Two questions:  First, can you imagine an amount of money that would earn more than $5.0 billion ($5,000,000,000) per day?  Yes, 65 trillion dollars (65,000,000,000,000), at 3% return, would earn over $5 billion per day in interest.

Second question:  Why would I ask the first question?  The answer is that $65 trillion is the amount of money that will pass from the baby boomer generation to the next generation.  That is right.  A spectacular amount of money and assets are going to be handed down to kids, universities, foundations, and local charities.  Notice, I didn’t say churches.  Sadly, congregations will see very little of this future windfall.

For years we gave folks a way to give each week through the offering plate, and they were faithful.  Occasionally, we gave them a way to give a larger gift to a building or capital campaign, and they were faithful.  Now, as their lives draw to a close, we have done nothing to give them an avenue to bless God’s work.  No plan.  No conversations.  No information.  No gift planning advice or tools.  No opportunity to be faithful in death as they have been in life.

We must give our folks a way to bless God’s Kingdom with all they have accumulated during their lives.  When we do not, we are robbing people of the chance to offer their assets to the church family they have loved in their life.  Just as bad, we are robbing our congregations of valuable gifts that make a large and strong difference in our ability to do ministry.

Every church needs a planned giving ministry, and your Foundation is here to help.  We offer guidance for leadership teams in creating and sustaining this important ministry.  We also have templates for endowments and other important documents, including pamphlets to educate your congregation in planned giving.  Finally, we offer workshops in your church to help folks know how they can plan their giving as faithful disciples.


Glenn HowellIf you would like information to help your congregations with stewardship and giving, your Foundation is here to help. Contact us here or call us toll free at 877-391-8811.

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Glenn Howell
Director of Development
United Methodist Foundation of Indiana