Ishmael (Ian Smale)
Encyclopedia
Ishmael was born in 1950. He has had an international ministry since playing in the acoustic duo Ishmael and Andy with Andy Piercy starting in 1970. His innovative musical styles and enthusiasm for his faith have influenced many people of all ages to become Christians or to have a deeper experience in their Christianity such as being filled with the Holy Spirit
or being healed
.
forming the acoustic duo Ishmael and Andy when he first adopted his stage name from the similarity of his birth name to an Old Testament Biblical character
. They sang provocative and challenging Christian lyrics to contemporary music. After producing two albums together Piercy joined the rock group After the Fire
and Ishmael produced the album Charge of the Light Brigade, intended to challenge Christians to live what they preach. Ishmael continues to work occasionally with Piercy although the main focus of his ministry for twenty five years has been on child evangelism. In the late 1970s he formed the band Ishmael United that produced two albums and as the music took on more of a punk
style he changed their name to Rev Counta and the Speedoze and brought out a further album. Since then he has concentrated on his ministry to children and recently returned to challenging people in the Church
about how they live.
pastoral ministry where he served for several years.
Ishmael longs for children and adults to enjoy praising God
together. For this purpose his itinerant ministry is composed of both seminars for adults about the importance of children, and musical celebrations that he calls 'Praise
Parties' for all ages to worship together. He also loves preaching and teaching both young people and adults from the Bible
.
He is one of the few people to have ministered every year at Spring Harvest
since its start in 1979. He runs a children's ministry on one of the sites (usually Minehead
) called The Glorie Company.
For 16 years as well as his itinerant ministry he was part of a local church leadership team, but he has now been released from that responsibility to concentrate on what he believes God has asked him to do - working with children and other people who share his goal throughout the world. Ishmael believes that children are a vital part of church life and he aims to teach people the value of both kids and youth Church as well as the importance of the whole family worshipping together.
Most of the time that Ishmael has worked abroad has been spent in the USA and Germany
but he has also worked in Finland
, Belgium
, Portugal
, Spain
, Denmark
, Switzerland
, France
, Holland, Sweden
, Gibraltar
, Ireland
, Canada
, New Zealand
, Czech Republic
and South Africa
.
Arun Community Church history
He was ordained a deacon in Chichester Cathedral
in June 2007, and was appointed as part-time deacon in the nominal parish of the cathedral (which extends no further than the cathedral's own grounds).
Ishmael and his wife Irene worship at Chichester Cathedral and have recently been accepted onto the Cathedral electoral roll. They have three grown up children Joseph, Daniel and Suzy.
Ishmael has been given a consultancy role with Evangelical Alliance
and Kingsways Children's Ministry.
In August 2010 Ishmael's doctors declare him free from cancer. He is planning to 'be on the road' again in September 2010.
Ishmael has written twelve books, some of which have been translated into German, Dutch, Danish and Romanian as well as seven songbooks.
Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of the Hebrew Bible, but understood differently in the main Abrahamic religions.While the general concept of a "Spirit" that permeates the cosmos has been used in various religions Holy Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of...
or being healed
Faith healing
Faith healing is healing through spiritual means. The healing of a person is brought about by religious faith through prayer and/or rituals that, according to adherents, stimulate a divine presence and power toward correcting disease and disability. Belief in divine intervention in illness or...
.
Musical career
Ishmael started performing in his teens with his life long friend Andy PiercyAndy Piercy
Andy Piercy is a singer-songwriter who came to prominence in the Christian acoustic guitar duo, Ishmael and Andy, together with Ian Smale .In 1974 he replaced John Leach as guitarist and lead vocalist in After the Fire...
forming the acoustic duo Ishmael and Andy when he first adopted his stage name from the similarity of his birth name to an Old Testament Biblical character
Ishmael
Ishmael is a figure in the Hebrew Bible and the Qur'an, and was Abraham's first born child according to Jews, Christians and Muslims. Ishmael was born of Abraham's marriage to Sarah's handmaiden Hagar...
