Oklahoma Disciples Foundation

09/05/2026

Building What’s Next: A Gift That Keeps Working

Last week, we shared the story of Richard and Peggy Ziglar and their desire to help the ministries they care about continue for the long term.

Their story also illustrates an important point about endowments: a gift made today can keep working for years to come.

Richard and Peggy established their endowment in 2008 with a little more than $5,000. Additions to the endowment continued over the years. Additionally, annual distributions were reinvested, allowing the fund to continue growing. By the end of 2025, the fund had grown to more than $97,000.

In 2015, the ODF Board Cloud of Witnesses Endowment was established with $30,750. Additional gifts over the years brought total contributions to about $53,000. During that period, the endowment distributed more than $20,000 to support ministry through ODF grants and still ended 2025 with a value of more than $82,000.

But there isn't just one way an endowment can grow. The Ziglar Endowment and the ODF Board Cloud of Witnesses Endowment also benefited from the Howard matching funds program implemented by ODF in 2015. Only 18 organizations applied for matching funds during that time. Think of the possibilities you or your church could have if you developed a matching funds program to establish an endowment or add to an existing endowment.

Sometimes, there’s more to the story.

When University Place Christian Church in Oklahoma City closed, it established endowments to continue supporting ministries important to the congregation. One of those funds, established in 1993 with $160,000, supports Twin Cedars Camp (formerly Central Oklahoma Christian Camp). No additional gifts have been made to that endowment.

More than three decades later, that fund has distributed more than $322,000 and still holds more than $308,000 to support ministry in the years ahead. That is the purpose of an endowment – to put resources to work for ministry today while helping provide for ministry tomorrow.

An endowment can begin with a modest gift ($10,000) and grow through additional generosity. It can also grow through reinvestment. Or it can begin with a single gift that continues to serve for generations.

The important part is asking the question: What ministry matters enough to me that I can do something today to guarantee it receives funding for years to come?

The Oklahoma Disciples Foundation is here to support you and your desire to support tomorrow’s ministries.

Because building what's next is easier when we build it together.

08/29/2026

Building What’s Next: Faithful to the Calling

For Richard and Peggy Ziglar, Tulsa, OK, stewardship has never been a single decision. It has been a lifetime of learning from faithful people, giving generously, and supporting the ministries that have shaped their lives.

Richard's relationship with Christmount Christian Assembly in Black Mountain, NC, began when he was a college student attending one of its first youth events. Worship was held in an old three-sided barn. Later came overnight stays in primitive cabins, directing CYF conferences, and eventually bringing Richard and Peggy's own family to Christmount as they traveled between Texas and North Carolina.

Over the decades, Christmount became much more than a place they visited. After retiring from his pastoral role at First Christian Church, Tulsa, Richard became involved in Christmount’s leadership and continues to serve on its council today. The place has become such an integral part of their story that Richard and Peggy have chosen Christmount as their final resting place.

That lifelong relationship eventually led them to another question: How could they ensure that Christmount's ministry would continue after them?

Through an endowment at the Oklahoma Disciples Foundation and their long-term charitable plans, Richard and Peggy are helping provide resources not only to preserve Christmount but also to make future ministry possible.

One example especially close to their hearts at Christmount is Camp Lakey Gap, which serves children and adults with autism. Peggy remembers a time when the program's funding was threatened, and camp leadership simply said, "We're not giving this up." The ministry continued because people believed it mattered.

Today, Peggy says that reading letters from parents describing what the camp has meant to their children and even the opportunity it gives caregivers to step away from their responsibilities for a few days “brings tears to your eyes.”

Richard hopes ministries like Camp Lakey Gap will continue to grow, but he also hopes Christmount will be able to pursue new ministries "beyond our comprehension."

Their understanding of stewardship began long before there were endowments or estate plans. Richard remembers his parents giving him money to put in the church offering. When he began earning his own money, giving became part of his practice. Over the years, Richard and Peggy have supported churches, theological education, scholarships, and other ministries that mattered to them.

They also remember the faithful people whose generosity made their own education possible and whose examples helped shape their approach to stewardship.

"We've had a lot of great people who were examples of good stewards," Richard said, "and we tried to follow in their footsteps."

