Israel & New Breed

Anticipation:

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 11:35:42 -0400

First off let me apologize for being terrible when it comes to consistent blogging. My 13 year old daughter is faithful to her blog; I just can't seem to stay with it. But imma try. Ok?

I'm writing this blog to say that I have a stronger sense of anticipation than I have ever had as it relates to my work. We've been burning some serious midnight oil to finish the mix on the new record LOVE GOD LOVE PEOPLE the London Sessions... And what I'm hearing is special.

In January we traveled to the famous Abbey Rd. Studios In London to record this new record.That in and of itself was a dream come true; something I've hoped to do my entire 20 years of recording. These songs have come together in such an impacting way to me. I haven’t laughed or cried so much while working through any recording. Even being this close to these songs has not jaded me. If anything it has enhanced my sensitivity toward the message.

I'm so excited for you to her these songs. I'll blog more soon about each song. The title track found us experimenting with some new sounds for me but the song is infectious, and I dare you not to move your feet when you hear it. The melody will stick to your bones. And definitely your kids' bones. It has already passed the Houghton/Lindsey kids test....

I anticipate great things as far as impacting culture, church, and the world alike. Thank you for being my friend.

Grateful...

Sat, 04 Apr 2009 13:37:50 -0400

I JUST WANNA SAY.....

I’m truly grateful today.

I’m grateful to God for the myriad of opportunities He has given me through the years, to realize the dream of helping others find encouragement, hope, and a true connect with God through music.

I’m grateful for my wife and family who inspire me and challenge me every day to pursue the heart of God for our lives.

I’m so very thankful to you for taking the time to read this, to buy a record, to suggest it to others.

To you who pray for me and NewBreed often.... Truly grateful.

We had a great discussion the other night before our concert in Charlotte. Jerry Harris reminded us of the power of gratitude. I then asked the whole group and crew "what are you grateful for?" Great answers... I'll ask you the same thing.... "WHAT ARE YOU GRATEFUL FOR TODAY?” Hit me back.... Lemme know.

To everyone who has purchased (buy don’t burn......) the POWER OF ONE cd, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for helping it to debut at Billboard #1. Who knows what else this project may accomplish? Just know that I know YOU had a massive part to play in it.

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU

Israel

WHEN I THINK ABOUT MAMA...

Fri, 03 Apr 2009 14:38:30 -0400

WHEN I THINK ABOUT MY MAMA....

That is a line from a song called "Keep it Real"

that I did on our record called REAL in 2002.

Until now it is still one of my favorite records.

(if you don't have it yet, it's only $5.99 on iTunes) :-)

The entire line sings....

"When I think about my Mama,

The sacrifice she made,

She carried the whole world on her shoulders,

Just to keep me safe,

hopeless and abandoned,

fatherless and afraid....."

This morning, I just looked at my calendar to see that

Mother's Day is fast approaching, and I always hear this song

in my head. Every night on tour I share a portion of

my testimony of how my Mom made a tough decision

to keep me and every night people respond with

similar stories or thank you's for the encouragement.

It's amazing... The POWER OF ONE ...ONE choice,

ONE moment, ONE life, ONE destiny. You change the world

by changing YOUR world. She did it. You can too.

With Mother's Day only a month away, be thinking NOW

how you can honor your Mama or if she is passed, how

to honor her memory. We only get one Mom. Make sure

she knows today and tomorrow and the next day

and Mother's day how much she is loved.

And... U R loved...

Israel

Where's NewBreed??? JUST WANNA EXPLAIN

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 21:24:14 -0400

Where's NewBreed??? JUST WANNA EXPLAIN

Hey to all my friends.

What a wild week this is around the release of the new cd. I want to explain to you why I chose to do a "solo" record this time around. It is the first solo record in over a decade and the first studio record in over 6 years.

First of all, I am so glad that so many of you like it. I am truly grateful for so many of your kind words and reviews. To explain, though this is the first time I have used my last name in the branding and it is without NewBreed in title, this record is still very involving of NewBreed at every level. Once you read through the album credits you will see not much has changed. We have used a few different musicians, but that is always intentional to keep things fresh and new. I did it to actually create more space and platform for my true passion which is NewBreed.

The bigger story is this - NewBreed was never designed to be my back-up group but to be a team, rather a family, a part of a worldwide movement of worshippers who love God and love the world that He so loves. So we set out at our last Deeper Level conference to put our money where our mouth is and have Daniel Johnson and Buddy Strong write, arrange, and produce a new live NewBreed record entitled Generation:LOVE. My involvement is that they allowed me to PAY for it!!!! LOL!!! So I have proudly executively produced a live masterpiece coming out very soon- that I'm not singing on and I'm just as excited about that record as this one.

So we are not ending NewBreed; not by a long shot. But we are growing, multiplying, and of course we will continue to do records as Israel and NewBreed and as Israel Houghton and as NewBreed. And coming later this year; a NewBreed Next project which will start giving a platform to the next generation from age 10-16. Look for that as well. Hope this clears up any concern, confusion, and conjecture. We don't die we multiply!!!!

