Rich Mullins
2 songs checked against the passages they lean on. Each one was graded on its own, against what that song does with the text.
How the 2 checks landed
- NOT A QUOTE 2
This is a count, not a verdict. We grade songs, one at a time, against what each one does with the text. A tally of those checks describes a catalogue. It is not a judgment of the people who wrote or sang it, and no number here puts anyone on or off The List. Most drift is craft pressure, not deception. Read the proofs, not the arithmetic.
The songs
NOT A QUOTE
“Awesome God”
Rich Mullins
Sing it, and sing the verses. Nothing here is quoting scripture, and nothing in it is false. The chorus states a conclusion. The verses are where the song shows its working.✓ Never says it is quoting: no chapter and verse, no translation, nothing framed as scripture
⚠ Sung as a chorus on its own, which is the common practice, the song keeps its conclusion and loses its grounds
NOT A QUOTE
“Step by Step”
Rich Mullins
Sing it. It is a short prayer of resolve, not a quotation, and nothing in it contradicts Psalm 63. Just know the words are Beaker's, not Rich Mullins', and that the longer version is a different song.✓ Never says it is quoting at all: no verse cited, no translation named, no scripture framing, and the publisher's own chart lists no reference
⚠ Psalm 63 puts its reason before its resolve. Verse 3 gives the ground, that God's loving devotion is better than life, and verse 4 gives the lifetime promise. The song has the resolve without stating a ground for it