Pastors' Blog | Pioneer Memorial Church

By Pioneer Pastors

Aug

August 6, 2025

By Ben Martin

When I think back on my childhood, there are a lot of wonderful memories. Some of the best, however, were from Sabbath afternoons. Sabbaths were filled with family, nature, and friends. I was reminded of this during our summer camping trip to the Upper Peninsula. Sabbaths were the highlight of our trip as we would plan out a special location, meals, and a worship plan. It truly was a delight.

Isaiah 58:13 tells us that when we spend time with God rather than pursuing our own agenda, the Sabbath is a delight. Although this is a verse that is often quoted, sometimes to our kids, the Sabbath does not feel like a delight; often, children are confronted with a list of don’ts rather than opportunities for delight.

For parents, it can also feel difficult to come up with activities week after week when Sabbath is our only break from work. Therefore, here at Pioneer, we are doing two things for this upcoming school year. The first thing we are doing is issuing a challenge: Let us make the Sabbath a delight this year. Let us be intentional and create opportunities to experience the Sabbath in a whole new way. The second thing that Pioneer’s Children and Family Discipleship is doing is that we are committing to creating at least one activity per month for you and your family to be a part of. These will be activities that are not limited to families with kids, but rather, these will be activities that are for the entire church family.

These opportunities for delight do not have to be elaborate; they could be as simple as getting together with friends or family to eat, going on a hike on one of the many trails in this area, or putting together a puzzle on one of our colder Sabbaths.

And perhaps it is not only our kids that need to remember the Sabbath as a delight, but adults also, all too often, lose sight of what God has for us as we keep our eyes on the clock instead of Him. So, I challenge you, let us be intentional, let us make the Sabbath a delight, and let us do it together.

Jul

July 23, 2025

Echoes of Faith: The Timelessness of Place and Memory

By Jacob Gibbs

On July 4, 2025, in Seward, Nebraska, something extraordinary happened. The townspeople traveled back in time. How did they do it? They opened the world’s largest time capsule, and for some, their memories were transported back five decades. Some people saw things they had put inside, while others opened packages left by their loved ones who had passed away.

Places can hold a special kind of magic, like a time capsule that brings back childhood memories or first work experiences. They can vividly help the mind to recall moments that seemed to have faded away.

God knows that places can hold deep meaning. In the book of Judges, as the next generation takes center stage, God highlights a place that will remind them of the faithfulness of the past.

Judges 2:1 says, “The angel of the LORD went up from Gilgal to Bochim and said, 'I brought you out of Egypt and led you into the land I had promised to your ancestors. I also said: I will never break my covenant with you.'”

Why did the messenger of the Lord walk from Gilgal to Bochim? Why didn’t God just appear where the leaders were? I believe Gilgal served as a sort of time capsule.

So, what had happened there?

Gilgal was opposite the place where the Israelites had crossed the Jordan River and built a monument of twelve stones as a reminder of God’s amazing deeds, a place where they had reaffirmed their commitment to God in faithfulness.

Joshua 5:9 says, “The LORD then said to Joshua, ‘Today I have rolled away the disgrace of Egypt from you.’Therefore, that place is still called Gilgal today.”

Why did the narrator of the book of Judges mention this? God was reminding the leaders that there were still places that pointed to their faithful obedience to God’s word. God was telling them that there was a faithful generation in the past, and that today, they could choose to remember, they could decide to have a “Gilgal memory,” and receive “Gilgal’s forgiveness.” They could have the future that God wanted for them.

What if we dedicated the places where we live, work, and spend time to be current places of faithfulness? The places and spaces in which we operate can be reminders and motivators of our commitment and recommitment to God’s mission in our lives.

Jul

July 2, 2025

Remembering With Hope

By Ben Martin

Although it is the 4th of July this week, that is not where my mind has been. This week would have been my brother’s birthday. Richard died a little over 15 years ago, and I think of him on a fairly regular basis. Sometimes I hear a laugh, other times it is the way someone walks. Anytime I need to lift something heavy, I think of Richard. But every year on June 30, I remember him, think about which birthday this would have been for him, and what might have been. All of us have people we have loved and have lost along the journey.

