Our Team

As a Leadership Team at Willows, we desire to see our community, city, country and continent healed and transformed by the love and truth of Jesus Christ our Lord. We are committed to seeking God’s face in our attempts to accomplish this goal.

If you have any questions for or about, our staff, our leadership, our congregational volunteers or anything else, please contact Lillian, our office administrator.

Ryan Watt, Resident Minister

Ryan grew up in a Christian family in the Western Cape, and gave his heart to Jesus as a child.  After working and studying in the field of accounting for a few years, God opened the doors for him to pursue a school-day call to ministry.

Ryan was ordained to the ministry of Word and Sacrament on 9 March 2003 in the United Church Hermanus.  He transferred into the Methodist Church of Southern Africa in 2011, serving in the Kumkani Hintsa District in the Eastern Cape before moving to Willows Methodist.  He is passionate about bringing people into a deeper relationship with Jesus: “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:33). 

Ryan and Natasha married in 2010, and they love every day God has given them together to share with their two precious daughters, Katey and Emily, and three very loved dogs, Zoë (Staffie), Scout (Beagle), and Luna (Daxie).

Charmain Fourie, Deacon 

Charmain is a deacon at Willows Methodist Church. She heads the HEAL pillar of Willows, which includes homecare and hospital visitation, and the support and guidance ministry. Her portfolio includes her active involvement in missions and outreach; she has an important role in community upliftment, orphans and vulnerable children (OVC), and the fill-a-bag initiative in conjunction with Ransom Foundation.

Charmain is married, and she is a loving mother to two children both married to wonderful partners. Helping, caring, teaching and guiding people is a calling very close to her heart.

Andre van der Bergh, Ransom Foundation / Willows Missions Director

Andre has for the past 22 years mentored teams in different countries by transforming communities and advocating hope to those in need, one person at a time. He believes that the labour of love extended to our beneficiaries is a relationship journey and not an event or activity. Relationship is everything!

He is able to converse in Afrikaans, English, Dutch and Albanian and thoroughly enjoys studying new cultures and cultural trends while coaching our team from different cultural backgrounds. Andre is married to Dutch-born Lidy and the proud father of two beautiful daughters Saranda and Amber. He holds a Masters in Law degree in International Business Law, BComm, LL.M.

Here is a man with a very big heart. He is a father to the fatherless.

David B. Stryers, Worship, Youth and Young Adults Pastor

David B. Stryers is a speaker, author, and creative thinker. Raised in the Western Cape, he encountered Jesus at 12 and began sharing the gospel at 15. He has a deep passion for worship, evangelism, discipleship, and seeing lives transformed through the message of God's love.

After completing high school, he began training in worship and theology, studied music production, and economics. With more than 20 years of experience in youth and worship ministry, he recently wrapped up a 12-year career in the entertainment and fashion industry, where he gained valuable skills that he now uses to advance the Kingdom of God on earth. He is committed to guiding individuals in discovering their purpose in Jesus.

David is married to Gillian, and they have one son, Daniel. Together, they have devoted their young lives to ministry, particularly focusing on prayer, worship and young people. They also enjoy sports, the outdoors, music, and fashion.

Lidy van der Bergh, Children's Ministry Director

Born and raised in the beautiful northern part of the Netherlands, Lidy had no idea that one day she would move to South Africa. While working as a Dental Assistant she got to know the Lord Jesus at age 21. Three months later she stepped into missions by volunteering with a Dutch/ American mission that smuggled Bibles into Eastern Europe. Through this experience she knew she wanted to serve the Lord full-time on the mission field. During a three year training at an International Missionary training college, the Lord called her to the country of Albania.

In 1997 she joined OM and moved to this small country in the Balkans. The work in Albania was mainly church planting and children’s evangelism was her main responsibility. She met Andre, who came all the way from George, South Africa. They got married in 1999 and served in Albania for 11 years. In 2009 the Lord added Saranda to their family through adoption, after which they moved to Italy, reaching out to Albanians and helping the small struggling church there. In 2014 they moved to Pretoria, where Lidy continued reaching out to children, mainly in the townships. In 2018 the Lord blessed them with another daughter named Amber.

In March 2020 Lidy took on the role of Children’s Pastor at Willows Methodist Church. Her passion is to see every child come into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and help them as they follow Him.

John Botha, IT & Technical Director

Born into a Christian household, John has been involved in Church life for most of his life. Initially his public involvement was in worship teams (on both sides of the sound desk), and recently he has also qualified as a Local Preacher.

On the other side of the coin, John holds degrees in Computer Science and Mathematics. He has a passion to uplift people through teaching and taught at university and in industry. He also has qualifications and experience in management and in the alignment of people, processes, and technology, all of which are great passions. His scientific bent finds great joy in the harmony of Creation and also helps in his pursuit of excellent live sound.

Over the past few years God has been taking John on a journey of personal change and growth, for which he is eternally grateful. He is married to Helen, and they have two children who are married to wonderful spouses.

Lillian Viljoen, Administrator

Lillian is the secretary for the resident minister and offers administrative support to the church staff, congregation and various ministries. She has been employed by the church for over 20 years, having started when it was still Hatfield Methodist Church with Rev Dudley Goodenough. She was part of the building and the move of the church to Willows.

Lillian and her husband, Dawie were married in 1984 and they have two adult children, Elaine and Stephan. She is involved in the counseling ministry and her greatest passions are her Lord, this church and its people. Lillian loves spending time with her friends and family and enjoying a good movie or theatre production.

Myrtle Kohna, Financial Administrator

 In 2024 she joined the Willows team as the Financial Administrator, after being in HR/Finance for over 30 years, the last 15 at a parastatal company, specialising in Payroll Management. She holds a BComm Honours-Financial Management degree obtained at UNISA in 2016, during her semi-retirement. She is guardian to a boy and girl age 8 & 10, and she often goes on unimaginable adventures with them. She currently serves as a volunteer for Willows Kids Ministry, Sunday Service Welcome team and Fill-A-Bag events. In her leisure time she enjoys reading, visiting movie theatres, as well as arts and crafts.

Michelle Olivier, Graphics & Communications

Michelle joined Willows Youth in highschool and now works on creating and maintaining all digital communications of the church. She has a BCOM in Business Management and Hounours in Marketing. She has worked as a dancer, events manager, actress, voice-over artist, baker, and marketer.