(Photo by Mark Tucker.)

1992

• Rich and band enjoy a week off in Florida before heading out on the next leg of their tour.
  
  
• Rich covers Keith Green's "You Are The One" for No Compromise: Remembering The Music Of Keith Green, released on Sparrow Records.
  
  
• Rich's longtime friend Kathy Sprinkle joins KTLI Light 99 FM as an on-air personality as part of the Craig and Cathy show. Rich would regularly visit the studio and sit in - sometimes without the listeners knowing it!
  
  

  Winter 1992

• Harvest Rock Syndicate publishes an article about Rich's tour last fall.
  "Life As A Monk"
  
  

  January 4, 1992

• Rich Mullins, Beaker, Jimmy Abegg, Avenue G and Jeff Sack perform at New Testament Baptist Church in Miami, FL at 7:30 p.m.
  
  

  January 6, 1992

• Rich Mullins, Beaker, Avenue G with Lauren Stalnecker perform at the Central Assembly of God Church in Vero Beach, FL at 7:00 p.m. The concert was part of the 7 Up Treasure Coast concert series.
  
  

  January 7, 1992

• Rich Mullins, Beaker and Avenue G with Lauren Stalnecker perform in Ocala, FL.
  
  

  January 11, 1992

• Rich Mullins, Beaker and Avenue G with Lauren Stalnecker perform at the Countryside Chapel in Clearwater, Florida at 7:30 p.m
  
  

  January 13, 1992

• Rich Mullins, Beaker and Avenue G with Lauren Stalnecker perform at the Southside Christian Church in Fort Myers, FL at 7:00 p.m.
  
  

  January 17, 1992

• Rich Mullins, Beaker and Avenue G with Lauren Stalnecker perform at the West Hollywood First Baptist Church in Hollywood, FL at 7:30 p.m.
  
  

  January 20, 1992

• "Calling Out Your Name" debuts on the AC Charts. It would spend 12 weeks on the chart and peak at #2 on March 9.
  
  

  February 7, 1992

• The El Paso Times in El Paso Texas runs a short interview and article about Rich Mullins prior to his comcert on February 12.
  Rich Mullins, about being nominated for a Dove Award: "If the Christian music industry reflected the character of Christ, it would realize how insulting it is to give out awards."
  Rich Mullins, on becoming a teacher: "When a teacher cares enough about his students, then the students pick up that signal and can say, 'someone does care.'"
  
  
• The Abilene Reporter-News in Abilne, TX also runs a short article and interview. The article mentions that Rich is interested in trading in the stage for the classroom - possibly in Guatamala or another Central American mission.
  Rich Mullins: "I plan to go back to school next fall to prepare to go into full-time missionary work. I'm looking forward to it because it feels very natural to me. Don't get me wrong. Performing is a great life, but you can't be jumping around on stage when you are 60, and some day I will be if I don't die. Everyone I know has two or three pots on the fire at the same time. I know I do. I have been trying to go to school while doing music full time. It is time to change emphasis."
  Rich Mullins, on his last two albums: "They are a snapshot of my work, different sounds and different approaches. Volume II follows the vein of the first one, but doesn't repeat any of the sounds or songs. But one of the songs is a continuance from the first album. There will be no Volume III. "
  Rich Mullins: "Beaker is drawn to the inner city and working with the youth there. The city is just too overpowering for me. I want to teach English in a more rural environment. I'm not saying I will never play again or I will never do another tour. When you packa suitcase, not everything you have will fit at the same time and you have a few things left over. I'm just repacking."
  
  

  February 8, 1992

• Rich Mullins and Beaker perform at Council Road Baptist Church in Oklahoma City, OK at 7:30 p.m. as part of a CIY conference.
  
  

  February 9, 1992

• Rich Mullins, Beaker, Jeff Sack and Avenue G perform a private concert at the Lamar Street Baptist Church in Sweetwater, TX
  
  

  February 10, 1992

  
  
• Rich Mullins, Beaker and Jimmy A perform at the Municpal Auditorium in Sweetwater, TX.
  Concert Review
  
  

  February 12, 1992

  
  
• Rich Mullins, Beaker, Jimmy A, Avenue G and Jeff Sack perform at Christian Church of Midland in Midland, TX. at 7:30 p.m. as part of "The World as Best as I Remember It, Volume 1" Spring Tour
  
  

  February 13, 1992

• Rich Mullins, Beaker and Jimmy A perform at Pro Cathedral Episcopal Church of St. Clement in El Paso TX. as part of "The World as Best as I Remember It, Volume 1" Spring Tour. A local youth choir, directed by Allen Graves, performed with the band on certain songs. Choir members were Danny Acosta, Marisa Alvarado, Aaron and Bethany Camp, Bess Caughran, Marianne and Micah Miller, Kimberly and Tiffany Pofahl, Matt Powers, Israel Smith and Rachel Warren.
  
  

  February 14, 1992

• Rich Mullins, Beaker, Jimmy A, Avenue G and Jeff Sack perform at Catalina Methodist Church in Tucson, AZ at 7:00 p.m. as part of "The World as Best as I Remember It, Volume 1" Spring Tour.
  
  
• The Abilene Reporter-News in Abilene, TX runs a review of Rich's February 10th concert in Sweetwater.
  Concert Review
  
  

  February 15, 1992

• Rich Mullins, Beaker, Jimmy A, Avenue G and Jeff Sack perform at Bethany Community Church in Tempe, AZ at 7:00 p.m. as part of "The World as Best as I Remember It, Volume 1" Spring Tour.
  
