The Goal of Ministry

According to the Westminster Shorter Catechism, the chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. I agree. My highest desire and aim should be to pursue God until I am consumed by Him. The difficulty is in the practicality of these statements.

In Luke 9:23-25, Jesus explains that I must crucify myself rather than be dedicated to myself. It is through interaction with people and relationships that I realize my weakness and my poverty (and theirs). It is through these that I am given an opportunity to exercise and grow. It is through these that I learn to crucify the flesh and submit to the work of the Holy Spirit in me. The more submissive I become, the more His fruit will grow in me. In John 15, Jesus tells me that I must abide in Him in order to bear fruit.

God does not need me. I need Him. However, He invites me to join His work. Being active in His work and His Kingdom is the catalyst or the avenue by which He changes me. The highest goal of ministry is to know Him deeper than ever before. The by-product of knowing Him deeper is that He will be glorified and His kingdom will expand.