by Tom Sims
Stephen Michael Niewind is a musician on a mission. For 16 years he has been writing, arranging, and performing music. That is over half of his life. He calls the process, “listening to God.”
“It’s not about me, “he says, “especially at a concert or an outreach. It is about making Jesus Christ more famous.”
Stephen calls his ministry, “Incoming Rush,” remembering the account of the coming of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2. The Spirit came like the sound of a mighty rushing wind.
Stephen Michael Niewind
In 16 years, Niewind has composed over 500 songs. He is not sure how it happens. He just asks God to take his pen. When the song is written, he performs it acoustically. He performs anywhere and everywhere.
He describes his genres as Christian, Gospel, Christian Based Acoustic Praise and Worship, and Contemporary. He sings with a heartfelt, soulful, gentle manner that is easy to follow and understand. He often tells stories in his songs. He puts it this way: “Bringing Spirit of message to meet the emotions of the heart.”
He has traveled around the country, relocated several times, traveled to Nashville three times, and even moved to Okinawa, Japan for three months some time back. He performed on the streets there and wherever he was welcomed. In his travels, he has lost almost all of his belongings, been threatened, been beaten and kept “motivating, writing, arranging, and singing.”
Whatever he has lost, God has provided back, he says. Cars, clothes, plane tickets, food, and even a bed have arrived or been provided just when they were needed. Niewind sees these events as a strong confirmation that he is doing what God has called him to do.
“Since I was five or six years old, God has been speaking to me and I knew it,” he says, but “It has been a rollercoaster.”
He has had highs and lows. He has hit rock bottom, in his words, even finding himself homeless at times, but he has kept going and trusted God.
He sees the choices in his life as likened to the story of Saul and David in the Bible. “Saul chose power. David chose God.”
In that process, he has seen miracles of provision. Once, in Japan, he found himself invited to sing for a group of people who did not understand a word of English. He neither speaks nor understands Japanese. Somehow, one of the women listening surmised that he was singing about God and asked her granddaughter who speaks English to translate because she wanted to know more. He was able to share the meaning behind his songs.
A recent sojourn in Phoenix was particularly difficult because it was there that he was severely beaten.
Stephen’s recordings are free on the web. He gives them away along with demo CDs, t-shirts, and whatever he has. He has not been charging for concerts and he has sung in many venues including coffee houses, outdoor events, nursing homes, the Big Fresno Fair, churches, and on the street.
He does try to raise money with some of his concerts. One of his favorite causes is Toys for Tots.
Giving his music away is what he feels called to do at the moment. He is willing to support himself with a job, but at the moment, they are hard to come by. He is also willing to receive whatever direction he senses God is giving him. Mostly, he wants to make himself available for ministry and sharing his songs.
He is not concerned about the size of the crowd. He believes that the right people are always there. If there are two or if there are two hundred or two thousand, it does not matter. Even if only one person comes, God is preparing something in people’s hearts. He firmly believes this, even if it is his own heart.
“Preparation before destination” is one of his life and ministry themes.
Stephen Michael Niewind speaks with a depth and conviction that transcends his 22 years of life. Clovis, California is his hometown and wherever he travels, he keeps coming home to Clovis.
If you ask Stephen how one can pray for him, he says that he wants God to take control of everything in his life and make it his. He wants God to do what God wants done and to make the ministry what He wants it to be. On his website, he adds, “Still praying/waiting for GOD’S Will/Thy Will To Be Done.”
Also, on his website, Stephen says, “I am looking for opportunities to minister at churches, music venues, coffee houses, colleges, schools, concerts, fundraisers, etc. in Clovis, Fresno, Sanger, Selma, Madera, Visalia, or other parts of Northern California. I am willing to travel worldwide to Minister the music that God allows me to write and sing.”
He is open to being contacted at any time through the web, email, or telephone. His music can be heard on Facebook, Myspace, and Reverb Nation.
Stephen Michael Niewind is a compelling, young, Christian artist with a compelling message and a consecrated lifestyle to back it up. He should be heard. He is a musician on a mission.
Video of Stephen:
Stephen can be found online at the following places:
Stephen’s Facebook Page–https://www.facebook.com/STEPHENMICHAELNIEWIND
Incoming Rush Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/pages/INCOMING-RUSH/272228066545
Incoming Rush on YouTube–http://www.youtube.com/user/IncomingRushMinistry
Incoming Rush on Reverb Nation–http://www.reverbnation.com/incomingrush
Incoming Rush on MySpace–http://www.myspace.com/incomingrush
Incoming Rush on Twitter–https://twitter.com/INCOMINGRUSH
His website at–http://incomingrushministries.webs.com/
You can leave him a message at 559-392-1661 and email him at–niewind@comcast[dot]net
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