  

  February 21, 1992

  
  
• Rich Mullins, Beaker, Jimmy A, Avenue G and Jeff Sack perform at The Lake Hills Community Church in Laguna Hills, CA at 8:00 p.m. as part of "The World as Best as I Remember It, Volume 1" Spring Tour.
  
  

  February 22, 1992

• Rich Mullins, Beaker, Jimmy A, Avenue G and Jeff Sack perform at Crossroads Bible Church in San Jose, CA at 7:00 p.m. as part of "The World as Best as I Remember It, Volume 1" Spring Tour.
  
  

  February 23, 1992

• Rich Mullins, Beaker, Jimmy A, Avenue G and Jeff Sack perform at the Little Country Church in Redding, CA as part of "The World as Best as I Remember It, Volume 1" Spring Tour
  
  

  February 25(?), 1992

• Rich Mullins, Beaker, Jimmy A, Avenue G and Jeff Sack perform in Ashland, OR as part of "The World as Best as I Remember It, Volume 1" Spring Tour
  
  

  February 26, 1992

• Rich Mullins, Beaker, Jimmy A, Avenue G and Jeff Sack perform at George Fox University in Bewberg, OR at 7:30 p.m. as part of "The World as Best as I Remember It, Volume 1" Spring Tour.
  
  

  February 28, 1992

• Rich Mullins, Beaker, Jimmy A, Avenue G and Jeff Sack perform at at the Carson City Community Center in Carson City, NV at 7:00 p.m. as part of "The World as Best as I Remember It, Volume 1" Spring Tour.
  
  

  February 29, 1992

• Rich Mullins, Beaker, Jimmy A, Avenue G and Jeff Sack perform at the Edman Memorial Chapel in Wheaton College in Wheaton, IL at 4:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. as part of "The World as Best as I Remember It, Volume 1" Spring Tour.
  
  

  Early 1992

• Gay Quisenberry reaches out to Chuck Harper of Western Indian Ministries and offers to have Rich come and perform on the Navajo Reservation. Harper had previous bad experiences with artists coming to perform and not always being the easiest to work with. Gay states that Rich will sleep on the floor or anywhere there is space and wants to spend time on the reservation. Several concerts are scheduled in the area.
  
  The Navajo Indian Reservation, which covers 16 million acres, is the nation's largest reservation. It includes parts of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah. The Navajo call themselves Dine' (pronounced dihn EH), meaning "the people." About 150,000 Navajo live on the reservation. Some live in traditional tribal houses called hogans, which are made of earth and logs. Large numbers of the tribe are farmers or sheep ranchers, but others are engineers, miners, teachers and technicians. (World Book Encyclopedia)
  
  

  March 5, 1992

• Rich Mullins, Beaker, Jimmy A, Avenue G and Jeff Sack perform at Coconino High School Auditorium in Flagstaff, AZ. at 7:00 p.m as part of "The World as Best as I Remember It, Volume 1" Spring Tour.
  
  

  March 6, 1992

• Rich Mullins, Beaker, Jimmy A, Avenue G and Jeff Sack perform at the Calvary Chapel in Albuquerque, NM. at 7:30 p.m as part of "The World as Best as I Remember It, Volume 1" Spring Tour.
  
  

  March 7, 1992

• Rich Mullins, Beaker, Jimmy A, Avenue G and Jeff Sack perform at the Window Rock Civic Center in Window Rock, AZ.
  
  

  March 8, 1992

• Rich Mullins spoke at the Community Bible Church in Tse Bonito, NM. at the request of the Youth Pastor, Dick McKeen
  
  
• Rich Mullins and Beaker perform in Tuba City, AZ.
  
  

  March 9, 1992

• Rich Mullins and Beaker perform at Hilltop Christian School in Window Rock, AZ. They got snowed in and stayed for a couple of days.
  
  

  March 10, 1992

  
  
• Rich is interviewed by Chuck Harper (of Western Indian Ministries and Christ For Native Youth) for KHAC 880 AM in Window Rock, NM. He talked about the Window Rock, his views on the music industry and plans to hold future drum clinics and guitar clinics at Window Rock. During his stay, Rich gave short talk at the church about the Window Rock and talked about how the Window Rock emptied itself so that the sun’s light could shine through and fill it it, much like the hole that we have in our souls which can only be filled by Jesus, the Son of God.
  Rich Mullins: "I was just looking at it and going, 'wow, I see stones every day. And driving from Flagstaff to Albuquerque and back to here and across to Tuba City... beautiful, beautiful great stone monoliths that are just shocking to see.' And I went, 'but why is this so exceptional?' And I realized it was exceptional because it was empty. And I thought, what a wonderful thing because that rock emptied itself, it stands out above all of the other rocks that I've seen. It will be the one that is somehow a sticking image for me. And I thought, not only is it wonderful that that rock emptied itself of itself, but then the sky filled it up with sky. Much like Jesus, Paul said, emptied Himself and took on the form of a servant and no one in the history of man kind was as glorious as Jesus was. And I think that the glory of a Christian is not that we fill ourselves up with our own self-righteousness... that we fill ourselves up with our own pride in ourselves and pride in our accomplishments and spiritual accomplishments, and our own little victories which are really pretty tawdry when you look at them in light of the history of the world, and in light of eternity, they're an imperceptable ripple. But when we emtpy ourselves, and we acknowledge before God that we really are nothing, then God fills us up with Himself and we become something. I believe that much of the Christian life has to do with avoiding that temptation to be full of ourselves. Be full of our own ambition. Be full of our own desires. Be bent on vengence. Be bent on being recognized... those kinds of things."
  "KHAC 1992"
  
  

  March 13, 1992

• Rich Mullins, Beaker, Jimmy A, Avenue G and Jeff Sack perform at Trinity Church in San Antonio, TX at 7:30 p.m. as part of "The World as Best as I Remember It, Volume 1" Spring Tour.
  
