A Pioneer’s Legacy of Financial Discipleship – the 2020 Frontier Bill Deaton 1929- 2020
STEVE NICHOLS
Director of Gift Planning ARP Foundation
planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.” Paul likely means Apollos watered the seed of the Gospel that he had planted, and in a discipleship role nurtured the Gospel in the hearts of the Corinthians with credit of their Spiritual growth going to the Father. This is the financial discipleship role Bill Deaton performed in the Bower’s lives – a ministry of teaching, encouraging and professional guidance in personal finance. Bill Deaton’s ministry with the Bowers (and many others in the ARPC) benefited their
ing nearly a million dollars in checks! Gift checks were then written to support every ARP Agency. I had only been the Direc- tor of Gift Planning with the ARP Founda- tion for a couple months at the time, but I had the privilege of seeing the result of Bill Deaton’s pioneering work in estate design over a decade before. Equally astounding, the next year we received another delivery with similar amounts: $1.9 million in total distributed from a single gift from the estate of Sonny and Spooky Bowers in Lancaster, SC. – funds that supported local ministry of the Church, plus establishing and building endowments for Agencies that are benefit- ing from stabile income into their budgets year after year. The planter’s role in the Bowers lives
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was critical: Dr. Roy Beckham, their pas- tor in the Lancaster ARP church related his conversation with Sonny on the lot of his Dodge dealership: “Pastor, I’ve done pretty well here and I’d like to do something spe- cial for the Lord, what do you do suggest?” Pastor Beckham said, “I don’t know, but let’s call the Planned Giving guy at the ARP Foundation!” That was Bill Deaton who was able to come alongside the Bowers with Dr. Beckham’s encouragement and use his pro- fessional skills in planned giving as a bank trust officer to construct a charitable plan that provided for the Bower’s family during the rest of their lives, and leave the balance -- 100% of their estate to ministry -- with 0% tax consequence! My predecessor’s work was a living il- lustration of I Corinthians 3:6 (ESV): “I
ate one Friday summer afternoon in 2012 a FedEx truck delivered an enve- lope to the ARP Foundation contain-
family with a plan for provision during their lives and that accomplished their ministry intent because it is a Spiritual process. This was not a transactional gift that many (competent) secu- lar financial service people could have performed, nor was it some clever emotional appeal to a great cause. Rather, Pastor Beckham and Bill Deaton shepherded the Bowers through a financial discipleship process that cultivated their hearts as believers with a joyful and willing desire to support Kingdom priorities. No doubt to make these commitments, Sonny Bowers understood the Lord as the owner of his assets, and he was His steward. Bill Deaton pioneered the discipleship approach for the ARP Foundation to continue serv-
ing families through establishing or updating their Wills or Trusts. Because it is a spiritual process of Faith, everyone, not just “rich” people, can provide for their families and make current gifts of assets and gifts of net worth from their estate for Kingdom Impact: systems, services and professional support staff are in place to serve members of the ARPC family. Bill Deaton “cleared the land and tilled the soil” that allows us the opportunity for impact through gift and estate planning even “for such a time as this” Esther 4:14.?
Please visit the ARP Foundation website (
www.thearpfoundation.org) for an overview
of the no-cost services available to members of the ARPC and customized programs for ARP churches. Or you are welcome to contact me directly: Steve Nichols, Director of Gift Plan- ning;
snichols@arpsynod.org; 918 S. Pleasantburg Drive, Greenville, SC 29607 864.232.8298 ext. 250 Cell: 720.218.3786
Bill Deaton, 91, passed away on September 11, 2020 from COVID-19 complications.
Born in Statesville, NC in 1929, the son of Frank and McBride Al- exander Deaton, Bill grew up in the 1st ARP Church. A graduate of Statesville High, he attended the Citadel for one year, and then received his appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy graduating in 1952. Upon graduation he was commissioned in the U.S. Air Force. Bill served on active duty for 4 years in Korea and Japan. He con- cluded his military service as a Lt. Colonel in the Air Force.
Bill became a member of Tabernacle A.R.P. Church in 1958, and has served as a Deacon, Elder, and Clerk of Session on numerous occasions. He had been a Sun- day School teacher and Elder for 54 years at Tabernacle, Craig Avenue Tabernacle, and now King’s Cross Church. In 1966 he worked with the ARP Denomination Finance Committee leaders on the formation of the ARP Foundation. He served as an appointed member of the Board of the ARP Foundation, Inc., and afterwards in 1973 was named Comptroller. In 1988, Bill was employed as Executive Director of the Foundation. Under his leadership the Founda- tion raised $1.7 million dollars. He stepped down as Director on December 31, 2002, after 36 years of service to the Foundation. He served as Vice Moderator of the General Synod in 1968, and at the age of 39, as Moderator of the General Synod in 1969. He served as Moderator of 1st Presbytery in 1981, 1993, 2011, and 2012.
Bill is survived by his wife of 59 years, Aleene. Stewardship Resources for the Kingdom November/December 2020 13
ARP Foundation
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