Hope Deacons

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Our Deacons

Deacons are the hands and feet of Jesus at Bethel. Whether it’s ensuring Sunday mornings run smoothly or reaching out to meet needs throughout the week, our deacons serve with open eyes and willing hearts. Bethel believes in the scriptural qualifications of deacons (1 Timothy 3) and involve the body in the vetting and election of this group each year.

Brian Davis

Hope Deacon

Brian grew up in Canton, Texas, and graduated from Texas A&M University in 1996. He also received an MBA from the University of Dallas in 2001. Brian works in the Oil & Gas industry as a Safety Manager and currently lives in Ben Wheeler. When not traveling for work, he values spending time with his mother, sister, brother-in-law, niece, and nephews. Brian began a very small cattle operation last year with the intention of raising grass-fed beef and enjoys working with the animals and the land each day, using a regenerative agricultural focus.  
Brian started attending Bethel in 2017. After hearing Bethel missionaries speak at the South campus in the spring of 2018, he began praying about missions. Within days, Brian was presented with an opportunity to go on a mission trip to villages along the Amazon and has been blessed to be able to return each year since. Brian is grateful for Bethel Bible Church and is excited to be a part of what God is doing at Bethel Hope.

Edward Farina

Hope Deacon

Edward was born in Caracas-Venezuela and came to Tyler, 14 years ago. Edward works as a lab manager at the College of Engineering at UT Tyler and he really enjoys what he does. Edward has been married for 29 years and has two grown children and two grandchildren. They are grateful that God has brought them to Tyler, a place they call “a little piece of heaven”, where they have the opportunity to find peace and a new home. They love being members at Bethel Hope and love what they are learning, the love of the congregation, and the commitment to serve others in the community. Edward loves God, family, friends, serving others, nature, music, and art. Edward and his wife have served together by enriching other couples through a “Marriage Program” and also has volunteered in several non-profit organizations in East Texas.

John Fite

Hope Deacon

John spent most of his childhood in Sweetwater, Texas.  After completing high school, he attended Texas A&M University.  There he met his beautiful wife Kayla and they were married in 2007.  John completed Physical Therapy school in 2010 from the UT Health Science Center at San Antonio.Shortly after moving to Tyler in 2015, John and Kayla began attending the South Campus of Bethel Bible Church.  Their long time desire to be in a multicultural church was an answered prayer after hearing about the Hope Campus launch.  John, Kayla, and their 3 children joined the launch team and have been serving there since 2019.  John has enjoyed serving as a life group co-leader as well as serving in the children’s ministry.  Our family looks forward to what God will continue to do at Bethel Hope in the future.

Jerry Fridie

Hope Deacon

Jerry grew up in Vivian, Louisiana, and graduated from Southside University in 1982. He has worked at Southside Bank in Tyler for the past 25 years as a Vice-President and Consumer Loan underwriter Manager. He and his wife, Kejuana have been married for over 30 years. They have one son and two granddaughters. He has been attending the Hope campus since its inception in February of 2019.

Felton Lefall

Hope Deacon

Felton currently lives in Tyler. He has been married to his lovely wife, Joyce for eight years. They have three children. Felton and Joyce also have four beautiful grandchildren. He has been attending the Hope campus since its inception in February of 2019. Over the past year the Lord has taught him that nothing happens outside of God’s will or timing.

Lino Martinez

Hope Deacon

Lino Martinez was born in San Luis Potosi, Mexico, and immigrated to Tyler, Texas when he was four years old. He graduated from John Tyler High school in 1993 and enlisted in the United States Navy soon after. He served two Western Pacific deployments to the middle east and served one tour in Fallujah, Iraq with the Navy Seabees, Combat Engineers. He retired after 22 years of service while he was finishing his four-year cancer treatments for leukemia. Experiencing this affliction helped Lino to have a deeper understanding of God’s mercies and comfort (2 Corinthians 1:3-6). Lino has served in youth, men, and prison ministry. He has a servant at heart for the Lord and enjoys sharing God’s good news with everyone he meets. Lino has been married since 1995 years to his wife Peggy and has two daughters. They are humbled that God lead them to Bethel Hope and are excited to be a part of a multicultural, multi-generational community.

J.D. Moore

Hope Deacon

John David (JD) is married to his high school sweetheart, Alli, and they have 2 wonderful kids, Lily and Levi. JD and Alli were both born and raised in Ruston, LA, attended LSU for college, got married, and moved to Tyler in 2020. JD took a job with Pine Cove Christian Camps, where he still works as the Ranch camp director. JD loves his family, discipleship, LSU football, pickleball, and mowing the grass.

Luke Swanson

Hope Deacon

Luke and his wonderful wife, Kelsey, were both born and raised in Tyler. They now have four children — Hazel, Everly, Norah, and Oliver. Luke and Kelsey are passionate about being intimately involved with a local church, and God led them to join the Bethel Hope family in February of 2023. Luke’s greatest desire is for he and his family to faithfully serve and participate in God’s kingdom on earth, in whatever capacity the Lord calls them to. Luke works as an East TX Commercial Realtor, but his main joys are spending his time with family, friends, and doing anything outdoors, especially if it involves sports!