Marc Hoogstad
Q. Where could we find you at 10:00 AM on a Saturday morning?
A. At home, finishing my third cup of coffee, and ending our family Saturday morning ritual of pancakes with peanut butter and real Canadian maple syrup.
Q. What’s your favorite place to meet with students, and why?
A. Pizza Hut. It’s fun to see what “All You Can Eat” really means to teens. Especially for the younger guys. “What do you mean, you’re full? You’ve only eaten two slices! Eat, boy!”
Q. What do you do to stay relevant to youth?
A. Hang out with them. And drop youth lingo like “wiggity-wack” as much as possible. The kids dig it, and they think I’m groovy.
Q. What resource has inspired you for ministry lately?
A. Messy Spirituality, by Mike Yaconelli. I read it annually.
Q. What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done for a youth group fundraiser?
A. The “non-event” fundraiser. Sell real tickets for a fake dinner that won’t happen, to not be scheduled on a fictitious day (February 30, for example). No commitment from the ticket buyers to attend.
Garrett Hovland
Q. Where could we find you at 10:00 AM on a Saturday morning?
A. I love being outside, so working on a project outside the house, in the barn, or taking care of our animals.
Q. What do you do to stay relevant to youth?
A. I think one of the best ways to stay relevant to youth is to listen to them. Listen to what they talk about, what they like, dislike, etc. This gives you a great view into their world!
Q. I never leave for youth group without my ____________________.
A. Bible and my wife!
Q. What do you do in your free time?
A. I enjoy going for a run, taking walks with my wife, playing any kind of sport and reading a good book.
Q. Where would you like to travel someday?
A. Someday I would like to travel to New Zealand and explore the countryside and see all the different farms.
Q. What is one website that you visit every day?
A. I like checking the Center for Parent and Youth Understanding to keep up to date on what’s going on in the youth ministry world.