. They sang provocative and challenging Christian lyrics to contemporary music. After producing two albums together Piercy joined the rock group After the Fire
After the Fire
After the Fire are a British rock band that progressed from playing progressive rock to new wave over their initial twelve-year career, while having only one hit in the United States, and one hit in the United Kingdom .-Early career:Keyboard player Peter Banks originally formed the band in the...
and Ishmael produced the album Charge of the Light Brigade, intended to challenge Christians to live what they preach. Ishmael continues to work occasionally with Piercy although the main focus of his ministry for twenty five years has been on child evangelism. In the late 1970s he formed the band Ishmael United that produced two albums and as the music took on more of a punk
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
style he changed their name to Rev Counta and the Speedoze and brought out a further album. Since then he has concentrated on his ministry to children and recently returned to challenging people in the Church
Christian Church
The Christian Church is the assembly or association of followers of Jesus Christ. The Greek term ἐκκλησία that in its appearances in the New Testament is usually translated as "church" basically means "assembly"...
about how they live.
Pastoral career
He completed a couple of years training at a Pentecostal theological college, and was ordained into the ElimElim Pentecostal Church
The Elim Pentecostal Church is a UK-based Pentecostal Christian denomination.-History:George Jeffreys , a Welshman, founded the Elim Pentecostal Church in Monaghan, Ireland in 1915. Jeffreys was an evangelist with a Welsh Congregational church background. He was converted at age 15 during the...
pastoral ministry where he served for several years.
Ishmael longs for children and adults to enjoy praising God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
together. For this purpose his itinerant ministry is composed of both seminars for adults about the importance of children, and musical celebrations that he calls 'Praise
Praise
Praise is the act of making positive statements about a person, object or idea, either in public or privately. Praise is typically, but not exclusively, earned relative to achievement and accomplishment...
Parties' for all ages to worship together. He also loves preaching and teaching both young people and adults from the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
.
He is one of the few people to have ministered every year at Spring Harvest
Spring Harvest
Spring Harvest is an inter-denominational Christian conference and gathering in the United Kingdom. Its "Main Event" takes place annually at the Butlins resorts in Minehead and Skegness over the Easter school holiday period....
since its start in 1979. He runs a children's ministry on one of the sites (usually Minehead
Minehead
Minehead is a coastal town and civil parish in Somerset, England. It lies on the south bank of the Bristol Channel, north-west of the county town of Taunton, from the border with the county of Devon and in proximity of the Exmoor National Park...
) called The Glorie Company.
For 16 years as well as his itinerant ministry he was part of a local church leadership team, but he has now been released from that responsibility to concentrate on what he believes God has asked him to do - working with children and other people who share his goal throughout the world. Ishmael believes that children are a vital part of church life and he aims to teach people the value of both kids and youth Church as well as the importance of the whole family worshipping together.
Most of the time that Ishmael has worked abroad has been spent in the USA and Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
but he has also worked in Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Holland, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
and South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
.
Arun Community Church history
Other activities
Ishmael has taken part in a number of national television programmes.He was ordained a deacon in Chichester Cathedral
Chichester Cathedral
The Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity, otherwise called Chichester Cathedral, is the seat of the Anglican Bishop of Chichester. It is located in Chichester, in Sussex, England...
in June 2007, and was appointed as part-time deacon in the nominal parish of the cathedral (which extends no further than the cathedral's own grounds).
Ishmael and his wife Irene worship at Chichester Cathedral and have recently been accepted onto the Cathedral electoral roll. They have three grown up children Joseph, Daniel and Suzy.
Ishmael has been given a consultancy role with Evangelical Alliance
Evangelical Alliance
The Evangelical Alliance is a London-based charitable organization founded in 1846. It has a claimed representation of over 1,000,000 evangelical Christians in the United Kingdom and is the oldest alliance of evangelical Christians in the world....
and Kingsways Children's Ministry.
Medical condition
In 2008 Ishmael was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukaemia. An appeal for prayer, along with regular updates on the progress of his treatment, was launched by friends on his website.In August 2010 Ishmael's doctors declare him free from cancer. He is planning to 'be on the road' again in September 2010.
Publications
Ishmael has recorded nearly 400 songs written himself; released 36 albums of his and other writers' songs, 15 of which he also produced; and made two music videos.Ishmael has written twelve books, some of which have been translated into German, Dutch, Danish and Romanian as well as seven songbooks.
