Biography

I grew us in Kansas City, Missouri. My dad was Cherokee and our faith was Roman Catholic. After I left home at 15 years of age, I earned my living as a Triumph motorcycle mechanic. Disillusionment with life during the late1960’s led me into a world of oriental religion, yoga and LSD.

In contrast, Doris grew up in a wonderful Christian home in Fergus Falls, Minnesota. As the firstborn of five children, she was involved in numerous domestic responsibilities. Her compassion and practicality have served her well throughout our marital life and ministerial career. 

While dealing drugs on the streets of Memphis in 1971, the director of Teen Challenge told me of the life-changing power of Jesus. That night I surrendered my life to Christ, was instantly delivered from drugs, entered the Teen Challenge program and went on to graduate Mid-America Teen Challenge in 1972.

That same year, I enrolled as a student at Trinity Bible College in Ellendale , North Dakota. My instructors there imparted to me a great love for the Word of God. Within a few months, I met the girl of my dreams. For me, it was love at first sight. I was blessed to meet this dynamic, vibrant 19 year-old blond, blue-eyed princess. We were married on September 1, 1973 and are still deeply in love with each other. Our intense devotion to each other is the backbone of Native American Marriage Enhancement.

I graduated Trinity in 1975 with a degree in Theology and became a licensed minister of the Assemblies of God. We then joined the staff of Mid America Teen Challenge in Cape Girardeau, Missouri , where I served as Bible teacher and counselor. In 1977, I enlisted the United States Air Force as a Chaplain’s Assistant. Our first child, Naomi, was born at the Kessler Air Force (Mississippi) base hospital on August 9, 1977. In 1978, while on active duty at Bergstrom AFB (Texas), I became an ordained Assemblies of God minister.

After my tour of duty, I continued my graduate studies at the Assemblies of God Theological Seminary in Springfield, Missouri, completing my first MA in Biblical Studies in 1980. While attending AGTS, I served as the activities director at Maranatha Retirement Village .

We joined the staff at Rockford First Assembly in 1981 where I taught Bible at Christian Life Bible College and also served as the Social Services Director of Christian Life Retirement Center. Doris worked at a local bank. She is gifted vocally and was a great blessing to the music department. Our second child, Mark, was born on November 23, 1982 in Rockford .

In 1984, we were invited to join the administration of Central Indian Bible College in Mobridge, South Dakota and became nationally appointed Assemblies of God US missionaries to our Native Americans that same year. Doris served as office manager and I as Academic Dean and professor of New Testament studies. Our involvement in pre-marital and marital counseling among the Cheyenne, Crow, Lakota, Dakota and many other tribes, increased our awareness of the need to strengthen Native marriages.

After three years at CIBC, the Lord called us to pastor Indian Assembly of God in Winslow, Arizona. In Navajoland we became increasingly aware of the need to see Native marriages strengthened. Because our church family was multi-tribal, we counseled many Navajos, Apaches, Hopis, Cherokees, Pueblos and Zunis.

In 1989, the president of American Indian College in Phoenix invited Doris and I to join the staff. Doris served at AIC in the financial aid office for a short time and then served eleven years as the Administrative Assistant to three different presidents. I served our students as a professor of New Testament studies for fifteen years. Throughout our many years among our People, we have gained Native friends from many different tribes. While teaching at AIC, I completed a second MA in Theology from Fuller Seminary in Pasadena, California in 2000. I completed my doctorate at the Assemblies of God Theological Seminary in May 2007. My dissertation was “Native American Marital Communication Skills.” This professional degree continues to many open doors of ministry opportunity on reservations nationwide.

Doris has worked for several different banks during our “childrearing” years. Her employers have all expressed great appreciation for her expertise and diligence. God has blessed Doris with special giftedness in the areas of finances, stewardship, and budgeting. One of her marital workshops “Tithing and Debt-Free Living” always draws a crowd. As a result of her fugality and pragmatism, she is empowered to teach others how to get out of debt and stay out.

We have been blessed throughout the past 20+ years in Phoenix to have Tommy Barnett as our pastor, mentor and friend. Our entire family has been tremendously strengthened through our involvement at Phoenix First. We have been affiliated with the National Association of Marriage Enhancement since it was birthed at Phoenix First. This global ministry now has more than 250 marital counseling centers around the world. In our Native American Marriage Enhancement workshops, we encourage couples to become Certified Care Couples through this dynamic organization.

Pastor Tommy and our Phoenix First family were extremely empathetic and compassionate when we lost our only granddaughter, Anna Marie in September 2003. As a result of this terrible tragedy, the Holy Spirit has performed many miracles in the Knoles family. Naomi is planning to minister to women with similar losses. Read her powerful testimony in the April, 26, 2009 edition of Today’s Pentecostal Evangel.

Our son Mark is a graphic designer and the Art Director at Phoenix First. Both our children graduated Grand Canyon University with honors and are especially gifted. The Lord continuously blesses our family. We praise the Lord for all He is doing in the “Knoles Tribe.” It is our desire to strengthen and empower Native American couples and all who desire to serve the Lord Jesus Christ. It is our hope that the hundreds of studies posted on http://www.NativeMarriage.com will help serve that purpose. As a living site, new Biblical and marital studies are added weekly. Having worked with our wonderful Native people for over 25 years, we know that Jesus alone is the hope of our First Nations - and every nation.

We attended your seminar at the IMC in Phoenix Sept. 22-24. We loved the poem you read and would love a copy. It was about the love of a Christian man toward a man’s daughter and how to tell what a Christian man would look/act like.
Thanks, and God Bless.