Eagle Saints
One key way to fund future building needs is through estate planning. We will be writing more on this topic soon. For now, we wanted to share this post by Dr. Bruce McCoy, written specifically for the Journal. Dr. McCoy helps us identify what he terms Eagle Saints.
Nearly two out of three people have no will. If this trend is consistent in our churches, our members leave behind untold financial assets that get heavily taxed by the government – leaving only a portion behind. Having no will suggests a significant number have missed the opportunity for the Kingdom of God to receive legacy gifts, which could strengthen the heritage of your family, your local church, and our Christian universities and seminaries.
If the next generation of gospel leaders is to soar, they will need our help. We can help the next generation to soar by making a Planned Gift. Jesus said, “…lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matt. 6:20-21).
Most thoughtful people want to ensure that we have provided for the next generation. We want those who come after us to be spiritually committed to Christ, academically educated, and financially secure to meet the challenges that await them. Simultaneously, we must examine our financial plans to better support the financial challenges our churches will encounter and the rising costs of Christian education our next generation of leaders will face. Church leaders must encourage members to utilize the concept of Planned Giving to ensure that they provide for the next generation.
When it comes to Planned Giving, we can be like one of three birds: ostriches, turkeys, or eagles. Let’s start with the turkey. Turkeys gobble. If we are like the turkey, we gobble up everything and leave nothing behind for the next generation. And then there’s the Ostrich; some put their head in the sand with no vision or thought for the future. (By the way, if you know why an ostrich puts its head in the sand, please keep it to yourself, as you will ruin an otherwise wonderful illustration). But we can be like the eagle, building a secure nest and preparing our young to soar.
Consider the eagle. Eagles build their nest high on a cliff to be safe from predators. Their nests can be massive and heavy. So, when the gale winds blow, the eagle’s nest remains safe and secure. Eagles build their nest to nurture their young. Then, when the time is right, the mother eagle begins to move her head up and down, rubbing against her babies. At first, her gesture appears loving and tender. But, if the little eaglet refuses to leave the nest and fly, the mother increases her force, using her head to encourage the eaglet to fly. Now and then, one of her babies resists and remains in the safety of the nest. If so, that late bloomer eventually encounters a rude awakening. The mother will dismantle the creature comforts of the nest. She rises to the edge of the nest and begins to tear away all that is comfortable.
The little eagle may plunge into a free fall. No worries. Just in time, the mother eagle swoops down and saves the fledgling eaglet. She knows it is time for the eaglet to be forced from home and nest to soar. With the right amount of nurturing and nudging, the next generation of eagles will fly.
But eagles do more than flip and flap their wings like lesser birds. Eagles can spread their wings, catch a breeze, and soar to magnificent heights. Our Creator-God designed eagle wings with an increased curvature, creating more significant lift. God designed them to climb higher than 10,000 feet and soar for hours, riding on the currents in the atmosphere. But first, those who came before them protected, prepared, and pushed them.
I recall a pastor challenging his congregation to ensure the next generation could soar. He asked them to become “Eagle Saints.” We have heard of Eagle Scouts and applaud their achievements. But Eagle Saints commit to ensuring the next generation of believers can soar by establishing a Planned Gift. If you have a will, I hope you consider a supplement to add your church, your Christian university, or your SBC seminary.
Before you croak, gobble, or stick your head in the sand, I hope you will become an Eagle Saint. Let’s “mount up with wings like eagles” and ensure the next generation of those who proclaim the gospel will soar.
Bruce McCoy, D.Min.
Associate VP, Institutional Advancement, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary