Linton Smith was raised on a farm in the Southern Flinders Ranges of South Australia. In 1959, he came to faith in Jesus Christ through the preaching of Billy Graham. Almost immediately, he began to preach, and later trained for the Baptist Ministry. He was ordained in 1966 and continued to study in his spare time as an external student with the London University. In 1972, he graduated with a BA Degree in Hebrew, Theology, and Ethics. Linton ministered in country South Australia, Adelaide, Perth, and Canberra, and on retiring, as an interim in country Western Australia, New South Wales, and Tasmania. He and Alison were married in 1966 and have two children and six grandchildren
