Vow of Poverty

Rich Mullins took a vow of poverty in the spirit of St. Francis. He called St. Francis his hero and often referred to him in interviews, concerts and writings. In fact he co-wrote a musical with his fellow "Kid Brothers of St. Frank" called "Canticle of the Plains."  The vow of poverty not only gave Rich Mullins the freedom to give whatever extra he earned to the poor, but I believe it gave him more of a connection with our incarnate Lord who lived and died in poverty.

According to Rich's financial manager, he only collected a small salary to live on and beyond that did not want to know how much money he made. One time Rich asked the manager if he had enough money to donate to some charitable cause and of course there was plenty because Rich Mullins was an extremely successful Christian musician.

St. Francis stripped himself not so much to set aside the things of this earth, but to free himself of all that is not God. Like Christ, Francis perceived the world as God’s gift to help us on the way to life's fullness... As an interiorized value then, gospel poverty is an attitude of heart that proclaims hopefully and joyfully all people's need for God and that the Lord alone is God. Thaddeus Horgan

I believe Rich Mullins Fr. Michael Higgins who said:
"The key element behind this kind of understanding of poverty is the challenge to see all things and all people as they truly are - as God sees them - and then relating to them accordingly. When one lets go of the self as the measure against which everything must find its worth the world is set free to be itself. Wise and respectful use of the things of this life is an inevitable result. "

At an April 1997 concert at Wheaton College Rich made the following tongue in cheek comment about being born again, but I think it says a lot about how serious he was about following God's will in every way:

Like the born again thing, which is a total crack up to me. Cause Jesus only said that to one guy one time. And then there was that whole born again movement. You know where everybody said you had to be born again. And I was going, 'why, am I Nicodemus?' What happened to the passage that said, 'if you want to follow Me, give up all you've got and give it to the poor and take up your cross?' Do we all have to do that too?    Wheaton College April 11, 1997