There will be a fellowship dinner following the second worship service in the commons.
Gone Fishin'
Part 1
Speaker
Dwight K. NelsonDwight Nelson served as lead pastor of the Pioneer Memorial Church on the campus of Andrews University from 1983 to 2023. During his time at Pioneer he spoke on the “New Perceptions” telecast, taught at the theological seminary and has written books, including The Chosen. He and his wife, Karen, are blessed with two married children and 2 granddaughters.
Offering
“Gone Fishin’”—1
www.newperceptions.tv
- The Mission
- John 17:18 Message—“‘In the same way that You [Father] gave Me a in the world, I give them a in the world.’”
- 2 Corinthians 5:18 TEV—“Christ changed us from enemies into His friends and gave us the of making others His friends also.”
- John 20:21 NIV—“‘As the Father has sent Me, I am you.’”
- Matthew 28:19-20 CEV—“‘Go to the people of all and make them My disciples. Baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teach them to do everything I have told you.’”
- Mark 1:17 NIV—“‘Come,’ Jesus said, ‘and I will send you out to for people.’”
- We were born again to , because that is His metaphor for mission.
- 3 John 4 NIV—“I have no greater than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.” (“Nothing could make me .” Message)
- The Story
- Luke 5:1-5: “Push out into water”—because that is where the fish are.
- Luke 5:6-10: “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people with Me.”
- Desire of Ages: “The deeper lesson which the miracle conveyed for the disciples is a lesson for us also—that He whose could gather the fishes from the sea could also impress human hearts, and draw them by the cords of His love, so that His servants might become ‘fishers of men.’” (249)
- Desire of Ages: “The first thing to be learned by all who would become workers together with God is the lesson of self- .” (250)
- Desire of Ages: “There is to the usefulness of one who, by putting self aside, makes room for the working of the Holy Spirit upon his heart, and lives a life wholly consecrated to God.” (250-251)
“Don’t be afraid—from now on you will fish for people with Me.”
Pioneer Operating Budget
You may have heard it said, and it is true that patience is a virtue. What is also true and closely linked to patience is found in the opening verse of the parable of Luke 18:1-8 (NIV). Jesus told his disciples that they should “always pray and not give up” (verse 1). In today’s fast paced, instant, and have-to-get-it-now world, learning to be patient and not lose heart or become discouraged is surely a quality that is desirable. The widow in this parable showed the importance of being patient in one’s petitions and pursuits.
In her attempt to get the judge to defend her against her enemy, who seemed to have been making her life difficult, she kept on asking for his defense. Finally, the judge yielded to her persistence and vindicated her.
The same is true of God. When we are diligent in our prayer life, longsuffering when we are seeking to invoke Christ’s intervention, and faithful in honoring Him in our stewardship, He will move to positive action. Let us remember that unlike the judge we cannot wear out God.
Today, as we worship Him through the return of our tithes and giving of our offerings, let us practice being persistent in honoring Him with our substance and the first fruit of our increase.
—North American Division Stewardship Ministries


