GOSPEL

Israel Houghton and the Power of One

Integrity Music

CBN.com – Israel Houghton has taken worship music to another level. For years he has led thousands of people in praising God through song, especially as worship leader at Lakewood Church pastored by Joel and Victoria Osteen. He has written or co-written 11 of CCLI’s Top 500 favorite songs, including “You are Good,” “I Am a Friend of God,” and “Say So,” to name a few.

Israel says that thematically, the earlier albums he did with New Breed were about the church and what God is doing. The most recent albums they have done focus more on social and global concerns. Israel strongly believes that people who consider themselves worshippers have a heart for social justice. The song, “The Power of One” is the song they wrote specifically around that thought for this new album with the same name.

Israel was asked to write a song for a main stream artist. His dear friend and fellow worship artist Ricardo Sanchez was at his house and they were working on the project for the mainstream artist. The only criteria for the song was that it would be a socially conscious kind of song. Israel started with a 1970s, activist guitar vibe and the first thing that came to Israel’s mind was the first line of the song, “What if it all depended on me…” Then Ricardo came up with what Israel thinks is the best line of the song, “Don’t hang around/Stand up or sit down.” Israel felt that they had the makings of a provocative song, because it makes the listener have to do something and take responsibility. The song came together, they recorded a demo of it, and it provided the feel for the whole album.

DESTINED TO WORSHIP
Israel could have easily been an abortion statistic. In the 1970, his mother was seventeen and became pregnant with him. Israel’s biological father is African American and they lived in a very segregated town in Iowa. His mother’s family had a hard time when she told them she was pregnant and they disowned her. The father also abandoned them. However, Israel’s mother decided to have him. He was given his biblical name from a word she saw repeatedly in the Bible given to her by the woman who ministered to her on the streets of San Diego.

Not long after Israel was born she married Henry Houghton and they raised Israel and his three younger siblings in Arizona and New Mexico. An interest in music settled within him early on.

“I was the kid in church who jumped on the drums at the end of service and annoyed everybody! But my mom is a phenomenal piano player who taught me the basics. And I learned the guitar on a bet from a guy who didn't think I had the discipline to do it. It was 1986 and I was 15 years old. Our bet was 30 days, and in that time I learned how to play practicing every single day. I've always been like that about anything I set my mind to. I’ve always had this feeling that I'm not here to take up free oxygen. Whatever I'm here to do, I'm going to impact my immediate world and, hopefully, the world at large. It’s just inherent.”

Israel’s first professional recordings were a pair of solo albums for Warner Bros. Records. However, the real success began in 1995 when Israel, his wife Meleasa founded New Breed Ministries, an organization inclined to category-defying music created by noted musicians and singers who serve within their respective churches and together serve the church at large. Today, the music of Israel and New Breed is in demand for everything from film soundtracks to commercial jingles. Anywhere the message can be disseminated, Israel will bring it. Ultimately, the purpose of the brilliant new music on A Deeper Level is to light a fire under church people to rise to a higher purpose.

“Like the song ‘Say So’ states,” Israel concludes, “We're not here to salt the salt and light the light. We're here to get out to where there is darkness and no flavor - where people need the strength that we, as Christians, have access to and possess.”

HEALING FOR HAITI
Israel and his friends came together for a compilation project for Haiti to lift their own songs and pierce the darkness of despair with the sound of healing and hope in Jesus Christ. For each album sold, a portion will be donated to Haiti earthquake relief, including clean water, shelter, survival supplies, medical care, and other critical aid from Samaritan's Purse and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, organizations New Breed is passionate about.