Pioneer Offices Closed  —  

for Christmas December 24-26.

 
All Sermons

Wine and Milk Without Money

"I will Go to Spain"

Resources

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

"Ah, but a man's reach should exceed his grasp, or what's a heaven for?" Is this Robert Browning statement mere philosophy or good religion? Is it wrong for a Christian to have bold ambitions? Is it wrong not to? Could this be what the metaphorical "Spain" is all about?
Saturday, May 28, 2005

More In This Series

09/04/2004
Thirsty for God?
Amos predicts global starvation for more than physical food. Do you hunger and thirst for the right thing? Because if you do, you'll get it. (Whetting the appetite for a study of Romans.)
09/11/2004
New Slavery - No Shame
"We might think of ourselves as converted slaves. . . ." (Henri Nouwen). Three characteristics of a converted slave of Jesus Christ. (Romans 1:1-7)
09/18/2004
No Shame At All
Righteousness: the R-word of "spiritual magnificence." How did a struggle over the meaning of this word turn Christianity upside down? Has it done so to you yet? (Romans 1:16-17)
10/02/2004
The Sunny Side of Wrath
"The wrath of God" has instilled fear or been written off by the majority. A clearer sermon on God's wrath you could not hope to hear. (Romans 1:18-32)
10/16/2004
The Pain of Circumcision
An age-old religious practice comes back to stare us square in the face, reminding us that Seventh-day Adventists face the same danger as did the Jews of old. (Romans 2:17;-3:8)
10/23/2004
Twice Set Free
How would you explain the gospel? Three scriptural axioms that once you hear, you will never forget. Perhaps the clearest explanation of the gospel you will ever hear. (Romans 3:9-28)
10/30/2004
Can God Rig an Election?
On the eve of the divisive 2004 presidential election, Pastor Dwight reflects on God's relationship, and our responsibility, to government and national leadership. (Romans 13:1-7)
12/04/2004
A Christmas Gift for the Pagan Majority
A world of six billion people, less than half of which are Christian. What will happen to the non-Christian majority? How will God judge pagans? Examine the scriptural evidence, if you dare! (Romans 2:12-16)
12/11/2004
A Universe-All Christmas
Universalism: the mistaken teaching that all will be saved. But the Bible does teach its own brand of "universalism". Biblical "universalism" and the final judgment; what could they possibly have in common? (Romans 3:23-24)
12/25/2004
The Christmas Gospel: Born of the Seed of an Adulterer
It's the shortest Christmas story in the world. An ugly story. A beautiful story. Long on good news. (Christmas homily on Romans 1:3)
01/15/2005
Father Abraham, King David and Other Such Ungodly (Like Us)
"I find no fault in Him." Pilate said it of Jesus. Oh, that God could say such a thing of us! But then we know ourselves all too well, don't we? Which is why we must discover the true and full meaning of "justification!"
01/22/2005
Never Forget: God Is Able!
A message that both challenges a core, unspoken tradition of many Seventh-day Adventists and confronts us with the profound and practical question, "Is anything too hard for God?"
02/05/2005
A Niagara Falls for Your Own Soul
When a weak, ungodly sinner and enemy of God is swept over the Niagara Falls of the New Testament it's not just good news, it's better than good. "Eternity itself can never fully reveal it." Yet we must never cease our pursuit to understand it.
03/05/2005
How Much of All Is All?
Because of one, we are born lost and rebellious. Because of the other, we are born found and redeemed. Bill Gates illustrates the point. The "everlasting gospel" keeps getting better the more it's understood!
03/12/2005
I Done It for Love
Social theory research has discovered that personal losses hurt more than personal gains satisfy. Discover the fascinating insight this provides into the "everlasting gospel,""If one died for all, then all died."
03/26/2005
It's Time for a Second Resurrection - Reflections on an Empty Tomb
Easter. Baptism. Is there a connection? Remarkably so! Death and resurrection to walk in newness of life. Do you remember yours? Here's why it's important to remember. (Romans 6:1-10)
04/02/2005
Repeat after Me -"I Reckon I'm Dead"
Sanctification. Ho hum? Anything but! The key is getting the DONE and DO in the right order, and accepting the amazing anomaly of the gospel. Because you can't be truly free until . . . . (Romans 6:5-22)
04/16/2005
Unrelenting Battle - the Al Qaeda of the Heart
Once upon a time there was an apostle who struggled, really struggled, with sin and was honest enough to talk about it. And because he was, there is hope, real hope, for the rest of us. (Romans 7:7-25)
04/23/2005
Putting on Heirs for Love
Are you prepared to suffer? Why would anyone long, as Paul did, to "fellowship with Christ in His sufferings?" The best news about suffering you may ever hear! (Romans 8)
05/14/2005
Journeying with the Jews: When God Cuts the Work Short
Are you aware that "the chosen people" and "the remnant" are not necessarily the same people? Who indeed are the remnant? And what role do the remnant play in God's final evangelization of the world, seeing as God has already committed Himself to cut His work short in righteousness? (Romans 9)
05/21/2005
Journeying with the Jews: When Chosen Means Choosing
Israel rejects Jesus, the gospel goes to the Gentiles and the church is born. So, does Israel still have a role in God's plan to save the world? And where does the SDA church fit in? A stimulating study that could change your mind, and your heart.
06/18/2005
Journeying with the Jews: The Second Exodus
The memory of being enslaved is deeply embedded in the psyche of any community that has once been enslaved. As is any accompanying exodus or emancipation. Ask any Jew or African American. Or any Christian? Consider the six steps anyone must take from spiritual enslavement to spiritual emancipation.
All Sermons
(Flyer, TV, Google search, name of person who invited you, etc.)
Offering for December 21, 2024