  

  March 14, 1992

• Rich Mullins, Margaret Becker and Rick Elias perform at the Bronco Bowl in Dallas, TX. Rick Elias, Jimmy Abegg and Mark Robertson met for the first time at this show.
  Set List: Where You Are/My One Thing/Calling Out Your Name/I Will Sing/Hope To Carry On/Alrightokuhuhamen/Screen Door/While the Nations Rage/Boy Like Me/Man Like You/A Place to Stand/If I Stand/Awesome God/I See You
  
  

  March 20, 1992

• Rich Mullins, Beaker, Jimmy A, Avenue G and Jeff Sack perform at Celebration Church in Metairie, LA at 7:30 p.m. as part of "The World as Best as I Remember It, Volume 1" Spring Tour.
  
  

  March 21, 1992

• Rich Mullins, Beaker, Jimmy A, Avenue G and Jeff Sack perform at Dauphin Way Baptist Church in Mobile, AL at 8:00 p.m. as part of "The World as Best as I Remember It, Volume 1" Spring Tour.
  
  

  March 23, 1992

• Rich Mullins, Beaker, Jimmy A, Avenue G and Jeff Sack perform at Abundant Life Church in Fort Walton Beach, FL at 7:00 p.m. as part of "The World as Best as I Remember It, Volume 1" Spring Tour.
  
  

  March 24, 1992

• Rich Mullins and Jimmy A perform at New Covenant Church in Ridgeland, MS at 7:30 p.m..
  Rich: "I love playing music, but I never really thought it would become a career. I've been signing now for six years and I still find it hard to believe. I really like trying to write songs from scriptures in the Bible. I know more kids that can quite Christian music lyrics than Scriptures in the Bible. I'm fundamentalist enough to know that what I think about God is not as important as what God thinks about Himself. That's why I try to include God's word in the songs." (Clarion-Ledger in Jackson, MS 3/21/92)
  Rich: "When I was in Korea, I was invited there to teach a crash course in conversational English. It's a funny thing, Korean Christians thought that when the Olympics were held there, it would be a terrific opportunity to witness to the heathen Westerners. A lot of the places where we send missionaries are looking at what's going on here in America and saying that they need to send missionaries here." (Clarion-Ledger in Jackson, MS 3/21/92)
  Rich: "I've plowed land before, but never with a buffalo. That was an exciting learning experience (in Thailand)." (Clarion-Ledger in Jackson, MS 3/21/92)
  Rich: "Touring doesn't really give you that opportunity to enjoy the company of people. I think that the reason I am a Christian today has a lot more to do with the fact that there were people willing to spend time with me, rather than someone signing a real cool song. Traveling is very exciting. I enjoy it. I enjoy performing. It's exciting when someone claps their hands for you. But at age 36, I think it's time to settle down and do something else. I hope to enroll in school in the fall." (Clarion-Ledger in Jackson, MS 3/21/92)
  
  

  March 26?, 1992

• Rich Mullins and Jimmy A perform at the Cranwell Mansion in Pittsfield, MA.
  
  

  March 27, 1992

• Rich Mullins, Beaker, Jimmy A, Avenue G and Jeff Sack perform at the Lee Highway Church of God in Chattanooga, TN at 7:30 p.m. as part of "The World as Best as I Remember It, Volume 1" Spring Tour.
  
  
• The Journal and Courier in Lafayette Indiana runs a short interview with Rich.
  "And the Search Continues"
  
  

  March 29, 1992

• Rich Mullins, Beaker, Jimmy A, Avenue G and Jeff Sack perform at The Long Center for the Performing Arts in Lafayette, IN at 8:00 p.m. as part of "The World as Best as I Remember It, Volume 1" Spring Tour.
  
  

  March 30, 1992

• Rich Mullins, Beaker, Jimmy A, Avenue G and Jeff Sack perform at the Salem Church of God in Clayton, OH. He ended the show with a solo version of "This World is Not My Home." This is the final night of the "World as Best As I Remember It" tour. This concert was videotaped by John Adkins.
  Set List: (Making it Rain)/Ready for the Storm/Where You Are/My One Thing/Calling Out Your Name/I Will Sing/Hope to Carry On/Alrightokuhhuhamen/Screen Door/Jesus Loves the Little Children (Intro)/The Other Side of the World/Boy Like Me/Man Like You /Elijah/If I Stand/Awesome God/A Place to Stand/I See You/Step by Step/
  
  

  Spring 1992

• Release Magazine publishes an article by Rich Mullins.
  "The Pursuit of Happiness"
  
  

  April 5-10, 1992

• Rich Mullins and Beaker perform a showcase for Radio people during GMA Week. Brian Quincy Newcomb interviews Rich for an article which would appear in CCM Magazine in June of 1992. (""Step By Step: A Conversation with Rich Mullins")
  
  
• While in Nashville for GMA week, Rich gives an interview to Sandi Brown of WCBW 104.9 in St. Louis, Mo.
  Read Transcript
  
  

  April 13, 1992

• "Jacob and 2 Women" debuts on the AC Charts. It would spend 6 weeks on the chart and peak at #21.
  
