“Christians are Stereotyped as Dull, Mindless, and Weak”
Interviewed by Kent d Curry

February 12, 2007

 

Most Apostolics I get to interview for ninetyandnine.com are fascinating people I’ve never met. Often, after a tip, I drop an email on a stranger for an interview without the slightest introduction. But Kristin Hoover? I know her.

 

Our paths first crossed when I started attending the University of Missouri-Columbia back when Pentecostals weren’t supposed to attend secular college. Her father pastored the local UPC church I attended. As the youngest of three daughters, she was the quiet one. You know, the one who observed the oldest breaking ground and the middle making it as memorable as possible. Still, there was never any doubt of her intelligence and dedication to God.

 

Naturally, when our paths crossed over the years, we caught up on each other’s life, but it’s been a while. Quite a while. I married. She married. She had three children. I didn’t. You know, basic life.

 

Still, I was only mildly surprised when I learned she about to participate in ABC TV’s Wife Swap program (with nearly 9 million weekly viewers). A home schooling mother in mid-Missouri married to an ex-Menonnite chimney sweep, it seemed like a natural for the show. Plus, she has a certain steeliness that can handle the harsh glare of cameras. It all seemed logical in hindsight.

 

Not that they haven’t gotten some serious questioning about their choice from fellow believers, but they prayed about it and consulted their pastor before stepping into the great media unknown.

 

Because ABC is rushing this show to air during Sweeps Month the Hoovers haven’t even been able to preview it, so they’ll be experiencing it for the first time for the

 

While the Hoovers aren’t allowed to reveal everything before their show airs (at 7 p.m. CST on Monday, February 12, 2007) due to contractual issues, they were happy to discuss the background generalities of their experience.

 

We intend to interview them again, not only to get their response to the show, but also some of the juicy behind-the-scenes details. Plus, with the many media opportunities they’re now getting, who knows where that might lead? We want to find out.

This interview took place over the first week of February, 2007.

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90&9: So what made you apply to Wife Swap?

KH: Initially I believe I received a special calling of God during the 2006 Azusa Street Centennial Celebration.  I was impressed that God was going to use me in a way that I had never imagined.  When a casting agent contacted us I thought this might be what God intended. Perhaps I will elaborate on this at a later date.

 

Often, conservative Christians are stereotyped as dull, mindless, and weak individuals.  I hoped in some small way I could change this perception and show a traditional lifestyle as fun and rewarding.

 

90&9: So what’s the basic process for qualifying?

KH: After initial approval, ABC requires a process for the whole family to undergo psychological examinations, personality profiles, blood work, testing for drug use, TB tests, criminal background checks, and credit checks.  We were comforted in knowing our matched family underwent all the same tests.

 

0&9: How long did it take from the initial contact until you were accepted?

KH: Within less than a week of the initial interview, ABC gave the go ahead for our show, and within three weeks the production began. (Later we were told that it all took place with unusual speed.)

 

90&9: For those who are unfamiliar with Wife Swap, what’s the basic concept of the show?

KH: Wife Swap is an unscripted reality show. Two families with very different values are chosen and the wives exchange husbands, children and lives (but not bedrooms), to discover just what it’s like to live another woman’s life. 

90&9: For those unfamiliar with the Hoovers, tell us a bit about yourselves and your involvement in your local Apostolic church.

KH: My husband was raised an Old Order Mennonite while I was raised in a UPC pastor’s home.  Our three girls, Emily (7), Grace (5), and Alivia (3) are fifth generation Pentecostal.

 

I am a registered nurse turned stay-at-home mom after 10 years of career. My husband is a self employed chimney sweep at the Lake of the Ozarks, MO and a volunteer EMT/Firefighter.  I manage the office for Steve, and home-school our girls. 

 

I am active in church leadership, assisting in music as choir director, and drama director.  For nine years I have directed the drama, The Messiah, a portrayal of the life of Christ. (Last year our combined drama attendance reached 1,400. This was particularly exciting for our church of about 350 members.)

 

90&9: So what did you tell your kids when you were chosen and how did they respond?

KH: The children were involved in the interview process and have done very well.  I’m not sure they grasped it all, being so young.  They had the stability of Steve at home most of time during the filming. I see no negative effects to the children from the show involvement.

 

90&9: How did your families respond?

KH: Some in Steve’s family have disapproved, primarily based on the name of the show itself; (which is) completely understandable. My own family has been cautiously supportive. I think they all realize our true intent is to ‘make a difference in the world’.