Love you all.
Israel

WHAT'S YOUR STANDOUT FAVORITE JOINT on the power of one?

Mon, 23 Mar 2009 10:31:00 -0400

I get asked some form of this question nearly every day. And nearly
every day my answer is different.

Right now it's
YOU FOUND ME w/ tobyMac. It just works for me.
Wait.... It's
MY TRIBUTE.... wait....
EVERYWHERE THAT I GO....well...
SAVED BY GRACE definitely.... I mean BETTER TO BELIEVE..... I dunno!!!!!
Meleasa's favorite is more definitive -EVERY PRAYER w/ Mary Mary. She
feels like it's one of the best songs I've ever sung and written.
Somedays it's my favorite too.
Somedays the next song
SING REDEMPTIONS SONG is. Something about the drums on that song....
amazing.
JUST WANNA SAY is the fave of my kids for sure.
(can't wait for you guys to see the video of it.... Sonny Boy stars in
it)
POWER OF ONE seems to connect every night on the road, and is my
favorite on stage.
MOVING FORWARD is the favorite of alot of my friends and my barber.
I RECEIVE keeps growing on me, not that I didn't like it before , I
love it. We debuted it at Lakewood this weekend. Went well. Ricardo
said it's one of his favorites right now.
SURELY GOODNESS puts a smile on my face every time.... every time.
Especially when Chevelle comes in.
I guess it depends on the moment. They are all my favorite.
I wanna know what you think;
Please please please let me know what yours is.....
Thanks everyone.
Israel

ANTICIPATION....

Sun, 22 Mar 2009 19:30:00 -0400

On the eve of releasing my first solo recording in over a decade, I am truly nervous! I never get nervous. But I am. Strange. There is a sense of giving birth a bit. Except I've been feeling these contractions since like September!!!! So much to say, all of which has been captured very well, I have no regrets or apologies about this record. I love everything about it. I mean.... I guess I could tell you that I wish I would have added that acoustic guitar part in the second chorus of I RECEIVE, and that I wish I would have shouted out tobyMac's name before his entrance on YOU FOUND ME. I kinda wish we could've put OTHERS on the actual physical record and not just iTunes etc etc etc. But truthfully; I've never been happier and more pleased to present my work ever!!! Songwise, sonically, musically, lyrically, I am happy. I hope you are too.

2009... Are we Desperate enough???

Tue, 20 Jan 2009 09:43:59 -0500

Last year our team went to Nigeria, one of the highlights of my year. Almost 500,000 people came out to worship that night. It astounded me to see that many people come, many of them came by bus, many walked for miles and miles, some with the best attire and some with no shoes.... The evening started at about 7 but the venue started filling at about 12. We came onto stage at about midnight and as we ran towards the stage it started drizzling, we didn't think much of it.... but the minute we started singing, it started pouring, We were told that There had no rain rain for months.... As it started the audience refused to move.... they all almost simultaneously lifted their chairs and stood there unmovable, unshakable, in the rain and started singing to us when the power eventually got cut off. it made me think of a scripture the lord gave us in 2007 : Amos 5:21-27 (New International version)

21I hate, I despise your religious feasts;
I cannot stand your assemblies.

22 Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings,
I will not accept them. Though you bring choice fellowship offerings,
I will have no regard for them.

23 Away with the noise of your songs!
I will not listen to the music of your harps.

24 But let justice roll on like a river,
righteousness like a never-failing stream!

25 "Did you bring me sacrifices and offerings
forty years in the desert, O house of Israel?

26 You have lifted up the shrine of your king,
the pedestal of your idols,
the star of your god which you made for yourselves.

27 Therefore I will send you into exile beyond Damascus,"
says the LORD, whose name is God Almighty.

It was as if God in that moment silenced us to remind us of what worship is supposed to be... Going into this New year. What caught my attention was an old lady, maybe in her early 70's standing there with her chair above her head, not moving, and with her other up to the sky worshiping, desperately seeking God.

As a team we took home many lessons that night, but one of them we discussed after was, Are we desperate enough?

Are we prepared to stand and worship God in the rain for 4 hours with no music? Are we prepared to take this word outside the 4 walls of the church, outside of our comfort zones and spread the gospel as we were commissioned or are we just okay, staying where we're at? Afraid to trust God for bigger things. He is still the same God that healed the sick, gave sight to the blind, tore down walls, and even parted the red sea. He lives within us.... so why are we so afraid? The same Power that conquered the grave lives in me, in you!!!

My challenge to you in 2009 is pray a dangerous prayer, start trusting God completely and stop praying and still carrying the burden. We read in Isaiah 7:10-11 the message translation:

God spoke again to Ahaz. This time he said, "Ask for a sign from your God. Ask anything. Be extravagant. Ask for the moon!"

What are you waiting for???????? This is your year. Make your mark, make it count!!!

Remember in all things, never to forget that, His Grace and mercy shall follow you, all the days of your life....