  

  April 17, 1992

  
  
  

  (Photo taken at Six Flags in St. Louis by Eric Townsend)

• Rich Mullins and Band perform at Six Flags Over Mid America in St. Louis, MO at 1:00 p.m. as part of "Celebrate St. Louis." Margaret Beck and Whitcross also perform. Before the show, Rich went into the audience and passed out chocolates to audience members. Michael W. Smith and Kim Kill perform the following day.
  
  

  April 24-26, 1992

• Rich Mullins and Jimmy Abegg attend the Ichthus Music Festival at Wilmore Campground in Wilmore, KY. (They did not perform). At this festival, Rich talked to Jimmy about his plans to form a band. This band would eventually become the Ragamuffin Band. Rich also asked Jimmy to be a part of his next album project.
  
  

  Mid 1992

• Also around this time, Rich approaches Rick Elias about forming a band together.
  Rick Elias: "Rich first approached me about forming his own band in 1992. We had met on a trip to Guatemala for Compassion International and became fast friends. The connection for me, was his sheer honesty as much as his music. He was already a pretty big star in the Christian music universe, but you could totally be yourself around him. He was not some stick-in-the-mud."
  Rick Elias: "I didn't know much about Christian music. I was completely unaware of its infrastucture. I'd been singing and writing and performing in clubs in L.A. I was not into the whole Christian ghetto mentality. But when he said he wanted to do a band thing again, it solidified pretty fast. Jimmy Abegg and I came on board right away. Mark Robertson and Aaron Smith joined about a year later."
  
  

  Late April or early May 1992

• Rich Mullins and his nephew Troy Garrett took a road trip together to attend a retreat in Denver, Colorado.
  
  

  May 1992

• CCM Magazine reviews Rich's The World As Best As I Remember It, Volume Two
  Album Reviews
  
  

  May ?, 1992

• Rich Mullins, Beaker, Jimmy A, Avenue G and Jeff Sack perform at Valley View Baptist Church in Louisville, KY.
  Set List: Ready for the Storm/Where You Are/I Will Sing/Hope to Carry On/Alrightokuhhuhamen/Screen Door/While the Nations Rage/Boy Like Me Man Like You/If I Stand/Awesome God/I See You/Step by Step/A Mighty Fortress
  
  

  May 9, 1992

• Rich Mullins is interviewed by the Sun Herald in Biloxi Mississippi.
  Rich: "If I didn't want to do this, I wouldn't be a Christian musician. I never understood musicians who gripe about doing interviews. I think I do what I do because I have something to say, so I think I should take advantage of every opportunity to do that."
  Rich, on the book of Isiah: "He was such a powerful writer. I find his images very arresting, very eloquent, very beautiful to read. I like it because it's mysterious."
  Rich: "I believe that everyone is put here on Earth to live. And when we live fully, He is pleased."
  Rich, on "Awesome God": "When I hear people saying 'Jesus is the answer,' I say 'What's the question?' ("Awesome God") takes a step back to some fundamental issues such as 'What is God?'"
  
  

  March 11, 1992

• Rich Mullins, Beaker, and Billy Crockett perform at the First Assembly of God Church in Rockford, IL at 7:30 p.m..
  
  

  May 15, 1992

• Rich Mullins, Beaker, and Billy Crockett perform at the Old Lakeville School Concert and Convention Center in Lakeville, IN. at 7:30 p.m. Local newspapers call it his "last show" in the area due to his plans to become a missionary.
  Billy Crockett: "I love what (Mullins) does. Mullins' leaving is very sad for me because his music has touched me in a very deep place. Yet I'm glad that he has the courage to step into his life's call."
  
  
  

  (Photo by Mark Tucker.)

  May 16, 1992

• Rich Mullins participates in the 2nd Annual LeSEA Ministries 5k Run and Walk to Feed the Hungry in South Bend, IN. The event began at 9:00 a.m. at University Commons and the Knollwood Country Club soccer field. The event raised over $18,000.
  Joe Hill (WHME-FM): "In the run Rich and I ran together. He was tired from performing last night, so he stopped running and walked. He came in last. We had fun."
  
  

  May ?, 1992

• Rich Mullins and Beaker perform at the Moody Bible Institute Junir/Senior Banquet in Chicago, IL.
  
  

  May 25, 1992

• "Sometimes By Step" debuts on the AC Charts. It would spend 14 weeks on the chart and peak at #1 on July 20.
  
  

  May 20, 1992

• Rich appeared on the Christian Broadcasting Network Television Show Heart to Heart with Sheila Walsh and performed "Sometimes By Step."
  "Heart to Heart May 20, 1992: Interview with Rich Mullins"
  
  
  
• Beaker and his dog Jordan appear on the front page of the Wichita Eagle in Wichita, KS. Photo by Jeff Tuttle of the Wichita Eagle. The caption for the photo reads "David 'Beaker' Strasser, of Wichita, feeds his dog Jordan, a yellow labrador, as he and Strasser's other dog Bear sit in the back of his truck in Old Town.
  
  

  May 29, 1992

• Rich Mullins and Billy Crockett perform at Christ Memorial Reformed Church in Holland, MI at 7:00 p.m.
  
  

  June 1, 1992

  
  
  
  
  
• Rich Mullins sixth album, The World As Best As I Remember It, Volume Two, is released on Reunion Records.
  Album Reviews
  "Sometimes By Step": This track became an instant favorite in concert and churches around the world and quickly became Rich's sixth #1 single.
  
