Editing Bethel Church, Mansfield Woodhouse (section)

==Founders==
===Jean Spademan===
In 1999, Spademan had six children and over twelve grandchildren.<ref name="preacher" /> She had children early in life and did not have much money.<ref name="preacher" /> Her youngest daughter was adopted from [[Honduras]] – Spademan had the idea to begin a connection between Bethel Church and the Honduras orphanage Finca de los Niños.<ref name="preacher" /> Spademan and the church had a goal to build a new orphanage, but they gave up on these plans in the mid-1980s.<ref name="preacher" /> Spademan's residences on Ley Lane were owned by members of the church.<ref name="preacher" />

In an interview with the ''[[Daily Express]]'' in 2000, Spademan commented on claims by others that she said she was a [[prophet]]: "I don't believe I'm a prophet. I never said ... once I may have verged on it."<ref name="thesect" /> Hibbert acknowledged Spademan asserted she was a prophet, and said she made such statements "only once as a means to an end in a particular circumstance".<ref name="thesect" /> Hibbert went on to note: "I would say she fits into the prophet category (of the ministry) but not in the way the press is making it out to be, but because she is behind the scenes and she communes with God a great deal."<ref name="thesect" /> In 1999 Spademan ruled both churches, in England and in Connecticut, through constant contact with church pastors.<ref name="tolson" /> She communicated either in person or by telephone with [[Sam J. Wibberley]], a pastor at the church in Connecticut.<ref name="tolson" />

===John Hibbert===
Hibbert said he wished "to know god" since he was a young child.<ref name="preacher" /> Hibbert stated in an interview: "As a boy of 11, 12, and 13 they could not keep me away from it. I was in every single service soaking up the preaching, listening to these missionaries tell their stories. I can remember standing in these congregations ... and with tears streaming down my face and saying, 'Lord I want to do whatever you want me to do in this world. I want to be your servant for the rest of my life.'"<ref name="preacher" />

He was raised in central England, and attended a technical college where he received education as a draftsman.<ref name="preacher" /> Hibbert served as an [[ordained minister]] in a [[Pentecostal]] church,<ref name="thesect" /> and rose to the level of assistant minister in [[Rotherham]], in a parish of the organisation Assembly of God.<ref name="preacher" /> Hibbert is married with three daughters and an adopted boy originally from [[Honduras]].<ref name="preacher" /> He met Spademan in 1972: "I saw a hesitation in her eyes. I sensed she was in need. And so that was it."<ref name="preacher" /> Hibbert commented on claims that individuals were pressured to donate funds to his organisation: "Certainly no pressure was ever put on anybody (to give)," he said. "You have never met a more selfless giving group of people than the people in this church and that includes this ministry."<ref name="thesect" />