His “day job” is jazz percussion instructor at Bethel University, he drums for his dad, Steve Sr.’s church (New Hope Church in Minneapolis), as well as the kid’s band, Go Fish, and, oh yes…he also hits the road, drumming for platinum-selling pop artist (and Owatonna native), Owl City. —Kathleen Stoehr
Tell us about Go Fish. Is it still an active part of your life?
Yes, I am still part of Go Fish, in the role of drummer and musical director. I love that project. And having children of my own has definitely changed my perspective on kid’s music. Watching my daughters [Betty and Suzy] rock out to Go Fish DVDs and albums is such a cool thing, and watching the thousands of families that attend our shows is equally cool. I joined that band two years ago, so both my daughters were on the scene at that point. In fact, my older daughter knew Go Fish’s music from church camp, so she was REALLY impressed with me when I told her about the gig.
How is your faith being presented to your daughters? Is a religious education required or are you going for a more organic, non-traditional route, letting them choose their own path?
This is an interesting question, and I bet the answer is simpler than most people would think. As a father, I want to pass along to my kids those things that over the course of my life I’ve come to believe to be true: being honest might be hard but it will pay off in the end…eating sugar will be fun for a moment and then make you feel sick. These are axioms that many in our society don’t live by, but I for one believe them to be true.
I want my daughters to know that, in my life, and in their mother’s life, Jesus isn’t just a historical figure. He represents forgiveness, and loving someone so much that you give your very self for them. I get excited about that! And my kids, while living in my home, are going to see that excitement and they’re going to ask questions and I’m going to answer them according to my experiences and convictions. I’m pretty sure it’s my prerogative (and responsibility, really) as their dad to share with them what I have learned. Will they have experiences in life that call into question the things they’ve learned from me? Of course. We all make our own decisions eventually.
I have many hopes for my daughters. I hope they learn to put others first. I hope they avoid the pitfalls of materialism. I hope they don’t struggle with a poor self-image the way so many young girls in our culture do. And of course, I also hope they don’t marry Packer fans.
Talk to me about the relationship you have with your parents.
My mom and dad are the two people in this world that I most respect and admire. They live about 15 minutes from us, and we see them regularly. My mom watches our daughters after school two days a week, and we always spend family birthdays and holidays together. I’m really thankful for the way my parents raised me, and they are a good source of advice now that I have a family of my own.