  Rich, on "The Maker of Noses": "Well, that's one of those songs that was kind of a gift, because... you know, we had written almost enough material for two albums. And we recorded most of both albums in one sitting. And it was just a few songs shy. Well, when we had to finish up the second volume, when we had to fill out the ten-song thing, we were, by that time we... you know, you go through periods when you just write like crazy. And then you go through periods when you couldn't write a shopping list if you had to. So we, Beaker and I, just, I don't know, we came up with that song right in the studio. And neither of us really thought very much of it. I think what we were trying to approach there is... because we tend to be fairly conservative as Christians, sometimes we become really cynical about anything that's politically correct. And, so we always sound like, kind of sour notes, going, 'Oh, knock off all the stuff about world peace, and ecology, and racial equality, and equity, and all that kind of thing.' And I was kind of going, 'But just because I don't think that the politically correct method of attaining those things works, I still do want peace, whether or not it's gonna happen.' And, as a Christian, I think we're called to work toward peace. I still wanna see racial equality, even though I don't think that a lot of the ways that the PC's are going about it is really gonna work. So why don't we, instead of poo-pooing all these issues, why don't we embrace them in, because of who we are as Christians, rather than just going, 'Ah, that's a bunch of craziness.'
  
  "Sometimes by Step": the Hammered Dulcimer part was recorded in one take.
  Reed Arvim: "Rich was a phenomenal dulcimer player, however. I gave him the nickname, 'OTR,' which stood for 'One Take Rich.' Both "Calling out Your Name" and "Sometimes by Step" were recorded in a single take, for example. He had marvelous concentration when playing dulcimer."
  
  
• A small promotional booklet is given away at Christian Book Stores that included the lyrics to The World As Best As I Remember It Volumes 1 and 2, and a few "Rich Rememberances".
  "The World As Best As I Remember It: Thoughts and Reflections by Rich Mullins"
  
  

  June 1992

  
  
  
  
  
• Rich Mullins appears on the cover of CCM Magazine.
  "Step By Step: A Conversation with Rich Mullins"
  
  
• The TV program Fire By Nite airs an interview with Rich Mullins filmed earlier in the year.
  "Fire By Nite 1992"
  
  

  June ? 1992

• Rich Mullins and Beaker perform at King's Cathedral in Kalului, Maui, Hawaii.
  
  

  Summer 1992

• Release Magazine publishes an article by Rich Mullins.
  "Washing At Dusk"
  
  
• Calendar Magazine includes a short article on Rich.
  "Humble Poet, Reluctant Artist"
  
  

  June, July and August 1992

  
  

  (78 Eeatonwood Green)

• Rich, Beaker and Band travel to Europe for a three month European tour. While in Ireland, Rich stays in a four bedroom house in a little village called Shankill, a suburb of Dublin. The street address of the house was 78 Eatonwood Green - which would later become the title of an hammered dulcimer instrumental on the A Liturgy, A Legacy & A Ragamuffin Band album. They also toured in Germany, The Netherlands, Spain and Hungary before returning to Ireland.
  
  
• Much of Rich's next album, which would eventually be known as A Liturgy, A Legacy & A Ragamuffin Band, would be written on this European tour.
  
  
• While in Ireland, Rich dated a local woman for about three weeks before eventually ending the relationship. The song "The Breaks" was written as a way to explain the need to end the relationship.
  Rich: "I was dating this girl and we were in Ireland and I knew.. I went, 'this is just not meant to be.' I don't know if its because I'm sick or if it's just not in the cards or if it's not in the plan. As much as I would like to say today, right now today, 'will you marry me?' I can't because we can't get married. I'm not sure why, but I just know we can't.' That song was written Ireland and it may be my personal favorite on the album" (1995)
  
  
• Rich is inspired to write "Hold Me Jesus" while in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
  Rich "Well, this is a song I wrote in Amsterdam because everything is legal in Amsterdam. And I always thought my folks just didn't sin 'cause they were too old for it. I was old enough to not sin over there and uh, I found that it was still very tempting. And I, uh, several years ago I used to travel by myself. I traveled by myself for several years. I had a lot of struggles at the time because it's just so hard not to watch those movies in those hotel rooms when you're by yourself - when you're alone (sheepish smile). And I was talking to a spiritual director...
  
  ...a spiritual director of mine, and he said, "Well, it's not that you're so bad. It's just that you're not supposed to go out by yourself." So I started traveling with other people, and when we were in Amsterdam I was with Beaker. I don't know if you remember Beaker or not. So I was there in the hotel room, hoping he would start snoring so I could be sure he was asleep 'cause I thought maybe I could just, maybe it'd just be fun to be tempted. 'Cause sometimes, even if you're not gonna sin, it's nice to be tempted. And uh, he never did snore that night, and by about five in the morning I was pretty worn out. And uh, that's when I wrote this prayer, and if you want to pray it with me you can." (Source: Lufkin Texas Concert in June of 1997)
  
  Rich: "I was in Amsterdam, and there was so much sin all around us. After years of behaving myself as best as I could, I was really having to hang on for dear life. I was thinking, no one would know. I could do anything I wanted to do. Wouldn't it be fun just to cut loose for a couple nights and misbehave as much as I want? Fortunately, because I travel with my friend (and fellow band member) Beaker, and because he's not afraid to hold me accountable, I did not do anything. But I sure felt the temptation to toss out my morals for an evening."
  "A few days later, we were in Germany, sitting in a train station, assuming that everyone around us was German and did not speak English. We were having this totally candid conversation on a bench in the train station. I was talking very openly about some of those temptations. All of a sudden, this guy leans over and says, 'Excuse me, but aren't you Rich Mullins?' I went back over the conversation to see if I was going to admit to it or not. But I thought, this is good. A lot of times when we look at people we admire spiritually, we think they have arrived at this place where they cease to be tempted. The reality is, our faith may grow stronger over time, but the temptations never go away. It is hard for me to imagine that I will still feel tempted at 60, but when I was 20 I couldn't imagine I would feel such strong temptation as I do at almost 40."
  
