Rich Mullins

"Jesus said whatever you do to the least of these my brothers you’ve done it to me. And this is what I’ve come to think. That if I want to identify fully with Jesus Christ, who I claim to be my savior and Lord, the best way that I can do that is to identify with the poor. This I know will go against the teachings of all the popular evangelical preachers. But they’re just wrong. They’re not bad, they’re just wrong. Christianity is not about building an absolutely secure little niche in the world where you can live with your perfect little wife and your perfect little children in a beautiful little house where you have no gays or minority groups anywhere near you. Christianity is about learning to love like Jesus loved and Jesus loved the poor and Jesus loved the broken." -Rich Mullins

"Jesus seemed to have a particular place in His heart for the oppressed. I think maybe because He was Jewish." -Rich Mullins

"I will be my brother's keeper, not the one who judges them. I won't despise him for his weakness, just regard him for his strength. I won't take away his freedom, I will have him learn to stand. And I will (I will) be my brother's keeper." -Rich Mullins

I think most worship leaders look up to Rich Mullins, but I wonder how long he would have lasted on the average church staff? I mean, even being a very humble and honest man, his ideas would not be acceptable content on a Sunday morning in most American churches. I could imagine lead pastors and elders and deacons cringing as this incredibly talented man stopped singing and began to speak.

Still, I admire him. I want to be a man strong enough to speak when words are needed and act when words are no longer enough. I want to be a man humble enough not to speak when it is only my own feelings that are hurt, and to serve those who would never think to serve me. I want to be a man with the wisdom to know the difference between the time for words and action and the time for silence and service. I am not entirely sure he found that balance... he died as a young man, he may have had growing and learning yet to do.

His words, though... his honesty is beautiful. I heard that he was considering joining the Roman Catholic church, but didn't in order to be truly ecumenical. I find that awesome. I am also quite impressed by his apparel... most worship leaders I know (including myself) at least somewhat value appearance and presentation, and dress accordingly. I don't see that as a bad thing, but I love Rich's utter lack of concern for his own appearance, and the contrasting care put into his music (meticulously having all of these instruments to add their parts to the beauty of the music). It exudes humility.