Tell us a little about your background
I grew up partly in Sweden (I’m half Swedish) but mostly in northwest London with loving Christian parents and my older brother. I can’t remember a time I didn’t believe in Jesus. Though I gave my life to him as a child, as a teenager I didn’t really live out my faith.
Going to university had a huge impact on my journey with God and my commitment and passion grew massively when I joined the Christian Union and then became its Outreach Coordinator. I have been involved in some form of ministry or leadership ever since.
It was at university that I felt a calling to world mission and to serve the poor and broken-hearted and I participated in short-term mission in Peru, Mozambique, and Romania.
My first job was leading a personal development programme for young homeless men with the YMCA in Norfolk.
Tell us a little about your family
The other very important thing that happened at university was falling in love with Ellie! After getting married, we embarked on an amazing journey together of living by faith and seeking to make Jesus known.
Along the way, our wonderful sons, Isaac and Joshua were born; now aged 15 and 13. Since moving back to the UK, we’ve been based in Ipswich, Suffolk. Ellie works part time as a teaching assistant for children newly arrived into the UK and has been teaching English to refugees and asylum seekers through our church.
How did God lead you into SIM?
It has been a long road, and, in many ways, it feels like my life up to this point has prepared me for joining SIM and serving in this role. This includes serving as a mission worker in West Africa, Mozambique, and Cambodia; leadership experience, including being Country Team Leader for Interserve in Cambodia; and church leadership in the UK; along with Bible college and other training.
After more than 20 years of either being overseas or in between overseas assignments, we felt led to return to the UK in summer 2022 for family reasons. God opened a door for me to work with CAP (Christians Against Poverty) as their Mission, Evangelism and Discipleship Lead and alongside that, I kept up my concern for world mission.
I have known and respected SIM for many years and when I heard the role of Country Director was vacant and saw the job description, I felt stirred in my spirit and really hoped to get the role! I resonate deeply with SIM’s vision, mission and values.
What are you looking forward to in your role as Country Director?
Getting to know our mission workers, hearing their stories, encouraging them in the challenges of mission and ministry, and celebrating what God is doing around the world.
Serving alongside the gifted and passionate team that God has brought together to lead SIM UK as we look ahead and participate in God’s plans and purposes.
Fostering a strong sense of community and helping to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, depending on him to lead us and sustain us.
Developing our friendships and partnerships in the UK church and doing what I can to enthuse, inspire and challenge the church about making disciples and to engage in cross cultural mission.
Helping us build on the work we are already doing to create more opportunities for gospel collaborations with churches and helping to mobilise and equip ordinary Christians to participate in the challenges of local and global mission.
Enjoying fellowship with, listening to, and learning from, brothers and sisters from around the world.
What do you do when you’re not working?
Outside of work, you’ll find me having a bash on the drums, being a taxi driver for our boys (who have a busier social life than us), fixing things, keeping up with tennis but not playing as much as I’d like, enjoying the Suffolk countryside and keeping in touch with friends around the world. I also love good music, summer evenings, dark chocolate, and mangoes!
Has following Jesus been easy and what supports you when life gets difficult?
Following Jesus is not the easiest or safest option! There are definitely some tough experiences that I could have avoided if I weren’t following Jesus.
Many others have suffered far more than I have following Jesus, but Ellie and I have experienced bombs, the loss of colleagues and friends, a serious bout of malaria and other difficult health issues, the heartache of sharing in other’s pain, along with disappointments and discouragement.
Of course, God and his Word are my strongest support. I have also come to hugely appreciate the family of God and the support we bring each other. Ellie has been a massive source of encouragement and help in hard times and I have been blessed with very supportive and caring parents and parents-in-law and a few close friends I can be real with.
What inspires you from Scripture as you follow Jesus?
I have often found encouragement to persevere in following Jesus from Hebrews 12:1-3 where we find both stunning reasons to keep running our race and some ways to do that. It has been fuel for my journey, as among other things, we see that Jesus is worthy and that Jesus understands what it means to live and suffer here and we’re exhorted to throw off sin and whatever hinders us, fix our eyes on Jesus, and keep an eternal perspective.
Also, we’re to run with perseverance, indicating that this is a marathon, not a sprint and we’re to run together as shown by the references to ‘we,’ ‘us’ and ‘our.’
How can we pray for you and your family?
That I will grow in love for God. That I will listen well. For wisdom and insight and to be like the men of Issachar who understood the times.
For our family, as we mourn the loss of my mum, who passed away in June. Also, that we live as a family on mission where we are, be bold witnesses, and bear much fruit.