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The Pugwash Factor:

How to Turn Mission into Possible

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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

Learn 7 reasons why the mission in your life is to fulfill His mission of seeking to save the lost.
Saturday, August 29, 2015

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“The Pugwash Factor: How to Turn Mission into Possible”

www.pmchurch.tv

 

  • The Mission: Matthew 28:18-20/Mark 16:15/Luke 24:46, 47/John 20:21/Acts 1:8
  • The Gospel: Euangellion = eu (good) + angellion (message) = “good message” “good news”
    • Ellen White: “The message from God to me for you is ‘Him that cometh unto me, I will in no wise cast out’ (John 6:37). If you have nothing else to plead before God but this one promise from your Lord and Saviour, you have the assurance that you will never, never be turned away. It may seem to you that you are hanging upon a single promise, but appropriate that one promise, and it will open to you the whole treasure house of the riches of the grace of Christ. Cling to that promise and you are safe. . . . and you are as safe as though inside the city of God.” (Manuscript Releases 10:175)
  • 7 Reasons for Your Life Mission:
    • Reason #1—Because you were for mission.
      • 2 Corinthians 5:18 TEV: “Christ changed us from enemies into his friends and gave us the   of making others his friends also.”
      • Steps to Christ 78: “No sooner does one come to Christ than there is born in his heart a desire to   to others what a precious friend he has found in Jesus; the saving and sanctifying truth cannot be shut up in his heart. . . . We shall seek to present to them the attractions of Christ and the unseen realities of the world to come.”
    • Reason #2—Because your mission is a of Jesus’ mission on earth.
      • Matthew 28:19-20 Message: “Go out and train everyone you meet,  far and near, in this way of life. . . . I’ll be as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age.”
      • Desire of Ages 340: “It is in working to spread the good news of salvation that we are brought near to the .”
    • Reason #3—Because your mission is a wonderful .
      • 2 Corinthians 6:1—“We are workers together with .”
      • Testimonies to the Church 9:102-103: “As I have thought of that cup trembling in the hands of Christ [in Gethsemane]; as I have realized that He might have refused to drink, and left the world to perish in its sin, I have pledged that every energy of my life should be devoted to the work of   to Him.”
    • Reason #4—Because telling others how they can have eternal life is the you can do for them.
      • Acts 4:12 NCV—“Jesus is the who can save people.”
      • Desire of Ages 568: “Jesus knows the circumstances of every soul. You may say, I am sinful, very sinful. You may be; but the worse you are, the more you need Jesus. He turns no weeping, contrite one away. He does not tell to any all that He might reveal, but He bids every trembling soul take courage. Freely will He pardon who come to Him for forgiveness and restoration.”
    • Reason #5—Because your mission has significance.
      • John 9:4 NLT—“All of us must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent me, because there is little time left before the night falls and all work comes to .”
      • Christ’s Object Lessons 197: “In this work all the   of heaven are ready to co-operate. All the resources of heaven are at the command of those who are seeking to save the lost. will help you to reach the most careless and the most hardened.”
    • Reason #6—Because your mission gives your life .
      • Acts 20:24 NLT—“My life is worth nothing unless I use it for doing the work   to me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about God’s wonderful kindness and love.”
      • Christ’s Object Lessons 419: “It is the   of every soul to be a living channel through which God can communicate to the world the treasures of His grace, the unsearchable riches of Christ.”
    • Reason #7—Because God’s timetable for history’s is connected to the completion of our commission.
      • Matthew 24:14 NKJV—“And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then will come.”
      • Desire of Ages 634: “Those who watch for the Lord’s coming are not waiting in idle expectancy. . . . With vigilant watching they combine earnest working. Because they know that the Lord   the door, their zeal is quickened to co-operate with the divine intelligences in working for the salvation of souls.”

The mission in your life is to fullfill your life mission.

Mission and Strategy Statements Town Hall Meetings
Pioneer Youth Chapel

The Elders have finished! After many months of prayerful and concerted work, the draft of Pioneer's potential new mission and strategy statements are ready for your review.  

Please join us at any of the identical Town Hall/Q & A sessions listed below to hear Pastor Shane and our elders present the drafts for your feedback.  Our goal is to take your input, modify the drafts as needed, sent them back to the church board for final review, and begin implementation in the Fall.  