  Rich: "When it all came together is when we were all in Amsterdam. I just became really keenly and uncomfortably aware of how you know you think you're getting somewhere - you think you're growing as a Christian, that kind of thing. And all of a sudden you're in a situation where you go, 'I am just as susceptible as I was when I was sixteen,' to a lot of things. Sometimes we can be really hard on ourselves about that. Well, Beaker and I were talking in a train station about the whole thing - kind of where we were and where we wanted to be - and we'd gotten into some pretty explicit detail about the nature of our temptations and of those struggles. And this guy leans over - and we're in Germany and assuming that nobody would be interested enough in whatever we would have to say to actually bother to translate and listen. But this guy leans over in the train station - the only other guy in there - and says, 'Excuse me, but are you Rich Mullins?' So I had to think back over our conversation to see if I was or not. And decided that I must be. Whether or not I like who I am, that is who I am. Once again, it's back to the Ragamuffin thing. The realization that people are going to judge you. There are actually people who I think look for excuses to condemn you and look for excuses to say bad things about you. But God doesn't look for those kinds of excuses. I think the conclusion of the matter for me was that I think I would rather live on the verge of falling and let my security be in the all-sufficiency of the grace of God than to live in some pietistic illusion of moral excellence. Not that I don't want to be morally excellent, but my faith isn't in the idea that I'm more moral than anybody else. My faith is in the idea that God and his love are greater than whatever sins any of us commit." (Source: Pursuit of a Legacy Video Collection)
  
  

  July 1992

• While in Seville, Spain a singing group from Chicago called "Kings Kids" came stage and performed with Rich.
  
  

  July 20, 1992

• "Sometimes By Step" hits #1 on the AC Charts. Following its debut on May 25, the song would stay on the AC Chart for 14 weeks.
  
  
• Rich Mullins, still touring in Spain, learns through Michelle Fink, Vice President of Marketing and Sales for Reuniong Records, that his song "Sometimes By Step" had just hit #1 on the CCM Charts.
  Michelle Fink: "He lived life with reckless abandon, and he spent his life on the things that matter, pouring out compassion to those in need. I once tried to track him down to tell him his song had hit No. 1 on the charts, but he was singing on a street corner to a group of kids in Spain."
  
  

  August 1992

• Rich and band returns to Dublin, Ireland before heading back to the US.
  Steve Stockman: "Indeed, I didn't get to meet Rich and Beaker until some weeks later when they again came through Dublin from their European jaunt before heading back home. I think I spent quite a bit of that evening chatting to Beaker but I can remember Rich bringing out the hammer dulcimer, the like of which I had never seen, and he played us a couple of his new compositions. The first time I heard Rich sing was therefore one of his first public performances, to about 5 of us, of 'Land of My Sojourn.' I was blown away by the stunning lyrics to that song, and was amazed that such a poetic talent was coming out of the CCM world. He also played us '78 Eatonwood Green' and that dulcimer had me hooked too. I personally think it a blessing that I met Rich at that stage of his career because without doubt A Liturgy, A Legacy and A Ragamuffin Band is his masterpiece. When you hear a singer for the first time and it happens to be 'Land of My Sojourn' and also happens to be in your living room that makes some impact. It didn't sound like the voice of the rather clean cut boy who appeared on the cover of that Winds of Heaven albumthat he was probably best known for."
  
  
• Rich Mullins and Beaker write the song "Creed" during their trip back to the US from Ireland.
  
  

  Fall 1992

• Release Magazine publishes an article by Rich Mullins.
  "Making/Being Made"
  
  

  August 16, 1992

  
  
  

  Mark Heard

• Mark Heard passes away in Springfield, IL, after suffering a heart attack during his performance at the Cornerstone festival. While fellow artists and friends were attempting to raise funds to assist Mark's widow and daughter through memorial concerts and tribute projects, Rich Mullins was the first artist to record a cover of one of Mark's songs. The song, entitled How to Grow Up Big And Strong would appear on Rich's A liturgy, A Legacy & A Ragamuffin Band project the follow year and raise additional money for Mark's family through royalties.
  Rich: "When I first heard Mark Heard's Eye of the Storm, I knew that he was a very original writer and had a style that I like. Several albums later, I still liked his writing. It never became predictable or narrow -- it remained honest. It has been that honesty more than any of his styles that spoke so clearly."
  
  

  August 24, 1992

• "The Just Shall Live" debuts on the AC Charts. It would spend 13 weeks on the chart and peak at #3.
  
  

  August 28, 1992

• A Musical Memorial Service is held for Mark Heard at the First Christian Church in Pasadena, CA. Numerous artists attended and performed including Tom Howard, Randy Stonehill, Maria Chandler, Pam Dwinell-Miner, Rob Watson, Steve Krikorian (aka Tonio K), Bob Bennett, Phil Keaggy, T-Bone Burnett and Buddy and Julie Miller. While Rich did not attend the event, he was the first artist to record a cover of one of Mark's songs. The song, entitled "How to Grow Up Big And Strong" would appear on the Strong Hand of Love tribute album as well as Rich's own A Liturgy, A Legacy & A Ragamuffin Band project the following year to raise additional money for Mark's family through royalties.
  
