Career
Green was born in Portland, Oregon to missionary parents, Charles and Jo Green. He is one of six siblings who spent much of his early life in Argentina. He studied Music at Grand Canyon University, graduating in 1976. He originally broke into Christian music with the Mobile, Alabama based youth worship group Truth. He also sang backup vocals and played bass with Sandi Patti, White Heart and the Gaither Vocal Band. In 1982, he joined the Christian rock band White Heart as a vocalist. But a difference in ministry vision accompanied by a confrontation with his brother, Randy, led to a spiritual renewal in Steve's life in 1983. He signed a solo contract with Sparrow Records, and his self-titled debut album appeared in 1984. In the same year, he established Steve Green Ministries.
His break out year came in 1985 with the release of He Holds The Keys. The album garnered Green a nomination and win as Male Vocalist of the Year in the Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) category. The following year, 1986, saw the release of two recordings, "For God And God Alone," and a high church style worship album entitled "A Mighty Fortress." The following year saw the release of his first Christmas recording, "Joy To The World." In early 1988, he released an album dedicated to his parents called "Find Us Faithful." As the 1980s came to an end, many of Green's songs became recognized standards including "People Need The Lord" and "Broken And Spilled Out." He was often considered the male version of Sandi Patti, using many of the same songwriters and styles as well as the traditional ending the song on a (literal) high note. Green also contributed background vocals to Patti's 1986 hit, "Let There Be Praise."
Green was one of the first artists to be involved with Promise Keepers, performing at their inaugural event at Folsom Field in Boulder, Colorado in July 1993 before 50,000 men. His song "Answer The Call" was inspired by the event and another song, "O Men of God Arise," embodies the Promise Keeper mentality.
Green recorded "The Mission" in 1989 and continued his success with "We Believe" in 1991. As the early 1990s direction of Christian music changed to a more rock oriented format, Green returned to traditional roots by releasing an album of hymns in 1992. Yet Green switched styles in 1994 on his "Where Mercy Begins" album. He also received the first of two career boosts due to outside events.
On September 9, 1994, a US Air jet crashed in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, killing all aboard. One passenger was an up and coming Christian singer named Kirk Lynn. Lynn has just recorded Green's song "As We Sail To Heaven's Shore" from the 1988 "Find Us Faithful" album. Only a rough cut played at the memorial service for the passengers, grieving family members were told where to find the original song by Green, which boosted album sales for the older recording.
Green's style change continued on his 1996 recording, "The Letter." He was also instrumental in attempting to set up an accountability group for Christian artists following the adultery scandals of Michael English, Marabeth Jordan, and Sandi Patty as well as the Mike Warnke debacle. He was helped in this endeavor by Steve Camp, Wes King, and Michael W. Smith. That year also saw the release of his second Christmas album, "The First Noel."
Green changed focus again in 1998 by declaring he would only record songs that honor the Lord - songs that he could be satisfied with should it be his last recording. That year saw the release of "The Faithful" and 2000 saw the release of a devotional song album entitled "Morning Light." Two years later Green released "Woven In Time" and again found himself receiving a career boost.
Space Shuttle Columbia Disaster
Green was a personal friend of Space Shuttle Columbia commander Rick Husband, who was killed along with six others in the February 2003 disintegration during reentry. Green was interviewed by CNN and his song "God Of Wonders" got a boost from the unexpected publicity. He released another album in 2005.
Green's sister is married to Dr. Mark Bailey, president of the evangelical Dallas Theological Seminary, and he helped the seminary celebrate its eightieth anniversary in April 2004. He has also written a thirty day devotional titled, "The Power of the Cross" and has recorded numerous children's videos and songs.
His bilingual abilities have seen the release of two Spanish CDs in the United States.
He is married to Marijean Green, who has testified to her own struggle with bulimia and they have two children, Summer (b. 1984) and Josiah (b. 1986).
Green has expanded his musical ministry to include videos and James Dobson's Focus on the Family.
Unto Me
Steve Green Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Go and find your neighbor. Find a friend in need. Go and find a widow. There's a hungry child to feed. When you help the helpless, that is true Christianity. Whatever you've done to the least of these, you have done it unto me.
I wanna be a faithful son. I wanna heart you say well done. I wanna be a pleasing sight. I wanna shine a holy light. When I tell them about you, how will they believe the truth? And the answer came steady as the rain. Go inside the prison. Go behind the wall. Go and be a servant. There is none too great or small.
Go pick up a hammer. Go and build a home. Go and take the sunshine to a heart that lives alone. When you help the helpless, that is true Christianity. Whatever you've done to the least of these, you have done it, you have done it unto me. When you help a widow, you have done it unto me. When you help the helpless that is true Christianity. You have done it, you have done it unto me.
The song "Unto Me" by Steve Green is a beautiful anthem expressing the desire to live a life that pleases God. The song talks about the need for one to have a heart that is pure and holy, and to live a life that reflects the character of God. The chorus of the song expresses the need for one to reach out to others, to help the widow and the orphan and to serve those who are in need. It also speaks about how our actions towards others are ultimately actions towards God himself.
The first verse of the song talks about the desire to be a godly man and to follow God's plan for one's life. The chorus then sheds light on what it means to follow God's plan and to be like him. The answer is simple - to love and serve others, to be compassionate and generous towards those in need. The second verse then talks about the desire to be a faithful son and a shining light in the world, which can only be achieved by serving others and sharing the love of God.
The message of the song is a powerful one and reminds us of the need to love and care for those around us, just as God does. It reminds us that every act of kindness towards others is an act of worship towards God himself.
Line by Line Meaning
I wanna be a godly man.
I want to be a man who follows in the ways of God.
Follow the call and follow your plan.
Listen to God's call and follow the plan he has for me.
I wanna have the purest heart.
I want to have a heart that is pure and free from sin.
I wanna be a burning spark.
I want to be a shining light for God.
Lord I want to be like you.
I want to be like Jesus.
Tell me Lord, what must I do?
What do I need to do to be like you, Lord?
And the answer came simple and so plain.
The answer was straightforward and clear.
Go and find your neighbor.
Find someone nearby who needs your help.
Find a friend in need.
Look for a friend who needs assistance.
Go and find a widow.
Seek out a woman who has lost her spouse and needs assistance.
There's a hungry child to feed.
There are children who need food.
When you help the helpless, that is true Christianity.
True Christianity is helping those who cannot help themselves.
Whatever you've done to the least of these, you have done it unto me.
When you help those in need, you are helping Jesus.
I wanna be a faithful son.
I want to be faithful to God, like a good son.
I wanna heart you say well done.
I want to hear God say 'well done' to me.
I wanna be a pleasing sight.
I want to be a pleasing sight to God.
I wanna shine a holy light.
I want to be a light for God, shining with his holiness.
When I tell them about you, how will they believe the truth?
How will people believe in God if they don't know about him?
And the answer came steady as the rain.
The answer was unwavering, like the steady rain.
Go inside the prison.
Visit those who are in prison and show them love and kindness.
Go behind the wall.
Visit those who are separated from society and show them love and kindness.
Go and be a servant.
Serve others, just as Jesus did.
There is none too great or small.
No one is too important or unimportant to show love and kindness to.
Go pick up a hammer.
Help build homes for those who need them.
Go and build a home.
Help those who are without a home by building them a place to live.
Go and take the sunshine to a heart that lives alone.
Visit those who are lonely and show them love and kindness.
When you help a widow, you have done it unto me.
When you help a widow, you are helping Jesus.
You have done it, you have done it unto me.
When you help those in need, you are helping Jesus.
Contributed by Avery J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.