Danny McKinney – A Tribute
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Transitions are never easy. This one won’t be easy for Danny and Christy, nor for us. Especially not for me.
Although several staff members have had a profound “shaping†experience on my spiritual development, I can not think of a guy on staff who has had a more direct, personal influence on me than Danny. Perhaps I have benefited from his influence more than any other staff member for such an extended period of time.
I’m extremely grateful for his leadership, friendship and encouragement to me in ministry over the last 12 years.
When I was a student at Georgia Tech, Danny arrived on campus with his cowboy boots, Mississippi license plate and his immutable mustache! His simple, country-style presence was slightly out of place in Tech’s urbanized environment yet hardly a student did not welcome his very polite, upbeat, faith-filled yet perhaps slightly naïve (in a good way) attitude. He made his home in a dilapidated 1930s era house called the “Mansion†which had been rented out to students for years. (It was later demolished as Danny will recall with relish as Georgia Tech gave the old campus a facelift in preparation to host the 1996 Olympics.)
Danny lived with four Tech students and had a dramatic influence on them. Several of them went from being marginally involved with Crusade to finding themselves serving as student summer project directors and new staff members within just a couple of years. I know for a fact that all of his former housemates now live with a life-long view of discipleship.
Later, as a new staff member myself at Georgia Tech, I had the privilege to live with Danny. Our living conditions weren’t much improved over the Mansion. At least we had central heat and air (unlike the Mansion), but our bachelor house décor included little more than ratty-looking donated couches and plastic dinnerware. Ah, but that did not stop us from seeing good times roll there! Although his work ethic was unparalleled – often Danny would wake and leave the house before 7am even on the weekends – he had a love for “hang-out†time and also for practical jokes.
Most people who know Danny will attest to the fact that he is never afraid to think outside the box or to dream big with ministry plans. Danny has shared with us several times the story of how God gave him the vision to trust Him for a city-wide ministry in Atlanta. Keep in mind that this was sometime in the early 90’s – a couple of years before the concepts of Catalytic were mainstreamed or even viewed as mildly popular amongst staff. Danny says that one day as he was driving down the interstate in the heart of Atlanta, looking at the skyline, it was almost as if God said, “I know this is a big city, but there are students all across this landscape who are waiting to hear. . .and I want to reach them!â€
From that point on Danny pursued this vision and began to operate on a whole different level. Knowing that he could not accomplish a city-wide strategy alone, his early steps were to develop the right people to work directly or indirectly in accomplishing very broad strokes of ministry. Sometimes his methods were unconventional, yet he practiced a deep love for people and developing his staff on a high level.
When I married Shannon in 1996, I left the then newly-formed Atlanta Metro Team to join the ministry at NC State where Shannon had served already for two years. In 1998, we felt the Lord leading us to return to Atlanta and serve under Danny’s leadership together. It’s not too common these days that campus staff get to move to a different region – in my case twice. Yet, Danny kept the door wide open for us to come back and join the team in Atlanta. If it weren’t for him, then I doubt we would have been allowed that rare freedom.
On the Metro Team in Atlanta, Danny encouraged students and staff to pioneer technology-based strategies for reaching students with the gospel. His entrepreneural approach helped spark and develop several passions I currently have in the world of ministry and technology – specifically www.StorySpot.com
When he makes mistakes, Danny’s actions reflects humility and teachability. His integrity is a hallmark character trait.
I know all this makes it sound like Danny on this high untouchable leadership plateau, and that he has few if any faults. He would be the first to admit otherwise. And I’m sure he wouldn’t mind me admitting a few for him, too: J
- Danny can’t spell worth a flip. He thanks the Lord everyday for his Microsoft Word spellcheck – it has saved his can on several occasions when typing an important email.
- His grammar ain’t that good either (hey who am I to talk?).
- When faced with situations where he has to spend extra money to repair something or accomplish a task he could do on his own, Danny usually would rather eat asphalt than pay someone to do it.
- He’s a spendthrift ( a nice word for tightwad! ) and he can be hardheaded, too.
- Often Danny thinks out loud. . .and he mumbles when he does. It doesn’t make a lot of sense. Christy, I don’t see how you put up with this!
I didn’t want this to end up sounding like a eulogy, so I will end on the lighter notes. But in all seriousness, Danny, thank you so much for your labor and friendship! Where would I be without you? The Lord has used you to leave a legacy through your ministry with Campus Crusade. I speak for many when I say, “we’re deeply blessed because of you.â€
May God continue to richly bless your family, peers, associates at Camp Highland and the camp kids through your life.
~ David Hand
