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Stories in the Rearview Mirror

Go BIG or Go Home

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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

On Sept. 26, 1874 the first Adventist missionary set foot on the shores of Europe. It was the first step towards building what would become a global movement. What step should we take today?
Saturday, January 24, 2015
Program: 
As We Begin
E'en So, Lord Jesus, Quickly Come
Paul Manz
Celebrate & Praise
John Weiss
Prayer
Sabine Vatel
More Celebration
Angela Holmes
Children's Story
Be Thou My Vision
Irish Traditional
Worship in Music
Jesus, the Very Thought of Thee
Paul Halley
Sermon
"Stories in the Rearview Mirror: Why I Believe It's Time to Go BIG or Go Home"
Dwight K. Nelson
Connect Card, Tithes, & Offerings
Closing Hymn
So Send I You 578
As We Depart
Work, for the Night Is Coming
Sharon Rogers

More In This Series

03/07/2015
Why I Believe in the Third Person's Last Rain
When a young physician undergoes a conversion through the work of the Holy Spirit, he joins forces with a comrade and proceeds to bring about a revolution to point the focus back to Christ. What kind of transformation can the Third Person's Last Rain bring about in our lives today?
02/28/2015
Ellen White and Why I Believe in the Ordination of Women
In the 19th century, a young woman was called by God to a ministry that would eventually become a worldwide movement. What does her legacy mean for us today?
02/21/2015
Why I Believe There's an App and a Kiosk that Connect to Heaven
"We entered upon this work penniless, with few friends, and broken in health.” - James White. What does a God who sacrificed all for His children ask of those who wish to follow Him today?
01/31/2015
Why I Believe These 70 Small Companies Are Greater Than the Fortune 500
Deep in the heart of an unknown Asian country lives one of the most explosive spiritual growth movements on the planet. What is their secret and how can we apply it to our own lives right now?
01/17/2015
Why I Believe in the ‘1000 Man March’ After Ferguson
In 1832, a man named Joseph Bates decided in the sight of God that he must take a stand for those who were oppressed. The world has changed much since then, but one thing remains: The oppressed are still with us. What can we learn today from the stance taken by that old sea captain so many years ago?
01/10/2015
Why I Believe We’re Running Out of Time
As we enter into a new year, we see a world still fraught with the troubles and turmoil of the year just ended. Yet if we dig even further into history, we find a small band of devoted Christ followers living in the United States who were willing to sacrifice all for His kingdom. What lessons can we glean from them as we begin a new chapter of our own?
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“Stories in the Rearview Mirror:

Why I Believe It’s Time to Go BIG or Go Home”

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  • John Nevins Andrews
    • The “young man” in the dream: “The cities and villages constitute a part of the Lord’s vineyard. They must hear the messages of warning. . . . You are to sow beside waters. . . . You are entertaining too ideas of the work for this time. You are trying to plan the work so that you can embrace it in your arms. You must take broader views. Your light must not be put under a bushel or under a bed, but on a candlestick, that it may give light to all that are in the house. Your house is the .” (Ellen White, Life Sketches 208, 209)
    • Mervyn Maxwell: “On August 14, 1874, the General Conference responded at last. Under the flapping canvas of a camp-meeting tent [in Battle Creek, Michigan] the historic action was voted that officially moved Adventism out of North America: ‘Resolved, That the General Conference . . . instruct the Executive Committee to send Eld. J. N. Andrews to Switzerland as soon as practicable.’” (Moving Out 132)
  • Jesus
    • Revelation 14:6-7, 14
    • Matthew 28:18-20
  • And You
    • David Platt: “Every person this side of heaven owes the gospel to every  person this side of hell. We owe Christ to the world—to the least person and to the greatest person, to the richest person and to the poorest person, to the best person and to the worst person. We are in  to the nations.” (Radical 74)
    • David Platt: “This is a cause worth living for. It is a cause worth dying for. It is a cause worthy of moving urgently on. We have the [everlasting] gospel of Christ in us, and we do not have time to waste. Some wonder if it is unfair for God to allow so many to have no knowledge of the gospel. There is no injustice in God. The injustice lies in Christians who possess the gospel and refuse to give their lives to making it known among those who haven’t heard. That is .” (159)
    • Ellen White: “God’s faithful people have always been missionaries, consecrating their resources to the honor of His name and wisely using their talents in His service.” (Acts of the Apostles 109)
    • Ellen White: “Not upon the ordained minister only rests the responsibility of going forth to fulfill this commission.  who has received Christ is called to work for the salvation of [their] fellow men [and women].” (110)
    • Ellen White: “Long has God waited for the spirit of service to take possession of the whole church so that shall be working for Him according to his ability. When the members of the church of God do their appointed work in the needy fields at home and abroad, in fulfillment of the gospel commission, the whole world will soon be warned and the Lord Jesus will return to this earth with power and great glory.” (111)
    • John Nevins Andrews: “I know of only one way: Find a field of labor, ask God to help, take off your coat, and pitch into the work.”

