The Voice That Opened Doors: How Singing Led to a Capitol Hill Ministry

Join Shannon Bream as she welcomes Steve Amerson, a gifted songwriter and singer who has performed on some of the biggest stages around the world to discuss his unique ministry called The Word on the Hill. At age 4, Steve was singing alto in a little country church in central Indiana when his mom looked down at him. He thought he was in trouble (the kind that meant a trip to the women’s bathroom for discipline!), but she’d realized he was making up an alto part. After getting knocked out at high school football practice and hearing his coach yell “Who’s that on the field? Get him off the field!”, Steve had an awakening that music seemed safer than football. In 2014, a door opened when he was asked to sing at the first weekly worship service back in the Capitol in 144 years (from 1800 to 1869, Thomas Jefferson rode his horse from the White House to Statuary Hall every Sunday where 2,000 to 2,500 people worshiped with the Marine Band). The organizer had no money for travel or hotels, but Steve went anyway. Since then, he’s flown from California to D.C. twice a month for 11 years, writing 225 handwritten notes to members of Congress (regardless of party) and walking 14 miles delivering them through House and Senate office buildings. Members have learned he’s not a lobbyist, constituent, or reporter. One member turned a corner, saw Steve, and said, “Ah, the great encourager”.  Steve offers hope for anyone called to be a ministry of presence in their own sphere.