As stewards of God’s creation, every Christian is to be prepared for the day when God’s gifts and responsibilities will be passed on to others. “The Earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell within.” Psalm 24:1 NKJV The prophet Isaiah warned Hezekiah, “Thus saith the Lord, Set thine house in order . . .” To this end, a Christian Estate Plan is the final step in total Christian stewardship.
The Trust Services Department seeks to assist members and their families in preparing their estate plans: Wills, Living Trusts, and donations to support the work of God. The purpose of our department is to encourage our church members and others to continue to support God’s work through wills, trusts, annuities, and special donations.
A Christian Estate Plan is very important as it serves several important purposes such as:
1) Ensuring that your wishes, not PNDC Law 111, determine the distribution of your assets.
2) Lessening the burden on your family by simplifying their responsibilities when you are gone.
3) Naming a guardian and establishing a financial plan for the care of minor or special needs children
The heart of a Christian Estate Plan is a Last Will & Testament or a Living Revocable Trust, either of which may be used to distribute your assets when you are laid to rest.
Whatever your desires or your family’s needs, a Christian Estate Plan will provide peace of mind and serve as a witness of your gratitude to God for His blessings, and your faith in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.
GETTING READY TO PREPARE YOUR ESTATE PLAN
To ensure that your estate plan meets your needs and desires, before preparing any documents, you will need to gather personal information and make several important decisions.
Follow these simple steps:
1) Make a list of the current value of your assets–accounts, real property, etc. and how they are titled.
2) Make a list of family, friends, and organizations you would wish to give shares of your estate.
3) Select a person to follow the instructions in your Will (Executor) or Trust (Trustee).
4) Select a person to manage your affairs and finances if you become incapacitated (POA).
If you have minor or “special needs” children you would also want to:
5) Select a person to raise your children (Guardian)
6) Select a person to manage your children’s inheritance (Trustee)
God owns all that we have, yet through His mercy, he allows us to act as stewards of His assets to provide for our personal and family needs and support the Lord’s work.
In conclusion, our local churches are poor simply because members are usually basic givers, struggling to be faithful in returning their tithes and offerings that already have disbursement plans given by God and directed by the Church. If local churches would get enough resources to run their local budgets, they need to teach members to be generous and support the church through donations and gifts in all forms as well as include the church as beneficiaries in their wills.