What If Your Next Steward Is a Ministry? with Sharon Epps | FaithFi
October 28, 2026
What If Your Next Steward Is a Ministry? with Sharon Epps
Faith & Finance with Rob West
When you think about leaving an inheritance, you probably picture children or grandchildren. But what if your next steward isn't a person at all?
For many Christians, leaving a gift to a church, ministry, or nonprofit organization can be a meaningful way to extend their generosity beyond their lifetime. But deciding where, when, and how to give deserves the same thoughtful preparation we would give to an individual heir.
Sharon Epps, President of Kingdom Advisors and a contributor to FaithFi's new field guide, How Do I Prepare the Next Steward?, joined us today to discuss how believers can make these decisions wisely.
Her central encouragement is simple: Choosing a ministry as your next steward is about more than deciding who receives your money. It's about considering what those resources might accomplish after you're gone.
When you think about leaving an inheritance, you probably picture children or grandchildren. But what if your next steward isn't a person at all?
For many Christians, leaving a gift to a church, ministry, or nonprofit organization can be a meaningful way to extend their generosity beyond their lifetime. But deciding where, when, and how to give deserves the same thoughtful preparation we would give to an individual heir.
Sharon Epps, President of Kingdom Advisors and a contributor to FaithFi's new field guide, How Do I Prepare the Next Steward?, joined us today to discuss how believers can make these decisions wisely.Her central encouragement is simple: Choosing a ministry as your next steward is about more than deciding who receives your money. It's about considering what those resources might accomplish after you're gone.
Begin With Purpose, Not an Amount
Before deciding how much to leave a ministry, consider what you hope your gift will accomplish.
What needs are particularly meaningful to you? What kinds of ministry have shaped your life or strengthened your faith? How would you like the resources God has entrusted to you to continue serving others?
Sharon encourages believers to begin with these questions rather than immediately settling on a dollar amount.
Once you've identified your priorities, look for organizations whose missions align with them. Consider whom they serve, how they carry out their work, and whether their approach reflects the purposes behind your generosity.
For example, someone whose family has been blessed through adoption may feel a particular desire to support foster care and adoption ministries. Someone who has benefited from Christian financial discipleship might want to help make those resources available to future generations.
Your own experiences, including seasons of difficulty, may help you recognize opportunities to serve others in meaningful ways.
Look Beyond the Mission Statement
Finding an organization whose mission resonates with you is important, but it's only the beginning.
Just as you would consider an individual heir's character and readiness to manage an inheritance, it's wise to evaluate how a ministry currently handles the resources entrusted to it. Sharon recommends asking several important questions:
Does the organization demonstrate integrity and accountability in its leadership?
Is it transparent about its finances?
Does it have a healthy governance structure and an engaged board?
How does it measure and communicate the impact of its work?
What happens when its current leadership changes?
These questions aren't intended to create suspicion. They're part of understanding the ministry well enough to support its work confidently.
Whenever possible, build relationships with its leadership, observe its work firsthand, and learn how it makes decisions.
Approach these conversations with a servant's heart. Rather than simply evaluating whether a ministry deserves your gift, seek to understand how you can help advance the work it's already doing.
Consider Whether the Ministry Is Prepared for Your Gift
A ministry can do wonderful work without being equipped to manage a substantial financial gift. This is especially true for smaller or local organizations with limited staff and administrative resources.
A contribution that dramatically increases a ministry's annual budget may sound like an extraordinary blessing. But if the organization lacks the systems, personnel, or infrastructure to manage that growth, the gift could unintentionally create new challenges.
A significant contribution could also affect existing fundraising efforts or create ongoing responsibilities the ministry isn't prepared to sustain. That's why Sharon emphasizes that the wisest gift isn't always the largest gift you can make.
Consider what the ministry can realistically accomplish with additional resources. Would a larger contribution accelerate its mission, or would a smaller, more gradual commitment better serve its long-term health?
Generosity should strengthen a ministry's ability to fulfill its mission, not burden it with expectations it cannot reasonably meet.
Start Small and Build a Relationship
If you're considering leaving a substantial gift to a ministry, one practical step is to begin supporting it during your lifetime. Sharon suggests making a smaller contribution as an opportunity to learn more about the organization.
Observe how the ministry communicates with supporters. Does it follow through on its commitments? Does it provide meaningful updates about its work? Are its leaders accessible and willing to answer thoughtful questions?
Over time, these experiences can help you decide whether the ministry is a good fit for a deeper commitment. You may even discover that a particular program or initiative aligns especially well with your priorities.
Building a relationship also creates opportunities for honest conversations about the organization's future needs. Instead of assuming what would be most helpful, you can learn directly from the people doing the work.
