Sixteen Cities (formerly known as Issakar) started in 2005 when a group of five guys decided that they wanted to pursue a Wednesday morning worship ministry. After the first year 100 students came regularly. In the following years the ministry grew to nine public schools in the Portland area, with hundreds of students attending. After they graduated high school they were invited by Common Ground Ministry to do high school outreach in Public schools across the west coast. The band signed to Centricity Music in the fall of 2008. Shortly after Sixteen Cities started work on their debut Centricity Music album with producers Jason Ingram and Rusty Varenkamp. In January 2010 Sixteen Cities released an EP called Come As You Are EP through Centricity Music. Sixteen Cities then released their self-titled debut album, Sixteen Cities in April 2010. Later that year they released the Your Love Is EP. Their music is often compared to The Afters due to the voice of lead singer, Josiah Warneking.