Who Should My Executor Be?
Article Type: Ask a Planner
Q: What are my options for an executor of my will or a trustee of my trust?
A: You have a variety of options when it comes to making this important decision:
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Money vs. Wisdom? It's No Contest
Article Type: General Articles
Pop quiz. Who said, “Money is a shelter”?
If you think it’s Bernie Madoff or an infamous hedge fund manager, guess again, because it’s Solomon!
Shelters protect us from the howling wind and the blazing sun. When money is a shelter, it can be used to shield us from homelessness and starvation. That’s a good thing!
But money’s shelter has obvious limits.
A Wandering Aramean Meets Mr. Building-Bigger-Barns
Article Type: Pastor to Pastor
Here’s a conversation that could never happen. Why? Because it’s between a fictional farmer from one of Jesus’ stories and Jacob!
Like I said, that ain’t happening.
But if these two did talk, what do suppose they’d have to say about owning wealth? Who it belongs to? How it should be used?
After 45 Years, Life’s Still Too Short To Worry About Wealth
1976 was the bicentennial year for the United States. It was also year number one of recovery from a three-year recession, during which 2.3 million Americans lost their jobs. This was a post-World War II record, which only punctuated the impact felt by tens of millions of people.
What You Said to Me on the Phone Last Year (and Why it Made Me Hopeful)
Remember that last time we spoke on the phone? Don’t worry if you can’t remember. I do.
Here’s what you said to me about your church’s giving.
Giving Equipment and Property
Article Type: Ask a Planner
Question: I would like to give farming equipment in a way that benefits both my church and my favorite ministries. What’s the best way to accomplish this?
Answer: The Stewards Fund (Barnabas Foundation’s donor-advised fund) provides you a streamlined solution for giving to multiple ministries. You can give property and/or cash into a single charitable giving account, and then you can recommend grants be made from that account to your church and other favorite charities.
The Law of the Harvest
Article Type: A Message From the Director
I just love being around farmers! It probably stems from my work as a child on a tractor.
The Bible is full of verses and parables about agriculture, and the “law of the harvest” is one of my favorites. I’ve found the wisdom of “you reap what you sow” applies to every single area of life.
Giving Up The Coyote Life
Article Type: Pastor to Pastor
“Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you.” (John 6:27, NIV)
I saw it this morning, while walking my dog. An hour before daybreak, the shadowy figure of a coyote disappeared and re-appeared between the streetlights just ahead of us. After my dog let out a nervous huff, it stopped, turned to stare at us, and then kept trotting ahead.
Finishing Forward
Article Type: Life Stories
Why Gifting Farm Equipment Proved a “Win-Win” Solution for Gary Teerink
Farming isn’t just a job for Gary Teerink. It’s his family’s legacy. A third-generation farmer, Gary has seen the Lord’s provision throughout his 80 years on the farm in Worthington, MN, originally started by his grandfather.
“The Lord has really blessed me and my brother,” says Gary
Can I Give Stock to My Church?
Q: Can I give stock to my church?
A: Yes! Most gifts received by churches and other charities are in the form of cash, even though this is not always the most tax-efficient way to give.