Although he is a Colorado native, Mark's family also lived in Iowa and Chicago when he was young. They moved back to Evergreen, CO, in 1982 and he graduated from Evergreen High School in 1987 (Go Cougars). He graduated from Bethel College in St. Paul, MN in 1991 (Go Royals) and received his Masters of Divinity from Denver Seminary in Englewood, CO in 1994(Go...bookworms). Since 1992, he has been a youth pastor in Iowa, Minnesota and Colorado. Mark and Heidi returned to Colorado in 2001, and are enjoying living in the community and raising their family here. Mark and Heidi have two daughters. His lifetime goal is to love God and to enjoy Him forever, and to share this passion with everyone he meets. Unlike most people, Mark loves speaking in front of crowds, which he does as often as possible. He loves motivating his friends and family to uncommon acts of love and service through creativity and humor. Mark also loves jazz and winter. He is afraid of snakes, bears, and the ocean -- which is weird in light of his Scandinavian heritage.