Photo by: Will Gentry
A movie based on the life of famed Christian contemporary singer and songwriter, Richard Mullins, aired in an advance screening at Oklahoma Christian University on April 3.
“I saw the ads for ‘Ragamuffin’, I remembered and got the CDs and started listening again – it was so touching and uplifting,” Rebecca Briley, associate professor of language and literature said. “I really credit his music and his life and testimony with inspiring my closer walk with the Holy Spirit.”
“Ragamuffin: The True Story of Rich Mullins” follows Mullins’ life from growing up on a small Indiana farm to becoming one of the most well-known Christian songwriters. His music continues to inspire Christians all over the world, such as his youth group song staples, “Awesome God,” “Step by Step” and “Sing Your Praise to the Lord.”
“I met Mullins right in 1992,” Briley said. “He impressed me so much – he was always barefoot, [had] longish hair and he seemed like a prophet. He always seemed to be on another planet from the rest of us, though I didn’t get to know him well.”
During his lifetime, Mullins seemed to live his life on edge. Never satisfied with the money he made from his music, he gave up his successful music career in Nashville to work on a Native American reservation.
“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 your beautiful little house where you have no gays or minority groups anywhere near you,” Mullins said in a concert at Lufkin, Texas on July 19, 1997. “Christianity is about learning to love like Jesus loved, and Jesus loved the poor and Jesus loved the broken.”
Mullen’s song repertoire has influenced churches across the world.
“‘Awesome God’ was kind of a classic song among the youth for a long time,” Ben Langford, director of the Center for Global Missions, said. “I think it was one of those songs that resonated with a vast majority of people as an expression of who they believed God to be.”
Mullins’ actions continue to inspire Christians, according to alumna Kamry Murrell.
“I liked how Rich was so willing to help people, however he could,” Murrell said. “He made time to talk to people after his concerts, and the part where he literally gave a boy the shirt off his back really touched me. … I really, really wish I could have known Rich Mullins. I would’ve loved to have been his friend.”
For Murrell, “Ragamuffin” opened a new door and a new appreciation of a man who never gave up his struggle to live life like Christ.
“Before watching Ragamuffin, I really didn’t know anything about Rich Mullins,” Murrell said. “I mean, I knew that he was a singer and everything, but I didn’t know anything else about him.”
Mullins grew up in Indiana and pursued music against his father’s wishes. According to the film, Mullins never had the personal relationship with his father that he desired. His struggles to forgive his father and find his identity in Christ are major arcs in the film.
“Rich had all kinds of struggles, particularly with alcohol, before and during his career as a Christian artist,” Murrell said. “Most people would probably say that a drunk would not be a good poster child for Christ, but I don’t think anyone can deny that Rich Mullins accomplished a lot for God through his ministry of writing and singing. He came to God, problems and all, willing to be used by him, and he definitely was. That can be a lesson to all of us.”
In the 1980s Mullins moved to Nashville, Tenn., to begin his professional recording career. Mullins was at one time engaged and had written the song, “Doubly Good To You” recorded by Amy Grant on her album “Straight Ahead” for the wedding. His fiancee broke off the engagement, however, at which time Mullins wrote the song “Damascus Road”.
“As a Christian, this movie was very enlightening and encouraging; it contained a lot of good, positive messages – some delivered through pain, heartache and tragedy,” Murrell said. “But I think this movie has a powerful message for non-Christians as well, and that is you do not have to have your life together in order to be a Christian.”
According to those who saw the film, the chance for staff and students to see “Ragamuffin” provided the opportunity for others to learn how to live as a Christian in a world of modern-day temptations.
“What impressed me so much about Rich Mullins is that he was a Christian musician that was very successful,” Langford said. “He could have made a lot of money, but instead he gave it all up to live on an average income the majority of Americans lived on. He was an artist, a poet, and a faithful disciple of Jesus.”
Murrel admired the fact that Mullins refused to let fear control his life.
“I think what I appreciated most was the honesty of Rich Mullins’ character,” Murrell said. “He was a man who was not afraid to be himself. He was not held back by fear of what other people might think. He was his own man, and I really liked that.”
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