John North was born in India in 1961 to Australian missionary parents. His father, Ian North, established the ministry of Ambassadors for Christ International in India and in USA and was known for his spiritual life and Bible teaching. At the age of ten, John's family returned to their homeland of Australia, but only for a year. They then moved to USA, living briefly in New York and New Jersey before settling in Atlanta, which would remain their family home for many years.

John attended Redan High School. During his highschool days his inner life was falling apart and he was descending into depression when he went on a youth camp organised by First Baptist Church of Atlanta. At the youth camp, John's life was profoundly changed when he put his faith in Jesus Christ. As a result, he purposed to invest his life in helping others find the same spiritual transformation that he had found.

John obtained his BA in English Bible from Columbia Bible College (now Columbia International University) and his Master of Theology from Dallas Theological Seminary. While in Dallas, John married his wife Lois. At the conclusion of his theological studies, John worked on the pastoral team at Faith Bible Church in Cedar Rapids, Iowa for several years. Then, following a brief time in Russia, helping to establish the Far East Bible College in Khabarovsk, John and his wife settled in Sydney, Australia, in 1994.