 

90&9: What was the response from your church family?

KH: Mostly supportive, however given the name of the show, and the potential for disagreement in the body, we have kept our involvement somewhat low-key.

 

Many people ask “What on earth does your pastor think?”  When we were going through the interview process, I contacted our pastor and explained our perspective, how this might be an awesome opportunity to share Jesus with the world.  He stated he was beyond dictating what people should or shouldn’t do in their lives, and I should find out from God for myself.  He stated he had enough faith in my relationship with God and he would stand behind the decision I would make.   What an awesome pastor!

 

90&9: When did the swap take place?

KH: Episode filming started on Jan. 4^th (2007) and commenced through the 15th, with a one day follow-up two weeks later.

 

KRISTIN’S STORY

90&9: Kristin, tell us how you felt landing in Texas.

KH:  Relieved not to be dog sledding in Alaska! Disappointed I was not welcomed by ladies in grass skirts saying “Aloha!”

 

90&9: Tell us about your swapped family.

KH:  The Meeks are a punk rock family trying to make it big.  They do have talent, and guts enough to push forward.

 

 

I enjoyed spending time with the children, Benji (6) and Hannah (5) and with Tony.  Tony is a former pastor, who admits shutting out God in recent years. He is very knowledgeable of Scripture. Often when I alluded to Scripture he would let me know where it was found, and the Greek translation.

 90&9: I understand you weren’t allowed to call home. How did you keep your sanity in this crazy situation? Were you allowed to talk to anyone?

KH:  They had this great big walk in closet, and it made an awesome place to pray. 

 

90&9: What was your best moment with the new family?

KH: The off-camera moments are the most memorable, such as reading Acts 2 together, and discussing the power of the Holy Ghost.  Also, Tony had a binder full of praise and worship music from his pastoral days.  It was awesome singing those songs of praise together.

 

 

As we were traveling together to meet up with our families, I asked Tony to sing something with me.  It was an emotional moment when he began to sing “I have

decided to follow Jesus...though none go with me still I will follow”  and then “Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling...calling oh sinner come home.”

 

 

We continue to pray daily for God to bless the Meeks family.

 

STEVE’S STORY

90&9: How did you meet Tish? Did she just show up at the front door?

SH: We went to church while she spent the day in our home “discovering” who we were and reading Kristin’s manual. The girls and I came home at about 5 p.m. and met “Punk Rocker mom” Tish Meeks.

 

90&9: Tell us about Tish.

SH: Tish is a genuinely nice person. In spite of our major cultural and lifestyle differences (she sports a nose ring and streaks her hair with pink dye), she loved our girls and they responded likewise.  This fact helped the swap go more smoothly than it might have, had we a great personal dislike for one another.

 

90&9: What was your biggest challenge with her as mom?

SH: Many things were required which we could say was definitely ‘not us,’ however, to tell them would take away from the experience of seeing the show. Let me just say, we did not compromise our Christian principles to do this show.

 

90&9: What was your best moment with her as mom?

SH: The Hoover family greatly enjoyed making the “music video” that Tish directed.

 

90&9: Steve, how did this affect your business? Were you afraid to leave your kids with her?

SH:  I was anxious of course, wondering what was coming next! I stayed around our home for much of the filming and did lose some income due to rescheduling difficulties.  Never afraid.  There are plenty of safeguards put in place by the show through the contracts to protect children.

 

90&9: Have you seen any negative behavior in your kids after participating in this process?

SH:  I don’t think so.  If anything can be said along these lines I would say our youngest was not disciplined as much due to the interference of camera and sound.  The children are back to a normal routine and I feel this was a positive experience for them overall.

 

THAT’S A WRAP!
90&9: Did the production crew try to change your behavior because of your religious beliefs?

KH: Not intentionally. However, because our Christianity affects most all our lifestyle and who we are, this was somewhat of a constant struggle in both Steve and my participation of the show.  We maintained our integrity and did not set aside matters of conscience.

 

90&9: Do you think anyone in the Meeks family was touched by your relationship with God?

KH: I was overwhelmed to find that I was sent to a family where the dad, Tony, was a former pastor and dropped his religious affiliations to be a ‘rock star.’  I feel by being there, I was able to remind Tony that God still loves him and is not finished with him.

 

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© 2007, Kent d Curry

 

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Kent d Curry is an executive editor at ninetyandnine.com.