Think Local, Act Global:

Reversing the Polarities of the Third Millennial Church

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

As Christians, we've never called this world our home. We are as exiles in a foreign land. But how do we reach a culture that is so wholly secular, so different from what we have been called to? How do we engage this culture without conforming to it?
Saturday, May 09, 2015
Program: 
As We Begin
This Is My Father's World
Franklin Sheppard
Praise
Lord, Reign In Me
Enough
Christ Is Enough
Prayer
Sabine Vatel
Welcome New Youth Pastor!
Ben and Briana Martin
The Tent
Jack Proctor
Children's Story
Hope Everlasting
James Swearingen
Worship in Music
Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing
Todd Phillips
Sermon
“Think Local, Act Global: Reversing the Polarities of the Third Millennial Church”
Dwight K. Nelson
Connect Card, Tithes & Offerings
Hymn
The Church Has One Foundation • 348
As We Depart
Built on the Rock, the Church Shall Stand
Ludvig Lindeman

More In This Series

06/27/2015
Is God a farmer? After all, it's one of the most common comparisons Jesus made in His parables. If so, what does that mean for those of us He's asked to bring in His harvest?
06/20/2015
When Christ prayed His last and longest prayer in the book of John, He made four petitions to His Father. How can those petitions guide our church today?
06/06/2015
When the Apostle Paul saw Peter refuse to sit with the uncircumcised Gentiles, he set in motion one of the great theological debates of his time. When faced with divisive issues of our own, how will we respond? What can we learn from the example of the Early Church?

“Think Local, Act Global: Reversing the Polarities of the 3rd Millennial Church”

www.pmchurch.tv

 

  • 1 Peter 1:1; 2:9-11 
    • Lee Beach, The Church in Exile: Living in Hope After Christendom: “. . . there was a time in the history of most Western nations when Christianity held court as the de facto religion of the empire, and the church stood at or near the center of political power. In this cultural setting the church had a significant role to play in the shaping of culture and the determining of the overarching moral structures of society.” (33)
    • Beach: “If these trends continue at their current pace, religious ‘nones,’ as they are often called, will outnumber Christians by 2042.” (35)
    • Beach: “Christianity has been gradually losing its status as the lingua franca in Western culture for some time and has increasingly tended to become a local language used only by those who are professing Christians, not understood by others. . . . As we enter into the twenty-first century and the dust from the cultural upheaval of the previous century begins to clear, it is apparent that the church no longer functions at or near the center of things any more. . . The church must now function within a framework that precludes any kind of cultural authority.” (34-36)
  • Implication #1—we must find new ways to engage and penetrate the culture and world in which we are exiled.
    • Daniel vs. Esther
  • Implication #2—our modus operandi for doing so must be “engaged nonconformity.
    • Beach: “Exilic holiness is fully engaged with culture while not fully conforming to it. Living as a Christian exile in Western culture calls the church to live its life constructively embedded within society while not being enslaved to all of its norms and ideals. Sometimes holiness has a personal cost and demands taking a stand that draws attention to oneself. At other times holiness is not defined by dramatic action but by the day-to-day choices we make.” (183)
    • Walter Brueggemann, Cadences of Home: Preaching among Exiles: “The metaphor of Babylonian exile will serve well for my urging. . . . The great problem for exiles is cultural assimilation. The primary threat to those ancient Jews was that members of the community would decide that Jewishness is too demanding, or too dangerous, or too costly, and simply accept Babylonian definitions and modes of reality. And surely Jews in exile worried that their young would see no point in the hassle of being Jewish. . . . We ourselves [as Christians] surely know, moreover, about the next generation that too readily decides that discipleship is not worth it. As Jews disappeared into the woodwork of Babylon, so Christians now, as never before in the West, disappear into the hegemony of secularism.” (41)
    • Philip Yancey, Vanishing Grace: What Ever Happened to the Good News: “These three statements provide a neat summary of the gospel story. We are loved by God, forgiven by God, and invited to the banquet table. In the midst of a planet marked by brokenness—violence, natural disasters, ruptured relationships—the gospel is truly good news. Like an iPod listener dancing in a subway station full of glum commuters, a Christian hears a different sound, of joy and laughter on the other side of pain and death.” (71)

 

“Supper’s ready!”