Albums and singles
| title | artist(s) | media | year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Benedictus / Song of praise number 2 | Ishmael and Andy | Vinyl single | 1971 |
| Ready salted | Ishmael and Andy | LP | 1973 |
| The charge of the light brigade | Ishmael | LP | 1977 |
| Its amazin what praisin can do | Ishmael with After the Fire After the Fire After the Fire are a British rock band that progressed from playing progressive rock to new wave over their initial twelve-year career, while having only one hit in the United States, and one hit in the United Kingdom .-Early career:Keyboard player Peter Banks originally formed the band in the... |
Cassette | 1978 |
| If you can't shout saved | Ishmael United | LP, cassette | 1979 |
| Crowd trouble / Song of the last generation | Ishmael United | Vinyl single | 1979 |
| Life begins at 30 | Rev Counta and the Speedoze | LP, cassette | 1980 |
| The Glorie song / Return of the magnificent Glories | Ishmael | Vinyl single | 1980 |
| Land of hope and Glories | Ishmael | LP, cassette | 1981 |
| Songs for bouncing Glories | Ishmael | Cassette | 1981 |
| Power and the Glories | Ishmael | LP, cassette | 1982 |
| Ishmaels children praise party vol 1 | Ishmael | LP, cassette | 1983 |
| Ishmaels children praise party vol 2 | Ishmael | LP, cassette | 1984 |
| Ishmaels children praise party vol 3 | Ishmael | LP, cassette | 1985 |
| Ishmaels antique collection | Ishmael | Cassette | 1986 |
| Ishmaels family praise favourites | Ishmael | Cassette | 1986 |
| Ishmaels Scripture praise party | Ishmael | Cassette | 1987 |
| As subtle as a sledgehammer | Ishmael compilation | Cassette | 1987 |
| Land of hope and Glories / Power and the Glories | Re-released as a double cassette | 1987 | |
| Training up the troops | Ishmael | Cassette | 1988 |
| Praise Party vol 1 / Praise party vol 2 | Re-released as a double cassette | 1989 | |
| Songs for little troopers | Ishmael | Cassette | 1989 |
| Training up the troops vol 2 | Ishmael | LP, cassette | 1989 |
| Training up the troops / Training up the troops vol 2 | Re-released on double CD | 1989 | |
| The charge of the light brigade | Re-released on CD | 1989 | |
| Hooked on Ishmael | Tim Jupp Instrumental | Cassette | 1989 |
| Praise Party vol 3 / Scripture praise party | Re-released as a double cassette | 1990 | |
| Ishmaels Christmas carol celebration | Ishmael | Cassette, CD | 1991 |
| Gym Glories workout / Little Suzys hidden talent | Ishmael | cassette | 1991 |
| Peaceful meadow / Melody faces the music | Ishmael | cassette | 1991 |
| Praise and Glories | Ishmael | Cassette, CD | 1991 |
| Jesus is Topz / Everyday with Jesus | Ishmael | Cassette single | 1991 |
| Training up the troops / Training up the troops vol 2 | Re-released as a double cassette | 1992 | |
| Children's hymn celebration | Ishmael | Cassette, CD | 1992 |
| Ishmaels praise party video | Music compilation video | 1993 | |
| Family praise favourites / Songs for little troopers | Re-released as a double cassette | 1993 | |
| Ishmael USA | Ishmael | Cassette, CD | 1993 |
| A sting in the tale (Re-release of the antique collection under a new title) | cassette | 1993 | |
| Joyful noise for girls and boys | Ishmael | cassette, backing tracks | 1994 |
| 25 years with Ishmael (50 track compilation ) | double cassette, CD | 1995 | |
| 25 years of children's favourites (50 track compilation ) | double cassette, CD | 1995 | |
| If you can't shout saved / Life begins at 30 | Re-released as a double cassette, CD | 1995 | |
| Ready salted | Re-released on cassette, CD | 1995 | |
| Christmas carol celebration / Children's hymn celebration | Re-released as a double CD | 1995 | |
| Ishmaels video praise party vol 2 | Music compilation video | 1996 | |
| Ishs Bible Belters | Ishmael | Cassette, CD | 1996 |
| Wakey wakey, sleepy sleepy | Ishmael | Cassette, CD | 1997 |
| Little songs for little children | Ishmael | CD | 1998 |
| Worship songs for little children | Ishmael | CD | 1999 |
| Praise songs for little children | Ishmael | CD | 2000 |
| Bible stories for little students | Ishmael | Prose | 2000 |