Now they hope their children and grandchildren see that same example and, in Richard's words, someday "do likewise"

Perhaps that's what makes a legacy last. Someone's faithfulness helped Richard and Peggy. Their faithfulness will help someone else. And someday, people they will never know may experience a ministry that exists because they cared enough to make its future possible.

Asked how he hopes his own life and legacy will be remembered, Richard returned to words that have guided his ministry:

"Well done, good and faithful servant."

A lasting legacy doesn't begin with an estate plan. It begins with deciding what matters enough to carry it forward.

Because building what's next is easier when we build it together.

08/22/2026

Building What’s Next: A Legacy That Stays Home

The ministries that shape our lives are often close to home.

They are the congregation that welcomed us, the camp where faith became personal, the scholarship that opened a door, or the ministry that cared for our neighbors when help was needed most.

For many people, legacy planning is an opportunity to make sure those ministries remain strong for the next generation.

A charitable gift through an estate plan can extend a lifetime of stewardship beyond our own years. It can strengthen a local congregation, support a favorite ministry, create an endowment, or provide resources for work that has mattered deeply to us.

At the Oklahoma Disciples Foundation, we help individuals and families explore ways their legacy can continue serving the people and ministries they love. The details will look different for everyone, but the starting point is simple: What do you hope will continue because you cared?

A faithful legacy does more than remember the past. It helps make ministry possible for those who come next.

Because building what’s next begins with caring for what matters most.

08/15/2026

Building What's Next: Creating Your Legacy

August is National Make a Will Month—a great reminder to take an important step toward protecting the people and things that matter most to you.

A will allows you to communicate your wishes for how your property and assets should be handled, name the people you want to benefit from your estate, and designate guardians for minor children when appropriate. Without a will, state law—not you—may determine how certain assets are distributed.

The Oklahoma Disciples Foundation can help you get started. The Gift Planning page on our website provides videos and detailed information including a free Wills Planner template to guide you through the information and decisions you may want to consider as you prepare to create or update your will. These resources can help you organize your thoughts, identify the people and organizations you would like to remember, and prepare for a conversation with your attorney or other estate-planning professional. You can also complete your personal plan in the comfort of your own home by creating a personal login account that only you can access.

Whether you are creating your first will or reviewing an existing one, August is the perfect time to take action.

Make your wishes known. Plan today for tomorrow. Contact the Oklahoma Disciples Foundation to learn more about the Wills Planner and how to include the ministries and missions that are important to you in your plan.

08/08/2026

Building What’s Next: A Legacy That Lasts

A lifetime of faithfulness leaves a lasting mark.

It can be seen in families shaped by love, congregations strengthened through service, and ministries that continue because someone cared enough to plan for their future.

Legacy planning is not about what we leave behind. It is an opportunity to reflect on the values that guided our lives. A thoughtful plan can care for loved ones while also supporting a congregation, camp, scholarship, or ministry that helped shape our faith.

Every legacy looks different. It may mean establishing an endowment, gifting a specific ministry in an estate plan or creating a gift that continues serving others for generations.

The Oklahoma Disciples Foundation walks alongside individuals, families, and congregations as they consider how their resources can continue to express their faith and support the ministries they cherish.

The question is not only, “What will I leave?” It is also, “What ministry do I hope will continue to grow because I was here?”

Because building what’s next is easier when we build it together.

08/01/2026

Building What's Next: You're Not Alone

Every congregation eventually faces questions it has never had to answer before.

Sometimes those questions are about ministry. Other times, they're about finances, facilities, technology, or planning for the future. As communities change and new opportunities emerge, church leaders are sometimes asked to navigate situations no one anticipated a generation ago.

Remember the pandemic of 2020? Change happened quickly. Churches today are still adapting to shifts in technology, streaming services, and new ways of providing for their congregations. We are here to help.

Our role is to join with congregations and individuals as trusted partners. Sometimes that means helping a church explore faithful stewardship or establish an endowment for the future. Sometimes it means answering questions about legacy planning or offering options for fund management. Or just a helping hand to solve a practical problem so a congregation can stay focused on ministry.

Every church's story is different, and every challenge is unique. We are in this together.

Whatever questions your church is asking today, we are here to listen, share what we've learned, and walk alongside you to discern the next faithful step.

Because building what's next is easier when we build it together. “Together We Touch Lives.”

