San Diego County Estate Planning Lawyer Mark Ignacio Can Help You Appoint a Guardian Who Shares Your Christian Faith
The Bible places a heavy emphasis on raising children to know and follow Christ from a young age. Proverbs 22:6 tells us, "Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old, he will not depart from it." As parents, we strive to lay a strong spiritual foundation by teaching our kids about Jesus' love—modeling Christian values, instilling biblical principles, and establishing practices like regular church attendance, prayer, and Scripture reading.
If you were to pass away while your children are still young, who would take over this all-important spiritual training? A guardian who shares your faith and is actively living out their Christian beliefs can ensure the continuity of your child's spiritual upbringing and development. At Mark Ignacio Law, we help parents of minor children select guardians who share their Christian faith as part of the estate planning process.
How Guardianship Works in California
In California, parents can nominate a guardian for their minor children by making the designation their will. This nomination expresses the parents' preference for who should be appointed as guardian. However, the person nominated must still be officially appointed as guardian by the court after the parents' death or incapacitation. The court will give preference to the parents' nominated guardian, but that person must still meet the legal requirements and it's ultimately up to the court's discretion on who to appoint.
You can strengthen the case for your chosen guardian by carefully documenting your reasons, values, and instructions in a letter of intent or personal statement attached to your will. Providing this context helps illustrate why your nominated guardian is a good fit based on your wishes and principles.
Assessing a Potential Guardian's Commitment to Christ
As you evaluate possible guardians for your children, you'll want to start by looking at their personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Are they a believer with a committed, growing faith? Do they have an active devotional life and a strong commitment to Christian disciplines like prayer, Bible study, fellowship, and service?
You'll also want to look at their values, priorities, and lifestyle to ensure they align with yours as a Christian parent. Do they share your convictions about moral issues? Are they actively involved in a Bible-believing church? Will they model Christ-like character and reinforce the biblical principles you've worked to instill in your kids?
If your potential guardian has children of their own, look at how their faith affects their parenting. Are they being intentional about their kids' spiritual training? Do their children seem to be developing a sincere faith and heart for the Lord?
Obviously, none of us are perfect. However, your goal should be to choose a person or couple who is willing and able to share a strong, authentic Christian faith with your children.
Other Factors to Consider When Choosing a Guardian for Your Children
In addition to sharing your Christian faith, there are several other factors you'll want to consider as you evaluate potential guardians for your children. For example:
-
- Willingness and ability to serve as guardians until your children reach adulthood
- A close, loving relationship with your children
- Close proximity that will minimize further uprooting and enable continued relationships with family and friends
- Similar philosophies about parenting, discipline, education, etc.
- The financial ability to care for your children without struggling under the burden
- Overall stability, maturity, health, and life situation
Consulting Members of Your Church Community Can Be Helpful
As you weigh your options for a guardian, you may want to consider bringing other trusted Christian counselors into the process. Your pastor or other spiritual mentors may have insight into factors you haven’t considered.
You may also want to have conversations with the person or couple you are considering to discuss your hopes, expectations, and vision for how your child would be raised in the faith. Be transparent about why this is a priority for your family and ask thoughtful questions to discern if they are truly well-equipped for this critically important role.