MacNaughton, Scott & Gail

Scott grew up in the mountains of Eastern Kentucky and the Wind River Mountains of Wyoming, while Gail grew up along the coasts of the Indian Ocean of South Africa and Australia as well as the Tasman Sea and South Pacific Ocean of New Zealand. What brought them together from such diverse and distant backgrounds? Covenant Theological Seminary (CTS) in St. Louis, Missouri. But the more important question is, Who brought them together? And the answer to that question is, God, of course, through the encouragement of World Presbyterian Missions (WPM now MTW) missionaries in Perth, Western Australia, Oliver Claasen and Larry Billiter.

Gail’s family had recently immigrated to Australia from South Africa and New Zealand when she met these two WPM missionaries. Gail was interested in missions, possibly Bible translation work, so they encouraged her to attend CTS to get her master’s in exegetical theology. Meanwhile, Scott had recently graduated from Covenant College and was interested in the mission field. God led him to WPM Australia where he had the privilege of working with Oliver and Larry (and Gail’s parents) in church planting (both in Perth and in Brisbane). But Scott and Gail did not meet in Australia. They met at CTS when Scott began his first-year studies there and Gail her second. And the rest, they say, is history. Scott and Gail were married in Perth, Western Australia, and worked with WPM (MTW) in church planting and later transitioned to becoming a pastor in the newly formed denomination, Westminster Presbyterian Church of Australia.

Over a decade later, Scott was called to become the senior pastor of his home church, Covenant Presbyterian Church, Lander, Wyoming, where they have served for the past 25 years (with a five-year-hiatus to help co-found, along with John Smithbaker, Fathers in the Field, a national outdoor church-based ministry to fatherless boys). Along with serving the church Gail continued teaching in Christian schools and homemaking, as their four children transitioned out of the home into college, career, and marriage.

And the rest, they say, is the future. God is calling Scott and Gail back to their missions roots to become resident missionaries in Australia and to assist in the recruiting of missionary teams to MTW Australasia region (Australia, New Zealand, Vanuatu, Fiji and American Samoa).

Scott and Gail have four adult children and are soon to welcome their eighth grandchild.