Should You Restrict Your Gift?
Another important consideration is whether to designate your gift for a particular purpose or let the ministry decide how best to use it.
A restricted gift directs resources toward a specific program, project, or purpose. This can be helpful when there's a particular aspect of the ministry's work you feel strongly about supporting.
An unrestricted gift, however, gives the organization greater flexibility to meet changing needs and pursue opportunities as they arise.
Sharon points out that unrestricted gifts can be particularly valuable when you've developed confidence in an organization's leadership and mission.
Programs may change over time, especially when you won't receive a gift for years or decades. Giving a trusted ministry flexibility can help ensure that your generosity continues to serve its broader mission even as circumstances evolve.
Neither approach is universally better. The important thing is to communicate with the ministry and understand how your gift can be most useful.
Should You Give Now or Through Your Estate?
When Christians consider leaving a legacy gift, they often assume it must happen after their death. But that isn't necessarily the case.
Longtime financial teacher Ron Blue has frequently encouraged believers to “do their givin’ while they're livin’ so they’re knowin’ where it’s goin’”.
There's wisdom in that approach. Giving during your lifetime lets you see how your resources are used, build deeper relationships with the organizations you support, and participate personally in their work. It also creates opportunities to make adjustments as you learn more about a ministry's needs.
Of course, there's no single right time for every gift.
Some individuals need to preserve resources for retirement, healthcare, family responsibilities, or other anticipated expenses. In those circumstances, a gift through an estate plan may be the wiser option.
Sharon suggests asking one particularly helpful question: Is there a reason this gift should wait?
Sometimes the answer is yes. But rather than assuming all legacy giving must happen after death, it's worth prayerfully considering whether some of those resources could be put to work today.
Make Sure Your Estate Plan Reflects Your Intentions
If you decide to include a ministry in your estate plan, thoughtful planning is essential.
Work with a qualified estate planning attorney and a financial advisor who understands your values and objectives.
Make sure your estate documents and beneficiary designations reflect your intentions. Consider any relevant tax implications and how the charitable gift fits within your broader financial plan.
It's also wise to communicate with the ministry itself, especially when considering a substantial contribution. A healthy organization should welcome the opportunity to understand your priorities and discuss how your gift might support its future work.
Remember, estate planning isn't a one-time event. Your financial circumstances may change. The ministries you support may evolve. Leadership, organizational priorities, and family needs may look different years from now.
Reviewing your plan periodically helps ensure that your intentions remain aligned with your circumstances.
Make Generosity a Shared Decision
For married couples, deciding which ministries to support can introduce another important consideration: What happens when spouses have different passions?
Sharon shares that she and her husband, Joel, support some causes they're equally passionate about, while each also has particular ministries that resonate more deeply with them individually.
That's perfectly healthy. Unity in marriage doesn't require identical interests or equal enthusiasm for every charitable cause.
Instead, couples can prayerfully discuss what they want to support together while also making room for the causes that are particularly meaningful to each spouse. The goal isn't necessarily to arrive at the same passions. It's to reach shared decisions about how to steward their resources faithfully.
Preparing the Next Steward
Ultimately, leaving a gift to a ministry is about more than distributing assets. It's about preparing another steward to carry forward work that matters to you.
That requires prayer, discernment, thoughtful evaluation, and relationships built on trust.
It also invites us to think differently about inheritance. The resources God has entrusted to us can keep serving others long after we're gone, whether through family members, ministries, or both.
The question isn't simply: Who should receive what I've accumulated? It's also: How can these resources continue to reflect my love for God and my neighbor?
And when we approach that question with wisdom and intentionality, our generosity can become part of a legacy that extends well beyond our lifetime.
A Resource to Help You Prepare
FaithFi's newest field guide, How Do I Prepare the Next Steward?, is designed to help you think through these important decisions. It goes beyond the financial aspects of inheritance to explore the character, spiritual, and relational dimensions of preparing those who will receive what you leave behind.
Whether you're considering family members, ministries, or both, this resource can help you approach the process with greater clarity and purpose.
You can order your copy atFaithFi.com/Shop. Bulk discounts are also available for churches, small groups, and others who want to work through these conversations together.
On Today’s Program, Rob Answers Listener Questions:
I have just over $100,000 in a money market, and my advisor recommends a MYGA paying more than 6%. Would that be a good option? If it’s held in my Roth, are the gains taxable, and what should I know about surrender charges and the insurer’s financial rating?
I co-own farmland as tenants in common with two friends, and one may have IRS issues. Could his tax problems affect my ownership interest or the other co-owner?
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