Ministry

Ministry Message

Unless you assume a God, the question of life’s purpose is meaningless. Bertrand Russell

For everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible and invisible…everything got started in Him and finds purpose in Him. Colossians 1:16

This term at Endeavour College we are committed to explore this idea of living purposely.  

One of the most common expressions we all use is “I’m busy”.  Often, this term, busy, becomes a synonym for living.  As if, I’m busy then I’m alive. But even then, is there a purpose to my busyness? Do I live purposefully, intentionally or I’m just reacting to what life demands from me? Let me suggest that just being busy is not a credible indicator of living a meaningful and purposeful life. What is then?

Rick Warren, in his book Purpose Driven Life says:  "The search for purpose of life has puzzled people for thousands of years. That’s because we typically begin at the wrong starting point- it is ourselves. We ask self-centered questions like: what do I want to be? What should I do with my life? What are my goals, ambitions, dreams? But paradoxically, the Bible teaches us that focusing on yourselves will never reveal your true-life purpose. That’s because the purpose of your life is far greater than your own personal fulfilment, your peace of mind, or even your happiness. It is far greater than your family, career and ambition. If you want to know why you were placed on this planet, you must begin with God”.

There are many books suggesting ways to discover ones life's purpose. Most of them could be classified as self-help books because they approach the subject from a self-centred viewpoints. Self-help books usually offer the same predictable steps to find ones life's purpose. It could be consider your dreams, clarify your values, set some goals, figure out what you are good at. Of course, these are good questions and they can help you in becoming successful in life, to reach your goals.  But let me suggest, that being successful and fulfilling your life's purpose are not the same things. You could reach all of your personal goals, and still miss the purpose for which God created you.

You need more than a self-help books for it.  You need God to find your purpose. Think about this. If you were to accept that you were not an accident, you need to accept that you were created. And since you didn’t create yourself, there is no way you can tell yourself what you were created for. Only your creator can tell you this!

Andrei Bitov, a Russian novelist who grew up under an atheistic communist regime, recalls  “in my twenty-seventh year, while riding a metro in Petersburg, I was once overcome with a despair so great that life seemed to stop at once, pre-empting the future entirely, let alone any meaning. Suddenly, all by itself, a phrase appeared: Without God life makes no sense. Repeating it in astonishment, I rode the phrase up like a moving staircase, got out of the metro and walked into God’s light”.

You might have felt in the dark about your purpose in life. ….if you do, you might be in the best possible place, it might lead you to the same place the darkness led Bitov. It might lead you to walk in the light.  I wish you this with all my heart.

Charlie Tatera

College Chaplain

Youth Events

Golden Grove Lutheran Youth

Year 7 – 12,  7.15pm–9.30 pm

Golden Grove Lutheran Church, Corner of Richardson and Sunnybrook Drive, Wynn Vale

Continuing a journey, games, meet new friends and connect with Jesus

Friday 2 August: Games night,  World record breaker

Saturday 10 August : Fishing trip.  We will be joining the Golden Grove Amateur Fishing club at their fishing trip down at Mannum.

Friday 16 August: Get Real

Friday 30 August: Games night, Not so secret agent

Friday 13 September: Get Real

Friday 27 September : Games night, Beat the professional

$4.00 for the game night, $1.00 soft drinks

Website: http://www.gglc.org.au   Facebook/Instagram: gglcyouth   email address (youth@gglc.org.au)  

Contact Paul Voigt  0475 218 447