Crossroads is diligently planning for the continuation of the ministry. Years from now, with God’s blessing, we will still be shining His light and love in prisons throughout the world. If we believe that everything we own belongs to God and that we’re called to be stewards, then we must understand the importance of managing our assets beyond our lifetime.
Estate planning is a spiritual responsibility and an act of worshiping our Lord. When you include Crossroads in your estate plan, you will be passing down to future generations an eternal legacy of the transforming power of God’s love for men and women in prison.
Through a gift from your estate, you can play a larger role in our mission, protect your financial future and provide financial security for those you love. Too often, when we think of designing an estate plan or a will (click here to for more information about creating a God-honoring will), we allow anxiety and fear to take over, and we put off obedience to the Lord for another day. But the process does not have to be overwhelming or expensive. We can help you get organized and lead you through each step.
WHAT IS ESTATE PLANNING?
Estate planning is the process of determining, through prayer, how to use and distribute the resources God has entrusted to us during our lifetime. Our recognition of God as owner of all means that we have a stewardship responsibility over His resources. An estate plan is an act of stewardship that involves making decisions about who will carry out the plan, who will be beneficiaries of the plan and what the benefits of the plan will be. Your goals, your view of stewardship and your lifestyle values define your plan and are communicated in a legal written document during your lifetime. The most common forms of such documents are wills and trusts.
WHY IS ESTATE PLANNING IMPORTANT?
An estate plan is a final snapshot of your values. Making an estate gift is an expression of your love for the Lord and for your family. It leads you to focus on the big picture of family, charity and taxes as you answer tough questions such as:
• What are our priorities?
• What would honor God?
• How much is enough for our children?
• Are we investing for eternity?
A plan based on biblical principles appropriately transfers assets when you reach your heavenly home. It provides for family needs, invests in favorite ministries and avoids unnecessary taxes. If you don’t have a plan, the government will have one for you. If your plan is inappropriate, it will have undesirable effects on your family.
HOW TO USE ESTATE PLANNING
An estate plan that glorifies the Lord creates an eternal legacy that serves God’s purposes and makes a measurable impact on present and future generations. The plan should convey a permanent imprint of our relationship with Jesus Christ to the people and causes in our circle of influence. Our legacy should reach inward to impact our own families and communities and outward to advance the expansion of the Kingdom throughout the world.