The Franson Fellowship

Catherine and Tom

TEAM Retiree Couple Finds a Win-Win

Retired TEAM office worker Catherine* and her husband, Tom* know the win-win benefits of a TEAM gift annuity. In 1999, Catherine’s brother funded a gift annuity as a way to provide secure income for her during retirement. Later, Catherine and Tom funded two additional gift annuities.

Now in their 90’s, they recently used funds from a matured Certificate of Deposit (CD) to establish a fourth gift annuity at a rate of 8.4% that will provide fixed payments for the rest of their lives. Thirty-five years after Catherine’s retirement from TEAM, the couple also continues to support TEAM global workers.

Catherine and Tom are thrilled that whatever remains in their four gift annuities after their lives will stay with TEAM to impact future generations for Christ.

*names have been changed

Doug and Jane Batchelder

‘We Want to Make Sure TEAM’s Mission Continues’

“We want to continue our Kingdom impact even after we’ve been ‘promoted’ to heaven,” Doug Batchelder says. That’s why he and his wife, Jane, chose to put TEAM in their will.

The couple first learned about TEAM while Doug was pastoring a church. The congregation sent two couples to the mission field through TEAM — one to Japan, the other to South Africa. As Doug got to know the two couples, he also got to know TEAM and its disciple-making mission.

As Doug and Jane considered their legacy, it was a natural step to make TEAM a beneficiary of their will. “We love the mission of TEAM and value how it has stayed true to the Gospel over its long history,” Doug says. “We want to make sure that the mission continues!”

John and Shirley Bennett

An Avenue of Service to God

For John and Shirley Bennett, TEAM was not only their “avenue of service to God,” as Shirley says, but also how the Lord brought them together. Both served cross-culturally in TEAM before taking assignments in TEAM’s Wheaton, Illinois office where they met for the first time. The couple married in 1975 and continued to serve through TEAM in various capacities for many years.

The Bennetts included TEAM in their will when they first married and never wavered in that conviction. “TEAM’s priority is to share God’s Word worldwide,” says Shirley. “Whether involved in medical, education, church planting or other means, we are commanded to ‘go into all the world and preach the Gospel.’”

“Anyone who is planning to give to TEAM can be assured that their gift will be used judiciously, wisely, and frugally,” Shirley says.

John and Judy Nicely

All-In for God’s Work through TEAM

John and Judy Nicely have been “all-in” with God’s Work through TEAM since they entered the mission field in 1989. The couple shares that their many years with TEAM, both in the field as well as in the home office, have given evidence of the organization’s unwavering commitment to its mission to send disciples who make disciples and establish missional churches to the glory of God.

“TEAM has shown itself to be flexible and adaptable,” says John. “TEAM does a good job of trying to strike the balance between new and innovative, but at the same time, remembering the lessons that we learned from history.”

When it came to considering an estate gift to TEAM, John says, “To us, it was a no-brainer. We’re all-in with TEAM. We left our careers, our family, and our home to be all-in with TEAM. Why not part of our will, too? To me, the question is, why wouldn’t we do this?”

Doug and Laura Snyder

A Legacy of Loyalty

Doug and Laura Snyder have a passion for the next generation of Kingdom workers. Their work with TEAM began as global workers in central Asia and continued when they returned to the U.S. The Snyders often share about God’s work among Muslims and encourage young people to see their responsibility to share Christ with others.

One example of the fruit borne from these efforts occurred when Doug and Laura made a return visit to central Asia. A student approached Doug and said, “I know you. You and your wife talked about Muslims in my class at Wheaton College. I’m here because of you.”

It’s this type of legacy that prompted the Snyders to include TEAM in their will. “Legacy and loyalty go hand in hand,” Doug explains. “TEAM has helped us to exercise our gifts in serving for many years. We want others to have the same opportunity.”

Is Your Story Next?

Leave Your Own Legacy

Did you know there are creative ways to support TEAM? Ways in which TEAM, you and your loved ones all benefit at the same time? Such giving techniques are called “planned gifts”, because with thoughtful planning, you create win-win solutions for you and TEAM. There are a variety of ways you can give,

 •  Name TEAM in Your Will or Trust

 •  Beneficiary designation in an investment or retirement account

 •  Charitable Gift Annuity

Not sure how to get started or need some help updating your estate plans? Request a free Estate Planning Guide and Will Starter Kit by emailing jeanne.conder@team.org.