South Elders
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our elders
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. Bethel believes aspiring to this office is a noble task (1 Timothy 3) and involve the body in the vetting and election of this group each year.
Jayson Chandler
South Elder
Jayson and his wife, Bev, have been members of Bethel since 2004. They have two adult children – Taylor and Natalie. Jayson has served in various capacities at Bethel and was a deacon prior to serving as an elder. Bev has faithfully served in youth specifically with the high school girls since 2007. For Jayson and Bev, Bethel Bible Church is home. They feel Bethel is a place of support, encouragement, and most importantly, Biblical teaching.
Chuck Colley
South Elder
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.
Jason Ellis
South Elder
Jason has been married to his wife Andrea for over 12 years. They have four children. Jason is a judge for Smith County. Andrea practices Family Medicine at Christus. They have attended Bethel for over 1o years.
Don Gaynier
South Elder
Don and his wife Tracey have been connected with Bethel since 1986. Married in 1981, they are blessed with three adult children who grew up at Bethel, but are currently relocated around the country! They have a growing tribe of grandchildren that they love dearly! Don and Tracey love sharing their faith in word and deed. Both are glad to be in a community of believers who love the Lord and each other. They greatly enjoy pouring into lives and watching them grow in their relationship with God through His word.
Winfred Hodges
South Elder
Winfred married his college sweetheart, Carole, in 1982. Winfred and Carole have attended Bethel Bible Church since 2006. They enjoy spending time with their family, especially their two granddaughters & traveling extensively. Winfred is a 5th Generation East Texan from Palestine, Texas. He enjoys upland game hunting and clay target shooting. Winfred is enthusiastic and passionate about meeting new people and connecting them to the body of Christ. He often states people are his oxygen. He enjoys serving alongside strong Bethel leaders who are sold out for Christ.
Ryan Locker
South Elder
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
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.
Lee Ridenour
South Elder
Lee and his truly better half, Donna, moved to Tyler as a young doctor and wife with a one-year-old, Jonathan In 1981, and were involved in starting Bethel in 1982. Lee still works as an internist (a doctor for adults) at Christus Trinity Mother Francis and has had the privilege of taking care of some of the same patients for over 40 years in both his office and at the hospital. Lee loves the Lord and being a disciple of Jesus and a discipler of men. He loves being a doctor, a husband to probably the best wife in the world for 40 years, a father of four (Jonathan, Jeff, Jenny, and Jeremy) and a Pawpaw to 13 grandkids. Lee loves missions and being a “world” Christian, and has had the privilege of traveling all over the world! Lee feels it is a joy to see all the changes that God has done at Bethel. The Ridenour’s have stayed in the boat of the SS Bethel through tough times but also years—as it has been recently—of wonder and grace!
Johnny Russell
South Elder
Johnny has been married to his wife, Taylor, since December 2007. They have four children: Finley, Gideon, Canaan and Judah and they fill up the majority of their free time. Johnny has been on the Young Life staff since 1999 and serves as the Campaign Director for Young Life Texas. When Johnny and Taylor arrived in Tyler, they were going to ‘church shop.’ The first church they visited was Bethel and they’ve been here ever since. The theologically sound preaching, friendly atmosphere, and opportunities to serve have kept them from leaving. Johnny and Taylor feel they are blessed to get to be able to be the hands and feet of Jesus to a hurting world.
Paul Tanner
South Elder
Paul and his wife Linda have been married for over 45 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. He is 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 17 years.
Taylor Heaton
South Elder
Taylor and his wife Olivia have been married for 17 years. They have three children, Brandt, Emilie and Collin. Taylor serves as a judge for Smith County. He has been a member at Bethel since 2008 and serves with the high school students in the South Student Ministry. He is blessed to serve in the student ministry and read through the Bible with the students on Sunday mornings. He is constantly learning from the students and treasures the relationships and connections made.
Andy Lehr
South Elder
My wife, Allison, and I have been married 33 years and have two daughters, one son, and one granddaughter. By God’s grace, Allison and I both became followers of Jesus Christ as children and have both benefitted immeasurably in our lives from the care of Christian homes and biblically faithful churches. We joined the Bethel south campus in the spring of 2018. Both of us have been blessed in our walk by the teaching, fellowship, and encouragement of the pastoral staff, elders, and many brothers and sisters in Christ at Bethel. I am humbled to be considered as an elder and by the Lord’s enabling and provision, I look forward to serving in this role.
Steve Reason
South Elder
Stephen was born in Oakland, CA and grew up in a Christian home and raised in the Methodist tradition. He did not surrender his life to the Lord until the age of 17. Stephen married Jamie in 1980 and moved to Longview, TX where Stephen attended and graduated from LeTourneau College. Stephen and Jamie have been attending Bethel Bible Church since October 1988 and have three grown children that grew up at Bethel Bible. Stephen and Jamie also have three grandchildren. In the past Stephen has served on Bethel’s Deacon board for 10 years and has recently served as a Shepherding Elder for 9 years. Stephen has been retired from Insurance claims for 10 years, and is currently in a Bethel Life group, attending two weekly Bible studies in which he co-leads one of them, and serves on the Bethel Greeting team. Stephen has been involved in local as well as overseas Missions with Bethel. Stephen longs for the return of the Lord Jesus Christ and His reign on earth.
John Murphy
South Elder
John grew up in Tyler and came to Christ in high school at Marvin Methodist Church. It was then off to Texas A&M and a degree in Landscape Architecture. He married the amazing Elizabeth Cartwright in 1990 and together they raised two baby girls on a ranch near Bastrop, TX before coming to Tyler in 2000. John had a 40 year career as a Landscape Architect and has volunteered in Scouting both in East Texas and at Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico. John and Elizabeth have been members at Bethel South for 7 years. John’s passions: Scripture, climbing mountains, cooking on the smoker and travel.
Ross Strader
Senior Pastor / Elder