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

 

Offering for December 27, 2025

Michigan Advance Partners

When I was in my teens, I read a powerful promise, "Our heavenly Father has a thousand ways to provide for us of which we know nothing. Those who accept the one principle of making the service of God supreme, will find perplexities vanish and a plain path before their feet" (Ministry of Healing, p.481).

It really was not relevant to me then because my parents provided my food, lodging, and basic needs. But after I got married and had our three children, many expenses ate our income rapidly. Every dollar mattered. I remembered wishing that our babies would hurry up and get out of the “diaper stage” because every diaper cost money.

It would be easy to rationalize that our children are part of our ministry, therefore, we didn’t need to give our offerings for several months. But that would put me in charge of running “God’s business” instead of allowing God to take care of our needs. We learned to step out in faith and depend on Him.

Now that I look back on those days, it is amazing how God came through in thousands of ways to provide for our needs! It was fun to see how He provided all our needs then and continues to do so now. Today, let’s not rationalize our commitment to God. Let’s trust God with all our needs by returning our tithes and offerings faithfully. 

North American Division Stewardship Ministries

Church Office Holiday Closure: 12/22-12/26 & 12/29-01/02

Please note that the church office will be closed from December 22 to 26 and again from December 29 to January 2 for the holiday season. We will reopen on January 5. Our church services will proceed as always. If you have any announcements, please submit those no later than December 19. Thank you for your understanding. We wish you a blessed Christmas and a happy New Year!

Christmas Blessing Opportunity

Be part of a Christmas blessing this year! Chiang Mai Adventist Academy, which serves primarily Buddhist students from around the country, is looking for a set of Bible story felts to use in teaching the Bible in their Sabbath schools. FARM STEW missionaries will be going to Thailand in January and deliver them. If you have a felt set you would like to donate or would like to donate towards buying a new set, please contact Deby Andvik. (andvik@andrews.edu or call/text 269-277-4145

Pioneer Women's Ministries 2025 Advent Devotionals

Pioneer Women’s Ministries’ Advent devotionals will highlight a few of the promises of Jesus. To receive the “Red Letter Promises” daily devotionals by email for the first 25 days of December, text the word “ADVENT” to 269-281-2345. You can also receive a short daily text message preview of each day's devotional by providing your cell phone number when you register. We pray you will sense the nearness of Jesus during this holy season through these devotionals.

House of Prayer
Pioneer Earlyteen Loft

Please join us for House of Prayer Wednesday evenings at 7pm in the Earliteen Loft for a time of singing, Bible study and prayer.