6 Key Questions to Ask When You Make a Will

A group of Langham-trained church leaders in Eswatini.

By Kevin VandenBrink

“Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.”
Proverbs 15:22

Wise stewardship doesn’t end with the decisions we make during our lifetime. It also includes preparing well for the day when others will steward the resources God has entrusted to us.

Because August is National Make-a-Will Month, I’d like to encourage you to review or create your estate plan. As you review your plans, think of estate planning not simply as preparing legal documents, but as having a series of important conversations—with your family, your advisors and the Lord.

Here are six questions to help guide your thought process and ensure your legacy reflects your faith.

  1. Priorities: What matters most?

Every estate plan tells a story. What convictions have shaped your life? What do you hope your family and future generations will remember about what mattered most to you? Your estate plan should reflect the priorities that have guided your walk with Christ.

  1. People: Who Has God Entrusted to Your Care?

Think carefully about the people you want to provide for and whether they have unique needs. How can your plan encourage wisdom, generosity, and faithful stewardship in the next generation? How much is enough to bless those you love without diminishing the opportunity for them to grow in responsibility and trust in God?

  1. Passions: What Kingdom Work Do You Want to Continue?

Which ministries best reflect your values and help fulfill your personal mission? How much of your estate will you direct toward the causes you currently support? You can extend your kingdom impact and possibly give more than anything ever possible during your lifetime by including charitable giving in your will.

  1. Property: What Resources Has God Entrusted to You?

Take inventory of the resources God has entrusted to you—your home, investments, business interests, personal possessions and family heirlooms. Consider not only their financial value but also their personal significance. Who will be the next faithful steward of these gifts

  1. Plan: Have You Sought Wise Counsel?

Work with trusted professionals to ensure your plan reflects both your wishes and sound legal and financial counsel. An experienced estate planning attorney or advisor can help you care well for your family, minimize unnecessary complications and establish a plan that honors the Lord.

If you’re looking for a place to start, I’d be happy to introduce you to one of the planning attorneys at the Barnabas Foundation. Through our partnership, these consultations with Christian attorneys are completely confidential and complimentary.

  1. Participants: Who Will Carry Out Your Wishes?

Choose carefully the people who will carry out your wishes. Your personal representative, trustee or executor should be someone known for wisdom, integrity and faithfulness.

Procrastination is the biggest obstacle

Many people intend to create or update a will but never get around to it. As a result, nearly 60 percent of Americans die without a valid will, often leaving unnecessary burdens for those they love.

By contrast, we’ve seen the peace that comes when thoughtful plans are in place. Completing an estate plan is more than a legal task—it can be an act of love.

Langham is Here to Help! 

Because so many of our friends can benefit from charitable planning, we have partnered with a network of Christian charitable planners. Like you, these planners love the Lord, the global church, and wise stewardship. If you would like to learn more about charitable planning strategies, we would love to serve you. At no cost to you and with no obligation, a planner will answer your questions with clarity, integrity, and the utmost confidentiality. They can help you make important, God-honoring decisions in an atmosphere of complete confidence and trust. To learn more, simply reach out to me at kevin.vandenbrink@langham.org or 314-488-0256.

We’d Like to Thank You

If you have included Langham in your legacy planning, would you share your decision with us? I would love the opportunity to thank you and to welcome you as a member of our Cross of Christ Legacy Fellowship!

Kevin VandenBrink, planned giving director for Langham Partnership, is a chartered advisor in philanthropy (CAP®) and a member of the National Association of Charitable Gift Planners. He is passionate about helping people like you who care about the global church and long to be wise stewards.

Kevin would love to hear your story, celebrate what the Lord is doing through Langham, and visit with you about the options and benefits of including Langham in your planned giving. Click here to email Kevin, or call him at (314) 488-0256.