This is MacNaughtons on Mission
Scott and Gail DownUnder
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, New Zealand. Who and what brought them together from such diverse and distant backgrounds? God did through their mutual studies at Covenant Theological Seminary (CTS) in St. Louis, Missouri.
In 1976 Gail’s family immigrated to Australia from South Africa and New Zealand. Gail was interested in missions, possibly Bible translation work, so she was encouraged to attend CTS to get her master’s in exegetical theology (1981-1984). Meanwhile, Scott had recently graduated from Covenant College and was interested in the mission field. God led him to World Presbyterian Missions (WPM) Australia where he had the privilege of working with Gail’s parents in church planting.
Scott and Gail met at CTS in 1982. And the rest, they say, is history. Scott and Gail were married in Perth, Western Australia in 1984, and worked with WPM (now MTW) in church planting and 7 years later transitioned to becoming a pastor in the newly formed denomination, Westminster Presbyterian Church of Australia.
MacNaughtons Stateside
In 2001, 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. While there he helped to co-found Fathers in the Field (FitF), 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 New Zealand, two nations that are predominantly post-Christian and secular. They will assist in the recruiting of missionary teams to MTW Australasia region (Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands).
Fathers in the Field Australia
Scott is also very excited to be starting Fathers in the Field DownUnder. FitF mission is to rekindle and establish the spirit of boys who have been abandoned by their fathers; mentoring them one-on-one in life skills through outdoor activities, and by sharing a Christian understanding of our Heavenly Father’s love and sacrifice for his children.
