Bill High, Legacy Advisor and Founder of the Signatry, on the Purpose of Family Legacy (Ep. 103)

The Finish Line Podcast

Bill High was brought up in a low-income family in rural Missouri and came to know Jesus at a young age. His generosity journey began as a teenager, faithfully tithing on everything he earned. Bill started the first half of his career in law before leaving to launch what would later become The Signatry, a donor-advised fund platform that connects “donors with doers” tackling some of the world’s biggest problems.

Through his work with The Signatry, Bill developed a passion for seeing individual families united by a clear and driving mission and vision that reflects God’s particular calling for them. In recent years, Bill has focused much of his efforts on consulting for and guiding families stewarding wealth through some of these considerations, and he had many practical considerations to share.

Major topics include:

• His personal and faith background
• Bill’s professional path from practicing law to funding urban ministry
• How God started planting seeds of generosity in his heart as a child
• What he learned about encouraging generosity in individuals and families
• Looking biblically and practically at dealing with wealth transfers and family legacies
• The importance of defining your vision, mission, and values as a family
• Guidance for families looking for a cause that aligns with their values

QUOTES TO REMEMBER

• “We wanted to write the last check to reach the last missionary group to take the gospel to the last unreached people group.”
• “Generosity was just a part of the conversation.”
• “Family is meant to be a multi-generational endeavor.”
• “Family generosity is the easiest way to live our vision, mission, and values.”
• “Sometimes I equate this finish line idea with ‘who’s the owner, you or God?”
• “The number one thing that changed people’s generosity, typically, is when they understood the generosity of God along with the idea that God was the owner and they were not.”
• “If you don’t teach generational values, you get generational drift. ”
• “The biggest wealth transfer issue is to not transfer wealth consumption, but to transfer wealth creation.”

LINKS FROM THE SHOW

• The Signatry (see our interview with CEO, Steve French)
• Bill High’s Website
• Legacy Stone
• The Generosity Bet by Bill High
• National Christian Foundation (see our interview with President Emeritus, David Wills)
• Ronald Blue and Co., CPA (see our interview with founder, Ron Blue)
• The Ten Second Rule by Clare De Graaf
• Young Americans Bank
• Contact Bill High at [e-mail]
• The Finish Line Community Facebook Group
• The Finish Line Community LinkedIn Group

BIBLE REFERENCES FROM THE SHOW

Proverbs 24:3-4 | Wisdom Builds a House

By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established; by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches.

Genesis 15:5 | Like the Stars in Heaven

And he brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”

Matthew 6:3 | Humility in Giving

But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,

Psalm 78:5-7 | Generational Faith

He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers to teach to their children, that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children, so that they should set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments;
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