Andrew McDaniel

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Andy McDaniel was born in Birmingham, Alabama. The second of five children, he grew up in extreme poverty, even spending a season living in his car. His earliest memories include standing on a chair at the kitchen stove making breakfast for his family. Andy thought God just had a bad last name and he didn’t have a clue what went on behind the doors of the many churches in his community. All that changed when a girl he liked invited him to go to a Youth for Christ Campus Life club meeting in high school. On September 23, 1970, Andy’s Campus Life leader, Joe Guthrie, helped guide him to the very feet of Jesus Christ. When Andy asked the Lord to come into his heart and take over his life, he knew that he wanted to help others make this same decision for the rest of his life!

Andy attended Southeastern Bible College to study God’s Word. From there he went on to serve in Youth for Christ programs in Alabama (including Woodlawn High School about which the movie “Woodlawn” is based) as Campus Life Ministry Directors and Executive Directors. Youth for Christ programs served through the years include: Birmingham and Tuscaloosa, AL, Clearwater, Orlando, and Miami, FL, Nashville and Franklin, TN and Grand Rapids, MI. A member of the YFC Consortium, Andy was also a Campus Life trainer for many years. Andy was often asked to move to a YFC program to rejuvenate their Campus Life programs. By God’s grace he was able to help bring these ministries to a healthy and thriving place. Andy also helped lead and facilitate many unique YFC ministry events including Haunted House, Rocketown, Underground, YFC Camp, DC/LA, Souled Out, Gatlinburg, and Project Serve trips around the world.

After faithfully serving Youth for Christ for 36 years, Andy spent the next 15 years developing and directing Moriah Ministries, an evangelistic outreach to Grand Valley State University. Andy and his family loved hosting students for Sunday suppers, cheering on the Lakers, Supersonic and SERVE Trips to the Dominican Republic, China, Alabama, and more! Andy trained staff and volunteers in intentional relational ministry, thus earning the right to be heard by serving GVSU students and staff.

God brought Andy and Valerie (Boersma) together in 1981 in Clearwater. A year later they married and continued serving Youth for Christ programs while raising, loving, and home educating three amazing children. During these treasured years, Andy and Valerie were also involved in leading home educators in Community Coffees ministries, homeschool co-ops and the Mid-Winter Home Educators Conferences. Many family adventures alongside the ministry adventures led Andy on an incredibly exciting and adventurous life. Though his final months Earthside may have slowed him down physically, Andy spent his final moments planning new ministry ventures and opportunities to lead more people to a love of the Heavenly Father and a saving knowledge of the free gift of salvation offered by Jesus Christ.

In all these roles Chap Andy led by his clear example, mentoring and training the next generation of ministry leaders, introducing countless souls to the unconditional love of Christ Jesus who forever changed all of our lives.

Two of Andy’s favorite Scriptures are 2 Timothy 3:16-17 “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” And I Thessalonians 5:11 “Therefore, encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.”

Andy is preceded in death by his parents, Dewey Britton and Mary Elizabeth (Crawford); his older brother, Randall; brother-in-law, Glyndale Weeks; and granddaughter, Rose Stuart. He is survived by his wife and best friend, Valerie (Boersma); daughters, Elizabeth (Tom) Stuart, Sarah (Cole) Groot; son, Benjamin McDaniel; grandchildren, Azaziah, Alitza, and Boaz Groot, Hope, Faith, Jonathan, and Andrew Stuart; sisters, Vicki Weeks, Debbie (Doug) Weeks; brother, Danny (Ruth) McDaniel; sister-in-law, Emiko McDaniel; father-in-law and mother-in law, Ben and Cleo Boersma; brother-in-law, Jeff (Michelle) Boersma; and many nephews and nieces.

There will be a private family interment. Public celebration of life service will be held on Friday, April 5, 2024 at 1pm, Fellowship Reformed Church, 6610 36th Avenue, Hudsonville, Michigan. The family is asking that in lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Andy’s honor to Moriah Ministries, P.O. Box 333, Allendale, MI 49401.