Elder Troy E. Bethune accepted Jesus Christ and was saved at age 10. Called into the ministry of the Word at the age of 15 he has allowed God to direct his steps into preparation and service.
He has been in the pastorate of 4 congregations since his first appointment in 1990, to Hills Chapel Fire Baptized Holiness Church of God of the Americas, Delco NC. He has served St. Matthew as Pastor since 1998. The mission of which is being a church “to serve this present age.” In November 2010 he was appointed Ruling Elder of SouthWestern North Carolina District with a commitment to Pursuing the Vision God has set for His church & His people. He has taken as his guiding principle for the ministry the promise of Psalm 1:3.
Born and raised in Brooklyn, NY to Dec. Marion & Mrs. Leola McKoy Bethune he was taught that men should always pray and not faint (Luke 18:1). This being instilled within him has profoundly impacted his interaction with believers and his whole hearted confidence in the power of prayer and that prayer is the answer for the society and the complete condition of mankind. He has been tutored in the gospel and mentored in the faith by great men & women of God such as Elder J.W. Servance, Elder W. D. Davis, Madame Alice McDonald, Rev. I. J. McKoy, Sr., Rev. Janie L. Brown, Bishop W.E. Fuller, Jr., Rev. M.L. Hopper,who’ve all graduated to glory, Elder W.L. McKoy, Bishop P.L. Frazier, Jr., Bishop J. L. Davis, Bishop A.L. Rodgers, Elder L. Powell, Jr., & Elder A. J. Lindsay, to name only a representative of those who’ve poured into the making of this man.
Elder Bethune is married to the lovely Antonia Denise Bethune. They parent two wonderful children, Kendyl Chantal & McKenzy Washington, and many sons and daughters in the faith.
A graduate of the University of North Carolina at Wilmington his passion and bi-vocation is Social Work. He is a social work supervisor in Gaston County, North Carolina. He is also a past-chairman of the board for the non-profit, Highland Family Resource Center, he serves the community through empowerment programming and self-sufficiency services.