On Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2022, Scott Richard Temple, 68, peacefully took his last breath on this Earth and triumphantly gained his first breath in Glory.

He was a faithful husband, loving father, joyful grandfather, and devoted son, brother and uncle, as well as a powerful defender of his faith in Jesus.

Scott was born to Donald and Grace Temple in Oceanside, California on Dec. 31, 1953. He grew up in a loving family in New York, Massachusetts and New Jersey and was the first born child with two sisters and two brothers. He was the Senior Class President at Pascack Hills High School and never turned down an opportunity for adventure with his siblings or friends.

In the 1970s, Scott was fulfilling a childhood dream of traveling across the country in a GMC van when he first heard the call of salvation. That quiet reading of scripture from a widow named Dorothy Minnick in Indiana was “How a Hippy Got Happy” – which became the foundation of his testimony. When that one woman led a broken, directionless young man to Jesus, it became a catalyst for over 40 years in ministry that impacted an untold number of people to receive the hope of the Gospel, including every member of his family.

Scott held numerous jobs – at one point earning salesman of the year at Revlon Cosmetics – before he answered the call of God on his life. He attended college in Pennsylvania, spending one year at Bucknell University pursuing a degree in pre-law and then completed his bachelor’s degree in ministry in 1982 at Valley Forge Christian College.

He co-pioneered Lewisburg Assembly of God along with his wife, Susan, in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, before moving to Nigeria for one year of ministry at a Bible college with his wife and young daughter. He moved back to the States to pastor New Testament Assembly of God in Millville, Pennsylvania, for three years before moving back to New Jersey to lead Englewood Assembly of God for nearly a decade. During that time, he hosted a radio show, “Let’s Talk New York,” which was broadcast to the tri-state area offering prayer and hope. In 1997, the family moved to Springfield, Missouri, where Scott pastored Parkcrest Assembly of God for five years. The last 17 years of his career was dedicated to organizing the formation of 14 ethnic fellowships and two language districts at the Assemblies of God National Headquarters. He served first as Intercultural Ministries Director and later the first Director of Ethnic Relations. Today, there are 24 ethnic fellowships within the AG, representing 1,250 churches.

Scott built connections and friendships across the globe through his ministry, but his most significant and meaningful relationship was with his beloved wife. Scott and Susan were married for 41 years. They met at Emerson Assembly of God Church where Scott was sharing about a missions trip to Nigeria. Susan came to see the missionary and the rest is history!

Their love was a gift to one another and a gift to their children. Their vows were tested – for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health – but the bond of love held strong for these sweethearts.

Together they had five children, each with unique gifts influenced by their father’s life: a love of travel, a sense of adventure, a desire for knowledge, a gift of storytelling and a heart to serve. One of the greatest joys of his life was spending time with his grandson and granddaughter and he formed a special bond with each of them that will never be broken.

Scott loved to celebrate milestones, and that was never more true than with his parents and siblings. Many hours and days were spent planning birthday and anniversary parties, crafting wonderfully fun ways to honor each other.

During Scott’s years of pastoral ministry, he was involved in missions trips to Nigeria, Ghana, China, Japan, New Zealand, the Bahamas, the former Soviet Union and Ukraine. On his way home from Nigeria, he traveled with his family across Europe for five weeks. On his 50th birthday, he had a private tour on the set of “Lord of the Rings” and saw glowworms in an underground cave. Scott has been to the westernmost part of the United States and the easternmost part of the former Soviet Union and has visited all 50 states. Perhaps his favorite trip was to Kauai, Hawaii, with his wife.

His ministry has taken him to Russia, where with a team of believers including his parents, he distributed 16,000 Bibles on Red Square on May Day 1993. He had the help of unlikely comrades – Russian officers. In 2006, he traveled with a church group and his daughter to China by invitation of the Chinese Ministry of Culture. On that trip, he toured the country with a Christian reggae group, met with underground churches, and blew a shofar horn on the Great Wall of China. He has walked along Jesus’ footsteps in Israel. He learned greetings and words in dozens of languages. Many have attested that Scott becomes one of them when he worships with them, which has made him so effective in his ministry. On Nov. 1, 2020, Scott began his first day of retirement after more than four decades of sharing the Gospel. No one can truly know their impact on the world, and that is certainly true for Scott.

Scott believed the church was strongest and most like a vision of Heaven when all nations worship together. He said that all over the country, great churches are being built by immigrants and minorities: “Jesus is building a multiethnic, multilingual church.” In part because of his efforts, the AG is the most diverse evangelical denomination in the U.S. He also worked side-by-side with AG leaders to bring about racial reconciliation and coined the phrase, “the multiethnic church is God’s antidote to the sin of racism.”

Scott enjoyed playing a round of golf and hitting a bucket of balls, as well as watching the sport. He walked through life with a sense of wonder. Those who know him may still hear his booming voice and contagious laugh. He loved to have fun and play a prank on his family. Gatherings were not complete without one – but usually many! – of his legendary stories, even into his his final days. His recollection was unmatched. When he spoke, you felt as though you were experiencing the memory with him. He loved sharing a delicious meal, especially food from his Swedish heritage. He was larger than life.

His legacy is celebrated, his impact is far reaching, and his memory is forever cherished. We will always miss him. “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

He is preceded in death by his father, Donald Temple, and brother Dean Temple; and survived by his loving mother, Grace Temple; faithful wife, Susan Temple; his children, Kathryn Temple, Amy Temple, David Temple and his wife, Kristin Temple, Christine Temple and her husband, Ryon Ward, and Alyssa Temple; cherished grandchildren Davin and Zayley; beloved siblings Donna Mitchell, Gail Dini and her husband, Randy, Chris Temple, and sister-in-law Kathleen Temple; and numerous brothers- and sisters-in-law on his wife’s side of the family, as well as nieces and nephews.

A viewing will be held from 3-6 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 17, 2022, at Greenlawn Funeral Home – East, 3540 E. Seminole St., Springfield, Missouri, 65809.

A celebration of life will begin at 10 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 18, 2022, at Bread of Life Church, 2852 E. County Line Road, Rogersville, Missouri, 65742. A time of food and fellowship will be held at the church after the service, followed by a burial at Greenlawn Memorial Gardens, 3600 N. National Ave., Springfield, Missouri, 65803. For those unable to travel to the service, it can be livestreamed at vimeo.com/event/2578187.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the AG ethnic fellowship of your choice at https://giving.ag.org/donate/ethnic-fellowships?comments=In%20honor%20of%20Scott%20Temple,%20a%20powerful%20defender%20of%20the%20faith.