What Is a Will?
A will is a legal document that provides the manner in which a person's property may be distributed when he or she dies. The laws of each state provide how a will must be made. A Christian will is one prepared with the awareness that God is the creator and owner of all material possessions, and that each man and woman is a steward of God's gifts. With this awareness, a bequest is included for Christian causes.

Why Make a Will?
As a Christian, a will is a direct way to embrace your own mortality and witness to your faith. A will is a way to contribute to and care for your own family and the causes you believe in. Without a will, at your death, the assets of your estate will be distributed according to a rigid statutory code which gives no consideration to your personal wishes.

No other arrangements, such as joint ownership of property and bank accounts, can completely take the place of a will; and wills drafted without the benefit of legal advice can be insufficient in a court of law. The attorney is the specialist in wills and his or her counsel should be sought. The Georgia Baptist Foundation assists and advises individuals in the making of Christian wills, but does not render legal services. In thoughtful preparation of your will, you will be able to:

• Make certain your wishes are followed.
• Reduce the possibility of misunderstanding among heirs.
• Name the guardian of your minor children.
• Say who will have charge of handling your estate.
• Save money.
• Perpetuate your Christian influence through gifts to Baptist causes.

Keeping Your Will Current
A will is a developing document until your death. It reflects significant changes in your own life and requires critical revision periodically. A will should be regularly reviewed every two or three years and should be immediately reviewed when:

• Marital status changes.
• Children or grandchildren are born or adopted.
• A beneficiary has died.
• You have moved to a different state.
• Taxes and state laws governing wills, trusts, and charitable gifts are revised.
• Your financial situation has markedly changed.

Suggested Terminology for Bequests through a Christian Will
When You Have Specific Baptist Cause(s) in Mind:
"I give, bequeath, and devise (the amount in dollars, the legal description of real estate, the number of shares of stock, _____% of the residue and remainder of my estate, etc.) to Georgia Baptist Foundation, Inc., a religious, non-profit corporation now domiciled in DeKalb County, Georgia, in trust in perpetuity, for the following uses and trusts:

Said Foundation shall pay out the net income therefrom at least annually to the following:
A._____________________ ______ %
B._____________________ ______ %"
(If more than one Baptist cause is to receive the income, indicate the percentage assigned to each cause.)

When You Have No Specific Baptist Cause(s) in Mind:
"I give, bequeath, and devise ________________ to Georgia Baptist Foundation, Inc., a religious, non-profit corporation now domiciled in DeKalb County, Georgia, in trust in perpetuity, with the net income therefrom to be disbursed by the trustees thereof, in their sole discretion."

When the Foundation Is to be Trustee for the Residue of Estate after Debts and Distributions Made to Relatives and/or Others:
"I give, bequeath, and devise all the rest, residue, and remainder of my estate to Georgia Baptist Foundation, Inc., a religious, non-profit corporation now domiciled in DeKalb County, Georgia, in trust in perpetuity, for the following uses and trusts."