Ottawa University-Arizona announced the hiring of Jason Folkerts as the university’s new campus pastor.

Mr. Folkerts is from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and has been involved in ministry since 1990. Part of his new role at OUAZ will be forming a ministry team of students to lead the spiritual experience on campus.

“I’m excited to join OUAZ and the Surprise community, and I look forward to getting to know the schools, churches and Christian organizations in the West Valley,” Mr. Folkerts said. “I am passionate about meeting new people and learning how God has wired them up and what really matters to them.”  

Prior to coming to OUAZ, Mr. Folkerts was the director of museums for the Washington Pavilion in Sioux Falls. He led the organization in breaking financial and attendance records and facilitated the restructuring of staff with a new customer service approach and a redesign of both their science and art museum areas.

From this experience, Mr. Folkerts in his spare time now designs exhibits for museums and assists them in developing a creative culture.

Mr. Folkerts was a youth pastor in the 1990s at one of the fastest-growing churches in the Minneapolis area. From there, he attended seminary to receive his master of divinity degree.

Mr. Folkerts successfully planted a new church aimed at young adults, at which time he began making a name for himself as a sought-after speaker for youth gatherings and a ministry trainer with Tentmakers.

As an adjunct theology professor at the University of Sioux Falls, Mr. Folkerts founded the youth ministry major. During this time, he stepped in to be an interim youth pastor at his home church for the next six years.

His time there was successful as the ministry grew from 30 students to more than 250, from five volunteers to more than 60 and included the development of a strong internship program for college students.

He was also a teaching pastor and developer of small groups at this church of 3,000, and became involved with Volunteers of America as a ministry board member later earning the status of a commissioned minister in 2015. While serving the VOA, Mr. Folkerts was a consultant and trainer of 400 staff using PATH Discipleship materials, which he wrote.

Mr. Folkerts and his wife, Tracy, have written six original youth musicals, three of which toured the Midwest. As a professional artist creating cartoons and comics, he has painted 165 large murals for schools and is the illustrator of six children’s books, two of which are National Award winners.

Mr. Folkerts taught “How to Draw” courses at dozens of elementary schools in communities where schools are not able to hire art teachers due to lack of funding. He and his wife are strong supporters of Safe Families, an organization helping the most vulnerable. He has used his art abilities to raise thousands of dollars for nonprofit ministries.