| 12 New children's praise songs vol 1 | Ishmael | CD | 2001 |
| 12 New children's praise songs vol 2 | Ishmael and Dave Bilbrough | CD | 2001 |
| 52 Scripture songs (10 tracks re-recorded) | Released as a double CD | 2002 | |
| 12 New children's praise songs vol 3 | Ishmael and Aaron Frith | CD | 2002 |
| I know Jesus loves me | Ishmael | CD | 2003 |
| 12 New children's praise songs vol 4 | Ishmael and Geraldine Latty | CD | 2003 |
| Its Christmas | Ishmael and Noel Richards Noel Richards Noel Richards is a Welsh singer-songwriter, worship leader, and recording artist. He has composed several songs that are used in contemporary worship, by Christians today, including All Heaven Declares, By Your Side, Restorer of My Soul , You Deserve the Glory , and You Laid Aside Your... |
CD | 2003 |
| Lord here we stand | Noel Richards | CD single | 2003 |
| Its Party Time | Ishmael and t-girl | CD | 2004 |
| Songs for little children (Little songs for little children / Worship songs for little children / Praise songs for little children | re-release triple CD | 2004 | |
| Children of the voice vol 1 | Ishmael | prose triple CD | 2004 |
| 12 New children's praise songs vol 5 | Ishmael with Noel Richards | CD | 2004 |
| 12 New children's praise songs vol 6 | Ishmael with Andy Bromley | CD | 2005 |
| Ishmaels praise party video | Re-released DVD | 2005 | |
| Ishmaels video praise party vol 2 | Re-released onto DVD | 2005 | |
| The Glories stories | released onto DVD | 2005 | |
| Its Party Time | Released onto DVD | 2005 | |
| Ishmaels cartoon karaoke | Released onto DVD | 2005 | |
| Its Tots praise | Ishmael with Julia Plaut | CD | 2005 |
| I know Jesus loves me too | Ishmael | CD | 2006 |
Books
| Title | year | Language: Original Title | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|
| The history of Ishmael part one. | 1988 | ||
| Ishmael’s family worship songbook. | 1988 | ||
| Angels with dirty faces. | 1989 | ||
| Englebjørn med snavsede finger. | 1989 | Danish Danish language Danish is a North Germanic language spoken by around six million people, principally in the country of Denmark. It is also spoken by 50,000 Germans of Danish ethnicity in the northern parts of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, where it holds the status of minority language... : ‘Angels with dirty faces’ |
|
| Children of the Voice. | 1990 | ||
| Father God I wonder booklet. | 1990 | ||
| Doamne, Tată, Mă Întreb. | 1990 | Romanian Romanian language Romanian Romanian Romanian (or Daco-Romanian; obsolete spellings Rumanian, Roumanian; self-designation: română, limba română ("the Romanian language") or românește (lit. "in Romanian") is a Romance language spoken by around 24 to 28 million people, primarily in Romania and Moldova... : ‘Father God I wonder’ booklet. |
|
| Children of the Voice - 2. | 1991 | ||
| Lille ballade og stemmen. | 1991 | Danish: ‘Children of the Voice’. | |
| Praise’n’Glories songbook. | 1991 | ||
| Ishmael’s once a week family time. | 1992 | ||
| Kinder im Reich Gottes. | 1992 | German German language German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union.... : ‘Angels with dirty faces’. |
|
| Children of the Voice - 3. | 1993 | ||
| Joyful noise for girls and boys songbook. | 1994 | ||
| Songbook for the troops. | 1990 | ||
| Little Jim enjoys the family service. | 1992 | ||
| USA songbook. | 1993 | ||
| Loving memory . | 1995 | ||
| Bible Belters / Wakey wakey, sleepy sleepy songbook. | 1997 | ||
| Children of the Voice the trilogy. | 1998 | ||
| What is a Christian booklet. | 1998 | ||
| Songs for little children songbook. | 1999 | ||
| Reclaiming a generation. | 2001 | ||
| 365 Devotions with Ishmael. | 2002 | ||
| Nad Bibli bez nudy. | 2004 | Czech Czech language Czech is a West Slavic language with about 12 million native speakers; it is the majority language in the Czech Republic and spoken by Czechs worldwide. The language was known as Bohemian in English until the late 19th century... : ‘50 fun filled family activities’. |
|
| Deti a cirkev. | 2005 | Czech: ‘Reclaiming a Generation’. |
External links
- Official site
- CrossRhythm's Artist Profile
- Ishmael's profile on Zoominfo