  

  September 1992

• Rich Mullins begins his Sophomore Year at Friends University.
  
  
• Rich meets Michael Aukofer at College. Michael would eventually work with Rich on later tours and recordings.
  Michael Aukofer: "I Met him in 1992 and he was the old guy in the choir at my college. I was a freshman - 18 years old, and there was one old guy in the choir. I knew choirs well enough to know that if you're a weak singer you get paired up with the strong singer. The one thought that went through my head was ... if I get paired up with this old guy, it's going to be weird. Sure enough, I get paired up with Rich. And then I thought, 'surely I'm not the bad singer.' We sing our first song... and I realize, he knows what he's doing. (laughter) I get the old guy and I'm the bad singer!" (The Ragamuffin's Legacy, 2014.)
  
  
• Rich Mullins is interviewed by Kim Benson for Rejoice Magazine. The interview would be published in early 1993.
  "Mulling Over Life with Rich Mullins"
  
  

  September 12, 1992

• Rich Mullins and Beaker performs at a Youth for Christ Conference at Moody Memorial Church in Chicago, IL. Rich was a featured speaker at this event and he spoke about the Prodigal Son.
  Set List: The Other Side of the World/Awesome God/Sometimes By Step/I'm Gonna Sing Sing Sing/Step by Step/Hope to Carry On/Awesome God/Sometimes By Step/I'm Gonna Sing Sing Sing/Sometimes By Step/Growing Young/I Will Sing/Hope to Carry On/My One Thing/Boy Like Me Man Like You/Where You Are
  
  

  Fall 1992

  
  
  
  

  (Left: Reunion Records CEO Terry Hemmings, Rich Mullins and manager Gay Quisenberry. Right: Don Donague with Rich)

• Reunion Records throws a private party for Rich Mullins in honor of his seventh number one single, "Sometimes By Step" and his first number one selling album. Rich was then given a brand new Hammered Dulcimer.
  Reed Arvin: "When an artist brings a producer lyrics like that, it is such a privilege and a gift to work with him."
  Rich: "My first hammered dulcimer was a gift from a church, I appreciate receiving this one because I hate spending money on musical instruments, but I love having them!".
  
  

  October 2, 1992

• An All-Star Memorial Concert is held for Mark Heard at the First Evangelical Free Church in Fullerton, CA. Numerous artists performed including The Choir, Bryan Duncan, Pam Dwinell-Miner, John Fischer, Tom Howard, the Lost Dogs, Julie Miller and Fernando Ortega. The show was held to benefit the Heard Family Fund. While Rich did not attend the event, he was the first artist to record a cover of one of Mark's songs. The song, entitled "How to Grow Up Big And Strong" would appear on the Strong Hand of Love tribute album as well as Rich's own A Liturgy, A Legacy & A Ragamuffin Band project the following year to raise additional money for Mark's family through royalties.
  
  

  October 4, 1992

• Rich Mullins attends a gathering of friends in Wichita, KS and performs a number of songs including "First Family."
  
  

  October 10, 1992

• Rich Mullins performs at Emerson Avenue Baptist Church in Indianapolis, IN at 7:00 p.m. The performance was a benefit for Compassion International.
  
  

  October 18, 1992

  
  
  
• Rich Mullins and Beaker attend a U2 concert at Arrowhead stadium in Kansas City, MO. The band is performing part of their Zoo TV tour and Rich and Beaker both end up being interviewed by local newspapers. He tells the newspapers that he was curious about the changes the band had undergone since it's 1980 debut album Boy. Beaker mentions that his favorite albums are War and Boy.
  Rich: "I didn't want to miss them."
  Beaker: "Achtung Baby hasn't really thrilled me."
  
  

  October 19, 1992

• Rich Mullins and Beaker perform an impromptu concert at First Baptist Church in Beton Township, AR.
  Lorenda Gray: "In 1992, I had lost my job because the newspaper I worked for as a designer was bought out and shut down. I had just discovered Rich's music a few weeks before and listened to 'Bound to Come Some Trouble' almost constantly as I knew that my job would soon end. The day the newspaper closed, Oct 18, 1992, I heard that Rich was coming to a nearby town for an impromptu concert. So the day after I lost my job, I was able to see him in person. By January, I was still unemployed but waiting to hear about a job I had been promised but had to be approved (actually never heard from them!). I had time on my hands and was doing a lot of cross-stitch. I sat down one day and started sketching out the pattern for First Family. I had never pulled together a cross-stitch design on my own before. I worked on it for three days like a maniac. There was so much energy, I knew later that it must have been the Holy Spirit driving me. I stitched the design in 16 days, had it framed, and shipped it to Rich in Wichita. The one in this photo is actually the one I did for myself later. The one I sent to Rich had a ribbon banner at the top that said "Mullins." I never heard from him about it so always worried what happened to it. Six weeks before he died, he was in a nearby city for a concert and I was able to go and as I got his autograph, I almost asked, 'Did you ever get the cross-stitch?' I was afraid he would think I was crazy so didn't ask him. Several years later, I was on a mission trip in New Mexico and met a man who was on Rich's board. I told him about the cross-stitch and he asked me to send a photo of it and he would see if he could find out about it. Apparently, he carried it around with him and asked whenever he could. He was showing it to Rich's sister-in-law and she said, 'Where did you get a picture of that?' She recognized it because Rich had taken it to his mother and it was hanging on the wall with the family photos. The perfect place."
  
