Bill and Janis Bischoff have been blessed with faith, financial resources, and good health for their entire lives. Bill's paternal and maternal ancestors, who immigrated to the United States from Germany in the 1840s and settled in the Fort Wayne area, were instrumental in forming Lutheran congregations that became early members of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS). Janis' ancestors immigrated to the United States from England and settled in the Texas Panhandle. Both families are strong Christian families to this day. Bill is a retired certified public accountant (CPA) and chief financial officer (CFO), and Janis is a retired schoolteacher.

From his time as a CPA and CFO, Bill understood the value of leveraging an IRA to make gifts to ministry once he reached the age of 72. Using a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) from an IRA, Bill and Janis were able to realize no additional income from a Required Minimum Distribution (RMD), make a gift to ministry and fully benefit from their standard deduction.

Bill and Janis believe that supporting ministry goes beyond donating to their immediate congregation. It should include support for capital campaigns for churches, Christian schools and the health and welfare of those in need. Recognized Service Organizations (RSO) of the LCMS provide excellent opportunities. For Bill and Janis, Lutheran education is very important in these times. As Proverbs 22:6 encourages, "Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it." [Give back]