Go BIG or Go Home

 

Offering for January 24, 2026

Michigan Advance Partners

The Conference leadership is tasked with guiding the churches in proclaiming the gospel in their areas. They do this in at least four ways. First, they provide pastors and specialized personnel like Family Ministries. Second, they encourage conference-sponsored evangelism activities done through pastors and members. Third, the conference supports and supervises Adventist schools. Fourth, they collaborate with the local congregations to build churches, schools, and other facilities.

For much of this work, the Conference depends on the local church and its members for their financial contributions, as the tithe only covers the salaries of the pastors and other specialized conference ministries and personnel. To finance the remainder of these projects, most conferences collect an offering once per month. The name for this offering may vary in some conferences, but it is generally called Conference Advance. While each giver must decide for themselves how much to give, it is recommended that each of us give the equivalent of 1.2% of our income. When this offering is collected, the local treasurer will then forward it to the conference.

Thank you for your committed support to the conference initiatives through your giving and for not becoming “weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up” (Gal. 6:2, 9, ESV).

May you receive the bountiful blessings of God today.

—North American Division Stewardship Ministries

Something in Common back in the commons!

 Hello, church family. After moving from room to room as space allowed, Something in Common is returning to our roots and will meet in the Commons again starting this week. Something in Common focuses on relationships: with God, with others, in marriage, and in parenting, featuring a variety of speakers and topics. Our current series, Vertical Marriage, wraps up next week. If you’re interested, come check us out.

Love on the Move

 God's Hands 4 Kids, a PMC Grow Group outreach to our community serving foster, adoptive, kinship and guardianship families partnering with Berrien County Department Of Health and Human Services. As a gift to the families served by them and as a gift to the community of ministry leaders and professionals, we will be providing Hope for the Journey, a video conference on Trust Based Relational Intervention - trauma,  on Sunday afternoons in February here at PMC. It is produced by Show Hope. For more information and to register go to our website GH4K.org

Honduras Mission update

Honduras Mission: Our 20 person Youth Mission Team sang, camped, taught, laughed and prayed. They also conducted a day camp for about 60 children, built a two car garage, led 19 worships, set up a security system, and provided food for 60 families. Thank you for your prayers and support for Pioneer Youth Missions.

With This in Mind...

 Forgiveness, a key aspect of the Christian experience, promotes mental and physical well-being. Research shows it reduces emotional tension, psychological conflict, and even psychosomatic pain. Dr. Karen Swartz of Johns Hopkins notes that anger triggers the body’s fight-or-flight response, raising heart rate, blood pressure, and disease risk. Forgiveness, by contrast, fosters peace and lowers depression, anxiety, and stress. As Scripture reminds us, “Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven” (Luke 6:37). Go ahead! Enjoy peace of mind.

Adventist Seniors of Michiana (ASM) January Meeting

DINNER FOR SENIORS Sunday, January 25, from 1 to 3 PM, Andrews Academy invites all senior citizens (55 or better) to a banquet at the Academy, to thank us and give us a report on how our support has been a blessing. Bring your appetite and your checkbook, and come enjoy the program and food they are preparing for us.

Master Guide Toolbox!

Please join us for the next Master Guide Toolbox event at the Andrews University Seminary, February 6-7, 2026! Share with your friends, colleagues, students or in your newsletters! If you have any questions, please contact Cheryl Logan at cjhlogan@gmail.com. Spread the word! 

Introducing Parent Circle: A Sabbath Space for Growing Together

Parent Circle is a new discipleship space where parents of kids ages 4–12 connect, study the Bible, and grow together while their children are in Sabbath School. The resource area features a lending library, as well as support for completing youth and children’s ministry certifications. Join us on any Sabbath, anytime from 10:30-11:30 AM.

A British Winter's Night: Wind Symphony Winter Concert

A British Winter’s Night concert will be an evening of lively traditional British tunes and ballads.  From the popular Vaughan Williams Sea Songs and English Folk Song Suite, to the rousing tunes of the Irish Washerwoman and Country Gardens, this evening is sure to delight! The Andrews University Wind Symphony, under the direction of Denisse Santos-Gooden, will once again collaborate with the Southwestern Michigan College Brass Band under the direction of Mark Hollandsworth. The two ensembles will take the stage at the Howard Performing Arts Center on January 31, 2026 at 8:00 PM. Start off your new year with toe-tapping tunes and swaying sweet melodies! Tickets are available at howard.andrews.edu.