Pioneer Operating Budget

This time can be a busy time for many! If you have children in school as I do, it is a blur of Christmas programs, family traditions, and various gatherings of the people I love. It can be a time of great joy or a time of great sorrow, depending on many factors. Once all the busyness of the holiday is done, things actually slow down and reset.

One beautiful thing I have noticed is that where I live, there tends to be a stillness and a quietness in this season.

The days are shorter, the weather is colder, and all of that combined slows me and my family down, and we simply adjust our pace to enjoy the rhythm of winter. I recently ran across the term “wintering,” referring to easing into the softer pace of the winter season.

As we look back on this year, let’s take time to reflect on how God has shown up for us this year. Was there a difficult thing your family went through? Is there a way you can see how prayer helped you navigate that time? Our offering today is for the local church budget. Let us give today from hearts grateful for all that we recognize God has done for us.

—North American Division Stewardship Ministries

Backpacks for Berrien Food Collection

Backpacks for Berrien will be collecting single-serve, non-parishable food items for Berrien Springs school children in need throughout the month of December. Please see the collection bins and needs lists in The Commons and inside the entrance to the office. Thank you for your help!

Pioneer 2024 Contribution Statements

Contribution Statements for 2024 will be emailed to you toward the end of January 2025. Please ensure that your email address is current. Should you have any questions regarding your email, please contact the church office. If you require a paper copy of your statement, please notify claudia.sowler@pmchurch.org.

Communion Service

 On Sabbath December 28, we will celebrate the Communion service together during the 11:45 AM service. Associate Pastor, John Glass, will present his message, "God Will Provide."

2024 Financial Gifts

Thank you for your charitable giving in 2024! December 28 will be the last worship service to return your tithes and offerings. If you wish to mail your donation, please ensure it is post-marked by December 31 to be included in your 2024 tax-deductible receipts. For an online contribution, go to www.pmchurch.org/giving.  You will have until 11:59 PM EST, December 31, 2024.

Note: The Pioneer Memorial Church offices will be closed from Tuesday, December 31, through Thursday, January 2, and will resume normal operating hours on Friday, January 3, 2025.

AdventistGiving Online (AGO) Contributions

 Your faithfulness is very much appreciated. To ensure that your donations are properly credited to your account, when contributing through Adventist Giving, please log in under your name, instead of contributing as a "Guest."

Spanish Sabbath School Class

 Sabbath School is the perfect setting to rediscover the power of Bible study and prayer. In one of the most diverse campuses in the nation, we aspire to allow all our church members, students, and guests to study and learn in their language. To further this, we are establishing the Spanish Sabbath School Class so all our Spanish-speaking brothers and sisters can join us in learning together in our weekly Sabbath School. With that, please grab your Spanish sabbath school lesson and join us starting Sabbath, January 4, 2025.

150th Anniversary Commemorative Blanket Available

Looking for a luxurious and thoughtful Christmas gift? These limited-edition, 100% wool blankets are crafted from the wool of the sheep raised at the AU Agriculture Education Center to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Andrews University. Made at
Mountain Meadow Wool Mill with natural, undyed wool, these high-quality blankets are perfect for family, friends, or anyone who values something special and meaningful. With only 45 still available, they’re truly one-of-a-kind! To learn more, go to the Made at Andrews store (www.madeatandrews.com) and search for "Logo blanket."

Prayer and Financial Support - Honduras Mission Trip

Your prayers and financial support are requested for the Pioneer Youth Mission Honduras team. The team will partner with the Hogar de Niños to provide a Friendship Camp. Scott Schalk and Glenn Russell will lead the Friendship Camp for about 75 children from the surrounding community. There will also be a special camping retreat for the Hogar de Niños, something these youth have never experienced before. The Hogar desperately needs a bus. Donations should be made to Pioneer Youth Missions Honduras.

2024 Advent Devotionals

Pioneer Women's Ministries invites you to share in the joy of the season by registering for this year's Advent devotionals, "Why Did Jesus Come? Going beyond John 3:16." Women and men are invited to join us as we dig deeper into God's amazing love, care, and deep desire to spend eternity with us. Devotionals will be sent daily December 1-25, 2024. You can receive a brief synopsis of each day's devotional by text and the full devotional by email by texting the word ADVENT to 269-281-2345. We look forward to sharing this blessed season with you.

Pages