STAFF/LEADERSHIP

Pastor Bob Knowles grew up in Hurst, Texas. Before coming to Willow Bend, he served at FBC in Albany, Texas as the Senior Pastor for 5 years. Prior to this, he has 17 years of ministry experience including leading student ministry and serving as Associate Pastor.

Pastor Bob holds a Masters in Theological Studies from Dallas Baptist University as well as a Bachelors Degree from Howard Payne University. Bob is married to his wife Julie and together they have five children: Seth, Salem, Sage, Shafer, and Sadie.

Brown Alford served in the U.S. Army in a recon platoon for several years. He served in both the 1st Gulf War and the Bosnia peacekeeping operation in the 1990s. After leaving the Army he moved into the real estate industry, first, in residential sales then into mortgage lending operations.

Brown was involved in secular, self-help seminars as early as 2001. However, it wasn’t until his own personal life was in crisis that he reached out to a Christ-centered recovery in 2008. Brown has been the Ministry Leader for a Celebrate Recovery at Willow Bend since 2012. He leads large and small groups of men and women working on their own recovery as well as leaders of other local ministries. He has served as the Executive Pastor of Willow Bend Church since 2024.

Brown brings a passion for recovery to every life he meets. He is fond of saying, “If God will do it for me, He’ll do it for anybody.” And he believes it.

Eric grew up in Longview, Tx where the love of church service was rooted deep. He served with Pastor Bob as the youth intern for 2 years at Oakland Heights Baptist Church and while in college, transitioned to being the “Music Guy” at a small church in Campbell where he led worship. Eric obtained his Bachelor of Science degree at Texas A&M University – Commerce in 2013.

After this, he fell away from church leadership for a few years until God decided to “rock his world” (sorry for the music pun.. I had to!) and call him back to the fold. He is now married to his wonderful wife, Katy Plyler, and enjoying many other blessings from God.Together, they have plans to grow the church in the near future.

Kris Berg grew up in the St. Louis area before moving south to attend the University of North Texas (BM/MM). He has been active as the bassist in our worship team for over 20 years.

Kris’ 80+ published compositions are performed by jazz orchestras world-wide. His two critically acclaimed jazz CDs have garnered 8 Global Music Awards. He has performed at jazz festivals all over the world and tours yearly in Asia with the IHS World Orchestra ministries (Switzerland). Kris resides in Frisco with his wife, Yvette, and daughter, Kristen. His oldest son, Michael, and younger son, Jonathan, with wife Shelbi and grandson Ian, also live in area.

Connor grew up in Tulsa, Oklahoma and is an strong Okie at heart (and in accent). He first moved to Dallas to go to school at Dallas Baptist University where he earned a degree in Biblical Studies and Intercultural Studies. Now he is pursuing a Masters of Theology at Dallas Theological Seminary.

While he was in undergrad, Connor fell in love with his wife, Clair, and they were married 3 years later in October of 2022. Connor is passionate about discipling the next generation through building relationships with students. From getting meals together to cheering from the stands at sports games, Connor believes that relationships are the key to youth ministry.

Ray and Beth Nowell are Co-Directors of Children’s Ministry at WBC. They met in 1998 at Fellowship Bible Church North in Plano, TX while Ray was Director of College Ministry and a student at Dallas Theological Seminary. They were married in 2000 and have been blessed with eight amazing children. Both Ray and Beth were raised in a Christian home and never knew a day where they didn’t believe in the good news of what Jesus accomplished for them at the cross. Ray is a native of Chattanooga, TN and Beth was born and raised right here in Plano. Prior to joining Willow Bend Church as Children’s Minister, Ray served for over 20 years as a worship leader for various churches in the DFW area. He is currently a Special Education teacher for Plano ISD, as well as a church-planting worship leader. Beth is a homeschool teacher with the Plano Area Texas Homeschool group. She also coaches cross-country and track for the Homeschool Athletic Association. Ray and Beth believe children are a heritage from the Lord and are passionate about imparting the good news of Jesus’ never-stopping, never-giving-up, unbreaking, always-and-forever love to our kids here at WBC.

Liz grew up in California and is now a grateful Texan. Having accepted Jesus Christ as her Savior when she was 5 years old she is thrilled to be using her marketing communication skills to grow God’s kingdom.

Jennie Loftis hails from Rockport, Texas where she proudly enjoyed growing up on the beach. She attended the University of Texas at Austin where she received a BBA in Accounting.  After working for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes right out of college, she pursued a MS in Biblical Counseling from Philadelphia Biblical University.

She has enjoyed many jobs throughout the years including working as a graduate advisor at the University of Houston in the political science department, speaking in public schools on abstinence, working with FCA a second time as an event planner, and working at Willow Bend Church in 2006 as the church administrator and since 2016 as the financial administrator. She also helps her husband with their small business called The BoardSMITH.  Jennie’s proudest and most important job is mom to her 3 children, Landry, Luke and Lana.  In her spare time (HA!) she enjoys tennis, reading and playing board games. She has lived in Plano for 17 years.

Brian is a native Alaskan who moved to Texas from Chicago in 1996. He’s been attending Willow Bend Church since 2007. He initially came to the Celebrate Recovery program completing a step study and then joined as a member of the church. He’s an active IDPA competitive shooter and competes at the state level.