been married to his wife, Sunni, for longer than he hasn’t. They have three children, Ethan, Seth, and Georgia. Nathan works in IT, and when he’s not coding for Baylor University, Nathan spends most of his time with his family. His hobbies include: being a marching band/drumline fanboy, timing at middle 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.
Ken Kummerfeld*
Downtown Elder Nominee
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 Mcswane*
Downtown Elder Nominee
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.
NEW ELDERS START HERE
Downtown Elder Nominee
Born in 1958 in West Orange, NJ, Stan graduated with a BA in Political Science in 1980. He moved to Atascadero, CA, in 1983 to coach swimming and work in real estate appraisal. After meeting his wife Wendy in 1985, her faith sparked his curiosity. A book she gave him, Evidence That Demands a Verdict, led him to follow Jesus in 1986. They married in 1987 and had three children: Zachary, Clayton, and Samantha.
Stan launched an appraisal business, coached swimming, and served in youth ministry. After Clayton’s passing from leukemia in 2009, Stan continued serving at Atascadero Bible Church as deacon, elder, and later chairman of the elder board.
In 2016, God moved Stan and Wendy to Tyler, TX, where they joined Bethel Bible Church. He began coordinating security in 2019 and now serves as an elder. His life has been anchored in Jesus, his family, the Church, and serving others—and he’s eager to continue faithfully for years to come.
Mike Adams*
Henderson Elder Nominee
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 Foster*
Henderson Elder Nominee
Neil and his wife Laura were both raised in the Henderson, TX area. He served our nation in the United States Marine Corps for 10 years while Laura went to school and served their community as a Registered Nurse. They have lived in Henderson since 2014. They have been at Bethel in Henderson since March 2022. He is retired from the Marine Corps, and works at Eastex Telephone in Henderson, TX. Laura stays busy home-schooling their two beautiful daughters, Layla and Rose. She loves taking care of farm animals and teaching Silver Sneakers. In addition to everything else, Laura is the Administrative Coordinator for Bethel Bible in Henderson. The Foster’s like to spend as much time with family and with their Life Group as possible. Neil likes to practice shooting and he exercises every day. He serves as part of the security team pretty regularly. When his schedule permits, he volunteers to help with the youth group. Laura and the girls volunteer to serve in the nursery a couple times per month.
Kalon Reynolds*
Henderson Elder Nominee
Kalon has been married to his wife, Jennifer, since 2012. After a few years of marriage, God called them to be foster parents. In 2017, they adopted their daughter Mary-Faith and followed that up in 2019 adopting their son, Judah. Info 2024, they got the biggest surprise of all with the birth of Selah! Kalon is a varsity football coach and a teacher at Henderson High School. The Reynolds have been members of Bethel Bible-Henderson since the very beginning in 2019, having been members of the launch team. Their family desires to see their community grow into something truly rooted in scripture, reliant on the Lord, and passionate about growth!
Dyllon Sandford*
Henderson Elder Nominee
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 son, Turner. They visited Bethel Bible Church shortly after moving to Henderson 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 Hudson*
Hope Trustee Elder Nominee
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
Calvin Cain*
South elder nominee
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 Locker*
South Elder Nominee
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 and Mandy both serve in Bethel Kids Ministry teaching the next generation about God’s truth and love. They 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.
Jacob Putman*
South Elder Nominee
Jacob and his wife, Rachael, have been at Bethel for six years. Jacob grew up at Bethel, and became a member after he and Rachael moved back to Tyler. What they love about Bethel is the honest and sincere people they have connected with. Through Sunday mornings, Life Groups, and Bible studies, Jacob and Rachael are surrounded by Christians who are actively trying to live out the love of Christ. They are excited to attend, serve, and raise their children at Bethel.
Paul Tanner*
South Elder Trustee Nominee
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.