The married couple were both faithful in participating in everything in their local congregation. Every time the lights were on, they were there. They were without children and, by all appearance, very modest in the assets they had. In reality, this couple had been so careful about the stewardship of their gifts that by the time the Lord called them home, they had hundreds of thousands of dollars in their estate. 95% of it went to support ministry when their earthly life was complete. What a blessing to their home congregation and other ministries across the country!

We get so preoccupied with paying bills and facilitating family needs that we often overlook that the Lord is giving us opportunity throughout our earthly life to create and grow accumulation of assets that can be directed to ministry long after we are no longer here. Maybe that is the best kind of giving, when credit isn’t the goal, but faithful support of Gospel sharing is.

Just as you have opened a saving account for vacations or Christmas, or a college fund for children’s education, or a retirement account, have you ever considered creating a “fund” for the future support of ministry?

How would you do that? Maybe you set aside part of an inheritance you receive. Maybe you designate a percentage of your estate to the Lord’s work. Maybe you consider endowing your weekly offering to the Lord, directing money from your estate to a personal endowment that will keep on supporting your favorite ministry just as if you were still here writing the check. There are many ways to respond. The appropriate plan is the one facilitated by the gifts the Lord has provided in your life. Your LCMS Foundation Gift Planning Counselor can help you think, pray and plan toward a gift the Lord has enabled from before the foundation of the world.

Jason Jones, CGP, CDE, is Saint John’s Gift Planning Counselor. Jason works with individuals in our congregation who want to discover the lifetime plan that God has planted in their heart. He will help them to use this plan to Transfer the Blessings God has given them to their family and the ministries they love. This service comes to you at no cost as a member of Saint John’s. To schedule a free meeting with Jason or ask questions about this special opportunity, visit www.StJohnsFC.org/transfer-the-blessings, call (970) 988-0305 or email Jason.Jones@lfnd.org.