Pastor, is your church surviving from offering to offering, like a family living from payday to payday? Perhaps you haven't thought about the resources right in your pew that can provide a new way to pay for the present and especially the future upkeep of all your vision and labors.

 

"David's Estate Plan!" was the title of recent "Director's Communique'"by Carlton L. Coon, Sr., General Director of Home Missions Division, UPCI. It was an excellent communication to ministers that was of value to the local pastor and his assembly. This publication is only eight pages and is full of ideas/suggestions to help pastors. 

 

Brother Coon points out the importance of equipping the local church through teaching on planned giving through the use of estate planning, wills, donor-directed funds, charitable gift annuities, charitable trusts, etc. In many of our Pentecostal churches this type of teaching has not been a part of our culture. Pastor, why not change the culture of your church to understand that they can bless their family with good estate planning and planned gifts for the Kingdom?

 

This can be accomplished by equipping your church through workshops, Stewardship seminars, special Stewardship emphasis week, month or on an annual basis. If you do not feel equipped to do this teaching, contact your District Stewardship Director, Stewardship Department or Home Missions Division. There are individuals trained to come teach at your church.

 

I Chronicles 22:7-8 explains that David had a vision to build the house of God. He established an "endowment fund" setting aside, in advance, brass, cedar trees and offerings to build the vision God gave him. Self-interest was not David's motivator. He prepared for a building he would never see, a dedication he would not participate in, God's glory to fall in a building he would never experience, and honor for God that he would get no credit. 

 

It is vital that our teaching as pastors on finance include stewardship of an individual's estate after death. If you do this, you can extend the influence of faithful saints of God in your assembly beyond this life to bless your community. 

 

You can download the HMD Communique' by going to http://upcstewardship.com/moduleUploads/2-CommuniqueExtra2009.pdf

 

The Stewardship Group can help your church with Church Loans, Capital Campaigns, Church Construction and Teaching on Gift Giving and Estate Planning. Go to http://www.upcstewardship.net/documents.asp and fill out the appropriate form requesting that we contact you. Or contact our offices at the number/e-mail listed below. 

 

Stephen Drury is Director of Stewardship, President of the United Pentecostal Foundation, and Co-Founder and Chairman of New Beginnings International Children's and Family Services. You may contact him at smdrury@upci.org or 314-837-7304 Ext 309.