As we look forward to the Second Coming, we hold on to the promise that these goodbyes are temporary. One day, one day soon, Jesus is coming. We are going to look up and see a cloud. I am not sure what it will be about this cloud, but I am sure that when we see it, we will know that it is not like any cloud that has ever been.

And it is amazing to think that in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, all of the wrongs of the universe will be made right. I am not sure how this can be done, but with each passing day, I cling to that hope more than the day before. I cannot wait to see Jesus. I cannot wait to see Richard.

I cannot wait, but am I ready? Luke 1:17 tells us, "With the spirit and power of Elijah he will go before him, to turn the hearts of parents to their children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord." We, like Elijah, and like John the Baptist, are tasked with making ready a people prepared for the Lord!

This preparation, according to this verse, is about restoring relationships. We must restore our relationship with God. Sin separated us from Him, but Jesus came to mend that relationship. Like Revelation 3:20 says, we must open that door and let Him in.

It is about restoring relationships with family. How many of us have family members with whom we are not speaking? We need to forgive and ask for forgiveness. Do not let another day pass without doing all that you can to repair what you are able to on your side.

It is also about restoring truth and righteousness. As we celebrate freedom, it is easy to blur the lines between freedom and righteousness. Restoring righteousness is not a mandate to make everyone think and behave like us. Likewise, freedom does not mean that we need to forget what is true --- this is a false dichotomy.

So, as we celebrate the 4th of July and or remember those we have lost along the way, let us look forward to that day when Jesus comes and let us all be ready. It is only after the Second Coming that we will experience true freedom and true righteousness. That will be truly something worth celebrating.

Jun

June 18, 2025

Do We Believe Her or Don’t We?

By John Glass

Have you ever run across a comment by Ellen G. White that you’re unsure what to do with? The question in the title of this blog focuses on what we do (or don’t) with some of what she wrote. Do we…or don’t we…believe her?

Back on January 27, 1890, The “Signs of the Times” published an article she authored titled “The Most Effective Agent for God”. It’s kind of a long paragraph, yet it makes a really good point.

The success of a church does not depend on the efforts and labor of the living preacher, but it depends upon the piety of the individual members.” What comes next to my way of thinking is real “food for thought.” “When the members depend upon the minister as their source of power and efficiency, they will be utterly powerless. They will imbibe his impulses, and be stimulated by his ideas, but when he leaves them, they will find themselves in a more hopeless condition than before they had his labors. I hope that none of the churches in our land will depend upon a minister for support in spiritual things, for this is dangerous. When God gives you light, you should praise him for it. If you extol the messenger, you will be left to barrenness of soul.

What Ellen was getting at was you and I as members should never rely on the pastor, but rather look to God and go to work through the abilities God has given us. Continuing:

Just as soon as the members of a church call for the labors of a certain minister, and feel that he must remain with them, it is time that he was removed to another field, that they learn to exercise the ability which God has given them. Let the people go to work. Let them thank God for the encouragement they have received, and then make it manifest that it has wrought in them a good work. Let each member of the church be a living, active agent for God both in the church and out of it. We must all be educated to be independent, not helpless and useless. Let it be seen that Christ, not the minister, is the head of the church. The members of the body of Christ have a part to act, and they will not be accounted faithful unless they do their part. Let a divine work be wrought in every soul, until Christ shall behold his image reflected in his followers.

When we depend on the pastor instead of the Lord it’s time for the Lord to move the pastor. Do we believe what she said?

In a way this is very positive: every member (including you) has been gifted by God with abilities to serve Him and His church. I encourage you and every member of our church family to go to work with our abilities, and in this way, we can reflect the image of Jesus in ourselves. This is a rare privilege.

May

May 28, 2025

Reflections on Redemption: A Call to See Beneath the Surface

By Jacob Gibbs

A good idea is worth making your own. Years ago, I saw an image similar to the one in this post and thought I should create my own. Upon seeing it, I immediately thought of this famous verse. “And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.”(Revelation 13:8 KJV)

As you examine this sketch more closely, what do you notice? Do you see yourself, your neighbor, the person you recently fought with, or someone who has wronged you? Let’s spend time seeing people in the light of His blood.