Please join us for any of these important and impactful meetings that will help guide Pioneer's witness for years to come!

May 13, Tuesday, 7:00-9:00 PM

May 18, Sunday, 9:00-11:00 AM

May 22, Thursday, 7:00-9:00 PM (Zoom only)

The Tent

Join us for a special Evangelistic Series presented by the Jr. High Students of Ruth Murdoch Elementary School. We hope you can join us in big white tent near Griggs Hall at 7pm starting Friday May 9 through May 18. There will be no meeting on Tuesday. Come and be inspired as our students share messages of hope, love, and the good news of Jesus. Your presence will encourage them, and more importantly, you can help bring someone closer to Christ. Bring a friend or family member and experience God's message together!

Holding Onto Jesus

Sunday, May 25, 3-5 PM Pioneer Youth Chapel What do we do when our life is shaken by illness, a great loss, or some other devastation? How do we find God when it feels like He isn’t there? Women of all ages are invited to hear Emily Gibbs share her testimony, and explore ways that we can have resilience in the midst of difficult experiences. Register by texting TRIALS to 269-281-2345. Questions? Email women@pmchurch.org.

AdventistGiving Online (AGO) Contributors

 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."

Adventist Seniors of Michiana Meeting May 18.

Seniors 55 and up are invited to the Adventist Seniors of Michiana program to be held in the PMC Commons May 18. Bring a dish and enjoy the potluck starting at 1 PM followed by a program featuring Ken Denslow, recently retired Lake Union Conference President. His topic will be Project Amigo and Other Missions. For any questions call Cheryl Doss at 269-277-0767

Offering for May 10, 2025

Disaster & Famine Relief

This Sabbath, our church joins many others in collecting a special offering to support ongoing disaster relief efforts. Funds collected today support both Adventist humanitarian organizations, Adventist Community Services and Adventist Development and Relief Agency. Each serves in different geographical areas. Adventist Community Services responds to disasters of all kinds across the North American Division which includes the United States, Canada, Bermuda, Guam, and Micronesia. As we approach Christ’s return, the Bible tells us that crisis events will increase. Emergency Management records have tracked disasters for over 50 years and confirm tornadoes are touching down with greater impact, hurricanes are moving at greater speeds, and violent killings in the form of mass shootings increase with alarming frequency. Adventist Community Services stands ready to serve those affected by these and other tragedies. Some services provided are:

  • open collection centers to receive and sort donations, sending them to areas of greatest need,
  • provide emotional and spiritual care to the distraught,
  • and deliver essential supplies to areas hardest hit by a disaster.

1 John 3:18 tells us to love with action and in truth. Today, we ask that you give liberally, and we thank you for joining the team who extends the hand of mercy to people in crisis. Together we are serving communities in Christ’s name. 

—North American Division Stewardship Ministries

Love on the Move

 Would you like to make a difference in our community? God's Hands 4 Kids has ways you can do that. GH4K loves the "True religion way to love the least of these" James 1:27. The Foster Parent Appreciation Dinner is being held on May 16 in a church in our community. We are working with the Berrien County Department of Health and Human Services to put this on.  We are looking for childcare help. Also seeking gift baskets, gifts or gift cards. For more information contact Carol Jordan at Godshands4kids@gmail.com There is a presentation this Friday evening from Unaccompanied Refugee Minors. Ask for more info if interested.

Music Camp at Pioneer!

The Institute of Young Musicians for Christ is excited to be having a music camp at Pioneer Memorial Church! At our music camps young people ages 6-17 are offered an immersive, week-long musical experience. Our quality musical training—combined with fun, friends, and faith-building encounters— provides a truly incredible opportunity. The camp offers tracks for children 6-12 with or without musical experience and a track for teenagers with significant musical experience. To learn more and register, visit iymcsda.org/michigan. We hope to see you there!

Lamson Hall Upgrades with Maranatha

From May 11–June 8, 2025, Maranatha Volunteers International will be working at Andrews University to update the Lamson Hall residential rooms and suite bathrooms. Please consider volunteering and letting your family and friends know of this opportunity. All individuals (including local) should sign up at the Maranatha website: https://maranatha.org/volunteer-opportunities/.