07/25/2026

Building What's Next: Strength for the Future

Every congregation hopes the ministry it nurtures today will continue to bless others tomorrow. Preparing for that future isn't about predicting what lies ahead—it's about faithfully stewarding the resources God has already provided.

Strong churches are built on more than annual budgets. They are strengthened by thoughtful planning that sustains ministry through changing seasons. Endowment funds, custodial funds, and other long-term resources help congregations stay focused on their mission while providing future stability.

The Oklahoma Disciples Foundation partners with congregations considering these opportunities. We provide guidance, educational resources, and trusted local custodial fund services to help churches care for the gifts entrusted to them. Every congregation's path is different. Our role is to walk alongside churches as they discern what faithful stewardship means for their ministry.

The future will bring new challenges. It also offers new opportunities to serve. Faithful stewardship today helps ensure that ministry endures for generations to come, in congregations, through endowments, and in the lives of those who choose to leave a lasting legacy of faith.

Because building what's next is easier when we build it together.

07/18/2026

Building What's Next: You Are Not Alone

Every congregation experiences seasons of change. Sometimes the questions are exciting. Sometimes they're difficult. More often than not, they're a mix of both.

As churches prayerfully discern their next faithful step, it's easy to feel they have to find the answers on their own. The good news is, they don't.

For decades, the Oklahoma Disciples Foundation has had the privilege of walking alongside congregations across Oklahoma. Every church's journey is unique, and every decision belongs to the congregation. Our role is to listen, answer questions, connect churches with helpful resources, and provide tools that support faithful stewardship along the way.

For some churches, that means establishing an endowment to strengthen ministry for generations to come. For others, it may mean investment management, grant opportunities, or simply having someone to help explore available options. Whatever the circumstances, our commitment remains the same: to be a trusted partner as congregations seek God's direction for the future.

One of the most reassuring truths we can offer is this: your congregation is not the first to ask these questions, and you don't have to ask them alone. Others have walked this path before, and wisdom, experience, and support are available when you need them.

Because building what's next is easier when we build it together.

07/11/2026

Building What's Next: Faithful Discernment

Every congregation reaches moments when it must ask difficult questions. Communities change. Membership changes. Buildings age. Financial realities shift. While these challenges can feel overwhelming, they also present an opportunity to faithfully discern what God is calling the church to become.

Faithful stewardship is about more than preserving the past. It is about prayerfully considering how the resources entrusted to today's congregation can continue supporting ministry for generations to come.

We believe every church has a future. The Foundation, in partnership with the Region, can provide churches with resources, guidance, and encouragement. Whether through grant opportunities, investment management, endowment planning, or educational seminars, we walk alongside churches as they consider their next faithful step.

Over the next several weeks, we'll explore some of the ways ODF partners with congregations to strengthen ministry, build financial resilience, and create lasting legacies. We'll also begin expanding our website with practical resources, articles, and trusted links for churches as they prayerfully discern their next faithful step.

Because building what's next begins with faithfully discerning where God is leading today.

07/04/2026

This Is What Ministry Looks Like: What We Pass On

As we celebrate Independence Day, we give thanks for the freedoms, opportunities, and responsibilities we share as citizens. It is a day to remember those who came before us, those who sacrificed, and ways each generation helps shape the future.

Over the past several weeks, we've shared stories about ministries made possible by the Oklahoma Disciples Foundation Grants Program. We've seen food shared with neighbors, communion delivered to homebound members, faith sparked at church camp, and opportunities created for children, youth, and adults to learn, grow, and lead.

While every ministry is different, they all share one thing in common: someone chose to invest in the future.

The endowments supporting these ministries were established by faithful people who believed their gifts could continue serving long after they were gone. Today, those gifts continue to change lives across Oklahoma.

As we close this series, we're reminded that legacy isn't just about what we leave behind. It's about what we make possible for those who come after us.

In the weeks ahead, we'll begin exploring another important question: How do today's congregations faithfully steward the resources entrusted to them while discerning what God is calling them to build next?

This is what ministry looks like.

To learn more about ODF endowments and the ministries they support, visit our endowments page.

Tax-deductible endowment contributions, large or small, are combined into the Named Endowments pool. It is invested to provide maximum earnings, while protecting the principal against inflation. The pool has grown to over $43MM since the inception of the Foundation. Earnings are allocated to each fu...