(Flyer, TV, Google search, name of person who invited you, etc.)
DHAMAKA: SASA Cultural Night

Join SASA for an unforgettable South Asian Cultural Night at Andrews University! Experience the vibrant traditions, music, and artistry of South Asia through an evening filled with energetic dance performances, soulful singing, and a stunning fashion show showcasing traditional attire from various South Asian countries. Time and Location April 12, 2025 8:30 PM Buller Hall Auditorium Tickets Club members: $5 Non-members/Community: $7 Pick up tickets and purchase at door for entry

Water Wonderful World Book Signing

Join author Joseth Howell for an exciting evening of conversation and signing of her book, Water Wonderful World, on Tuesday, April 15 from 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM at the James White Library Gallery. The event will also feature a special kids' segment and prizes.

Paradise Promised: A Choir Concert by Andrews University Singers &Chorale

This Saturday night April 5 at 8:30 PM in the Howard Performing Arts Center, the choirs of the Andrews University Department of Music present “Paradise Promised” featuring the Andrews University Singers and Chorale in collaboration with musicians from the Andrews University Symphony Orchestra. Through masterfully composed repertoire, nature and mankind express praise and gratitude for God’s creation and provision for His plan of salvation. Included in the program is “Tree of Peace” by Gwyneth Walker, “Gloria Dios” by Ariel Ramirez, “A New Jerusalem Arise” by Kyle Pederson, “Sinner, Don’t Let the Harvest Pass You By” by Richard Shaffer, and “Christ lag in Todesbanden” (Christ lay in death’s bonds) by Johann Sebastian Bach. Bach’s moving piece by rejoices in Jesus’ resurrection from the tomb assuring our salvation!  A special feature of the concert is the performance of “We Must Tell”, a world premier by University Chorale member and composer, Jaelah Simons. Admission: $7 / $5 For more information visit https://howard.andrews.edu/events/

Offering for April 5, 2025

Pioneer Operating Budget

Researchers estimate that there are 10 quadrillion ants on earth. Ants live in colonies and are very industrious with various tasks. Everything they do is for the sake of the “queen” ant. It’s been noted that an ant is helpless without its colony, but when ants work as a team, they are practically unstoppable.

The verse in Psalm 8 humbles me, “What is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him?” (Psalm 8:4, NKJV)

Why is God the Creator so mindful of us human beings? Of all His creatures, God has uniquely lavished His love on us by sacrificing His Son to redeem us. On top of that, He invites us to join Him in the grand purpose of saving humankind.

If we insist on doing our own thing, we are no better than the anonymous ant, just struggling ineffectively to store enough food for the next winter. But when we make God’s interests our interest, His plans as our plans, and return our tithes and offerings, we honor Him and acknowledge Him as our Redeemer, and, like the many ants working together, we take our place in the eternal plan of salvation. 

North American Division Stewardship Ministries

MORE than MORE+ Discipleship Experience
Pioneer Commons

What we experienced at the MORE+ Conference was a wonderful start. Reformation/Discipleship is the indispensable follow up to any such revival experience.
Come and fan the flames of revival.

On Wednesday, April 16 we begin a 7-Session Discipleship Journey using an interactive curriculum created with Pastor Don MacLafferty, participants will experience seven principles of discipleship in fresh ways.

Register by April 11

Pentecost 2025
Pioneer Memorial Church

We invite you to join us at Pioneer for an in-person evangelism training event from Friday, April 4, to Saturday, April 5. This is open to all Seventh-day Adventist churches in the North American Division. We encourage every member—pastors, teachers, young adults, and students—to participate. The event will feature keynote speaker Mark Finley. Additionally, there will be breakout sessions available in both English and Spanish. The King's Heralds will provide music during the Friday evening service, both Sabbath worship services, Sabbath afternoon, and the evening concert. Don’t miss this opportunity to be equipped and inspired for impactful evangelistic ministry as you prepare for Pentecost 2025!

Register

Lebanon Mission Vespers
Pioneer Youth Chapel

Our Pioneer Youth Missions team has just returned from Beirut, Lebanon. Come to the mission vespers at 6:00 PM on Sabbath, April 5, to hear the testimonies, see the pictures and be inspired by what God is doing in the Middle East.

Easter Devotionals

Pioneer Women's Ministries invites you to join us for 10 days of devotionals leading up to Easter (April 11-20). Together, we will consider what various individuals present at Christ's arrest, trial, and crucifixion might have thought and experienced. If you would like to receive daily text teasers and emails with the full devotional insights, please text the word "CROSS" to 269.281.2345.

Help Us Connect by Sharing Your Sabbath School Details

We are creating a master list of all Pioneer Sabbath schools. If you are a teacher/coordinator of a Sabbath School class that meets outside the sanctuary, please email your name, class location and meeting time to Melchizedek Ponniah at melponniah@gmail.com

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/.

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