May

May 21, 2025

God Provides

By John Glass

To me, one of the most surprising things in the news recently was that an American had been chosen to be the next Pope. I thought about it, and it struck me that in the light of prophecy, it may be that a logical thing. Revelation 13 describes two world powers: one from the sea and the other from dry land. Seventh-day Adventists have long understood these powers as being the Roman Church (the sea beast) and the United States (the land beast). According to chapter 13, the land beast is going to cause the entire world to form an image of the sea beast. In other words, “My country tis of thee” is going to influence, in one way or another, all nations on planet earth to connect with the Roman Church and bow the knee to it. An American Pope could fit right into this. If so, then we’re literally at the end of human history. Are we ready? If you’re wondering about all this, pick up a copy of The Great Controversy and read chapter 35: “Liberty of Conscience Threatened.” You can draw your own conclusions.

That last question seems to be the most relevant of any question that can be asked. A related question would be, if we’re not ready, what would it take for us to actually become and remain ready for the “time of trouble”? When I was a kid, the minister we had delighted in preaching about the “time of trouble”. For me, his sermons became just that: a “time of trouble”. I was frightened almost out of my wits, and truth be told, I didn’t want Jesus to come back because of all the ugly stuff that would be happening prior to that. Well, God is really good to all of us. It took a while, but gradually my focus went from trouble to Him. I’m not as afraid now because I know my God will take care of me when the time comes.

One of the things that has helped me come to this is the simple thing of locating something I’ve lost—like my church key. I pray and remind God that it’s not lost, because He knows exactly where it is: will He assist me in locating it? Sure enough: usually it gets found in short order. This has happened every time I need another dose of faith. And when I’m facing trouble, all I need to do is seek Him, and He provides.

A few nights ago, we had a blow come through that wiped out a lot of trees—including one of the two on my front lawn. Before I could get to it, one of my neighbors and her grandson came and cut it up. I piled the pieces on a tarp, and then when I found I couldn’t move the tarp, the same neighbor showed up again and told me her family would be there shortly. They were, too. I piled the pieces down by the road and found another neighbor piling them in the back of her truck. I think God provided those dear people. Right now, I have the rest of the tree lying on a tarp, too heavy to move, and the big pieces piled by the road with a sign that says “Free.” Surely God will again provide.

So now I don’t dread the small times of trouble that come my way, because God is going to handle them for me, and when the end times arrive, He will handle it again.

I want to encourage you to, rather than focusing on coming trouble, focus on the God who loves you and already has figured out what He needs to do in order to get you through victoriously. As Ellen White once put it, “God has a thousand ways of providing for us that we don’t know of, even one.” the Scriptures put it: “My God will supply all your needs according to His riches in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4.19) Or, as Abraham put it to Isaac: “Yes, Son, we have the wood and fire, but God, Himself, will provide the lamb.” (Gen. 22.8) Let Him have the delight of providing for you. And while you’re at it, pray for the new Pope that God will bless him with truth.

May

May 14, 2025

Our New Vision at Harbor of Hope

By Jonathan Garcia

At Harbor of Hope, we exist to empower youth to rise and lead through Christ, but we recognize that sometimes the church can seem perfect, and it can be daunting to approach, let alone be involved in the church, as a young person. The fear of failure and challenging the church culture can permeate the subconscious and make us feel frozen, incapable, and often powerless to be active participants in the church family, and for good reason.

Many have felt the burden or sense of rejection that can leave a permanent mark on one’s faith journey. However, when we, as a church, have a deeper understanding of the gospel, we can recognize and, hopefully, internalize the reality that we are all in need of a Savior. When Christ expresses, “those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners” (Mark 2:17, ESV), we understand that we are all in need of the physician; naturally painting the picture that the church serves as a hospital, not a gallery for perfected saints.

This year, we are dedicating our time at Harbor of Hope to take a deeper look at our roots and inner workings as a church. We are asking ourselves the difficult questions of our identity and challenging ourselves to grow closer in unity, vulnerability, and authenticity. Acknowledging that each of us has a pivotal part to play in our church family and supporting each other as we continue to build the Lord’s house together; the same way that the Lord was with His people when they were called to rebuild His temple in Haggai, He will also be with us as we deepen our understanding and intimacy at Harbor of Hope and through the Seventh-day Adventist Church at large.

