Estate Planning Defined: A Legal & Christian Perspective
Estate Planning Defined: A Legal and Christian Perspective
Written by: Dionne A. Woodson, Esq.
At Kingdom Law, LLC, we believe estate planning is more than just a legal process—it’s a fundamental part of fulfilling God’s divine commission. Whether viewed through a legal or Christian lens, estate planning is essential for ensuring that your wishes are honored, your loved ones are protected, and your legacy reflects your values.
The Legal Perspective: A Strategic Approach
Legally speaking, estate planning can be simply defined as “ a legal strategy, created in advance, to determine the distribution of all that you own, whether tangible or intangible. This strategy is carefully outlined in documents such as Last Wills & Testaments, Trusts, Health Care Directives, and Powers of Attorney.
Simply put, these documents serve as the blueprint for how your assets—everything from property, to relationships to investments to family heirlooms—will be managed and distributed during you life and after your passing. The goal of estate planning to ensure that your wishes are clearly communicated and legally enforceable, minimizing the potential for disputes, and to reduce and/or eliminate costly, public court involvement.
The Christian Perspective: Stewardship and Dominion
At Kingdom Law, LLC, we view estate planning through a Christian lens, as much more than just a collection of legal documents. Rather, the faith-based definition of estate plan is that it is “an earthly tool used to carry out God’s divine commission to all mankind; to take dominion over all that He has given us and to steward it well for His Glory”.
Taking Dominion (Genesis 1:26-28): In the very first book of the Bible, Genesis, the Triune God gave the first man and woman instructions over all He had given them. Specifically, Adam was given the job of affirming and confirming the names of all the living creatures of the Earth. Once his wife, Eve, was created, both beings were given the task to multiply what they had and to take authority over it—to increase, to prosper the land and humanity, and to manage it in a way that aligns with God’s original design and mandate. This is our divine commission, as echoed in Psalm 150:6 and Psalm 66:4, which calls for all creation to praise God. Estate planning allows you to harness your resources in an organized and comprehensive fashion, and to release the benefits of these resources to your loved ones and community, to the praise and Glory of God!
Stewarding God's Gifts (1 Peter 4:9-10): The Apostle Peter wrote these words to the persecuted Christians in Asia Minor, encouraging them to live their entire lives for God's glory. One of the ways he instructed them to do this was to love each other and by using whatever gifts they had been given by God in such a way that all men would look on their actions and know that God is present, alive, able to save, full of unfailing love, and is infinitely good.
This scripture applies to us today! Whether it be a retirement account, clothing, a car, or even how you make provisions for your health, estate planning is an excellent tool to help you show the world just who God is. By creating a comprehensive estate plan, we are acting out our love by making provision for those who will be effected by our incapacity, unavailability and/or death. Moreover, by taking responsibility for these gifts, we are ensuring that all our gifts are used wisely and for the Glory of God, even after we are no longer here.
Why Estate Planning Matters
Estate planning is not just about preparing for the end of life—it’s about living with purpose and intention now. It’s about ensuring that everything you’ve been blessed with is cared for and passed on in a way that aligns with both legal standards and God’s will.
Let me be clear: the key praise is “everything you’ve been blessed with”. God does not call some to care for what the world deems as valuable. Rather, He unequivocally commanded that all gifts are used for His glory. So choosing not to create an estate plan based off the belief “I don’t have anything of value” is false and contrary to God’s view. All that He’s given you has value because HE gave it to you! All that God has created He called good (Genesis 1:31). Therefore, if all you have is your body, a reasonable portion of health and sound mind— God calls it a good gift from Him to you! (James 1: 17). Since it is a gift, you are commanded to take authority over it and to steward it well.
At Kingdom Law, LLC, we help individuals and families create estate plans that reflect their values, honor their faith, and provide peace of mind. Whether you’re looking to protect your family, support your community to leave a legacy that glorifies God, estate planning is the key to making that happen.
Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you create a comprehensive estate plan that serves both your legal needs and your spiritual goals. Together, we can ensure that your estate is a testament to your faith and a blessing to those you leave behind. Let’s Secure your legacy, guided by faith in Jesus Christ!
email: dionne@kingdomlawllc.com
phone: 667-295-5018
