I'd like to find out about the how and why and situation that prompted David "Beaker" Strasser to write "Step by Step" copyright 1991 BMG Songs, Inc.

Here a two sites that give some information about him.
The second article is by "Beaker" which, as you know, is his pseudonym.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beaker_(musician)

Rags To Riches (http://www.audiori.com/richmullins/articles/ragstoriches.html)

From the second article, it appears that writing this music was
Rich Mullin's idea:

"Anyway, the idea of Rich's newest project was to gather a bunch of friends together, lock them in a studio and create an album about life, and God and worship."