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

For those truly SOLD OUT on Christ's mission for the world there is a clear plan of action. Discover the 4 keys to God's plan, each of which begin with the letter "G".
Saturday, March 01, 2014

More In This Series

02/22/2014
In love with Jesus but not a fan of the church? Maybe it's time to take a second look at the "body of Christ" and see just what it means to be "Sold Out" on Jesus.
03/08/2014
Martyrdom. Not a word you hear often in the comfort of our own pulpits. Yet it's a reality that literally millions of Christians around the world face everyday. Should you care? Should we care? Let's see what Christ had to say on the matter.

“SOLD OUT!”—2

www.pmchurch.tv

□ The Commission: Seven Versions

  •   Mark 16:15—“ into the world and preach the gospel to creation.”
  •   Matthew 28:19—“ and make disciples of nations, baptizing them in the

    name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”

    • Clark Pinnock: “The triune God is a God. The Father sends the Son
  • and the Spirit into the world (Gal 4:4-6). His heart reaches out to embrace it. He gives himself up in becoming human and thus moves history toward redemption. Here is the basis for the unity of humankind and the salvation of the world.” (A Wideness in God’s Mercy: The Finality of Jesus Christ in a World of Religions 78)
  •   Luke 24:47, 48—“Repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in [My] name to nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are of these things.”
  •   John 20:21—“As the Father has Me, I am you.”
  •   Acts 1:8—“You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be

    My in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the

    .”

  •   Paul—“I [Christ Jesus] am you to [the pagans], to open their eyes and turn

    them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God.” (Acts 26:17, 18)

  •   The Great Commission of the Old Testament—“I [the LORD] will make you a light for the

    , that My salvation may reach to the ends of the .” (Isaiah 49:6/Acts 13:47)
     God is clearly SOLD OUT on my becoming a to the world!

The Commission: Four Common Denominators

  •   G
  •   G
    • David Platt: “Must we insist on dividing the Great Commission into an either-or proposition? Who told us that we had to choose to have a heart for the United States or 
    • a heart for the world? . . . Because from cover to cover the Bible teaches that the church—not just select individuals, but the church—is created to reflect the glory of God to the world.” (Radical 76, 77)
  •   G
    •   Clark Pinnock: “Of the two axioms underlying the theology of religions, the first

      consists of the boundless of God which makes possible an optimism of salvation; the second axiom consists of the finality of as the decisive manifestation and ground of God’s grace toward sinners . . . . This means that universality (salvation for the world) is reached by way of particularity (salvation through Jesus) in Christianity.” (A Wideness in God’s Mercy 49)

    •   John Stott: “I have never been able to conjure up (as some great evangelical missionaries have) the appalling vision of the millions who are not only perishing but who will inevitably perish. On the other hand, as I have said, I cannot be a universalist. Between these extremes I cherish the hope that the of the human race will be saved.” (quoted in Pinnock 35)
    •   Jesus: “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw people to Me.” (John 12:32)
  •   G
    • Thus the Great Commission is a - —i.e, it is not a mission you do by yourself, but rather it is a mission you do Jesus.
    • Christ’s Object Lessons: “At the foot of the cross, remembering that for sinner Christ would have laid down His life, you may estimate the value of a soul.” (196)
    • Messages to Young People: “His death ought to stir every fiber of the being, making us willing to consecrate to His work that we have and are.” (315)

Will you GO GLOBAL with the GOSPEL for GOD? 

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/.