In this season, we will be highlighting key themes in the new vision to empower the youth to rise and lead through Christ. Using the “7 Circles for Saints” (SCS) model, adapted from Drew Boa’s 5 Circles of Freedom, this model is designed to help each of us move from brokenness to a purpose-filled identity in Christ. It will help us to identify key areas in which we have trauma or are in pain, and give us a community to empower us to heal and to help others heal, as we navigate into a deeper relationship with Christ. And as we continue in this vision, we want to encourage all those who are looking to empower youth, the future of our church, to consider creating safe spaces for our young ones to feel empowered.

“And the LORD stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people. And they came and worked on the house of the LORD of hosts, their God, on the twenty-fourth day of the month, in the sixth month, in the second year of Darius the king.” (Haggai 1:14-15, NIV)

*In the images above: Pastor Jonathan Garcia, Youth Director Jharony Gibbs, and Harbor of Hope Church

May

May 7, 2025

Too Busy for God?

By Hans Miranda Chavez

But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. (Matthew 6:33, NKJV).

It’s become a badge of honor to say, “I’m just too busy.” We wear our busyness like it validates our lives, like the more packed our schedules are, the more valuable we must be. And to be fair, life is full. Between work, family, studies, responsibilities at church, and endless “others”, it’s easy to feel like there’s no time left. But let me offer you a gentle, perhaps uncomfortable truth: If you're too busy to spend time with God, you're too busy. Jesus, the Son of God, the Savior of the world, the One with the most important mission in human history, made time to be alone with God. “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed” (Mark 1:35, NIV). If He needed that connection, how much more do we?

Many of us don’t consciously abandon our devotional lives. We push them to the side for “later” after the meeting, after the kids are in bed, after life calms down. But “later” rarely comes. And in the meantime, our souls run dry, our tempers run short, and our hearts drift further from the One who gives us peace, wisdom, and strength. You weren’t created to live off spiritual fumes with little to no ongoing relationship with God, running on the leftover momentum of past spiritual experiences rather than fresh daily communion with Him. Spending daily time in the Word and prayer isn’t about checking a box or earning God’s favor. It’s about aligning our hearts with heaven, listening for His voice, and receiving what only He can give. It’s about anchoring our lives in Someone eternal while everything else around us changes. Your devotional life is not a luxury for when you “have time.” It is your lifeline for surviving and thriving, right now.

If this stirs something in you but also feels overwhelming, start small. Begin with 10 minutes in the morning. Open a Psalm. Read a short devotional thought. Sit quietly. Ask God to speak. Write one line in a journal. Set your phone down and your soul before Him. And do it again tomorrow. It’s less about length and more about consistency. It’s about relationship. Imagine what would happen if every church member made time with Jesus, the non-negotiable part of their day. Did you picture it? Wouldn’t our worship deepen? Our witness: more powerful? Wouldn’t our families grow stronger? Our burdens would feel lighter not because they disappear, but because we’re not carrying them alone. Wouldn’t you like to be that church? Wouldn’t you like to be those people? Let’s be that church. Let’s be those people. Not perfect, not polished, but devoted. Because when we make time for God, He fills us with His peace, power, and presence.

What needs to shift in your schedule this week to make time with God your first priority?

Apr

April 30, 2025

Pets

By John Glass

This past Sabbath afternoon I attended the memorial service for Bruce Wrenn. What impressed me the most was what our co-head elder, Bryan Von Dorpowski had to say about his friend, Bruce. He became noted as one of the very top specialists in marketing. As I listened I started comparing myself to Bruce. I kept asking myself, “What’s your excuse?” Thankfully my life isn’t over yet, so there is time for me to make a difference in my world, even as Bruce made a difference in his world.

I never knew Bruce from the world of business. However, I knew him as a neighbor. Most every morning Bruce and Jan would come by our house to take their dog Blue for a walk. Sometimes I’d start singing Peter Paul and Mary’s song “I had a dog and his name was Blue.” Usually, we’d all smile. Blue impressed me as having the sweetest spirit of just about any dog I’d ever known. I think he got that from belonging to the Wrenns.

