We are a church in Tulsa, OK that loves God and loves our neighbor. We share what we believe so that others may experience a loving God who is active in their lives. You will find a wide variety of people at Bethany who come together to worship God and serve our community and the world. Becoming an official part of the Bethany community through membership starts by talking to our Pastor. All people are not only welcome to worship but welcome to the Communion table where we partake in the Lord’s Supper each week in worship. For more information about Bethany, see our “What We Believe” page.
At Bethany, the Spiritual Leaders of our congregation are the Elders who lead in worship, pray for the congregation and gather regularly. Our Deacons are servant leaders who lead in worship. Both Elders and Deacons are Biblical leadership areas rooted in scripture. We also have congregational officers that lead the movement and mission of the church.
Bethany’s Ministry Staff
Our Pastor is Rev. Kelli Driscoll Crews. Together with the Holy Spirit and the faithful leaders of Bethany, she has served as Pastor since August 2011. She is originally from Shreveport, Louisiana, serving locally, regionally and nationally in the Disciples of Christ denomination since a teen. She has also served churches in Fort Worth and Kansas City. It is through those varied experiences that she knows the church can be a place where God’s loves really can be made evident and available for everyone. She wants everyone to know about that love! Jesus teaches us to live that love out loud.
Kelli went to Texas Christian University in Fort Worth earning a BA in Religion (Historical/Critical Approach to Religion). She went to seminary at Brite Divinity School at TCU. Following seminary she moved to Kansas City in service of Community Christian Church. While there, Kelli met her husband, Nick Crews, a Tulsa native. Kelli and Nick have a daughter, Charlie. They foster dogs through Oklahoma German Shorthaired Pointer Rescue and have 2 dogs of their own, Lucy and Levi. You can find Kelli around town drinking good coffee and working with ACTION, a grass roots effort in Tulsa that empowers individuals and families to create a better community. Find her on facebook and twitter.
Our Music Director is Paul Sweet.
Composer, pianist, and pedagogue Paul Sweet has earned regional acclaim as a multitalented musician. His catalogue of compositions includes original solo, chamber, orchestral, and band works. In addition to composing, Mr. Sweet is an active arranger and manages publication of his music.
As a pianist, Paul has enjoyed recent collaborations with Will Rogers Junior and High Schools (Tulsa, OK), Tulsa Camerata, legendary country/bluegrass fiddler, Jana Jae, Tulsa Public Schools’ Metro Honor Choir, and the Oklahoma Haydn Orchestra. His first recording, “Rejoice and Be Merry,” was released in November (2014) and features a collection of original arrangements of holiday songs. He also maintains a private piano studio.
An avid outdoorsman, Paul enjoys hiking, kayaking, camping, and many other outdoor activities. Hobbies include urban gardening and tending to his chicken coop. He, his partner, David Kindred, and their three Pomeranian dogs call Tulsa, Oklahoma home.
Christy Martin is our Secretary. Christy grew up in Oklahoma City, but moved to Tulsa after her husband, Rev. Rob Martin, took a call as Pastor at First Lutheran Church in Tulsa. She received a BA in History at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas, and a MFA in Costume Design at the University of Oklahoma. She taught Theatre and Costume Design at Northern Arizona University and at Eastern Illinois University before she met her husband and settled in Indianapolis, IN, where she worked as Costume Shop Manager for Indiana Repertory Theatre. When Rob felt called to ministry in 2008, they moved to Dubuque, IA where he attended seminary.
While in Iowa, Christy and Rob were foster parents to several children, and they were happy to be able to adopt their son, Chris. They adopted a second child, Emily, who was born here in Tulsa. Both Chris and Emily attended preschool at Bethany Community School. In her free time, Christy does freelance sewing and design work.
Christy joined the staff in Fall 2014, and enjoys working with Pastor Kelli and the members of Bethany Christian Church who visit the church office. Christy will typically be in the office Tuesday through Thursday from 9am to 2pm, unless the school is not in session, when her schedule might change around a bit.