  

  October 21, 1992

• Rich Mullins celebrated his 37th Birthday.
  
  

  Fall 1992

• Rich Mullins performed at Nyack College in New York City.
  
  

  November 12, 1992

• A short interview with Rich Mullins is published in the Richmond Times Dispatch in Richmond, VA. The interview was conducted earlier in the week via telephone from his home in Wichita.
  Rich: "The most that music can be is a human expression of our experiences. I don't believe songs are divine, authoritative revelations from God. I really think if a person is looking for answers they should turn tot he Scriptures and not to music. It bothers me to find people who can quite my songs, or Amy Grant, or Michael W. Smith, and can't quote the Bible. There are times when I've written things that have surprised me and I've gone, 'Wow, where did that come from?' But I'm reluctant to attribute that to God, because if it really were of divine origin, then I shouldn't be taking it to my record label, I should take to the International Bible Society and have it canonized."
  Rich: " The best compliment I can get is when someone says, 'You put into words something I've felt for a long time but couldn't say. Once something has been articulated, you can get a better handle on it and not feel you're the only person in the world who has that particular feeling. You don't feel so alone. Popular music was really a life-changing experience for me. I was such a geek as a kid. WHen I saw the Beatles on Ed Sullivan, and girls fainting in the audience, I decided, 'Gosh, if I learn how to play those songs then I can be popular too.'"
  Rich: "I went through about a two-week period of trying to be an athiest, but I just didn't have enough faith. I couldn't believe the world could be as good a place as it was if there wasn't someone keeping it in line."
  Rich: "I'm not much on grand entrances. I'm more apt to hang out in the crowd before the concert talking with people and then just sort of amble on stage to do the show. I don't like being an artist performing for an audience. I prefer a situation where everyone is the artist and everyone is the audience. Instead of encores, oftentimes we'll close by leading the audience in some songs. The greatest thing in the world is when the crowd picks that up and carries it on their own. That also means we can decide what restauratn we're going to afterward and get there before the line."
  Rich: "I'm a Christian today for two major reasons. First and foremost is because of what Jesus did for me and for the world. But also because of people, when I was young, who loved me and hung in with me, and took the time to teach me what He did. They were patient when I messed up, and they listened to me and talked with me when I had questions. That's what I'd like to do now, and I think I'll be more able to do that in the role of teacher than a traveling performer and recording artist. Maybe I'll be able to do both. Who knows. I'm just gonna do what I feel like I ought to do, and let God worry about the rest."
  
  

  November 14, 1992

• Rich Mullins performs at St. Giles Presbyterian Church in Richmond, VA.
  
  

  November 23, 1992

• "Hello Old Friends" debuts on the AC Charts. It would spend 8 weeks on the chart and peak at #8.
  
  

  December 11, 1992

• Rich Mullins performs at at John Gano Memorial Chapel at William Jewell College in Liberty, MO at 8:00 p.m.
  
  

  December 19, 1992

• Rich Mullins, First Call and Rick Cua provided music for a performance by Author and Story-teller Frank Peretti. Peretti presented "All Is Well: A Story for Christmas" at 8:00 p.m. at the Century II Concert Hall in Wichita, KS.
  
  

  Late 1992 / Early 1993

• Rich Mullins may have lost his hammered dulcimer in an airport around this time.
  Rich: "I had this coffee cup and I then had my dulcimer and I had my guitar and a book.... I went zipping out of the plane and into the restroom and laid my book down on the counter and sat my dulcimer down and went over and did whatever I needed to do there. Then I realized as I was going ot the bathroom that the reason I had to do that was because I had drunk a lot of coffee and that I had forgotten my coffee cup back on the plane. So I went, oh no - I better go back there and get my coffee cup because if I don't everyone will make fun of me for having forgotten it. So I grab my hammer dulcimer and run back to the thing and asked the lady at the desk if I could set my hammer dulcimer by the desk while I ran into the plane to get my coffee cup, which she said was ok. So, I went running down the thing to get my coffee cup and you know I'm crawling all over the plane because I thought oh no it went under the seats and who knows where it's gone. I never could find that coffee cup. So I was feeling a little defeated and then I remembered that I had left my book in the bathroom. So I went into the bathroom to get my book and walked on down the isle to meet these guys... got all the way down there and Beaker said, 'Rich where's your dulcimer?' So in the course of trying to get off the plane, from the plan to the baggage claim area, I had lost four things. So sometimes I don't work too well."
  
  Rochelle Bannon: "I'll never forget when Rich told me how he'd lost his very first dulcimer in the airport, the one he learned on that had been built by a mountain man when he was in Tennesse helping out at a church for a few months. I've always wondered where that one ended up after someone walked off with it... If you knew Rich, you knew he was 1) always tired and 2) very forgetful. He was at the airport and had his dulcimer, a book, and a cup of coffee, and he had to use the bathroom. Took it all with him, did his business, and left the bathroom, soon realizing he'd left his book. So he set his dulcimer down outside the bathroom door to run back and grab his book -- and when he came back out, dulcimer was gone. I was in complete shock and angst hearing this story, but classic Rich, he shrugged and said 'well, whoever took must've needed it more than me and hopefully is enjoying it.' He headed to the concert and had to have people ask around to find him a loaner. This story has haunted me since Rich shared it with me so many years ago!" (Rochelle Bannon 2022, recounting a story told to her by Rich in 1993)
  
  

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