How to Survive the Coming Economic Crisis

How to Survive Your Own Financial Crisis

Speaker

Dwight K. Nelson

Dwight 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

Saturday, March 30, 2019
Program: 
Praise
Hymns of Triumphant Faith: Lead On, O King Eternal • st. 1 & 3 of 619 • The Church Has One Foundation • st. 1-2, 4 of 348 • God of Our Fathers • 645 • Still/I Will Exalt You
Prayer
José Bourget
Baptism
Ayana Jolie Le Blanc with Ben Martin
Introduction of New Youth Pastor
Lindsey Pratt
Children's Story
Eloi, Eloi • Kevin Walczyk
Seth Bussey
Worship in Music
All Creatures of Our God and King • Andrew Boysen, Jr.
Sermon
"How to Survive the Coming Economic Crisis: How to Survive Your Own Financial Crisis"
Dwight K. Nelson
Connect Card, Tithes & Offerings
I'd Rather Have Jesus • 327

"How to Survive the Coming Economic Crisis:
How to Survive Your Own Financial Crisis"

www.newperceptions.tv

»A story of two brothers or sisters

• Luke 10:38-42

• Distraction #1—

• Distraction #2—

• The average adult spends hours online per day.

• The average teen spends hours online per day.

• UC Irvine study discovered it takes us   to get back on track after we’ve been distracted (whether in class or at work).

• Distraction #3—

 

»The WOW numbers

www.usatoday.com/story/money/personalfinance/2019/03/12/national-debt-ri...

credit cards are now in circulation in the U.S.

• Consumer debt last year (auto loans, student loans, personal loans, credit cards/not mortgages) hit a new high—just over $  .

•(How much is a trillion dollars? If you spent one dollar per second, in a day you would spend $86,400. Over the course of a year, your spending would come to more than $31.5 million. At that rate of spending, it would take you over               years to spend one trillion dollars.)

• Consumer spending in the U.S. (food, gas, clothing, mortgages, electronics) last year set a new record: $  .

• Joshua Becker, “Becoming Minimalist” blog: “The numbers paint a jarring picture of excessive consumption and unnecessary accumulation. Fortunately, the solution is not difficult. The invitation to own less is an invitation to freedom, intentionality, and passion. And it can be discovered at your nearest drop-off center.” (https://www.becomingminimalist.com/clutter-stats/)

• Dietrich Bonhoeffer: “Earthly gifts are given to be used, not to be . . . . [T]he disciple must receive his portion from God every day. If he stores it up as a permanent possession, he spoils not only the gift, but as well, for he sets his heart on his accumulated wealth, and makes it a barrier between himself and God. Where our treasure is, there is our trust, our security, our consolation and our God.  is idolatry.” (Cost of Discipleship 194)

 

»#1 Life Principle—Make God  .

• Matthew 6:33

• Father Abraham—“Then Abram gave him [the priest Melchizedek] a tenth of everything.” (Genesis 14:20)

• Grandson Jacob—“‘And of all that You give me I will give You a tenth.’” (Genesis 28:22)

• Lord Jesus—“‘This you ought to have done [tithing], without leaving the other undone [loving].’” (Matthew 23:23)

• Malachi 3:10-12, 8-9

• “O God, I make You my C-suite Lord!”

Desire of Ages: “Satan has represented God as selfish and oppressive, as claiming all, and giving nothing, as requiring the service of His creatures for His own glory, and making no sacrifice for their good. But the gift of Christ reveals the Father’s heart. . . . Having undertaken our redemption, He will spare nothing, however dear, which is necessary to the completion of His work. . . . Favor is heaped upon favor, gift upon gift. The  treasury of heaven is open to those He seeks to save. Having collected the riches of the universe, and laid open the resources of infinite power, He gives them all into the hands of Christ, and says, All these are for man. Use these gifts to convince him that there is no love greater than Mine in earth or heaven. His greatest happiness will be found in loving Me.” (57)

 

Make God First

 

Fellowship Dinner
Pioneer Commons

 There will be a fellowship dinner following the second worship service in the commons.

Offering for January 10, 2026

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