The Full Story

Ian was born in Wales in 1956. Coming to faith as a teenager, his life and perspective on the future was radically transformed. He soon began to be involved in church leadership and later went on to youth pastor, following which he was asked to lead the National Youth Movement for the Assemblies of God in Great Britain for a number of years.

In 1990 Ian went on a missions trip to the Eastern bloc of Europe, it was only a year or so after the Berlin wall had fallen and the incredible events of 1989 where the Communist regime fell all across Europe. It seemed like a domino effect with the people of Europe standing up as one and making an incredible stand against the oppressive Communist regime. Against this backdrop of incredible revolution and independence, was the dawn of a new day for the Church of Europe. They were no longer underground, God had opened a door and they came into the light of a new day. Yet within this new opportunity, there were immense challenges. For many leaders of churches in Europe had not had access to the same resource that leaders of the western nations had. They were zealous leaders without the grounding of wisdom and knowledge from experienced leaders and ignorant to how to lead their churches in the new cultural climate they found themselves in. Additionally, there was an influx of evangelism from around the world, but not only christian evangelism, every cult, religion and ideology swept the nations in the race for the souls of Europe.

Ian looked at the situation on the missions trip and asked God if he would send someone to do something about this. Ian knew that these leaders needed assistance, support and resourcing and that many of the churches in the west could invest time, resource and their young people to get the message of Christ into the nations of Europe. It was somewhat of an epiphany when God spoke back to Ian "Why don't you do it?". As a result, He and his wife, Judith began a ministry called Youth Ministries International in 1991 which started out by running Leadership Training Conferences bringing leaders from around the globe including leaders from Western Europe, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. Alongside this, the team at YMI recruited, trained and equipped a number of short-term mission teams each summer to help bring evangelism into the cities across the continent, always working in partnership with the national church.

At the time Ian and Judith had been married a short while and so, we left the comfort and security of my role within the Assemblies of God to pioneer this new ministry, later renamed Next Level International. This decision was the beginning of a faith-filled-lifestyle which we continue to thrive in today and of which all the staff at Next Level International also buy into. All of the Next Level staff are “living-by-faith” and see supernatural provision as a part of daily life.

In 2002, Ian felt a call to diversify and to bring a new approach to ministry in 21st Century Europe. This new plan was formed out of a growing frustration in the fact that though NLI has planted over 40 churches across Europe in partnership with the national church movements, we could see only minimal levels of cultural transformation taking place. After identifying the areas where culture is both defined and developed (Education, Business, Government and the Media), Ian consulted with both Christian and Business leaders around the world to set strategy in place to bring Christian influence into these culture-creating mechanisms. This strategy is outworked by the Proton Foundation which is now in it’s fourth year of operation.

Ian travels the world regularly speaking at conferences and seminars, creating and developing networks in order to see both visions accomplished. He speaks on behalf of Next Level International and the Proton Foundation, sharing the vision and motivating others to step out of their comfort zones and create the life that they are intended to live.

Ian also has recorded a number of messages that help individuals to equip themselves in their personal spiritual journey and also in their relational and business lives. Check out the store for more information.