The Chalcedon Signature: "Conquering Culture for Christ" (Part 3)

SIGNATURE [Fr. From L. signo, to sign]: A distinctive identifying feature of the work of a particular entity.

CHALCEDON [kal see don, established 1964]: A Christian ministry working for godly cultural change across the entire spectrum of life.

Conquering Culture for Christ, that is our "The Chalcedon Signature," a distinctive identifying feature of Chalcedon's ministry. Scripture's mandate and Chalcedon's stated purpose require the perpetuation of that signature in the way of a continual conquering of culture for Christ.

Where There Is A Will, There Is A ________?
You've heard it said, "Where there is a will, there is a way." I propose this: "Where there is a will, there is a BETTER way."

My father was a godly, conservative Mid-western farmer. He was of the old school encouraging hard work, long hours, thrift, and tithing. He had hardly started his farming career when the great depression challenged our nation's economy. He was an independent thinker. Being a strong advocate of self-support, he would never accept a government subsidy. He and his family worked hard and of necessity lived frugally for a couple of decades before there was any measure of economic ease for the family. That background shaped him into a man of caution regarding financial instruments.

Because of that background, several years of attempted persuasion by my brother and me fell on deaf ears as we tried to persuade him to establish a living trust. His usual response was in the order of, "But I have a will. That is all I need." It was a voice from outside his family, the voice of his banker one day asking him, "Mr. Stover, do you have a living trust?" that finally caught his attention. My brother placed our Father in contact with a credible and knowledgeable Christian attorney who designed a living trust for our father.

He was then past eighty years of age. He almost waited too long. But he did take the necessary action. When he and my mother went to be with their Lord, it took my brother and me only a few hours around the kitchen table to settle the estate. True, it wasn't a large estate, but the benefits of proper planning affect every estate, large or small. Because of the living trust, there were none of the usually large attorney fees, no probate costs, no waiting, no public disclosure of family assets which there would have been had there been only a will. Where there is only a will, the cost of probate procedures can consume a significant portion of an estate and delay transfer of assets to heirs for many, many months. My Father's living trust made assets immediately available to us. Yes, my Father previously had a will, but the living trust was a better way, and is one of several financial instruments available for fast, safe, equitable, wealth transfer done in a way that preserves family wealth.

We encourage every covenant head of household, regardless of age, regardless of the size of your estate, to seek credible professional assistance regarding a tailor-made plan for the securing of your assets for transfer to your heirs. Do it now. Do it without waiting. Godly stewardship demands it.

And please, do consider including Chalcedon in the distribution of your estate.

Yes, where there is a will there is a better way.

We solicit your participation in this great work. Include Chalcedon as you and your family plan your financial future. There are a variety of financial instruments, one of which is just right for you, instruments that allow the maximum preservation of your assets.

Family Wealth Counseling is available for qualified applicants. Contact Rev. C. L. "Smoky" Stover at (209) 551-1073 or [email protected].