Years ago around the turn of the century, there was a sheet that was published in Chicago called “The Ram’s Horn”. There were comments in it such as “When a man gets real religion even his horse knows it.” In this case, even their dog knew it. I’ve never been a pet person before, but between my dog Rascal and their dog Blue, it happened. I always looked forward to seeing them coming, knowing I’d get to pet Blue. Again: I think his attitude and conduct came directly from his owners, Bruce and Jan. I don’t suppose that a pet could lead someone into the kingdom, but you never know. If I were to meet someone there who either from Blue or from Rascal found a relationship with Jesus I wouldn’t be surprised.

Our neighborhood has several families with children. One of the girls is taking piano lessons and walks to and from, and in the interests of her safety we let her borrow Rascal to walk along beside her. Would you believe it? He doesn’t even need a leash to stay right beside her. Several of the delivery people who have our neighborhood on their route actually stop to pet Rascal. All of the kids like him—and I do, too.

Our other pet is a cat who showed up in one of our back window wells one Sabbath afternoon, mewing to get out. I don’t know where he came from or how he ever got in there, but when the word got out that we had a kitten the kids came running. They named him Franklin. On the farm, there are always chores to do. My chores are to take care of Franklin and Rascal. It’s a good responsibility. One of the things we had to do was teach Rascal to stay home. An invisible fence did the trick. I guess I’m not too much different from Rascal in the sense that there are things I need to learn to do as well.

I want to finish this blog with a question for us all. What kind of people are we? If we have pets, what is our influence on them? And if we have children, are they sweeter for knowing us? One thing I’ve noticed about both Franklin and Rascal: when the world has beaten me up and I come home, they’re really glad to see me—their tails tell me I’m OK. Can it be that pets are one of the ways God develops us?

Apr

April 23, 2025

Associate Pastor for Witness and Worship Coming to Pioneer

By Shane Anderson

We are pleased to announce the addition of Daniel Biaggi as the soon-to-be newest member of the Pioneer pastoral staff. Pastor Biaggi will be serving in the newly created position of Associate Pastor for Witness and Worship, with a start date sometime this coming summer.

Pastor Biaggi holds a Master of Arts in Religion (Pastoral Care concentration, Washington Adventist University, USA, 2020), as well as a Bachelor & Master’s equivalent in Psychology (River Plate Adventist University, 2005). He also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music Education (piano concentration, River Plate Adventist University, 2000); Bachelor of Arts in Music Education (clarinet concentration, River Plate Adventist University, 2005); and a Master of Arts in Music (choral conducting concentration, Zaoksky Adventist University, Russia, 2006). Having recently successfully defended his dissertation, Pastor Biaggi will also be graduating with his PhD in Christian Worship from Liberty University (Virginia, USA) in May 2025.

Pastor Biaggi has served the wider church in a variety of capacities, including as an academy teacher (Instituto Adventista del Plata, Entre Rios, Argentina); Music Director (Instituto Adventista Balcarce, Bs. As., Argentina); Music Department Dean (Instituto Superior Adventista de Misiones, Misiones, Argentina); Professor of Music (teaching choral conducting, harmony, and voice education, as well as conducting the university choir and handbell ensemble, River Plate Adventist University, Entre Rios, Argentina); and most recently as the Music Director for Shenandoah Valley Academy (New Market, Virginia, USA).

Pastor Biaggi is married to Mónica, an accomplished musician and composer in her own right. Together, they have a daughter, Lala. The family is fluent in both Spanish and English.

As the Pastor for Witness and Worship, Pastor Biaggi will be responsible for forming partnership ensembles and choirs that combine Andrews University students with Pioneer members for the purposes of outreach to our surrounding community. He will also be responsible for all aspects of the music utilized in Pioneer’s worship services and other Pioneer-sponsored occasions.

In summing up his ministry, Pastor Biaggi says,

I am a passionate follower of Christ, committed to walking in His footsteps and fostering a community that wholeheartedly worships God. My mission is to serve Christ and my fellow sojourners by leading by example and encouraging young and older individuals to grow in their relationships with one another and God. I am dedicated to creating an environment where people can deepen their faith, build meaningful connections, and live out their Christian values in every aspect of life.

Please join us in praying for a smooth transition and a fruitful ministry for Pastor Biaggi as he joins the Pioneer team.