By Mike O’Dea

Mike O’Dea is a member of Mars Hill and serves on the Theology Response Team.

To Honor a Stranger

I did not know SGT Andrew McConnell or his wife Sarah. Why was I so compelled to attend his memorial service?

Maybe because we have some common acquaintances at Mars Hill Olympia. Maybe because I love our U.S. Military and I put in my own time many years ago. Maybe because my own son is a SGT in the U.S. Army, and I remembered the anxiety I experienced in 2003 and 2004 when he served with his unit 13 months in Iraq. Maybe I went just to see how Mars Hill responds to our fallen heroes.

After Tuesday’s memorial, I pondered the above as I wiped the remaining tears from my cheeks. It became clear to me that I was an eyewitness to an extraordinary event. As a 68-year-old guy I have attended dozens of funerals and memorial services over the years. Never have I been so heavily impacted. Why?

The Mars Hill Centurion

Pastor Tim Beltz, a member of the Mars Hill Executive Elder team, conducted the memorial service. He told us that last March he was filling in at our West Seattle Campus on the Sunday of Pastor Mark’s Marriage and Men sermon.

At the end of the service, Andrew told Pastor Tim that he had only been married for three months and admitted he was “a rookie” and that he was “already messing up.” Andrew said, “I want to be the husband and father that Pastor Mark is talking about.”

Pastor Tim took Andrew under his wing. Over the course of several meetings, Tim noticed Andrew had a tattoo on the inside of his left arm: simply the word “Centurion.” Andrew explained to Tim that he knew he was called to be a leader of men, and he wanted to be like the Centurion mentioned in Matthew 8:5–13. Jesus said of the Centurion, “Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith” (Matt 8:10).

A Worthy Legacy

Think about it! Andrew wanted to be a godly husband, a godly father, a godly leader, and a man of great faith. From the testimonies I heard at the memorial, he accomplished all three and did it well. And he was only 24 years old.

Based on what I witnessed yesterday, Andrew is still ministering through his legacy. Sarah is five months pregnant. I do hope that someone recorded the service and that someday Andrew’s son or daughter hears what people said about their father, how much he was loved, the impact he had, and how they can follow his example of faithfulness.

Whether you are male or female, married or single, old or young, watch the Marriage and Men sermon and you will see why Andrew was compelled to respond, and why I was compelled to testify about our Mars Hill Centurion.

May his legacy impact thousands. In Jesus name, Amen!