His funeral was open to the public and had a massive gathering. He is buried in the Harrison Township Cemetery in Hollansburg, Ohio, alongside his baby brother who died as an infant and his father.[
Between 1974-78, Mullins attended Cincinnati Bible College. He worked in a parking garage to help pay for his schooling. [7] From 1975 -1978 he was also the Music Director and Youth Director at Erlanger United Methodist Church in nearby Erlanger, Kentucky. [8]
In the mid-1980s he moved to Nashville, Tennessee to begin his professional recording career.
Mullins is best known for his worship songs "Step by Step" (later incorporated into his hit single "Sometimes by Step") and "Awesome God", both of which have been embraced as modern classics by many Christians. Some of his albums are also considered among Christian music's best, including Winds of Heaven, Stuff of Earth (1988), The World As Best As I Remember It, Volume One (1991) and A Liturgy, A Legacy, & A Ragamuffin Band (1993). His music has been covered by many artists, including Caedmon's Call, Five Iron Frenzy, Amy Grant, Jars of Clay, Michael W. Smith, John Tesh, Chris Rice and Third Day.[1]
In 1988, Mullins moved to Wichita, Kansas where, in 1991, he enrolled as a student at Friends University and lived with his best friend, David Strasser (a.k.a. Beaker). He graduated with a B.A. in Music Education on May 14, 1995 [12]. After graduation, he and musician Mitch McVicker moved to a Navajo reservation in Tse Bonito, New Mexico to teach music to children. They lived in a hogan at the reservation until his death.
Rich Mullins is also remembered for his devotion to the Christian faith, which was often an inspiration to others. He was heavily influenced by St. Francis of Assisi (1181-1226). In 1997, he composed a musical called Canticle of the Plains, a retelling of the life of St. Francis set in the Old West. [2]
His biggest hits were the praise choruses Awesome God and Step by Step. Three of his albums are considered among Christian music's best: Winds of Heaven, Stuff of Earth (1988), The World As Best As I Remember It, Volume 1 (1991) and A Liturgy, a Legacy & a Ragamuffin Band (1993). The posthumous The Jesus Record include one disc of demos he had recorded shortly before his death, and a second disc of recordings of the songs completed by The Ragamuffin Band, several with guest vocalists.
Mullins often called St. Francis of Assisi (1181-1226) his hero. He modeled his life after St. Francis by showing great compassion towards the poor and adhering to a vow of poverty. In 1997, he composed a musical about the life of St. Francis set in the Old West titled Canticle of the Plains.
Mullins was seen as an enigma to the Christian music industry. Often barefoot, unshaven, and badly in need of a haircut, Mullins did not look like the average American Gospel music writer. He was very much at home among the non-Christians, and unafraid to name his own sin and inadequacies in public. This baffled some in the American Christian culture where he seemed an odd member. His lifestyle was unquestionably marked by devotion and discipline, yet his simultaneous refusal to subscribe to contemporary Christian "niceties" made him a bit of an uncomfortable presence in the Christian music culture. Although he achieved a significant amount of success on Christian radio, he never received a Dove Award until after his death.
Unlike most artists in Contemporary Christian music, Mullins did not consider his music his primary ministry, but rather a means to pay his bills. Instead, his ministry was the way he treated his neighbors, family, enemies, and those outside the church. Taking a vow of poverty, he accepted a small church salary and spent the last years of his life on a Navajo reservation teaching music to children.
STEP BY STEP
Rich Mullins Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I will ever praise You
Oh God, You are my God
And I will ever praise You
I will seek You in the morning
And I will learn to walk in Your ways
And step by step You'll lead me
And I will follow You all of my days
And step by step You'll lead me
And I will follow You all of my days
These lyrics are an expression of the singer's devotion to God and their willingness to follow Him every step of the way. The first two lines emphasize the singer's relationship with God, stating that He is their God and they will always praise Him. The following two lines reveal the singer's commitment to seeking God in the morning, and learning to walk in His ways. The repetition of "step by step" illustrates the singer's trust in God to lead them along the right path, and their determination to follow Him all of their days.
This song can be seen as a prayer, reminding the singer of the importance of seeking God every day and relying on Him for guidance. The phrase "step by step" can be interpreted as a metaphor for the Christian journey, emphasizing the need for patience and perseverance while following God. The simple yet powerful lyrics, combined with the soft melody, make this song a popular choice for worship services and personal devotions.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh God, You are my God
I acknowledge You as my God and Creator
And I will ever praise You
I will continuously offer You worship and adoration
I will seek You in the morning
I will intentionally pursue Your presence and guidance each day
And I will learn to walk in Your ways
I will acquire wisdom and understanding to live in alignment with Your principles
And step by step You'll lead me
You will guide me gradually and continually
And I will follow You all of my days
I will remain faithful to You all the days of my life
And step by step You'll lead me
You will guide me gradually and continually
And I will follow You all of my days
I will remain faithful to You all the days of my life
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: ZEMROY THOMAS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jeff Grant
Sometimes the night was beautiful
Sometimes the sky was so far away
Sometimes it seemed to stoop so close
You could touch it but your heart would break
Sometimes the morning came too soon
Sometimes the day could be so hot
There was so much work left to do
But so much You'd already done
Oh God, You are my God
And I will ever praise You
Oh God, You are my God
And I will ever praise You
I will seek You in the morning
And I will learn to walk in Your ways
And step by step You'll lead me
And I will follow You all of my days
Sometimes I think of Abraham
How one star he saw had been lit for me
He was a stranger in this land
And I am that, no less than he
And on this road to righteousness
Sometimes the climb can be so steep
I may falter in my steps
But never beyond Your reach
Oh God, You are my God
And I will ever praise You
Oh God, You are my God
And I will ever praise You
I will seek You in the morning
And I will learn to walk in Your ways
And step by step You'll lead me
And I will follow You all of my days
And I will follow You all of my days
And I will follow You all of my days
And step by step You'll lead me
And I will follow You all of my days
And I will follow You all of my days
(Sometimes the night was beautiful)
And I will follow You all of my days
(Sometimes the night)
(Sometimes the night was beautiful)
And I will follow You all of my days
(Was beautiful)
(Sometimes the night was beautiful)
And I will follow You all of my days
(So beautiful)
And I will follow You all of my days
And I will follow You all of my days
(Oh God, you are my God)
And I will follow You all of my days
(Oh God, you are my God)
And I will follow You all of my days
And I will follow You all of my days
(Sometimes the night was beautiful)
And I will follow You all of my days
(Sometimes the night)
And I will follow You all of my days
nobody
Step by Step, Jesus is healing my alcoholism. Thank you God!
Erin Threlkeld
Praise God
Shelia Jayne Adkins
Praise God Amen God bless and keep us HE HAS Healed Me of drugs and Alcohol Amen 🙏 🙌 👏 ✨ ❤
elaine sands
May God continue his work in you. Hang in there and keep your eyes on the prize. 🙏🏽🥰
Cannabis💯
Praises! Thank you, Father, Friend and Beloved!
drumdad54 sdl
He is a chain breaker! Stay strong and stay close to Him!
Jana Elliott
Amen and Amen, my brothers and sisters in Christ! This song rocks my spirit..many years later!! Thank You Jesus for the cross!!
Ken Parnell
He was the kind of guy you would see on the street without a second thought but he reaches me like no other christian musician. A man truly after Jesus's heart, and taken too early.
Courage W
My mom described his faith as the kind you’d see from people living their last days on earth when they’re old, but he died only 1 year younger than Elvis Presley (41 compared to 42)
Lynnda AGV
He truly walked the walk! I can't wait to praise our Savior with him!