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.
Where You Are
Rich Mullins Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Talkin' Jonah in the belly of a whale
Talkin' three Hebrew children
And they're standing in a furnace, fiery furnace
But the fire didn't burn them, and the lions didn't bite
And the Lord reached down and you can be sure that
Everything turned out right
A long time before you meet Him in the sky
And where you are ain't where you wish that you was
Well your life ain't easy and the road is rough
But where you are is where He promised to be
From the ends of the world to every point of need
Talkin' Daniel in the den of the lions
Talkin' Jonah in the belly of a whale
Talkin' three Hebrew children
And they're standing in a furnace, fiery furnace
But the fire didn't burn them, and the lions didn't bite
And the Lord reached down and you can be sure that
Everything turned out right
Oh you'll meet the Lord in the furnace
A long time before you meet Him in the sky
Meet Him in your time of trial
Meet Him in your hour of prayer
You can reach out and I'll bet
That you'll find that He's right there
Where you are, however grim it may seem
This is real life, baby
This ain't no Hollywood dream
And where you are no matter what you may face
You're gonna find out real soon what they mean when they say
Talkin' Daniel in the den of the lions
Talkin' Jonah in the belly of a whale
Talkin' three Hebrew children
And they're standing in a furnace, fiery furnace
But the fire didn't burn them, and the lions didn't bite
And the Lord reached down and you can be sure that
Everything turned out right
The lyrics of Rich Mullins's song Where You Are are about finding comfort and assurance in the midst of trials and difficulties. The song references several biblical stories including Daniel in the den of lions, Jonah in the belly of a whale, and the three Hebrew children in the fiery furnace. These stories are used to illustrate how God is present in our struggles and is able to bring us through them unscathed.
The chorus of the song emphasizes that God will meet us in our trials and that where we are is where He promised to be. The idea is that we may not be where we want to be in life, but we can take comfort in the fact that God is with us wherever we are, and will see us through our difficulties.
The lyrics also suggest that we can encounter God in the midst of our trials and that this can be a powerful experience. Mullins encourages listeners to reach out to God during their times of trial and to trust that He will be there for them. The overall message of the song is one of hope, encouraging listeners to trust in God and to find comfort in the knowledge that He is present in their struggles.
Line by Line Meaning
Talkin' Daniel in the den of the lions
Referring to the story from the Bible where Daniel was thrown into a den of lions as punishment for his faith.
Talkin' Jonah in the belly of a whale
Referring to the story from the Bible where Jonah was swallowed by a whale and spent three days inside the belly of the whale.
Talkin' three Hebrew children
Referring to the story from the Bible where Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to worship a golden statue and were thrown into a fiery furnace.
And they're standing in a furnace, fiery furnace
Continuing the reference to the story of the three Hebrew children mentioned in the previous line, emphasizing the danger they were in.
But the fire didn't burn them, and the lions didn't bite
Despite the danger they faced, they were not harmed by the fire or the lions due to divine intervention.
And the Lord reached down and you can be sure that
Attributing the safety of the characters in the Bible stories to divine intervention.
Everything turned out right
Despite the initial danger, the outcome was positive, showing God's faithfulness and protection of his people.
Oh you'll meet the Lord in the furnace
Suggesting that we may encounter God in difficult, trying times, perhaps even more so than in easier or happier moments.
A long time before you meet Him in the sky
Emphasizing that we may experience divine intervention and encounter God in our everyday, earthly lives.
And where you are ain't where you wish that you was
Acknowledging that we may not always be where we want or imagined ourselves to be in life.
Well your life ain't easy and the road is rough
Admitting that life can be difficult and full of challenges.
But where you are is where He promised to be
Assuring that God is present even in the most challenging times and places.
From the ends of the world to every point of need
Emphasizing that God is present and able to help in every situation and need, no matter how far or difficult to reach.
Meet Him in your time of trial
Encouraging us to seek God's presence and help in difficult moments.
Meet Him in your hour of prayer
Suggesting that prayer is a way to encounter and connect with God.
You can reach out and I'll bet
Encouraging us to seek God's help and promising that he will be there for us.
That you'll find that He's right there
Assuring that God is present and ready to help us, always.
Where you are, however grim it may seem
Acknowledging that our situations may be difficult or unpleasant, but that we can still find God's presence and help in those moments.
This is real life, baby
Emphasizing that life is not always easy or glamorous, but that God is still present in the midst of it all.
This ain't no Hollywood dream
Rejecting the idea that life is always happy or easy, as portrayed in movies or media.
And where you are no matter what you may face
Reiterating the idea that God is present and able to help us, no matter what difficulties we may be experiencing.
You're gonna find out real soon what they mean when they say
Suggesting that we will encounter and experience God's presence in a real, tangible way, so that we can truly understand and appreciate God's faithfulness and care for us.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Capitol CMG Publishing
Written by: DAVID STRASSER, RICHARD MULLINS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind