Awesome God by Rich Mullins

Album: Winds of Heaven, Stuff of Earth (1988)

License This Song

lyrics

Songfacts®:

Rich Mullins was a Christian singer-songwriter who is best known for his worship songs. He tragically died aged 41 in an automobile accident in 1997.
This simple hymn, which acknowledges God's awesome power, is Mullins' best known song and was placed #1 in the 2006 book CCM Magazine presents 100 Greatest Songs In Christian Music.
Rich Mullins was driving late at night by himself in a pick-up truck somewhere between Tennessee and Missouri. He was on his to a youth concert in Colorado and was having trouble staying awake. Rich found himself thinking about envisaged an imaginary "hellfire and brimstone" preacher, the kind that bellow short, sharp proclamations about God to their congregation. He rolled his window down and started shouting these statements into the night, trying to stay awake. Line by line Rich yelled the phrases of what was to become this song. He committed those lines to memory until he got to the venue and found a piano and taught the kids "Awesome God."
The song was used in the 2021 Netflix movie A Week Away. The film features a modern medley version of "Awesome God" and For King & Country's "God Only Knows." The medley is performed during a campfire scene in the movie.
Phil Wickham released an updated version of the song titled "What An Awesome God" in 2025. For Wickham's rendition, he and Jonathan Smith wrote new verses that they combined with Mullins' original chorus.

Comments: 1

Rick W from UsaI was one of those kids at the Christ in Youth conference at what was then Loretto Heights College in Denver, Colorado. Rich led a group that provided the music for the entire multi-day conference. I remember how he told us he had written this song on the way to the conference, and I remember seeing him and the other singers grouped around a microphone, holding between them a small piece of paper on which he had written the lyrics and chords, and I remember the profound emotion of hearing that chorus as the ensemble sang it, and then as 500+ high schoolers joined in. It was a special, amazing, awesome moment!

see more comments

More Songfacts:

JeopardyGreg Kihn Band

"Jeopardy" by The Greg Kihn Band got the Weird Al treatment with "I Lost On Jeopardy." Kihn and Jeopardy game show announcer Art Fleming both appear in the video.

Crocodile RockElton John

Elton John's "Crocodile Rock" borrows a bit from Don McLean's "American Pie." Both songs feature a Chevy, and are about young people who are heartbroken when their music "dies."

Islands In The StreamKenny Rogers and Dolly Parton

"Islands in the Stream" was originally written by The Bee Gees as an R&B song. It was originally written by the brothers for Marvin Gaye, however it was recorded instead as a duet by Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton with the Gibb Brothers also contributing vocals.

Every Breath You TakeThe Police

Sting wrote "Every Breath You Take" at the same desk in Jamaica where Ian Fleming wrote his James Bond novels.

Open Your HeartMadonna

The kid in Madonna's "Open Your Heart" video became a successful songwriter. His songs include Amy Winehouse's "You Sent Me Flying" and James Blunt's "1973."

All Through The NightCyndi Lauper

Cyndi Lauper's hit "All Through The Night" was written and originally recorded by Jules Shear, who also wrote "If She Knew What She Wants" by the Bangles.